US-12620786-B2 - Redundant relay systems and related methods for use with switchgear

US12620786B2US 12620786 B2US12620786 B2US 12620786B2US-12620786-B2

Abstract

Methods and systems for redundant relay systems for use with switchgears. One example system includes a switch module including a switching device therein, a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch module to control a position of the switching device, a switchgear relay circuit, and a back-up trip circuit. The back-up trip circuit includes a polarity control device, a changeover device, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to monitor for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, and in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operate the switch module by actuating the changeover device to disconnect the coil circuit from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the polarity control device of the back-up trip circuit.

Inventors

Robert J. Westphal
Blair S. Kerr
Jason M. Knott

Assignees

G & W ELECTRIC COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230718

Claims (20)

1 . A switchgear system comprising: a switch module including a switching device therein; a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch module to control a position of the switching device; a switchgear relay circuit including a primary trip circuit; and a back-up trip circuit including a polarity control device, a changeover device, and an electronic processor configured to: monitor for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, and in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operate the switch module by actuating the changeover device to disconnect the coil circuit from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the polarity control device of the back-up trip circuit.
2 . The switchgear system of claim 1 , wherein the coil circuit includes a plurality of magnetic actuator coils, each of the plurality magnetic actuator coils being associated with a different respective phase of the switchgear system.
3 . The switchgear system of claim 2 , wherein the polarity control device includes a plurality of h-bridges, each of the plurality of h-bridges corresponding to a respective magnetic actuator coil of the plurality of magnetic actuator coils, and wherein the electronic processor is configured to adjust, via the plurality of h-bridges, polarities of the respective magnetic actuator coils simultaneously.
4 . The switchgear system of claim 1 , wherein the back-up trip circuit is interposed between the switchgear relay circuit and the coil circuit.
5 . The switchgear system of claim 1 , wherein the back-up trip circuit receives power from an energy management system of the switchgear relay circuit.
6 . The switchgear system of claim 1 , wherein the back-up trip circuit receives power from a second energy management system separate from a first energy management system of the switchgear relay circuit.
7 . The switchgear system of claim 6 , the system further including an enclosure in which at least one of the back-up trip circuit or the second energy management system is disposed, the enclosure configured to affix to a structure in proximity to the switch module.
8 . The switchgear system of claim 1 , wherein the back-up trip circuit is further configured to actuate the changeover device in response to receiving a trip command from the switchgear relay circuit.
9 . The switchgear system of claim 1 , wherein the switchgear system forms at least part of a distributed energy resource system including one or more energy resources electrically connected to the switch module.
10 . A back-up trip circuit for a switchgear relay circuit of a switchgear system, the back-up trip circuit comprising: a polarity control device; a changeover device; and an electronic processor configured to: monitor for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, wherein the switchgear relay circuit includes a primary trip circuit, and in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operate a switch module by actuating the changeover device to disconnect a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch module to control a position of a switching device therein from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the polarity control device of the back-up trip circuit.
11 . The back-up trip circuit of claim 10 , wherein the coil circuit includes a plurality of magnetic actuator coils, each of the magnetic actuator coils being associated with a different respective phase of the switchgear system.
12 . The back-up trip circuit of claim 11 , wherein the polarity control device includes a plurality of h-bridges, each of the plurality of h-bridges corresponding to a respective magnetic actuator coil of the plurality of magnetic actuator coils, and wherein the electronic processor is configured to adjust, via the plurality of h-bridges, polarities of the respective magnetic actuator coils simultaneously.
13 . The back-up trip circuit of claim 10 , wherein the changeover device is interposed between the switchgear relay circuit and the coil circuit.
14 . The back-up trip circuit of claim 10 , wherein the back-up trip circuit receives power from an alternating current source external to the switchgear relay circuit.
15 . The back-up trip circuit of claim 10 , wherein the back-up trip circuit receives power from a second energy management system separate from a first energy management system of the switchgear relay circuit.
16 . The back-up trip circuit of claim 15 , wherein at least a part of the back-up trip circuit or the second energy management system is disposed within an enclosure configured to affix to a structure in proximity to the switch module.
17 . The back-up trip circuit of claim 10 , wherein the back-up trip circuit is further configured to actuate the changeover device in response to receiving a trip command from the switchgear relay circuit.
