Abb Schweiz Ag

Jeffrey Marcel Kubascik

Craig Benjamin Williams

Lathom Alexander Louco

Shawn Alan Morgan

Lucas Ray Mallory

An electrical power distribution system includes a plurality of circuit protection devices coupled between an electrical power source and a plurality of electrical loads. Each circuit protection device includes a trip unit, a network interface communicatively coupled to a communication network including the circuit protection devices, a processor, and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to store test operational parameters associated with the circuit protection device, receive a test message including test data representing an electrical condition in the electrical power distribution system, adjust the test operational parameters based on the test data to simulate a response of the trip unit to the electrical condition, generate circuit protection data based on the test data and the adjusted set of test operational parameters, and transmit the circuit protection data to at least one of the communication network and a remote access device.

Power distribution systems and methods of testing responses to electrical conditions using a communication network

A method of operating an electrical power distribution system including a plurality of circuit protection devices and an additional circuit protection device communicatively coupled by a communications network is described. The method includes transmitting, by each circuit protection device of the plurality of circuit protection devices, an electrical current communication to the communication network, the electrical current communication including an indication of an electrical current detected by the transmitting circuit protection device formatted according to a network communication protocol of the communication network. The additional circuit protection device receives the electrical current communications from the plurality of circuit protection devices and determines, based on the received electrical current communications, whether a ground fault condition exists in the electrical power distribution system.

Power distribution systems and methods of performing ground fault detection in power distribution systems with a communication network

An example electrical power distribution system includes a plurality of circuit protection devices coupled between an electrical power source and a plurality of electrical loads. Each circuit protection device includes a trip unit, a network interface, a processor, and a memory. The trip unit is configured to selectively trip to prevent a flow of electrical current through said circuit protection device. The network interface is communicatively coupled to a communication network including the plurality of circuit protection devices. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to transmit, using the network interface, circuit protection device data to the network. The circuit protection device data is formatted according to a network communication protocol of the communication network.

Power distribution systems and methods of operating power distribution systems with a communication network

A method of operating an electrical power distribution system including circuit protection devices is disclosed. Each circuit protection device includes a network interface, a processor, and a memory device. The method includes transmitting, by each device of the plurality of circuit protection devices, a network communication signal to the communication network. An approximate physical distance between the circuit protection devices is determined based at least in part on a characteristic of the network communication signals. A maintenance mode of each circuit protection device of a subset of the circuit protection devices is enabled in response to enablement of a maintenance mode of one circuit protection device of the plurality of circuit protection devices. The subset of the circuit protection devices is determined at least in part by the approximate physical distance of the circuit protection devices from the maintenance mode enabled one circuit protection device.

Power distribution systems and methods of performing zone selective interlocking in power distribution systems with a communication network

A circuit protection device for an electrical distribution system includes a trip unit, a network interface, a processor, and a memory device. The trip unit is configured to selectively trip to prevent a flow of electrical current through the circuit protection device. The network interface is configured for communicative coupling to a communication network. The memory device stories instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to transmit, using the network interface, zones selective interlocking (ZSI) data to another circuit protection device coupled to the communication network. The ZSI data is formatted according to a network communication protocol of the communication network.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

Jeffrey Marcel Kubascik