Circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit
A circuit breaker protecting an electric low-voltage circuit includes grid-side and load-side connections for low-voltage circuit conductors, a mechanical isolating contact unit having a closed contact state for current flow or an open contact state for DC isolation preventing current flow in the low-voltage circuit. An electronic interruption unit series-connected to the isolating contact unit has a high-ohmic state of switching elements preventing current flow or a low-ohmic state allowing current flow in the low-voltage circuit. The current level of the low-voltage circuit is ascertained, and upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values, current flow in the low-voltage circuit is prevented. After preventing current flow by a high-ohmic state of the switching elements and closed state of the contacts, at least one electric parameter at least at one load-side connection is checked.
1 . A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:
a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values; and
at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
said at least one electrical parameter being checked within a first time period after exceeding the current limit value or current/time limit value, and said first time period being less than 200 ms.
2 . The circuit breaker device according to claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one electrical parameter has a target range dependent on the circuit breaker device;
the checking is carried out until said at least one electrical parameter is within said target range; and
said electronic interruption unit changes to the low-impedance state when said at least one electrical parameter is within said target range.
3 . The circuit breaker device according to claim 2 , wherein said target range has a target value, and the checking is carried out until said at least one electrical parameter is greater than a minimum target value.
4 . The circuit breaker device according to claim 2 , wherein when said at least one electrical parameter is within said target range, said electronic interruption unit changes to the low-impedance state only when said at least one electrical parameter is within said target range for a first time range.
5 . The circuit breaker device according to claim 2 , which further comprises:
an input unit;
said electronic interruption unit changing to the low-impedance state when said at least one electrical parameter is within said target range, only upon confirmation by said input unit.
6 . The circuit breaker device according to claim 1 , wherein, after the first time period has passed, said contacts of said mechanical isolating contact unit are opened when said at least one electrical parameter is outside of said target range thereof.
7 . The circuit breaker device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrical parameter is a current, a voltage, a resistance, a capacitance, an inductance, or an impedance.
8 . The circuit breaker device according to claim 1 , wherein said mechanical isolating contact unit is associated with said load-side connections.
9 . The circuit breaker device according to claim 1 , wherein the check of said at least one electrical parameter is of a type being dependent on an event causing the high-impedance state of said electronic interruption unit.
10 . A non-transitory computer program product comprising commands that, upon executing the program on a microcontroller, prompt the microcontroller, after preventing a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts, to check said at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections of the circuit breaker device according to claim 1 .
11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which the non-transitory computer program product according to claim 10 is stored.
12 . A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:
a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values;
at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
said at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked by one, two or all of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit assuming a low impedance for a first switched-on period; and
said at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections is being checked by said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit assuming a low impedance at an absolute-value instantaneous value of a voltage being lower than a first voltage threshold value.
13 . A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:
a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values;
at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
said at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked by one, two or all of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit assuming a low impedance for a first switched-on period; and
said semiconductor-based switching elements assuming a high impedance again at an absolute-value instantaneous value of the voltage being greater than the first voltage threshold value.
14 . A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:
a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values; and
at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
said at least one electrical parameter at said load-side connections is being checked by applying an auxiliary or DC voltage being lower than a first voltage limit.
15 . A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:
a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values; and
at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
after a first time period has passed, the checking is being carried out at a first time interval of between 1 second and 15 minutes.
16 . A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:
a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values; and
at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
said mechanical isolating contact unit changing to an open state of said contacts after a first time limit has passed, and the first time limit being between 15 minutes and 48 hours.