POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM INCORPORATING GROUND FAULT INTERRUPT PROTECTION

• US 20130329321A1
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Wagner, Carl A., Wavering, Jeffrey T., Ives, Kyle Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,988,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/47
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/16 responsive to fault current to earth, frame or mass with balanced or differential arrangement H02H3/26 ; monitoring earth connection H02H5/105
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/165 for three-phase systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/32 involving comparison of the voltage or current values at corresponding points in different conductors of a single system, e.g. of currents in go and return conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/33 using summation current transformers H02H3/347 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/26 Sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, e.g. for disconnecting a section on which a short-circuit, earth fault, or arc discharge has occured locating faults in cables G01R31/08
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/08 Limitation or suppression of earth fault currents, e.g. Petersen coil

Abstract

A power distribution system includes multiple uniform power distribution modules and multiple uniform mating connectors. A portion of the mating connectors are connected to the power distribution modules directly and the remainder are connected to the power distribution modules via a ground fault interrupt adapter.

Claims

1. A power distribution system comprising:

a plurality of uniform power distribution modules, wherein each of said power distribution modules includes a module connector;

a plurality of uniform mating connectors operable to connect to said power distribution modules; and

at least one ground fault interrupt adapter operable to connect one of said plurality of uniform power distribution modules to one of said plurality of uniform mating connectors and thereby provide ground fault interrupt protection to said one of said uniform power distribution modules.

2. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein said ground fault interrupt adapter includes at least one current sensor operable to sense a ground fault in a connection between said power distribution module and said mating connector.

3. The power distribution system of claim 2, wherein said current sensor is operable to detect a ground fault on a single sensed power phase.

4. The power distribution system of claim 2, wherein said current sensor is operable to detect a ground fault present in a sensed poly-phase power signal.

5. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein each of said uniform power distribution modules includes at least one ground fault interrupt detection circuit.

6. The power distribution system of claim 5, wherein said at least one ground fault interrupt detection circuit is an integrated circuit.

7. The power distribution system of claim 5, wherein said at least one ground fault interrupt adapter connection enables said at least one ground fault interrupt detection circuit.

8. A ground fault interrupt (GFI) adapter for a power distribution system comprising:

a plurality of power phase pass throughs operable to pass electrical power from a power module connector to a mating connector through said ground fault interrupt adapter;

at least one current sensor operable to sense a current passing through said ground fault interrupt adapter; and

at least one neutral connection operable to connect a neutral line within said ground fault interrupt adapter to a neutral line of a connected mating adapter.

9. The ground fault interrupt adapter of claim 8, wherein each of said at least one current sensors further comprise an output operable to connect each of said at least one current sensors to a ground fault interrupt detection circuit in a connected power distribution module.

10. The ground fault interrupt adapter of claim 8, wherein one of said at least one current sensor is a current transformer sensor.

11. The ground fault interrupt adapter of claim 10, wherein said current transformer sensor surrounds each phase of a balanced multiphase pass through and a neutral line, such that said current transformer sensor is operable to detect when said multiphase pass through is out of balance.

12. The ground fault interrupt adapter of claim 10, wherein said current transformer sensor surrounds a single phase pass through and a neutral, such that said current transformer sensor is operable to detect a current level passing through said single phase pass through.

13. A method for providing ground fault interrupt protection in a power distribution system comprising:

connecting uniform mating connectors to uniform power distribution modules directly at connections not requiring ground fault interrupt protection; and

connecting uniform mating connectors to uniform power distribution modules via a ground fault interrupt adapter at connections requiring ground fault interrupt protection.