18 . A method for operating a back-up trip circuit for a switchgear relay circuit of a switchgear system, the back-up trip circuit including a polarity control device and a changeover device, the method comprising: monitoring for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, wherein the switchgear relay circuit includes a primary trip circuit, and in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operating a switch module by actuating the changeover device to disconnect a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch module to control a position of a switching device therein from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the polarity control device of the back-up trip circuit.
19 . The method of claim 18 , the method further comprising: monitoring a state of the changeover device, and in response to detecting a target state change of the changeover device, controlling the polarity control device to adjust a polarity of the coil circuit.
20 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprising commands which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to control a back-up trip circuit for a switchgear relay circuit of a switchgear system, the back-up trip circuit including a polarity control device and a changeover device, by: monitoring for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, wherein the switchgear relay circuit includes a primary trip circuit, and in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operating a switch module by actuating the changeover device to disconnect a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch module to control a position of a switching device therein from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the polarity control device of the back-up trip circuit.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Distributed energy resources (DERs) refer to renewable energy generation units/systems (for example, solar arrays, wind turbines, etc.) located on a consumer side (a business or a home) of an electrical power distribution system (e.g., an electrical grid) to provide a business or home with power. DERs are also referred to as “behind the meter” because the electricity of such systems is generated and managed “behind” the electricity meter in the consumer facility. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments, examples, aspects, and features of concepts that include the claimed subject matter and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments, examples, aspects, and features. FIG. 1A is a simplified diagram of an electrical power distribution system in accordance with some examples. FIG. 1B is a diagram of a switchgear system for the electrical power distribution system of FIG. 1A in accordance with some aspects. FIG. 1C is a switchgear for the switchgear system of FIG. 1B in accordance with some aspects. FIG. 1D is an example enclosure of the switchgear system of FIG. 1B in accordance with some aspects. FIG. 1E is another view of the enclosure of FIG. 1D in accordance with some aspects. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic controller used in the system of FIG. 1B in accordance with some aspects. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating another electronic controller used in the system of FIG. 1B in accordance with some aspects. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for operating a back-up circuit of the system of FIG. 2 in accordance with some aspects. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various examples. The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments, examples, aspects, and features so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Electrical power distribution systems include fault monitoring equipment that identifies problems in the system and opens isolation devices to isolate the problems. Example problems with the electrical power distribution systems include overcurrent faults, phase-to-phase faults, ground faults, and others. These problems may arise from various causes, such as equipment failure, weather-related damage to equipment, etc. Switching equipment (for example, recloser relay systems) is provided in electrical power distribution system to isolate the detected faults. As noted above, DERs interconnected to electrical grids may be utilized by consumers at a home or at a business. Such systems may be required to comply with certain professional industry standards (for example, those issued by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)). Some such standards may include what actions are to be performed with respect to a DER in case of certain faults or other events within the system. For example, IEEE 1547 requires that isolation devices of DER interconnections operate (trip) in the event of a loss of power/potential in the grid, thereby disconnecting the DER from the electrical grid. While some DER systems may utilize one or more recloser relay circuits to disconnect the DERs, such recloser relay circuits may fail to operate in certain instances (for example, due to a software and/or hardware failure or a loss of power (“LOP”) to the recloser relay circuit itself). In such instances, there is no ability to meet the IEEE 1547 requirement. These and other related problems in the field can be beneficially addressed using at least some embodiments, examples, aspects, and features disclosed herein. Various examples provide, among other things, a back-up redundant relay system that monitors for certain electrical events associated with the recloser relay circuit (e.g., a failure of the recloser relay circuit to operate) when a DER interconnection is required to be tripped and performs one or more actions to disconnect and isolate the DER from an electrical grid source absent functioning the recloser relay circuit. In some instances, the back-up redundant relay system disclosed herein is provided with a trip circuit, separate from the recloser relay circuit, that can be