WO2019038601A1

WO2019038601A1 - Smart harmonics circuit breaker

Info

Publication number: WO2019038601A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/050406
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shawn Patrick BOLICH; Steven Forrest HADLEY
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-08-23
Filing date: 2018-01-23
Publication date: 2019-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-23

Abstract

A method of monitoring harmonics in an alternating current (AC) sine wave is provided with a circuit breaker, a power supply, an analog to digital converter (ADC), and a digital signal processor. The ADC receives an analog signal from a toroidal transformer that is wrapped around a neutral conductor passing through the circuit breaker. The digital signal processor receives a digital signal from the ADC which is then transmitted to an internal wireless transmitter. Next, a plurality of analytics is wirelessly transmitted to a computing device. The computing device proceeds to analyze the plurality of analytics and suggest a set of safety instructions to enhance the AC sine wave passing through the circuit breaker.

Description

Smart Harmonics Circuit Breaker

The current application is a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application and claims a priority to a U.S. provisional application serial number 62/549,325 filed on August 23, 2017.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a circuit breaker monitor. More specifically, the present invention relates to a thermal-magnetic circuit breaker with a plurality of sensors that can detect various data points and wirelessly transmit the data points to an interface medium.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by excess current, which typically results from an overload or short circuit. The basic function of the circuit breaker is to interrupt current flow after a fault is detected in a system. Unlike a fuse, which operates once and then must be replaced, a circuit breaker can be reset, either manually or automatically, to resume normal operation.

Thermal-magnetic circuit breakers incorporate both techniques with the electromagnet responding instantaneously to large surges in current and the bimetallic strip responding to less extreme but longer-term over-current conditions. The thermal portion of the circuit breaker provides a time response feature that trips the circuit breaker sooner for larger over currents while allowing smaller overloads to persist for a longer time. The thermal-magnetic circuit breakers can be used for motors within large factories for assembly lines and conveyor belts. A facility manager may want to know how a factory building or industrial plant is using energy on a more granular level. A circuit breaker can automatically control the power in a system when something trips the circuit. However, many circuit breakers are unable to express the information of how or why the circuit has overloaded or shorted. Most circuit breakers do not have the functionality to wirelessly transmit particular data points that have been collected to analyze the performance of the system.

The present invention is an improved circuit breaker and system that uses a typical circuit breaker to collect necessary data points of the system. The circuit breaker in the present invention performs the basic functionality of a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker can automatically disconnect the power in the case that a fault has been detected such as when the circuit breaker detects the threshold temperature in the system. The circuit breaker can also have a manual disconnect by means of a physical switch. A light emitting diode (LED) displays whether or not the circuit breaker is in operation with power. An objective of the present invention is to provide overcurrent protection, short circuit protection, and ground fault protection, like a typical circuit breaker.

On top of the basic functions of the circuit breaker, the present invention is able to wirelessly transmit the data points to an interface medium that analyzes the data points. The present invention can allow a user to run the facility more efficiently by monitoring the unwanted harmonics in a system. This can help prevent excess energy consumption. The present invention is able to monitor the triplen harmonics, harmonic voltages, harmonic currents and other distortions in the radio frequencies of the circuit breaker. The present invention can detect the magnetic field and any distortions created by the toroidal transformer. The present invention can further collect these data points and send the collected data points to an interference medium that can make the necessary calculations and measurements, similar to the function of an oscilloscope. The present invention translates the data points into readable information such as the electromagnetic interference, inductive reactance, capacitance, triplen harmonics, power factor, and various harmonics.

The present invention can wirelessly transmit the collected data points to send real time data. Another object of the present invention is to use the sending of real time data for the purpose of allowing the circuit breaker to react to the collected data instantly. The present invention can further be used to communicate with the system within the scope of Internet of Things (IoT). The present invention enables the ability for various components of the system to communicate by sending and receiving data for the purpose of functioning more efficiently in light of energy consumption and unwanted harmonics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a flowchart illustrating the basic overall process of the present invention; and FIG. IB is a continuation of FIG. 1A, further illustrating the basic overall process of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the basic overall process of the circuit breaker.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating the overall operational flow of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating the overall operational flow of the present invention, wherein the plurality of analytics is analyzed via fast fourier transform.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the overall operational flow of the present invention, wherein the indicator light and the user switch are illustrated.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the overall operational flow of the present invention, wherein the circuit breaker is a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the overall operational flow of the present invention, wherein the circuit breaker is an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI).

