Abstract: In a method for protecting lines, in which a reactor device for reactive power compensation is provided on an electrical line, a resonant current is measured on the line side of the reactor device by a first measuring device after an opening of a circuit breaker. A voltage is measured by a second measuring device after the opening of the circuit breaker. A current in the reactor device is calculated by an evaluation device on a basis of the measured voltage, and the calculated current is subtracted from the measured resonant current by the evaluation device in order to obtain a corrected current.

Abstract: A system and method for protection of an electrical grid. A respective one of the substations of the system including: a first directional protective relay to generate a signal operating on the electrical power line between the respective one of the substations and a remote one of the substations; a cyber health module to receive remote signals from two remote directional protective relays and output a reliability signal based on consistency of the remote signals and a status of the communication channels being operational; a circuit breaker to interrupt electrical power flow when directed; and a comparison circuit to receive signals and to direct the circuit breaker to interrupt electrical power flow when the reliability signal from the cyber health module indicates consistency, the first directional protective relay indicates fault, and at least one of the remote directional protective relays indicate fault.

Abstract: Devices herein may include conductor lines connected between a power supply and load, each of the conductor lines coupled to an AC contactor and a contactor control circuit, wherein the contactor control circuit is operable to open and close one or more contactors of the AC contactor. The devices may further include a current transformer coupled to the conductor lines, the current transformer operable to output a secondary current corresponding to a primary current magnitude of an electrical current not flowing to the load, wherein the AC contactor is connected between the power supply and the load. Devices may further include a zero cross detection circuit operable to generate an interrupt at each of a plurality of zero crossings for a microprocessor, and determine whether to open the one or more contactors of the AC contactor in a predetermined optimum interval calculated with respect to the zero crossing points.

Abstract: A method of dedicated circuit verification using a monitoring system includes measuring current at circuit breaker, comparing breaker current with microinverter current generated from one or more solar panels and determining whether they are within a threshold amount of one another, and generating an output based on the comparison.

Abstract: A power supply control apparatus includes: a first system configured to supply electric power of a first power supply to a first load; a second system configured to supply electric power of a second power supply to a second load; an inter-system switch capable of connecting the first system to the second system and disconnecting the first system from the second system; a battery switch capable of connecting the second power supply to the second system and disconnecting the second power supply from the second system; a primary ground fault detection unit configured to cut off the inter-system switch and conduct the battery switch when a ground fault of the first system or the second system is detected by the primary ground fault detection unit; a secondary ground fault detection unit as defined herein; and a failure determination unit as defined herein.

Abstract: A squib driver circuit for deployment of a deployable restraint in a vehicle. The safety restraint may have a minimum firing voltage. The voltage regulator may regulate the input voltage to be the minimum firing voltage at the input terminal. The squib driver circuit may be formed on a single chip. The squib driver circuit may include a high side driver and a low side driver. An input terminal for receiving an input voltage used to fire the deployable restraint. The high side driver may supply current from the input terminal to the deployable restraint. The low side driver may supply current from deployable restraint to the electrical ground.

Abstract: A method for preventing an electrical grid from failure in case of a temporary overvoltage includes providing an electrical grid line, a surge arrester and a disconnector device with a disconnector unit. The method further includes connecting the surge arrester at one terminal to the electrical grid line, connecting the surge arrester at its other terminal to a first terminal of the disconnector device, and connecting a second terminal of the disconnector device to ground potential. The method further includes interrupting the electrical connection in between the electrical grid line and the ground potential in response to a temporary overvoltage. The method further includes protecting the surge arrester from failure due to a thermal overload caused by the temporary overvoltage by operating the disconnector device before the surge arrester fails due to a thermal overload of the surge arrester.

Abstract: A protection IC protects an external load connected to mains supply lines from dangerous or undesired conditions such as overvoltage, undervoltage, and overcurrent, by disconnecting the external load for at least the duration of such a condition. The IC has a range detector, a zero-crossing detector, a control unit, a switch driver, and a dummy DAC. The range detector senses the presence of an unwanted condition. The control unit then waits for a zero crossing, upon which it disconnects the load. A lockout timer may introduce a minimum wait time before reconnecting the load. To prevent instabilities around the switching points, hysteresis in the window thresholds prevents impact from noise. The dummy DAC regulates a dummy current that linearizes the IC's current consumption around the switching points to prevent instabilities caused by positive feedback in non-linear transitions.

Abstract: A method of locating a short circuit in a system including a set of components electrically connected in a loop, such as a fire protection system. It is iteratively determined in which location of a set of possible locations a short circuit is located. Each iteration involves determining in which of two subsets of a set of remaining locations the short circuit is located, and eliminating from the set of remaining locations the subset in which the short circuit is determined not to be located.

Abstract: An emergency power management system of a mobility, may include a fuse device connected to a battery and including a first circuit and a second circuit in which a first fuse and a second fuse are respectively provided and are connected in parallel, a pyro switch provided between the first circuit and the second circuit, and configured to establish electric connection with the first circuit in ordinary times and to release electric connection with the first circuit and to establish electric connection with the second circuit in a case of emergency, a determiner configured to determine abnormality of the first fuse based on current applied from the high-voltage battery or voltages at opposite end portions of the first fuse, and a controller configured to operate the pyro switch when abnormality occurs in the first fuse.

