S&c Electric Company

Daniel Desmond

Michael Quinlan

Alejandro Montenegro

Goran Djogo

Thomas J Dyer

Joseph W Milton

John French

David G Porter

Richard George Smith

Yoav Sharon

Michael R Maroney

Raphael H Guio

Nicholas Seng

Boris Marendic

Konstantin Lakirovich

Sigurd A Nelson, Ii

Ciprian Gavrincea

Marc Witham

A system and method for restoring power in a closed-loop power distribution network. The network includes at least two power sources, at least one feeder and a plurality of switching devices positioned along the at least one feeder and being in communications with each other. The method performs a radial restoration process for restoring power and then determines that at least one of the sections is not receiving power after the radial restoration process has been performed. The method estimates power flow through each switching device and determines an available power capacity from each switching device. The method then determines if the unpowered sections can be powered by any of their neighbor and non-neighbor devices. The method virtually closes the switching devices to power the unpowered sections and updates the estimation of power flow through each switching device and determination of available power capacity from each switching device.

Closed loop restoration

A switch assembly that is part of a transformer in an underground residential power distribution circuit and that provides fault isolation and restoration. The switch assembly includes first and second switching devices each having an outer housing, a transformer interface electrically coupled to the transformer, a connector interface electrically coupled to a first connector and a first vacuum interrupter having a fixed contact and a movable contact, where the fixed contact is electrically coupled to the connector interface and the movable contact is electrically coupled to the transformer interface. A control board controls the first and second switching devices, where the control board is responsive to voltage signals from capacitors in the first and second switching devices.

Loop restoration switching device assembly including multiple switches with common control

A switching device that is part of a transformer in an underground residential power distribution circuit and provides fault isolation and restoration. The switching device includes a transformer interface for coupling the device to the transformer and a connector interface for coupling the device to a connector. The device also includes a vacuum interrupter having a fixed terminal and a movable terminal, where the fixed terminal is electrically coupled to the connector interface and the movable terminal is electrically coupled to the transformer interface. A control rod is coupled to the movable terminal, an actuator assembly is coupled to the control rod and is operable to move the control rod to open and close the vacuum interrupter. A capacitor is electrically coupled to the fixed terminal, and provides an interface for power line communications signals, voltage sensing, help determine power flow direction and help determine the distance to a fault.

Loop restoration switching device

A method for isolating a fault in an underground power distribution network. The network includes a power line, a plurality of transformers electrically coupled to and positioned along the power line, a first recloser connected to one end of the power line and a second recloser connected to an opposite end of the power line, where each transformer includes an upstream switching device and a downstream switching device, and where power is provided to both ends of the power line through the first and second reclosers and one of the switching devices is a normally open switching device. The method includes detecting overcurrent by some of the switching devices, detecting loss of voltage by some of the switching devices and sending clear to close messages to some of the switching devices to open and close certain ones of the switching devices to isolate the fault.

Method for restoring power in an underground radial loop network

A switch assembly for high voltage applications, where the switch assembly includes a traditional mechanical switch and a triggered gap device electrically coupled in parallel. The mechanical switch includes a first switch contact and a second switch contact, where one or both of the first switch contact and the second switch contact are movable to engage and disengage the first and second switch contacts to allow or prevent current flow therethrough. The triggered gap device includes a vacuum enclosure, a first stationary contact positioned within the enclosure and a second stationary contact positioned within the enclosure, where a gap is defined between the first and second stationary contacts. The triggered gap device further includes a plasma control device that allows creation of a plasma in the gap that causes an arc between the stationary contacts on the order of micro-seconds that allows current flow between the contacts.

Triggered gap switching device

A magnetic module in a circuit interrupting system is configured to generate a blow-on force that pushes a moving contact toward a stationary contact. The magnetic module includes: a coil conductor having an opening through which a moving stem of the moving contact may move, wherein the coil conductor is electrically connected to the moving stem and a first auxiliary conductor, wherein the coil conductor is configured to allow current to flow from the moving stem to the first auxiliary conductor; a plunger attached to an end of the moving stem; and a first magnetic core shaped to fit around a first section of the coil conductor, wherein the first magnetic core is configured, when current flows through the coil conductor to the first auxiliary conductor, to become magnetized, attract the plunger toward the magnetic core, and cause the moving stem of the moving contact to move toward the stationary contact.

Magnetic assembly for generating blow-on contact force

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Daniel Desmond