A hybrid circuit breaker for interrupting a current in an electrical circuit line, the hybrid circuit breaker includes an input terminal for connection to a power line and an output terminal for connection to a DC system, a first solid state switching device connected to the input terminal, and a mechanical isolator relay arranged in series with the first solid state switching device and connected to the output terminal. The hybrid circuit breaker further includes a crowbar circuit electrically connected between the output terminal and ground or mid-pole, and a controller for controlling the first solid state switching device, the mechanical isolator relay and the crowbar circuit.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a DC network comprising: an electrical conductor; a switching unit arranged at one end of the conductor to break the electrical connection via the conductor, the switching unit including a controllable power semiconductor connected in series in the current path of the conductor; wherein the conductor includes a first section and a second section starting from the switching unit with a connection point between the first section and the second section; a first overvoltage protection apparatus connected between the connecting point and a second pole of the DC network; and a second overvoltage protection apparatus connected between that end of the second section remote from the switching unit and the second pole. The overvoltage protection apparatuses each have a capacitor.

A method includes receiving a first set of operational parameters that correspond to one or more semiconductor devices of a solid-state circuit breaker and sending a first command to the solid-state circuit breaker to turn off the one or more semiconductors in response to the first set of operational parameters exceeding a first set of thresholds. The method includes sending a second command to the solid-state circuit breaker to turn on the one or more semiconductors in response to the first set of operational parameters being equal to or less than the first set of thresholds. The method includes receiving a second set of operational parameters that correspond to one or more electrical properties associated with an operation of the solid-state circuit breaker coupled to a load device and generating a baseline profile representative of the first set of operational parameters and the second operational parameters.

A disconnecting device for interrupting current, in particular of a circuit breaker, having a switch and a voltage limiter connected in parallel to the switch. The voltage limiter has a number of parallel-connected phases, each phase including a resistor. At least one of the phases includes a switching element, which is connected in series to the resistor of the phase.

Circuit breakers and associated methods are described. According to one aspect, a circuit breaker includes an input node configured to receive an AC waveform of electrical energy, an output node configured to output the AC waveform, mechanical breaker circuitry configured to selectively operate in a conductive state to conduct the AC waveform from the input node to the output node, switching circuitry configured to selectively operate in a conductive state to conduct the AC waveform from the input node to the output node, energy absorption circuitry coupled with the input node and the output node, wherein the mechanical breaker circuitry and the switching circuitry are changed from the conductive state to a non-conductive state after detection of a fault, and wherein the energy absorption circuitry is configured to dissipate electrical energy of the fault after the mechanical breaker circuitry and the switching circuitry are changed to the non-conductive state.

An electronic module is provided including a circuit board defining a longitudinal axis and having a first surface and a second surface. A module housing is provided having a bottom surface and side walls extending from the bottom surface to form an open face through which the circuit board is received. Power switches configured as an inverter circuit to drive an electric motor are mounted on the second surface of the circuit board facing the bottom surface of the module housing, and a series of heat sinks are discretely mounted on the first surface of the circuit board facing the open face opposite the power switches. Potting material is disposed in the distance between the circuit board and the bottom surface of the module housing to cover the power switches. Thermal vias are disposed through the circuit board between corresponding ones of the heat sinks and the power switches.

An acoustic sensing system for detecting movement of an ultra-fast actuator in a hybrid circuit interrupter is disclosed. The system comprises a number of acoustic sensors structured to perform active or passive position sensing. For active sensing, the sensors emit sound waves toward a number of targeted portions of the actuator moving assembly and detect the positions of the targets based on acoustic signals reflected back to the sensors by the targets. For passive sensing, the sensors detect acoustic wavelets generated as a result of the moving assembly components moving during opening and closing operations. Acoustic signals can propagate through air or solids and thus the sensors can be mounted in a variety of locations within the circuit interrupter. Acoustic sensors are particularly well-suited for the circuit interrupter environment, as they are resilient to the environmental and external factors, such as dust, that can affect the performance of non-acoustic sensors.

A switching device for switching an electrical load on or off has an internal energy store which, when the supply voltage is switched off, may deliver the excitation energy, necessary for controlling electromechanical switches, directly to at least one of the electromechanical switches for a predetermined time period. For this purpose, a control unit appropriately controls at least two switching units. The switching units are each part of an energy flow limiting device, in particular an optocoupler, in order to achieve a sufficiently high separation, in terms of energy, between a first terminal and a second terminal. The switching device also has an input stage that may provide a digital control signal for the control unit, which signals the application or the non-application of a supply voltage.

A connecting device may electrically connect an electric motor to an electronic switchgear unit. The connecting device may include a bus bar that has a first interface, a second interface, and a linear section therebetween, where the first interface is bowed in a direction at least partially transverse to a longitudinal direction of the linear section of the bus bar. The first interface may be configured to electrically connect to at least one line that conducts a drive current of the electric motor through a crimp connection, and the second interface may be configured to electrically connect to the electronic switchgear unit.

A composite switch with diode contact protection based on a diode is disclosed and includes a primary relay contact protection circuit, a primary relay contact and a relay control circuit, where the primary relay contact protection circuit is formed by an auxiliary relay contact and a diode connected in series and is connected with the primary relay contact in parallel, a current capacity of the auxiliary relay contact is 1/10 to 1/1000 of a current capacity of the primary relay contact.