Methods and Systems for Autonomous Redundant Control

• US 20170237287A1
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASCO Power Technologies LP (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: ASCO Power Technologies LP (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Blackman, Donald K., Bonachea, Victor E., Dolinski, Walter
• Granted Patent: US 10,148,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/018 Application transfer; between utility and emergency power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/22 Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 11/12 with isolation by horizontal withdrawal
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 11/127 Withdrawal mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems

Abstract

An automatic autonomous redundant switch configured for providing energy from either a first power source or a second power source to a load is provided. The automatic switch includes a first automatic transfer switch (ATS) and a second ATS. The automatic switch further includes an interconnecting bus configured to connect the first ATS and the second ATS, and at least one controller configured to control the operation of the first ATS and the second ATS. Still further, the first ATS and the second ATS each include a respective transfer-switch mechanism, a respective bus attachment configured to connect to the interconnecting bus, and a respective motorized rack-out mechanism having a powered actuator.

Claims

1. An automatic switch configured to provide energy from either a first power source or a second power source to a load, the automatic switch comprising:

a first automatic transfer switch (ATS);

a second ATS;

an interconnecting bus configured to connect the first ATS and the second ATS; and

at least one controller configured to control the operation of the first ATS and the second ATS,

wherein the first ATS and the second ATS each include;

a respective transfer-switch mechanism;

a respective bus attachment configured to connect to the interconnecting bus; and

a respective motorized rack-out mechanism having a powered actuator, wherein the respective motorized rack-out mechanism is configured to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism between (i) a connected position in which the respective bus attachment is connected to the respective transfer-switch mechanism and (ii) an isolated position in which the respective bus attachment is isolated from the respective transfer-switch mechanism.

2. The automatic switch of claim 1, wherein the respective motorized rack-out mechanism is further configured to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism to a test position between the connected position and the isolated position.

3. The automatic switch of claim 2, wherein the respective transfer-switch mechanism comprises a respective first main switch configured to connect the first power source to the load upon closing of the respective first main switch and (ii) a respective second main switch configured to connect the second power source to the load upon closing of the respective second main switch, and

wherein the respective transfer-switch mechanism is configured to operate (i) in a first mode in which the respective first main switch is closed, (ii) in a second mode in which the respective second main switch is closed, and (iii) in a third mode in which both the respective first main switch and the respective second main switch are open.

4. The automatic switch of claim 1, wherein the respective transfer-switch mechanism comprises a plurality of isolation connectors, and wherein the respective bus attachment comprises a corresponding plurality of bus stab structures.

5. The automatic switch of claim 1, wherein the respective powered actuator is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, an electric actuator, and a stored-energy actuator.

6. The automatic switch of claim 1, wherein the first ATS and the second ATS each include a respective manual actuator.

7. The automatic switch of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:

receive an input to isolate a selected ATS of the first ATS and the second ATS; and

in response to receiving the input to isolate the selected ATS, (i) determine respective positions of the first ATS and the second ATS, (ii) cause the respective transfer-switch mechanisms of the first ATS and the second ATS to each operate in an appropriate mode for isolating the selected ATS, and (iii) cause the motorized rack-out mechanism of the selected ATS to move the transfer-switch mechanism of the selected ATS to the isolated position.

8. The automatic switch of claim 1, wherein the first ATS is connected to the first power source or the second power source, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a failure condition in the first ATS; and

in response to detecting the failure condition, automatically complete a failover sequence to move the transfer-switch mechanism of the first ATS to the isolated position and connect the second ATS to the first power source or the second power source.

9. The automatic switch of claim 1, wherein the second ATS is connected to the first power source or the second power source, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a failure condition in the second ATS; and

in response to detecting the failure condition, automatically complete a failover sequence to move the transfer-switch mechanism of the second ATS to the isolated position and connect the first ATS to the first power source or the second power source.

10. The automatic switch of claim 1, wherein controlling the operation of the first ATS and the second ATS comprises:

for each ATS, controlling an operation mode of the respective transfer-switch mechanism and controlling a position of the respective motorized rack-out mechanism.

11. The automatic switch of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller configured to control the operation of the first ATS and the second ATS comprises:

a first controller for the first ATS; and

a second controller for the second ATS.

12. The automatic switch of claim 11, wherein the first and second controllers each comprise a respective control panel, wherein the respective control panel comprises (i) at least one respective user input for automatically controlling an operation mode of the respective transfer-switch mechanism and (ii) at least one respective user input for automatically controlling a position of the respective rack-out mechanism.

13. The automatic switch of claim 12, wherein the at least one respective user input for automatically controlling an operation mode of the respective transfer-switch mechanism comprises an input for closing respective first main switch contacts, an input for closing respective second main switch contacts, and an input for opening the respective first main switch contacts and the respective second main switch contacts.

14. The automatic switch of claim 12, wherein the at least one respective user input for automatically controlling a position of the respective rack-out mechanism comprises an input to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism to a connected position, an input to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism to a test position, and an input to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism to an isolated position.

15. An automatic transfer switch (ATS) comprising:

a transfer-switch mechanism;

a bus attachment; and

a motorized rack-out mechanism having a powered actuator, wherein the motorized rack-out mechanism is configured to move the transfer-switch mechanism between (i) a connected position in which the bus attachment is connected to the transfer-switch mechanism and (ii) an isolated position in which the bus attachment is isolated from the transfer-switch mechanism.

16. The ATS of claim 15, wherein the motorized rack-out mechanism is further configured to move the transfer-switch mechanism to a test position between the connected position and the isolated position.

17. The ATS of claim 15, wherein the transfer-switch mechanism comprises a first main switch configured to connect a first power source to a load upon closing of first main switch contacts and (ii) a second main switch configured to connect a second power source to the load upon closing of second main switch contacts, and

wherein the transfer-switch mechanism is configured to operate (i) in a first mode in which the first main switch contacts are closed, (ii) in a second mode in which the second main switch contacts are closed, and (iii) in a third mode in which both the first main switch contacts and the second main switch contacts are open.

18. The ATS of claim 15, wherein the powered actuator is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, an electric actuator, and a stored-energy actuator.

19. The ATS of claim 15, wherein the motorized rack-out mechanism further includes a manual actuator.

20. A method for automatic failover and redundant switching, the method comprising:

an automatic switch detecting a malfunction of a first automatic transfer switch (ATS);

in response to detecting the malfunction of the first ATS, the automatic switch automatically releasing racking interlocks of the first ATS;

a motorized rack-out mechanism of the automatic automatically isolating the first ATS; and

the automatic switch resuming operation by operating a second ATS in place of the first ATS.