Protection system for power distribution systems

• US 20040019410A1
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Berkcan, Ertugrul, Gore, Rahul, Premerlani, William James, Sexton, Daniel White, Evans, Scott Charles, Rao, Ramakrishna, Papallo, Thomas F., Andarawis, Emad Andarawis, Mani, Shobhana, Schnore, Austars Raymond Jr., Sealing, Charles Scott, Basavaraj, Somashekhar, Jiang, Mingxiao, Topka, Terry Michael, Pearlman, Marc Robert, Rao, Samantha, Orlowski, Eugene Joseph Jr., Purkayastha, Indra, Morrill, Daniel Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/292
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/12 Synchronisation of different clock signals provided by a plurality of clock generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/05 Digital input using the sampling of an analogue quantity at regular intervals of time , input from a/d converter or output to d/a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 83/20 operated by excess current as well as by some other abnormal electrical condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/0061 concerning transmission of signals transmission of measured quantities or switching orders; sectionalised protection involving signal transmission between at least two stations H02H7/261; comparison of the voltage or current values at two spaced portions of a single system H02H3/28; transferring the output of a sensing member to another variable G01D5/00; electrical measuring arrangements using modulation of electromagnetic waves, e.g. light beams G01R15/24, G01R15/26
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/006 Calibration or setting of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/05 with means for increasing reliability, e.g. redundancy arrangements for logic circuits H03K19/003
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/261 involving signal transmission between at least two stations transmission of signals in general H02H1/0061
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/262 involving transmissions of switching or blocking orders
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/263 involving transmissions of measured values comparison of currents or voltages using pilot wires H02H3/30
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/30 Staggered disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00012 using an auxiliary transmission line
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00018 using phone lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0004 : involved in a protection system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 : Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 : The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 : Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/001 : Methods to deal with contingencies, e.g. abnormalities, faults or failures
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/007 : Arrangements for selectively connecting the load or loads to one or several among a plurality of power lines or power sources for providing uninterruptable power supply H02J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/12 : for adjusting voltage in ac networks by changing a characteristic of the network load
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0658 : Clock or time synchronisation among packet nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0661 : using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 : by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0018 : based on latency requirement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 : using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 : Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 : Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 : by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 : Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 : Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 : Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 : Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 : Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A protection system for a power distribution system is provided. The protection system includes a central computer, a plurality of data modules, and a data network. The data modules are each in communication with a different circuit breaker of the power distribution system. The data network communicates between the central computer and the plurality of data modules. The central computer sends an instruction to the plurality of data modules over the data network to aid in synchronization of sampling of a power condition at the plurality of data modules.

Claims

1. A protection system for a power distribution system, comprising a central computer;

a plurality of data modules each in communication with a different circuit breaker of the power distribution system; and

a data network communicating between said central computer and said plurality of data modules, wherein said central computer sends an instruction to said plurality of data modules over said data network to aid in synchronization of sampling of a power condition at said plurality of data modules.

2. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein said instruction ensures that all of said plurality of data modules sample said condition within a predetermined time-window.

3. The protection system as in claim 2, wherein said predetermined time-window is less than about ten microseconds.

4. The protection system as in claim 2, wherein said predetermined time-window is about five microseconds.

5. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein the protection system has a consistent fault response time.

6. The protection system as in claim 5, wherein said consistent fault response time is less than a single cycle of power in the power distribution system.

7. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of data modules is configured to package said condition in a first message, which is communicated to said central computer over said data network.

8. The protection system as in claim 7, wherein said central computer provides a second message to said plurality of data modules based upon said first message.

9. The protection system as in claim 8, wherein said central computer sends said second message in response to said instruction.

10. The protection system as in claim 8, wherein said second message comprises at least a portion of said instruction.

11. The protection system as in claim 8, wherein said second message instructs at least one of said plurality of data modules to operate said different circuit breaker.

12. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein said central computer performs all protection functions, control functions, and monitoring functions of the power distribution system.

13. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein said central computer integrates management of power to one or more loads in the power distribution system with management of power from one or more feeds in the power distribution system.

14. A method of protecting a power distribution system, comprising:

sending a synchronization instruction to a plurality of data modules;

sampling a power condition from the power distribution system in part based upon said synchronization instruction, each of said plurality of data modules being in communication with a different set of separable contacts in the power distribution system;

transmitting a first message containing said power condition from each of said plurality of data modules to a central computer;

determining a second message in said central computer based upon said first message; and

transmitting said second message to each of said plurality of data modules so that one or more of said plurality of data modules operates said different set of separable contacts in response to said second message.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein said synchronization instruction is sent from a device internal or external to said central computer.

16. The method as in claim 14, wherein said synchronization instruction ensures that said power condition is sampled within a predetermined time-window.

17. The method as in claim 16, wherein said predetermined time-window is less than about ten microseconds.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein said predetermined time-window is about five microseconds.

19. The method as in claim 14, wherein said second message includes at least a portion of said synchronization instruction.

20. The method as in claim 14, wherein said central computer performs all protection functions, control functions, and monitoring functions of the power distribution system.

21. The method as in claim 14, further comprising integrating management of power to one or more loads in the power distribution system with management of power from one or more feeds in the power distribution system.

22. A power distribution system comprising:

a processing unit;

a first power bus for powering a first branch circuit through a first circuit breaker and a second branch circuit through a second circuit breaker;

a first data module configured to operate said first circuit breaker and to sample a first parameter from said first branch circuit;

a second data module configured to operate said second circuit breaker and to sample a second parameter from said second branch circuit; and

a data network linking said first and second data modules to said processing unit, said processing unit performing all primary power distribution functions for the power distribution system based on said first and second parameters, wherein said processing unit communicates a synchronization signal to said first and second data modules so that said first and second data modules sample said first and second parameters, respectively, within a predetermined time-window.

23. The power distribution system as in claim 22, wherein said first and second parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

a load current, a voltage potential, a position of a circuit breaker auxiliary switch, and a status of a circuit breaker operating spring charge.

24. The power distribution system as in claim 22, wherein said primary power distribution functions comprises functions selected from the group consisting of instantaneous over current functions, short time over current functions, longtime over current functions, relay protection functions, logic control functions, digital signal processing functions, and combinations of any of the foregoing.

25. The power distribution system as in claim 22, wherein said data network is an Ethernet network having a star topology.

26. The power distribution system as in claim 22, wherein said predetermined time-window is less than about ten microseconds.

27. The power distribution system as in claim 26, wherein said predetermined time-window is about five microseconds.

28. The power distribution system as in claim 22, further comprising:

a first main breaker for providing power from a first power feed to said first power bus; and

a first main data module configured to operate said first main circuit breaker and to sample a first main parameter from said first power feed, wherein said processing unit communicates said synchronization signal to said main data module, said main data module sampling said first main parameter based in part based on said synchronization signal, and said main data module sending said first main parameter to said processing unit.

29. The power distribution system as in claim 28, further comprising:

a second main breaker for providing power from a second power feed to a second power bus;

a second main data module configured to operate said second main circuit breaker and to sample a second main parameter from said second power feed,

a tie breaker for providing power between said first and second power buses; and

a tie breaker data module configured to operate said tie breaker and to sample a tie parameters from said first and/or second power buses, wherein said first main, second main, and tie data modules sample said first main, said second main, and said tie parameters, respectively, and send said first main, said second main, and said tie parameters, respectively, to said processing unit so that said central control processing unit can perform all primary power distribution functions for the power distribution system.