Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Akteingesellschaft

Marvin Tannhäuser

Fabian Döbler

Christopher Fromme

Dominic Malane

Johannes Fürst

Jörg Hussmann

Manfred Heindl

Felix Frei

A circuit breaker protects an electric low-voltage circuit, having: a housing with grid-side connections and load-side connections for the low-voltage circuit; and a mechanical separating contact unit connected to an electronic interruption unit in series. The mechanical separating contact unit is paired with the load-side connections, and the electronic interruption unit is paired with the grid-side connections. The mechanical separating contact unit is switched by opening contacts to prevent a current flow or by closing the contacts for a current flow in the low-voltage circuit. Semiconductor-based switch elements of the electronic interruption unit are switched to a high-ohmic state to prevent a current flow or to a low-ohmic state for a current flow in the low-voltage circuit. A current sensor ascertains the level of the current of the low-voltage circuit and a controller is connected to the current sensor, the mechanical separating contact unit, and the electronic interruption unit.

Circuit breaker

A circuit breaker for a low-voltage electric circuit includes a mechanical break contact unit which is connected in series with an electronic interrupting unit. The mechanical break contact unit is switched by breaking contacts to prevent current from flowing or by closing the contacts to allow current to flow in the low-voltage circuit. The electronic interrupting unit switches semiconductor-based switching elements into a high-impedance state to prevent current from flowing or into a low-impedance state to allow current to flow in the low-voltage circuit. The amplitude of the current in the low-voltage circuit is ascertained as instantaneous current values. If the instantaneous current value is exceeded relative to at least one current threshold value, prevention of current flowing in the low-voltage circuit is initiated. The at least one current threshold value is adapted in dependence on the amplitude of the current in the low-voltage circuit.

Circuit breaker device and method

A circuit breaker protects an electric low-voltage circuit. The circuit breaker contains a housing with a grid-side connection and a load-side connection, and a mechanical separating contact unit which is connected to an electronic interruption unit in series. The mechanical separating contact unit can be switched by opening contacts to prevent a current flow or by closing the contacts for a current flow in the low-voltage circuit. Due to switching elements, the electronic interruption unit can be switched to a high-ohmic state of the switching elements to prevent a current flow or to a low-ohmic state of the switching elements for a current flow in the low-voltage circuit. The level of the current in the low-voltage circuit is ascertained. A process for preventing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit is initiated if current thresholds and/or current/time thresholds are exceeded.

A circuit breaker device for a low-voltage circuit has a mechanical isolating contact unit connected in series with an electronic disconnection unit. The mechanical isolating contact unit is switched by opening contacts to prevent current flow or closing the contacts for current flow in the low-voltage circuit. The electronic disconnection circuit is switched by semiconductor-based switching elements into a high-resistance state of the switching elements or into a low-resistance state of the switching elements for current flow in the low-voltage circuit. When the amount of an instantaneous current value of the low-voltage circuit exceeds at least one current threshold value, prevention of the current flow of the low-voltage circuit is initiated. The at least one current threshold value is adjusted according to the magnitude of the voltage of the circuit breaker device.

A method for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit includes ascertaining the level of the voltage of the low-voltage circuit in the form of instantaneous voltage values. A change in the current is ascertained over time such that instantaneous current change values are provided. The instantaneous current change values are compared to instantaneous current change threshold values in order to recognize a short circuit in the low-voltage circuit, and if the current change thresholds are exceeded, an electronic interruption unit switches from the low-resistance state to the high-resistance state in order to interrupt the low-voltage current circuit. The process has a trigger time from the short circuit event to the high-resistance state. The trigger time is largely independent of the phase angle. A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit is also provided.

