An electronic circuit for single-event latch-up (SEL) detection and protection of a target integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. The circuit comprises: a first detector configured for detecting an absolute load current (i) and comparing the absolute load current (i) with a threshold current (i.sub.th); a second detector configured for detecting a rate of change of load current (di/dt) and comparing the rate of change of load current (di/dt) with a threshold current change rate (di/dt).sub.th; and a determination module for triggering a power shut-down to the target IC if the absolute load current (i) exceeds the threshold current (i.sub.th) and/or the rate of change of load current (di/dt) exceeds the threshold current change rate (di/dt).sub.th.

A system and method for differential protection of a transformer under geomagnetically induced current (GIC). The method including: receiving differential currents associated with the transformer; outputting a high GIC signal where second harmonic phasors of the differential currents are in a negative-sequence format and at least one magnitude of the second harmonic phasors is greater than a magnitude threshold, or waveforms of three phases of the differential currents are all asymmetrical in a positive or negative direction; determining derivatives of the differential currents of three phases of the transformer; outputting a high supplementary signal where at least one of the derivatives of the differential currents is greater than a supplementary threshold; combining the GIC signal with the supplementary signal; combining the supplemented GIC signal with a second harmonic blocking signal; and outputting a trip signal for electrically tripping the transformer based on a supplemented second harmonic blocking signal.

A radiation-hardened DC-DC converter capable of operating at cryogenic temperatures in high radiation environments. The radiation-hardened DC-DC converter can include an input side, the input side producing a high frequency AC voltage; a transformer; and an output side, the output side including a magnetic amplifier, wherein the pre-regulated high frequency AC voltage is fed to the magnetic amplifier through the transformer allowing the magnetic amplifier to provide a pulse width modulation function for voltage regulation.

A system for mitigating a solid state power controller (SSPC) open fault caused by single event latchup (SEL) on a power module includes a microprocessor in a control communication and power supply module (CCP) configured to determine whether communication with a microcontroller in at least one of a solid state power controller (SSPC) and a second SSPC in the power module is lost. The microprocessor in the CCP is operatively connected to the power module and configured to notify, via a backplane communication bus, the microcontroller on the power module that the communication with the SSPC in the power module is lost. The microcontroller in the SSPC is configured to set a low power operation of a second SSPC in the power module not affected by SEL in response to loss of reception of command messages from the microprocessor in the CCP.

A surge protection apparatus includes a signal determination unit configured to generate a control signal by detecting a surge on a power line, and a switching unit connected between the power line and a ground terminal and configured to include a power transistor that is turned on in response to the control signal.

Embodiments of a single event latch-up (SEL) protection circuit are provided, including: a first circuitry block coupled to a source of an input voltage a load, and digitally controlling a first switch; the first switch generates a load and senses an instantaneous load current iLoad. A second circuitry block is configured to generate an average iLoad and generate single event latch-up triggers (i.e., SEL fault detection) as a function of at least a comparison of the inst_iLoad and average iLoad; wherein this first circuitry block contains the analog based SET filtering needed to reduce false SEL triggers. A supervisor module generates on/off commands for the first switch, responsive to receiving the SEL detection in excess of a pre-programmed delay to provide the final SET filtering to prevent false SEL triggers. The first circuitry block removes the load voltage at N1 upon receiving an off command from the supervisor module.

An electric power substation includes one or more primary relay panels located at a substation site and susceptible to damage caused by radiated or coupled electromagnetic energy, and an electromagnetic pulse mitigation module located at the substation site and comprising a continuous conductive enclosure that is impervious to the radiated or coupled electromagnetic energy. One or more backup relay panels are housed within the electromagnetic pulse mitigation module and capable of assuming operation of the one or more primary relay panels.

A method for protecting an electrical transmission system having an electrical transmission line coupled to electrical equipment from hazardous EMI comprises receiving at least one pulse of hazardous EMI on the transmission line, and shunting current induced on the electrical transmission line by the at least one pulse of hazardous EMI to ground through at least one static series spark gap apparatus in such manner as to bypass high speed transient voltages from the electrical equipment to ground via a low impedance means and prevent damage thereto, wherein the static series spark gap apparatus has a rise time that is typically 2 nanoseconds or less.

An apparatus detects an E3 phase and E1 and E2 phases of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). A pulse detector detects E1 and E2. A sustained level detector connects to a mains utility power supply line to detect E3. A delay timer holds an indication of a detected E1 or E2 for a predetermined time limit of about 10 minutes. A latch holds an indication that an EMP has occurred when an E3 occurs following an E1 or E2 within the predetermined time limit. An alarm indicates an EMP. A mechanical actuator disconnects the mains utility power supply line from utility power when an EMP is so indicated. The mechanical actuator can be mounted to a panel front face of a circuit breaker box in a configuration to push open a switch surface of a circuit breaker switch lever.

A system and method for detecting and isolating a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (“HEMP”) along electrical lines electrically connected to a monitored infrastructure so as to protect the monitored infrastructure, the method including a phase unit receiving sensor signals from a plurality of sensors electrically connected to each of the electrical lines, respectively, upstream of and associated with the monitored infrastructure. The method includes determining if the received sensors signals associated with the respective electrical line is indicative of an E1 component of an EMP and, if so, actuating an isolation subsystem in less than 300 nanoseconds to electrically isolate the respective electrical line against propagation against the monitored infrastructure. Determining in real time if received sensor signals is indicative of the E1 component includes a hardware implemented neural network (NN) having algorithms for machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) operable to provide instantaneous detection and classification.