Method and circuit for increasing the speed of electromechanical output on a protective relay

1. A method of increasing speed of an electro-mechanical relay, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an electro-mechanical relay having a coil and at least one contact,

providing a first resistor and a second resistor, each in series with the coil, with the second resistor being in parallel with a first switch,

providing a voltage to the first switch, with the first switch being ON, thereby shorting out the second resistor and providing a first, constant current through the first resistor and to the coil, to move the contact to a closed position, thereby establishing a closing time of the contact to be about 1 mS, and

after a certain amount of time, turning the first switch OFF, so that a second constant current is provided through the first and second resistors and to the coil, maintaining the contact in the closed position, thereby minimizing bouncing of the contact,

wherein the electro-mechanical relay is provided as an output relay of a protective relay.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first switch is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of turning off the first switch includes using a second switch.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second switch is a MOSFET.

5. The method of claim 1 , further providing a transistor such that the first current is Vbe of the transistor, divided by a value of the first resistor.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second current is Vbe of the transistor divided by the value of the second resistor plus a value of the first resistor.

7. A circuit structure for increasing speed of an electro-mechanical relay, the circuit comprising:

an electro-mechanical relay having a coil and at least one contact,

a first resistor and a second resistor, each in series with the coil, with the second resistor being in parallel with a first switch,

a voltage source constructed and arranged to provide a voltage to the first switch when the first switch is ON to short-out the second resistor and provide a first constant current through the first resistor and to the coil, to move the contact to a closed position, thereby establishing a closing time of the contact to be about 1 mS, and

a second switch constructed and arranged to turn the first switch OFF, so that a second constant current is provided through the first and second resistors and to the coil, maintaining the contact in the closed position, thereby minimizing bouncing of the contact,

wherein the electro-mechanical relay is an output relay of a protective relay.

8. The circuit structure of claim 7 , wherein the first switch is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).

9. The circuit structure of claim 7 , wherein the second switch is a MOSFET.

10. The circuit structure of claim 7 , further comprising a transistor, and wherein the first current is Vbe of the transistor divided by a value of the first resistor.

11. The circuit structure of claim 10 , wherein the second current is Vbe of the transistor divided by the value of the second resistor plus a value of the first resistor.

12. The circuit structure of claim 7 , in combination with the circuit breaker.

13. The circuit structure of claim 7 , wherein the second switch is part of a timing circuit and is constructed and arranged to turn OFF the first switch at certain time after the first switch has been ON to short-out the second resistor.

14. The circuit structure of claim 13 , wherein the timing circuit includes a resistor and capacitor that is constructed and arranged to determine the certain time.