A circuit breaker has line-side terminals and load-side terminals for conductors of a low-voltage circuit. A mechanical break contact system is connected to the line-side terminals for indirect-coupling of the low-voltage circuit, and the other end of the break contact system is connected to an electronic interruption unit which has, by use of semiconductor-based switching elements, a high-impedance state of the switching elements to prevent current from flowing and a low-impedance state of the switching elements to allow current to flow in the low-voltage circuit. The electronic interruption unit is connected to the load-side terminals at the other end. The mechanical break contact system can be manually actuated such that contacts of the mechanical break contact system can be manually closed to allow current to flow and be manually opened to interrupt the flow of current in the low-voltage circuit.

A circuit breaker device protects an electric low-voltage current circuit. A level of a voltage of a low-voltage current circuit is ascertained such that ascertained voltage values are provided. A differential voltage is ascertained from the ascertained voltage values and an expected value of the voltage such that differential voltage values are provided incrementally. Each differential voltage value is compared with a first threshold, and if at least two successive differential voltage values exceed the threshold, an interruption of the low-voltage current circuit is initiated by semiconductor-based switching elements, which are set to a high-ohmic state, in order to protect the low-voltage current circuit from a short-circuit.

A method for actuating a semiconductor power switch of an AC circuit is provided, which can be activated or deactivated by the semiconductor power switch. The method has the following steps: a) ascertaining the present current value and the present voltage value of the AC circuit; b) ascertaining whether the present current value exceeds a specifiable maximum value and if so, c1) generating an actuation signal for deactivating the current circuit, c2) generating an actuation signal for activating the current circuit within a period of time after generating the actuation signal for deactivating the current circuit, wherein the period of time is less than or equal to the period duration of the voltage, and c3) ascertaining whether the present current value exceeds a specifiable maximum value, which corresponds to the previous maximum value or is less than the previous maximum value, after activating the current circuit.

Method for actuating a semiconductor power switch, actuation circuit for a semiconductor power switch, and electronic circuit breaker

Various embodiments include a DC coupled electrical converter for converting an input voltage applied to first connections to an output voltage comprising: a boost converter connected on the input side to the first connections; an inverting buck-boost converter connected on the input side to the first connections; and a series circuit including two capacitors, the series circuit connected to an output-side positive pole of the boost converter and to an output-side negative pole of the inverting buck-boost converter. An output-side negative pole of the boost converter and an output-side positive pole of the inverting buck-boost converter are connected to a center connection between the capacitors.

DC coupled electrical converter

Various embodiments include a half-bridge comprising: a first power semiconductor; a second power semiconductor connected in series with the first power conductor; a controller for the power semiconductors; a line starting at connection node of the power semiconductors; and a meter for measuring the current in the line. The controller is configured to: compare the current with an upper threshold value and a lower threshold value; switch off the first power semiconductor if the upper threshold value is reached; switch on the second power semiconductor after a first dead time has elapsed; and switch off the second power semiconductor if the lower threshold value is reached; and switch on the first power semiconductor after a second dead time has elapsed.

Half-bridge having power semiconductors

An inverter that is a micro-photovoltaic inverter includes a DC-DC converter on an input side of the inverter. The DC-DC converter has three output voltage levels. The inverter also includes an inverter element having at least three input voltage levels. The inverter element is electrically connected to the DC-DC converter.

Inverter and photovoltaic installation

Various embodiments include an electrically operated vehicle comprising: an electric motor for driving the vehicle; a battery for supplying electrical power to the electric motor; a first charging connection socket for connecting a charging cable for electrically recharging the battery; and a second charging connection socket for connecting a second charging cable for electrically recharging the battery.

Electrically operated vehicle and charging system

The switching performance of a half-bridge arrangement particularly for a converter shall be improved. For this purpose, a half-bridge arrangement has a circuit board having at least four trace layers and two switching elements and a capacitor device arranged on opposite sides of the circuit board and interconnected so as to produce, during a commutation event of the half-bridge arrangement, at least two dipoles having opposite spatial directions.

Growing community of inventors

Hausen, Germany

Marvin Tannhäuser