H02H3/063

Fault protection device with ground trip delay and method

A reclosing fault protection device detects a partial bypass state. Upon detecting the partial bypass state, the fault protection device implements a ground trip delay operating state. The ground trip delay operating state provides a delayed ground trip response characteristic.

Tie switch restoration

A control system and method for a group of interconnected feeders which enables fault location, isolation and service restoration without requiring each switch to have topology knowledge of devices in adjacent feeders. The method defines, for each switch, connectivity and X/Y directional information about its neighboring switches and propagates this information throughout each feeder. A leader device is also determined for each feeder. Information about topology of adjacent feeders is not needed by all devices. Only normally-open tie switches which define a boundary between two adjacent feeders have knowledge of the devices in both feeders. Switches which open during fault isolation automatically find open tie switches in a direction opposite the fault, and request service restoration downstream of the fault by providing power from an adjacent feeder. Leader devices ensure an overload condition is not created before initiating opening and closing operations of switches downstream of the fault.

Restoration Of Fault Insulated Feeder

A method for restoration of a fault isolation in a medium voltage, MV, network having a plurality of feeders and a plurality of normally open, NO, switches possibly in parallel with MV direct current, DC, links is presented. The method is performed in a control device of the MV network. The method includes closing at least two NO switches in parallel with MVDC links of the plurality of NO switches, being connected to a fault isolated feeder of the plurality of feeders of the MV network, and opening the closed at least two NO switches in parallel with MVDC links except one. A control device, a computer program and a computer program product for restoration of a fault isolation in a MV network are also presented.

FAULT RECOVERY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRICAL POWER DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS
20170358914 · 2017-12-14 ·

Methods and systems for self-healing fault recovery in an electrical power distribution network, particularly distribution networks employing a mesh configuration. When a power source circuit breaker is tripped one or more virtual paths is traced throughout the mesh network, each virtual path originating at the power source that is offline, terminating at an alternate power source, and containing one or two open load switches. A restoration path is chosen from the virtual paths. Power can be transferred to other segments of the mesh network by isolating the fault and closing the open load switch in the chosen restoration path. Some or all of the method and system can be automated.

Electric power distribution sectionalizing in high-risk areas using wireless fault sensors

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for safe electric power delivery protection within a high-risk area while maintaining electric power availability in non-faulted areas. Fault signals from wireless sensors are used at a recloser to block reclosing onto a faulted high-risk zone. Fault signals from wireless sensors are used at a recloser to permit reclosing when the reclosing operation will not close onto a fault location within the high-risk zone. Portions of the power system may be selectively openable by sectionalizers. When a fault is reported by a wireless sensor as being on a portion of the power system selectively openable, a recloser may be permitted to attempt a reclose operation affecting the high-risk zone and the selectively openable portion.

Hardware based over-current protection circuitry for power distribution systems
09722412 · 2017-08-01 · ·

A power distribution unit that switches off power outlets in the event of an over-current condition by using circuitry that measures how long input current has exceeded a threshold and sending a reset signal to the power outlets when input current has exceeded the threshold for a predetermined time duration.

Single phase fault isolation and restoration for power distribution network

A method for controlling a power distribution network includes receiving, by an electronic processor, a fault indication associated with a fault in the power distribution network from a first isolation device of a plurality of isolation devices. The processor identifies a first subset of a plurality of phases associated with the fault indication and a second subset of the plurality of phases not associated with the fault indication. The first and second subsets each include at least one member. The processor identifies an upstream isolation device upstream of the fault. The processor identifies a downstream isolation device downstream of the fault. The processor sends an open command to the downstream isolation device for each phase in the first subset. Responsive to the first isolation device not being the upstream isolation device, the processor sends a close command to the first isolation device for each phase in the first subset.

METHOD FOR STARTING PHOTOVOLTAIC RAPID SHUTDOWN SYSTEM, APPLICATION APPARATUS AND SYSTEM

A method for starting a photovoltaic rapid shutdown system, an application apparatus and a system are provided. In this method, the inverter system controls a voltage of a direct current bus in the photovoltaic rapid shutdown system. The photovoltaic module breaker makes determination based on a detected output voltage of the photovoltaic module breaker. In a case that the change characteristics of the voltage of the direct current bus connected to the photovoltaic module breaker meets the predetermined turn-on condition, the photovoltaic module breaker controls itself to be turned on. Therefore, the photovoltaic module breaker can determine whether the photovoltaic module breaker receives a turn-on signal only based on its own voltage acquisition device without an additional receiving apparatus.

POWER CONVERSION DEVICE

Even when one power conversion device among a plurality of power conversion devices connected in parallel experiences a short circuit, the other power conversion devices having experienced no short circuit can be promptly restarted. Each power conversion device includes: a short circuit occurrence determination unit configured to determine, on the basis of a current value at an output terminal, whether or not a short circuit has occurred; a short circuit elimination determination unit configured to determine, on the basis of a current value and a voltage value at the output terminal, whether or not the short circuit has been eliminated; and a current interruption unit configured to, on the basis of determination by the short circuit occurrence determination unit and determination by the short circuit elimination determination unit, interrupt current that flows from a power conversion unit to the output terminal or cancel the interruption.

FAULT ISOLATION - NO VOLTAGE SENSOR
20220178985 · 2022-06-09 · ·

A method for fault location and isolation in a power distribution network, where the network includes a plurality of switching devices provided along a feeder, and at least one of the switching devices does not have voltage sensing capabilities. The method includes detecting an overcurrent event in the network from the fault and interrupting the overcurrent event by opening and then immediately locking out or subsequently reclosing and testing the fault. A count value is increased in each switching device that detected the overcurrent event. A message is sent from each of the switching devices that detected the overcurrent event and then detected the loss of voltage upstream to an upstream neighbor switching device. Current measurements in the messages, measured current by the devices and the counts values in the devices determine what devices are opened to isolate the fault.