Abstract: A leakage current detection and interruption device coupled to power supply lines, including a leakage current detection module for generating a leakage current fault signal when detecting leakage currents on the lines; a trip drive module responsive to the leakage current fault signal to drive a switch to disconnect power on the lines, the trip drive module including a first semiconductor device responsive to the leakage current fault signal to cause a current in a first coil to drive the switch; a coil function detection module for generating a coil fault signal when detecting a fault in the first coil; a self-test module for generating a self-test fault signal when detecting a fault in the leakage current detection module or the first semiconductor device; and a detection drive module for driving the switch to disconnect power in response to the coil fault signal or the self-test fault signal.

Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus (USB) device includes a USB Type-C connector having a configuration channel (CC) terminal and an integrated circuit (IC) controller. The IC controller comprises a VCONN pin coupled to the CC terminal of the USB Type-C connector, an output terminal, and an on-chip voltage protection circuit coupled between the VCONN pin and the output terminal. The on-chip voltage protection circuit comprises a switch coupled between the VCONN pin and the output terminal, a pump logic coupled to a gate of the switch, a resistor coupled between the VCONN pin and the gate of the switch, and a diode clamp coupled between the gate of the switch and ground.

Abstract: A main electrical cabling is subject to variations in ambient temperature over its length. A detection system for detecting fault in the main electrical cabling able to cause a serial arc, or heating within a connection, includes a monitor electrical cabling placed as a return loop alongside the main electrical cabling, a monitoring device, and a return cable bringing back electrical potential at the output of the main electrical cabling to the monitoring device. The monitoring device includes a controllable current generator injecting, into the monitor electrical cable, a current dependent on current flowing through the main electrical cabling. Electronic circuitry determines a difference in voltages at inputs and outputs of the main electrical cabling and of the monitor electrical cabling, to detect a potential fault in the main electrical cabling leading to a serial arc or increase in temperature. A fault in the main electrical cabling is detected despite variations in temperature.

Abstract: A fault detection system that includes a recloser configured to perform a reclosing operation in response to detecting overcurrent, where the recloser includes a communications device for receiving communications signals. The system also includes a transformer having an outer can, a sensor mounted to the can and extending into the can for measuring pressure therein, where the sensor includes a mechanical indicator that extends when overpressure is detected. The transformer further includes a radio mounted to the can and coupled to the sensor, where the radio includes a switch coupled to the mechanical indicator and a transmitter. When the mechanical indicator extends in response to detecting overpressure in the can it causes the switch to close which causes the transmitter to send a signal that is received by the communications device, which prevents the recloser from reclosing.

Abstract: A current interrupting device includes a current limiting element on a power supply path from a predetermined power supply to a load device. The current limiting element is configured to exhibit a current limiting action when current flowing in the power supply path exceeds a first current threshold value. The current interrupting device further includes a current diversion path switch, and a controller programmed to control on and off of the current diversion path switch. The controller is programmed to switch a current diversion path switch on from an off state when it is detected that current flowing in the current limiting element is limited to a second current threshold value after the current flowing in the current limiting element has exceeded the first current threshold value, and switch the switch off again after a predetermined switched-on holding time has elapsed since the switch has been switched on.

Abstract: A fault detection system that that prevents a recloser from reclosing if a fault is determined to be internal to a transformer, where the recloser is configured to perform a reclosing operation in response to detecting overcurrent. The recloser includes a sensor, such as a light sensor, directed towards the transformer and detecting a fault event. If the recloser detects overcurrent, but the sensor does not detect the fault event, it is assumed that the fault is internal to the transformer and the recloser is prevented from reclosing.

Abstract: Within a direct current hybrid circuit breaker (DC HCB), a capacitance is provided in a semiconductor switch path in series with a semiconductor switch and the semiconductor switch is in parallel with a surge arrestor to facilitate opening the DC HCB. The semiconductor switch path is connected in parallel with a mechanical switch path that includes a mechanical switch. The circuit causes the current through the mechanical switch to ramp down while the current through the semiconductor switch ramps up to a supply current. The mechanical switch can open without current and against no recovery voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting impedance into a high voltage (HV) transmission line is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a plurality of modular flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS) based impedance injection units (IIUs), each modular FACTS based IIU without fault current protection. The apparatus further comprises a fault current protection module external to the modular FACTS based IIUs. The fault current protection module is coupled to the modular FACTS based IIUs to provide fault current protection to the modular FACTS based IIUs.

Abstract: A system and method that identify a location and/or magnitude of a ground fault in a circuit having a bus that connects battery strings with loads and a ground reference between the loads are provided. Potential of the bus is shifted relative to a ground reference in a first direction. A first impedance in the bus between the battery strings and the ground reference is determined, and the bus is shifted relative to the ground reference in a second direction. A second impedance in the bus between the battery strings and the ground reference is determined. A location and/or severity of a ground fault is determined based on a relationship between the first impedance and the second impedance.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a first diode, a second diode and an ESD clamp circuit. The first diode is in a semiconductor wafer, and is coupled to an input output (IO) pad. The second diode is in the semiconductor wafer, and is coupled to the first diode and the TO pad. The ESD clamp circuit is in the semiconductor wafer, and is coupled to the first diode and the second diode. The ESD clamp circuit includes a first signal tap region in the semiconductor wafer. The first signal tap region is coupled to a first voltage supply. The first diode is coupled to and configured to share the first signal tap region with the ESD clamp circuit.