The disclosure relates to a mechatronic circuit-breaker device adapted to break an electrical current flowing through electrical power transmission means, the device including a main branch comprising at least one electromechanical switch-disconnector connected in series with at least one breaker cell itself electrically in parallel with a snubber and a first voltage surge limiter; an auxiliary branch electrically in parallel with the main branch and comprising at least one power electronic switch, connected in series with at least one capacitor, itself electrically in parallel with its discharge resistance and a second voltage surge limiter. The first voltage surge limiter has a sharper voltage-current characteristic and offering a much steeper slope at low currents than the second surge limiter.

A low-voltage circuit breaker device includes: at least one line conductor path from a line conductor supply connection of the low-voltage circuit breaker device to a line conductor load connection of the low-voltage circuit breaker device; a neutral conductor path from a neutral conductor connection of the low-voltage circuit breaker device to a neutral conductor load connection of the low-voltage circuit breaker device; a mechanical bypass switch arranged in the line conductor path; a first semiconductor circuit assembly of the low-voltage circuit breaker device being connected in parallel with the mechanical bypass switch; an electronic control unit for actuating the mechanical bypass switch and the first semiconductor circuit assembly; an ammeter assembly arranged in the line conductor path, which ammeter assembly is connected to the electronic control unit; and a second semiconductor circuit assembly arranged in the line conductor path.

The present disclosure relates to a micro-loss combined mechanical DC circuit breaker and its control method, consisting n ports, n load current paths and a main breaker; wherein the n load current paths are parallel with the main breaker, and each load current path is divided into an upper bridge arm and a lower bridge arm at a connection point; each port is electrically connected to the connection point of a load current path; the upper bridge arm of each load current path is made of an ultra-fast mechanical switch; the lower bridge arm of each load current path is made of a residual current breaker and a fast closing switch; the main breaker consists of a high-voltage capacitor in series with a low-voltage capacitor that is pre-charged.

A direct-current circuit breaker includes a first main circuit breaker inserted into a first direct-current line, a resonance circuit connected in parallel to the first main circuit breaker, a MOSA connected in parallel to the first main circuit breaker via the resonance circuit, a second main circuit breaker inserted into a second direct-current line, a switch connected in series to the second main circuit breaker, a resonance circuit connected in parallel to the second main circuit breaker, and a MOSA connected in parallel to the second main circuit breaker via the resonance circuit. The second direct-current line is a line that branches off from the first direct-current line and returns to the first direct-current line. The switch is inserted upstream of the second direct-current line.

A low-voltage protective device includes: at least one outer conductor path from an outer conductor power terminal of the low-voltage protective device to an outer conductor load terminal of the low-voltage protective device; a neutral conductor path from a neutral conductor terminal of the low-voltage protective device to a neutral conductor load terminal of the low-voltage protective device; a mechanical bypass switch arranged in the outer conductor path; a first semiconductor circuit arrangement connected in parallel to the mechanical bypass switch, the first semiconductor circuit arrangement having at least one power semiconductor, such as an IGBT, with a control terminal, such as a gate terminal; an electronic control unit; a current-measurement arrangement arranged in the outer conductor path, connected to the electronic control unit of the protective device; and at least one voltage measurement arrangement for detecting a Miller effect-induced voltage spike at the at least one power semiconductor.

A low-voltage protective switching device includes: at least one line conductor length extending from a line conductor supply connection of the low-voltage protective switching device to a line conductor load connection of the low-voltage protective switching device; a neutral conductor length extending from a neutral conductor connection of the low-voltage protective switching device to a neutral conductor load connection of the low-voltage protective switching device; a mechanical bypass switch and a first mechanical circuit breaker disposed in series in the line conductor length; a second mechanical circuit breaker disposed in the neutral conductor length; a first semiconductor switching arrangement disposed in parallel to the bypass switch; and an electronic control unit that presettably actuates the bypass switch, the first mechanical circuit breaker, the second mechanical circuit breaker, and the first semiconductor switching arrangement. The first semiconductor switching arrangement includes a snubber, which includes a first capacitor.

A circuit breaker includes: a live line between a live supply connecting terminal and a live load connecting terminal; a neutral line between a neutral supply connecting terminal and a neutral load connecting terminal; a processing unit; a mechanical switch located in the live line, which mechanical switch is controllable by the processing unit; a trigger for interrupting the live line and/or the neutral line; and an auxiliary line connecting the neutral line with the live line between the mechanical switch and the live load connecting terminal, the auxiliary line including serially a current limiting resistor and a control switch controllable by the processing unit. The processing unit controls the control switch and to open and close at least the mechanical switch for a removal of oxidation layers of mechanical contacts of at least the mechanical switch by controlled arcing.

A DC circuit breaker includes: a first current section of a first electrical polarity from a first supply terminal of the DC circuit breaker to a first load terminal of the DC circuit breaker; a second current section of a second electrical polarity from a second supply terminal of the DC circuit breaker to a second load terminal of the DC circuit breaker; a mechanical bypass switch arranged in the first current section or the second current section, the mechanical bypass switch having at least one bypass switch excitation coil; a first semiconductor circuit arrangement connected in parallel with the mechanical bypass switch; an electronic control unit of the DC circuit breaker for actuating the first semiconductor circuit arrangement; a second semiconductor circuit arrangement to be actuated by the electronic control unit, which second semiconductor circuit arrangement is connected to the bypass switch excitation coil by circuitry.

Modular circuit protection devices and configurable panelboard systems include arc-free operation, thermal management features providing safe operation in hazardous environments at lower cost and without requiring conventional explosion-proof enclosures and without entailing series connected separately provided packages such as circuit breaker devices and starter motor contactors and controls.

A switching apparatus comprises: a first current-conductive branch (12) including a first switching element (24), the first switching element (24) configured to be switchable to selectively permit and block a flow of current in the first current-conductive branch (12); a second current-conductive branch (14) including a second switching element (32), the second switching element (32) configured to be switchable to selectively permit and block a flow of current in the second current-conductive branch (14); and first and second terminals (18,20) for connection, in use, to an electrical network (22), wherein the first and second current-conductive branches (12,14) extend between the first and second terminals (18,20), wherein the first current-conductive branch (12) further includes an energy storage element electrically coupled to the second switching element (32) so that the energy storage element is configured as a power source for enabling the operation of the second switching element (32), and the first switching element (24) is configured to be switchable to selectively direct a current flowing in the first current-conductive branch (12) to flow through the energy storage element so as to store energy in the energy storage element.