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the overall operational flow of the present invention, wherein the plurality of analytics is a plurality of triplen harmonics.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the overall operational flow of the present invention, wherein the plurality of analytics is a plurality of harmonic voltages.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the overall operational flow of the present invention, wherein the plurality of analytics is a plurality of harmonic currents.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of the circuit breaker of the present invention. DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

The present invention introduces a method that can monitor distortions in an alternating current (AC) system, and transmit the information to a computer system that can provide real time analytics. The present invention monitors over currents, ground faults, and short circuits, and monitors the harmonics received on a neutral line so that the monitored data can be used for installing harmonic filters that result in a cleaner AC sine wave.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, to monitor the harmonics in a sine wave and initiate action for filtering the harmonics, the present invention is provided with a circuit breaker 1 that comprises a line terminal 13 and a load terminal 14. The present invention is also provided with a power supply 2 that is electrically connected to the circuit breaker 1. The source and the overall power supplied through the power supply 2 can vary in different embodiments of the present invention. The present invention is also provided with an analog to digital converter 3 (ADC) which is electrically connected to a neutral conductor 6 that passes through the circuit breaker 1. The connection to the neutral conductor 6 is used to monitor distortions in an AC sine wave. A digital signal processor 4 provided to the present invention is electronically connected to the ADC 3 so that an output from the ADC 3 can be received as an input by the digital signal processor 4. To utilize the data gathered by the ADC 3 and processed by the digital signal processor 4, the present invention is further provided with an internal wireless transmitter 5 that is electronically connected to the digital signal processor 4. More specifically, the internal wireless transmitter 5 is used to wirelessly transfer information regarding the distortions in the AC sine wave into a computing device 10. Thus, a user monitoring the computing device 10 can take necessary actions to prevent or minimize harmonics.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A and FIG. IB, the present invention monitors the harmonics in the neutral conductor 6. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a toroidal transformer 9 is used to measure the harmonics at the neutral conductor 6. However, in other embodiments of the present invention any other comparable method can be used to monitor the harmonics at the neutral conductor 6. When the neutral conductor 6 is being monitored, the present invention initially receives an analog signal from the neutral conductor 6 through the toroidal transformer 9. To be converted into a digital signal, the analog signal is then transmitted to the ADC 3 through a probe 8 of the ADC 3. To be used for transmitting purposes, the analog signal is converted into a digital signal through the ADC 3 and then forwarded to the digital signal processor 4 so that a plurality of analytics related to the sine wave can be generated within the digital signal processor 4. When generating the plurality of analytics is complete, the present invention wirelessly transmits the plurality of analytics to the computing device 10 through the internal wireless transmitter 5. Even though the plurality of analytics is wirelessly transmitted in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, different transmitting methods can be utilized in other embodiments of the present invention. When transferring the plurality of analytics is completed, the present invention analyzes the plurality of analytics through the computing device 10 so that a plurality of distortions within the sine wave can be identified. The plurality of analytics can vary in different embodiments of the present invention. As an example, the plurality of analytics can differ according to the circuit the present invention is implemented in. As seen in FIGS. 7-9, the plurality of analytics may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of triplen harmonics, a plurality of harmonic voltages, and a plurality of harmonic currents.

As shown in FIG. 3B, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, fast fourier transform is used to analyze the plurality of analytics. However, different analytical methods can be used in other embodiments of the present invention. Based upon the analysis, the present invention suggests a set of safety instructions that is intended to minimize the plurality of distortions. The set of safety instructions can include, but is not limited to, adding a harmonic filter.

As discussed before, the present invention is provided with the circuit breaker 1 to monitor over currents, ground faults, and short circuits. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a thermal magnetic circuit breaker 1 is used. Therefore, the circuit breaker 1 comprises a bimetal switch and an electromagnet. For the bimetal switch and the electromagnet to function as intended, the circuit breaker 1 can further comprise components that can be, but is not limited to, a latch spring 100, a latch lever 101, an over-center toggle spring 102, a magnetic armature 103, and a magnetic pole piece 105. The latch spring 100, the latch lever 101, the over-center toggle spring 102, the magnetic armature 103, and the magnetic pole piece 105 are operatively coupled to each other and positioned in between the line terminal 13 and the load terminal 14 illustrated in FIG. 10. More specifically, the latch spring 100 compresses and pulls on the latch lever 101. Thus, the over-center toggle spring 102 also compresses disconnecting the overall current flow. More specifically, the arrangement of the internal components of the circuit breaker 1 ensures that the current flow through the circuit breaker 1 is interrupted at high currents by disconnecting an electrical contact 104 from the line terminal 13. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the thermal portion of the circuit breaker 1 provides a time response feature so that the circuit breaker 1 trips for considerably high over currents. On the other hand, the magnetic portion responds to less extreme but long-term over current conditions. To measure over currents, an operating current is transferred from the power supply 2 into the line terminal 13 of the circuit breaker 1. The operating current then exits the circuit breaker 1 through the load terminal 14. The operating current is allowed to flow through the circuit breaker 1 and the present invention continues to monitor the operating current. If the operating current is greater than a predetermined current, the operating current is identified to be an over current and the bimetal switch is disconnected to stop the flow of the operating current. Moreover, if the operating current is identified to be significantly larger than the predetermined current, the operating current is identified to be an over current and the electromagnet is magnetized to prevent further flow of the operating current. The magnetic armature 103 and the magnetic pole piece 105 are utilized in magnetizing the electromagnet. Even though a thermal magnetic circuit breaker 1 is used in the preferred embodiment, a different circuit breaker 1 can be used in other

embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, in one embodiment of the present invention a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) can be used. As seen in FIG. 6, in another embodiment of the present invention, an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) can be used. As seen in FIG. 3A, the present invention is further provided with a buffer amplifier 7 that is used to transfer a current from a first circuit having a low output impedance level to a second circuit having a high input impedance level. In particular, the buffer amplifier 7 is electronically connected such that the analog signal is transferred from the neutral conductor 6 to the ADC 3 through the buffer amplifier 7.

When the present invention is in operation, and the operating current is less than the predetermined current or equal to the predetermined current, the user is not notified regarding the operation of the present invention. As seen in FIG. 4, to notify the user regarding a current status of the circuit breaker 1, the present invention is further provided with an indicator light 11 that is electronically connected to the circuit breaker 1. More specifically, the indicator light 11 will illuminate when the operating current is flowing through the circuit breaker 1. A light emitting diode or a similar lighting source can be used as the indicator light 11. In addition to using the indicator light 11 to indicate the flow of the operating current, another indicator light can be used to notify the stop of the flow of the operating current.

As discussed before, when an overcurrent is detected, the circuit breaker 1 is activated to interrupt the operating current. To manually control the flow of the operating current through the circuit breaker 1, the present invention is further is provided with a user switch 12. Preferably, the user switch 12 will be connected to a contact within the circuit breaker 1 so that the overall current flow through the circuit breaker 1 can be effectively controlled.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred

embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics comprises the steps of:

providing a circuit breaker, wherein the circuit breaker comprises a line terminal and a load terminal;

providing a power supply, wherein the power supply is electrically connected to the circuit breaker;

providing an analog to digital converter (ADC), wherein the ADC is electrically connected to a neutral conductor passing through the circuit breaker; providing a digital signal processor, wherein the digital signal processor is electronically connected to the ADC;

providing an internal wireless transmitter, wherein the internal wireless transmitter is electronically connected to the digital signal processor;

receiving an analog signal from the neutral conductor through a toroidal transformer;

transmitting the analog signal from the neutral conductor to the ADC through a probe of the ADC;

converting the analog signal into a digital signal through the ADC;

forwarding the digital signal from the ADC to the digital signal processor; wirelessly transmitting a plurality of analytics of the digital signal from the digital signal processor to a computing device through the internal wireless transmitter;

analyzing the plurality of analytics through the computing device to determine a plurality of distortions; and

suggesting a set of safety instructions based on the analyzing, wherein the set of safety instructions is intended to minimize the plurality of distortions.

The method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of analytics is analyzed via fast fourier transform.

The method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit breaker is a thermal magnetic circuit breaker.

The method for monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 3 further comprises the steps of:

wherein the circuit breaker comprises a bimetal switch and an

electromagnet;

transferring an operating current from the power supply into the line terminal and out of the load terminal of the circuit breaker;

continuously monitoring the operating current;

disconnecting the bimetal switch,

if the operating current is greater than a predetermined current; and magnetizing the electromagnet,

if the operating current is greater than the predetermined current.

The method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 1 further comprises the steps of:

providing a buffer amplifier; and

transferring the analog signal from the neutral conductor to the ADC through the buffer amplifier.

providing an indicator light, wherein the indicator light is electronically connected to the circuit breaker; and

illuminating the indicator light,

if an operating current is flowing through the circuit breaker.

The method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 1 further comprises the steps of: providing a user switch; and

controlling the operating current through the circuit breaker through the user switch.

8. The method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit breaker is a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).

9. The method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit breaker is an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI).

10. The method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of analytics is a plurality of triplen harmonics.

11. The method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of analytics is a plurality of harmonic voltages.

12. The method of monitoring harmonics via a circuit breaker for real-time analytics as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of analytics is a plurality of harmonic currents.