Method and apparatus for disconnection of a fault current which has occured in an AC power supply system

• US 20080019063A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Technology AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Muller, Lorenz, Stanek, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,450,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 33/006 adapted for interrupting fault currents with delayed zero crossings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/005 Safety control circuits therefor, e.g. chain of relays mutually monitoring each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/56 for ensuring operation of the switch at a predetermined point in the ac cycle

Abstract

A method and an apparatus are disclosed for disconnection of a fault current which has occurred in an AC power supply system. A disconnection command which is produced in a protective device is supplied to a synchronization controller in order to open a circuit breaker, in which synchronization controller a command is delayed until the circuit breaker can be opened in synchronism with the power supply system. The method includes monitoring of the disconnection command emitted from the protective device and monitoring a fault-current signal, or a status signal emitted from the circuit breaker, and formation of an emergency disconnection command if the fault-current signal or the status signal is still present following a delay time after emission of the disconnection command, which delay time is greater than a sum of a natural response time of the circuit breaker and a time for quenching of a switching arc produced on opening of the circuit breaker.

Claims

1. A method for disconnection of a fault current (I) which has occurred in an AC power supply system, comprising:

supplying a disconnection command, which is produced in a protective device, to a synchronization controller to open a circuit breaker;

delaying the switching command in the synchronization controller until the circuit breaker can be opened in synchronism with the power supply system;

monitoring the disconnection command emitted from the protective device and monitoring fault current, or a status signal emitted from the circuit breaker, and

forming a first emergency disconnection command which acts on the circuit breaker if the fault current or the status signal is still present following a first delay time after emission of the disconnection command, which first delay time is greater than a sum of a natural response time of the circuit breaker and a time for quenching of a switching arc produced on opening of the circuit breaker.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first delay time is 30 to 70 ms.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

monitoring a first disconnection command which is emitted from the protective device, as well as the fault current, after the first delay time has elapsed; and

independently of the first disconnection command, a second emergency disconnection command is formed if the fault current is still present after a second delay time has passed since the emission of the first disconnection command, which second delay time is greater than the first delay time.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second delay time is 50 to 150 ms.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the first delay time is 50 ms.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second delay time is 100 ms.

10. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising:

monitoring a first disconnection command which is emitted from the protective device, as well as the fault current, after the first delay time has elapsed; and

independently of the first disconnection command, a second emergency disconnection command is formed if the fault current is still present after a second delay time has passed since the emission of the first disconnection command, which second delay time is greater than the first delay time.

5. An apparatus for disconnection of a fault current which occurs in an AC power supply system, comprising:

a protective device for production of a disconnection command for a circuit breaker;

a synchronization controller, which detects the disconnection command and in which the switching command is delayed until the circuit breaker can be opened in synchronism with the power supply system; and

a failure protective device which ensures disconnection of a fault current when the synchronization controller is defective, to produce a first emergency disconnection command.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the failure protective device comprises:

a first protective apparatus for synchronization controller with a first input for detection of the disconnection command and with a second input for detection of a fault-current signal or of a status signal;

a first delay element, which is connected downstream from the first input and has a first delay time which is greater than a sum of a natural response time of the circuit breaker and a time for quenching of a switching arc which can be produced on opening of the circuit breaker;

a first AND element which logically links the delayed disconnection command and the fault-current signal or the status signal with one another; and

an output which acts on the circuit breaker and at which the first emergency disconnection command is present once the first delay time has elapsed.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the failure protective device comprises:

a second protective apparatus for the circuit breaker, having;

a first input for detection of the disconnection command and a second input for detection of the fault-current signal;

a second delay element, which is connected downstream from the first input and has a second delay time which is greater than a sum of a natural response time of the circuit breaker and a time for quenching of a switching arc which can be produced on opening of the circuit breaker;

a second AND element which logically links the delayed disconnection command and the fault-current signal with one another; and

an output which acts on a further circuit breaker, at which a second emergency disconnection command is present once the second delay time has elapsed.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first delay time is 50 ms.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second delay time is 100 ms.