A control system for and a method of fault isolation and electrical power restoration on an electrical network are provided and comprise: a plurality of electrical power supply facilities connectable to a region of a network, the region comprising a plurality of segments connectable to one or more neighbouring segments by a respective switching device; and the method including the steps of: detecting a fault condition within the region; operating the plurality of switching devices connecting the segments within the region so as to disconnect those segments from one another; performing a reconnection routine for each of a plurality of reconnection zones, being run concurrently, and each including the steps a to d of: a) selecting from the set of all unpowered segments within the reconnection zone a single unpowered segment that is connectable to a neighbouring powered segment, or is connectible to the electrical power supply facility associated with the reconnection zone, b) connecting the selected segment to provide electrical power to that selected segment, c) determining whether a fault has occurred within the reconnection zone, d) if a fault is determined to have occurred at step c, setting a halt status and identifying the selected segment as the segment causing the fault condition, or else repeating steps a to d until all segments within the reconnection zone are electrically connected to the respective electrical power supply facility, or until a halt status is set by another one of the concurrent reconnection routines; isolating the segment identified as causing the fault condition; and reconnecting the segments within the region to an electrical power supply facility, excluding the identified isolated segment.

A control system for and a method of fault isolation and electrical power restoration on an electrical network are provided and comprise: a plurality of electrical power supply facilities connectable to a region of a network, the region comprising a plurality of segments connectable to one or more neighbouring segments by a respective switching device; and the method including the steps of: detecting a fault condition within the region; operating the plurality of switching devices connecting the segments within the region so as to disconnect those segments from one another; performing a reconnection routine for each of a plurality of reconnection zones, being run concurrently, and each including the steps a to d of: a) selecting from the set of all unpowered segments within the reconnection zone a single unpowered segment that is connectable to a neighbouring powered segment, or is connectible to the electrical power supply facility associated with the reconnection zone, b) connecting the selected segment to provide electrical power to that selected segment, c) determining whether a fault has occurred within the reconnection zone, d) if a fault is determined to have occurred at step c, setting a halt status and identifying the selected segment as the segment causing the fault condition, or else repeating steps a to d until all segments within the reconnection zone are electrically connected to the respective electrical power supply facility, or until a halt status is set by another one of the concurrent reconnection routines; isolating the segment identified as causing the fault condition; and reconnecting the segments within the region to an electrical power supply facility, excluding the identified isolated segment.

Electrical fuse element 12 comprising a switchable load path 22 and a switchable fuse path 36, wherein the load path 22 and the fuse path 36 are short-circuited with their respective inputs 14. The load path 22 and the fuse path 36 are in mechanical connection with each other in such a way that an electrical opening of the load path 22 causes an electrical closing of the fuse path 36 and that a melting fuse 38 arranged in the fuse path 36 is triggered at the moment of closing of the fuse path 36.

A disconnection device for a high-voltage electrical system of a motor vehicle for disconnecting a high-voltage line of the high-voltage electrical system, includes an overcurrent protection apparatus; a first disconnecting unit which is made of a first actuatable disconnecting unit, the first disconnecting unit being designed to interrupt a current flow over the first disconnecting unit in the activated state; a second disconnecting unit which is made of a second actuatable disconnecting unit and the overcurrent protection apparatus, the second disconnecting unit being designed to conduct an overcurrent to the overcurrent protection apparatus which interrupts the current flow over the second disconnecting unit in the activated state; and a control unit which is designed to activate at least the second disconnecting unit in the event of an overcurrent and to activate at least the first disconnecting unit in the event of an overcurrent-independent event in order to separate the high-voltage line.

A circuit breaker is proposed, comprising a live line and a neutral line and a semiconductor switching unit located in the live line, the circuit breaker further comprises a bypass line, which is connected in parallel to the semiconductor switching unit, with a first mechanical switch and a second mechanical switch located in the bypass line, with the first mechanical switch connected in series to the second mechanical switch, whereby the semiconductor switching unit, the first mechanical switch and the second mechanical switch are controlled by a processing unit of the circuit breaker, which is embodied to send a first opening command to the first mechanical switch in case of a short-circuit-detection, and sending a second opening command to the second mechanical switch a time-delay after sending of the first opening command.

A circuit breaker is proposed, comprising a live line and a neutral line and a semiconductor switching unit located in the live line, the circuit breaker further comprises a bypass line, which is connected in parallel to the semiconductor switching unit, with a first mechanical switch and a second mechanical switch located in the bypass line, with the first mechanical switch connected in series to the second mechanical switch, whereby the semiconductor switching unit, the first mechanical switch and the second mechanical switch are controlled by a processing unit of the circuit breaker, which is embodied to send a first opening command to the first mechanical switch in case of a short-circuit-detection, and sending a second opening command to the second mechanical switch a time-delay after sending of the first opening command.

Systems and methods are provided for a power distribution device having a power input and a plurality of power receptacles. The power receptacles are coupled in parallel with each other. A switching circuit is coupled between the power input and the power receptacles. A circuit breaker detects when an aggregate current load of the receptacles is greater than a rating of the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker disconnects the power input from all of the receptacles after a first amount of time following the detection. An electronic controller is configured to disconnect a subset of the receptacles from the power input with the switching circuit to reduce the aggregate current load below the rating of the circuit breaker within a second amount of time following the detection. The second amount of time is less than the first amount of time.

Systems and methods are provided for a power distribution device having a power input and a plurality of power receptacles. The power receptacles are coupled in parallel with each other. A switching circuit is coupled between the power input and the power receptacles. A circuit breaker detects when an aggregate current load of the receptacles is greater than a rating of the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker disconnects the power input from all of the receptacles after a first amount of time following the detection. An electronic controller is configured to disconnect a subset of the receptacles from the power input with the switching circuit to reduce the aggregate current load below the rating of the circuit breaker within a second amount of time following the detection. The second amount of time is less than the first amount of time.

An example electrical power distribution system includes a plurality of circuit protection devices coupled between an electrical power source and a plurality of electrical loads. Each circuit protection device includes a trip unit, a network interface, a processor, and a memory. The trip unit is configured to selectively trip to prevent a flow of electrical current through said circuit protection device. The network interface is communicatively coupled to a communication network including the plurality of circuit protection devices. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to transmit, using the network interface, circuit protection device data to the network. The circuit protection device data is formatted according to a network communication protocol of the communication network.

An example electrical power distribution system includes a plurality of circuit protection devices coupled between an electrical power source and a plurality of electrical loads. Each circuit protection device includes a trip unit, a network interface, a processor, and a memory. The trip unit is configured to selectively trip to prevent a flow of electrical current through said circuit protection device. The network interface is communicatively coupled to a communication network including the plurality of circuit protection devices. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to transmit, using the network interface, circuit protection device data to the network. The circuit protection device data is formatted according to a network communication protocol of the communication network.