A circuit breaker comprises a solid-state bidirectional switch, a switch control circuit, current and voltage sensors, and a processor. The solid-state bidirectional switch is connected between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in a switched-on state and a switched-off state. The switch control circuit control operation of the bidirectional switch. The current sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in an electrical path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a current sense signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of voltage on the electrical path and generate a voltage sense signal. The processor is configured to process the current and voltage sense signals to determine operational status information of the circuit breaker, a fault event, and power usage information of a load connected to the load output terminal.

An arc extinguishing power device driving apparatus and an arc extinguishing apparatus of the present disclosure belong to the electrical field, and are particularly an arc extinguishing power device driving apparatus applicable to an electronic arc extinguishing apparatus for driving a power device. The power device that needs to be driven is connected in parallel to a mechanical switch that requires arc extinguishing, and includes a first voltage detection switch. An input end of the first voltage detection switch is connected to two ends of the power device. The first voltage detection switch is connected in series in a driving loop of the power device. The first voltage detection switch is turned on when detecting that there is a potential difference between the two ends of the power device. A driving signal is transferred to the power device by using the first voltage detection switch, to drive the power device to be turned on. The first voltage detection switch is a semi-controllable switch, or a fully-controllable switch whose threshold is less than an on-state voltage of the power device. The present disclosure has advantages of no need of a semiconductor device with a high withstand voltage, real-time detection on disconnection of a mechanical switch, and low driving energy consumption.

Multiple relays are connected in parallel by including one or more semiconductor devices connected across the relay contacts. The semiconductor devices are triggered to conduct and shunt transient currents during the opening and closing of the relay contacts to protect the relay contacts from overcurrent and to eliminate arcing during relay switching. This permits a combination of smaller relays to replace a larger and more expensive relay in applications that require switching of large load currents.

The present disclosure relates to a shared transfer switching system with built in relay testing ability, for transferring power received by a load from a preferred AC power source to an alternate AC power source, or transferring power being received by the load from the alternate AC power source to the preferred AC power source. The system selectively controls various ones of the relays used to apply power from either the preferred or alternate power sources to the load, such that the relays are switched from open to closed states at controlled times, while voltage measurements are made at select locations between the relays. The system can identify which specific ones of a plurality of relays associated with each of the preferred and alternate power sources has properly opened and closed, and thus verify that all of the relays needed to switch between the preferred and alternate power sources are operating properly.

Some embodiments are directed to a hybridization system) for an electric device having two terminals and two states including a closed state allowing an electric current to circulate between the two terminals and an open state blocking the circulation of the electric current between the terminals, the device being suitable for an electric arc to be generated during the switching from the closed state to the open state. The hybridization system includes: two conductors connected to the two terminals of the electric device; a timer switch having two terminals connected to the two conductors and said the timer switch being suitable for being in the open state by default and, after a first predetermined duration following the triggering of the electric arc, switching to the closed state for a second predetermined duration, and an electric power supply of the timer switch, connected to the two conductors in order to derive its power only from the electric energy provided by the electric arc.

Provided is a DC current breaker having a high-speed breaking function appropriate to a voltage-type converter and a DC current breaking method. In addition, provided is a DC current breaker and a DC current breaking method capable of reducing cost of the breaker and securing economical competiveness by using a relatively simple configuration. The DC current breaker for breaking a DC current at the time of occurrence of an accident includes: a main conduction unit including three high-speed mechanical switches installed to be connected in series to a main conduction path for conducting a normal-operation-state current; a power semiconductor switch installed to be connected in parallel to one high-speed mechanical switch among the high-speed mechanical switches installed in the main conduction unit for current breaking of the main conduction unit; a capacitor installed on a circuit connected in parallel to the main conduction path; and a surge arrester installed to be connected in parallel to the capacitor connected in parallel to the main conduction path. The DC current breaking method uses the DC current breaker.

A circuit breaker comprises a solid-state bidirectional switch, a switch control circuit, current and voltage sensors, and a processor. The solid-state bidirectional switch is connected between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in a switched-on state and a switched-off state. The switch control circuit control operation of the bidirectional switch. The current sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in an electrical path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a current sense signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of voltage on the electrical path and generate a voltage sense signal. The processor is configured to process the current and voltage sense signals to determine operational status information of the circuit breaker, a fault event, and power usage information of a load connected to the load output terminal.

A device, including: a sensor circuit that senses the state of contact impedance of a mechanical electrical switch; and a switch-off circuit that represents a sensed high impedance contact of the switch as a low or constant impedance, where the sensor circuit detects an open or closed condition of the switch by sensing a voltage across the switch passing a threshold value.

The present disclosure proposes a switching device which, when supplying and interrupting power by combining a mechanical relay with a solid-state relay, suppresses the effects of chattering from the mechanical relay, and thus makes it possible to stably supply and interrupt power. Provided is the switching device including: a semiconductor relay configured to switch between supplying and interrupting power from a power supply; a mechanical relay configured to be connected in parallel to the semiconductor relay and connected at one end to a control terminal of the semiconductor relay; and a switch configured to switch between supplying and interrupting current to the semiconductor relay. The semiconductor relay turns on by high voltage being applied to the control terminal after current flows through a coil of the mechanical relay and a contact is switched, and the semiconductor relay turns off by low voltage being applied to the control terminal after current stops flowing through the coil of the mechanical relay and the contact is switched.

An interrupter device for interrupting a direct current between a direct current source and an electrical device, for example, between a photovoltaic generator and an inverter. The interrupter device has a mechanical switch which has a first fixed contact, a second fixed contact, and a contact bridge that can be moved between a first position and a second position. The contact bridge and the first fixed contact are electrically contacted to a semiconductor switch which blocks a current when the contact bridge is in the first position. A control input of the semiconductor switch is connected to the mechanical switch such that an arc voltage generated as a result of an arc across the switch connects the semiconductor switch so as to conduct a current when the contact bridge is moved into the second position.