Apparatus and method for real time determination of arc fault energy, location and type
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining parallel arc fault energy in real time for a power circuit between a power source and a load, said apparatus comprising:
- means for determining a value of voltage at said load;
means for determining a value of current flowing in said power circuit to or from said power source; and
means for determining a value of said parallel arc fault energy from said value of voltage at said load and said value of current.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A detection module and remote load voltage sensor determine a location of a parallel arc for a power circuit between a power source and a load in real time. The detection module provides a value of voltage from the power source. A current sensor measures a value of current flowing in the power circuit to or from the power source. The remote load voltage sensor measures a value of voltage at the load. A microprocessor determines the parallel arc location from the value of voltage from the power source, the value of current, the value of voltage at the load, and a wire resistance or conductance per unit length of the power circuit. In one case, connector resistance is accounted for. In another case, the load voltage is encoded at a predetermined frequency using a switched precision resistor near the load, thereby providing a power line carrier type communication.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining parallel arc fault energy in real time for a power circuit between a power source and a load, said apparatus comprising:
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means for determining a value of voltage at said load; means for determining a value of current flowing in said power circuit to or from said power source; and means for determining a value of said parallel arc fault energy from said value of voltage at said load and said value of current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for determining arc fault energy in real time for a power circuit between a power source and a load, said apparatus comprising:
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means for determining a value of voltage at said load; means for determining a value of current flowing in said power circuit to or from said power source; means for determining a value of said arc fault energy from said value of voltage and said value of current, wherein said means for determining a value of said arc fault energy includes means for determining a value of parallel arc power from said value of voltage at said load times said value of current, and means for determining said value of said arc fault energy as a function of an integral of said parallel arc power, and wherein said means for determining said value of said arc fault energy as a function of an integral of said parallel arc power includes means for integrating a difference of said parallel arc power less a decay rate. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for determining parallel arc fault energy in real time for a power circuit between a power source and a load, said method comprising:
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determining a value of voltage at said load; determining a value of current flowing in said power circuit to or from said power source; and determining a value of said parallel arc fault energy from said value of voltage at said load and said value of current.
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13. A method for determining arc fault energy in real time for a power circuit between a power source and a load, said method comprising:
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determining a value of voltage at said load; determining a value of current flowing in said power circuit to or from said power source; determining a value of said arc fault energy from said value of voltage and said value of current; determining a value of parallel arc power from said value of voltage times said value of current; and determining said value of said arc fault energy as a function of an integral of said parallel arc power less a decay rate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for determining a location of a parallel arc for a power circuit between a power source and a load in real time, said apparatus comprising:
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means for providing a value of voltage from said power source; means for measuring a value of current flowing in said power circuit to or from said power source; means for measuring a value of voltage at said load; and means for determining said location from said value of voltage from said power source, said value of current, said value of voltage at said load, and a wire resistance per unit length or a wire conductance per unit length of said power circuit. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for determining parallel arc location in real time for a power circuit between a power source and a load, said method comprising:
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providing a value of voltage from said power source; measuring a value of current flowing in said power circuit to or from said power source; measuring a value of voltage at said load; and determining said parallel arc location from said value of voltage from said power source, said value of current, said value of voltage at said load, and a wire resistance per unit length or a wire conductance per unit length of said power circuit. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification