Method to detect signal corruption from conductive dust in a circuit breaker
US12130312B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 13, 2022 |
| Grant date | Oct 29, 2024 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 13, 2043 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG08B21/185
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring the effects of conductive dust deposits that compromise the ability of a trip unit to accurately detect AC current in a circuit interrupter. When a Rogowski coil is used as a current sensor in the circuit interrupter and the trip unit processes the output of the Rogowski coil using a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) processing circuit, the DC component of the processing circuit output signal can be analyzed to determine whether any conductive dust has formed unintended electrical pathways on the PCBA and compromised the ability of the PCBA to accurately measure AC current in the circuit interrupter. It can be determined that such unintended electrical pathways have formed when the DC component of the processing circuit output either exceeds a predetermined threshold or has increased by a significant amount after opening of the separable contacts.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.