An apparatus that physically and electrically attaches to an existing AC electrical switch, and controls the power to the electrical load via outputs from the existing electrical switch or from wireless commands from a remote controller.

The present disclosure provides a DC mechanical circuit breaker that can utilize two switches, one of which can generate zero-crossing with an alternate oscillatory circuit for the other one, which can be a conventional zero-crossing-based AC breaker and can be used in the main circuit. This is different from the conventional single-switch commute-and-absorb method currently used. The present disclosure shows that disclosed circuit breaker improves the fault current extinction and significantly reduces the voltage rate-of-change while creating the current zero-crossing faster compared to the available technology. Thus, disclosed circuit breaker is capable of interrupting high DC currents with minimal arc through a less expensive AC circuit breaker. Simulation and hardware results are provided to show the efficiency of the disclosed circuit breaker.

In one aspect, a solid-state switching apparatus is provided that includes a pair of anti-parallel thyristors, a quasi-resonant turn-off circuit, a sensor, and a control circuit. The turn-off circuit is coupled in parallel with the pair of anti-parallel thyristors and includes a first selectively conductive path and a second selectively conductive path. The sensor is configured to sense a thyristor current conducted by at least one of the pair of anti-parallel thyristors. The control circuit is configured to receive the sensed thyristor current from the sensor and determine a magnitude of the sensed thyristor current and a polarity of the sensed thyristor current. The control circuit is further configured to activate, in response to determining that the magnitude is greater than a threshold value, one of the first selectively conductive path and the second selectively conductive path based on the polarity to commutate and interrupt the thyristor current.

A control device includes a triac and a first diode that is series-connected between the triac and a first terminal of the device that is configured to be connected to a cathode gate of a thyristor. A second terminal of the control device is configured to be connected to an anode of the thyristor. The triac has a gate connected to a third terminal of the device that is configured to receive a control signal. The thyristor is a component part of one or more of a rectifying bridge circuit, an in-rush current limiting circuit or a solid-state relay circuit.

An apparatus that physically and electrically attaches to an existing AC electrical switch, and controls the power to the electrical load via outputs from the existing electrical switch or from wireless commands from a remote controller.

A control device includes a triac and a first diode that is series-connected between the triac and a first terminal of the device that is configured to be connected to a cathode gate of a thyristor. A second terminal of the control device is configured to be connected to an anode of the thyristor. The triac has a gate connected to a third terminal of the device that is configured to receive a control signal. The thyristor is a component part of one or more of a rectifying bridge circuit, an in-rush current limiting circuit or a solid-state relay circuit.

Power semiconductor devices in GaN technology include an integrated auxiliary (double) gate terminal and a pulldown network to achieve a normally-off (E-Mode) GaN transistor with threshold voltage higher than 2V, low gate leakage current and enhanced switching performance. The high threshold voltage GaN transistor has a high-voltage active GaN device and a low-voltage auxiliary GaN device wherein the high-voltage GaN device has the gate connected to the source of the integrated auxiliary low-voltage GaN transistor and the drain being the external high-voltage drain terminal and the source being the external source terminal, while the low-voltage auxiliary GaN transistor has the gate (first auxiliary electrode) connected to the drain (second auxiliary electrode) functioning as an external gate terminal. A pull-down network for the switching-off of the high threshold voltage GaN transistor may be formed by additional auxiliary low-voltage GaN transistors and resistive elements connected with the low-voltage auxiliary GaN transistor.

A switching circuit includes a live wire power obtaining circuit, a control circuit, and a tunable capacitor array. The live wire power obtaining circuit is coupled to a live wire to receive an alternating current (AC) voltage. The control circuit is configured to perform a zero-crossing detection to the alternating current voltage. The tunable capacitor array is coupled to the live wire power obtaining circuit and the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to control the live wire power obtaining circuit to supply power to the control circuit or the tunable capacitor array to discharge to supply power to the control circuit based on a state of a first switch and a zero-crossing detection result.

An apparatus and method that can accelerate the turn off time for a thyristor current interrupter. Following commutation of a load current from a main thyristor to an auxiliary turn-off unit, a capacitor of the auxiliary turn-off unit can provide a resonant current to create a zero current crossing for turning the main thyristor off, as well as provide a reverse bias voltage for the main thyristor. The auxiliary turn-off unit can hold the main thyristor off and facilitate sufficient time being available for main thyristor to block forward system voltage. A voltage level of another capacitor of the auxiliary turn-off unit can, with a switch of the auxiliary turn-off unit and the main thyristor turned off, be increased to a level that triggers at least one voltage-clamping unit to absorb electrical power from that capacitor. The load current passing in the auxiliary turn-off unit can be decreased as the electrical power is absorbed to a level at which one or more auxiliary thyristor switches of the auxiliary turn-off unit can be turned off.

The Robust Safe Switch and Control Device is an “Internet of Things” end effecter that provides a minimally dissipating, robust switch tightly integrated with circuit, life and property automated safety features. The device enables extended sensing and monitoring capabilities that enable the effective management of the “Internet of Things.”