Direct current ground fault interrupter
View Patent ↗A method, system, and computer program product for detecting and interrupting a ground fault in a direct current (DC) power circuit are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first value of a first current flow over a first part of the DC power circuit is compared with a second value of a second current flow over a second part of the DC power circuit. A voltage is generated, wherein the voltage is proportional to a difference between the first and the second values. Responsive to the voltage exceeding the threshold voltage for a threshold time, a signal output is produced, the signal configured to cause a short-circuit in the first part of the DC power circuit. The first part of the DC power circuit is interrupted responsive to the short-circuit.
1. A method for detecting and interrupting a ground fault in a direct current (DC) power circuit, the method comprising:
comparing a first value of a first current flow over a first part of the DC power circuit with a second value of a second current flow over a second part of the DC power circuit;
generating a voltage, wherein the voltage is proportional to a difference between the first and the second values;
outputting, responsive to the voltage exceeding the threshold voltage for a threshold time, a signal, the signal configured to cause a short-circuit in the first part of the DC power circuit; and
interrupting the first part of the DC power circuit responsive to the short-circuit.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing is performed by a comparator device comprising an electronic transducer.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing the first value of the first current flow over the first part of the DC power circuit with a third value of a third current flow over a third part of the DC power circuit.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating comprises:
outputting a voltage value corresponding to the voltage; and
generating the voltage at a device that receives the voltage value.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal is a gate voltage, wherein the gate voltage is applied to a gate terminal of a semiconductor-controlled-rectifier (SCR), wherein the SCR becomes conductive upon applying the gate voltage.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether the voltage exceeds the threshold voltage for the threshold time; and
preventing the outputting responsive to the voltage not exceeding the threshold voltage for the threshold time.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the short-circuit occurs across a pair of terminals of an appliance receiving DC power from the first part of the DC power circuit.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the appliance is a motor drive adapter.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interrupting uses a circuit breaker, wherein a current required to trip the circuit breaker exceeds a current draw added to the first part of the DC power circuit by the ground fault.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interrupting uses a circuit breaker, wherein a time required to trip the circuit breaker exceeds the threshold time.
11. A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage device including computer usable code for detecting and interrupting a ground fault in a direct current (DC) power circuit, the computer usable code comprising:
computer usable code for comparing a first value of a first current flow over a first part of the DC power circuit with a second value of a second current flow over a second part of the DC power circuit;
computer usable code for generating a voltage, wherein the voltage is proportional to a difference between the first and the second values;
computer usable code for outputting, responsive to the voltage exceeding the threshold voltage for a threshold time, a signal, the signal configured to cause a short-circuit in the first part of the DC power circuit; and
computer usable code for interrupting the first part of the DC power circuit responsive to the short-circuit.
12. The computer usable program product of claim 11 , wherein the comparing is performed by a comparator device comprising an electronic transducer.
13. The computer usable program product of claim 11 , further comprising:
computer usable code for comparing the first value of the first current flow over the first part of the DC power circuit with a third value of a third current flow over a third part of the DC power circuit.
14. The computer usable program product of claim 11 , wherein the generating comprises:
computer usable code for outputting a voltage value corresponding to the voltage; and
computer usable code for generating the voltage at a device that receives the voltage value.
15. The computer usable program product of claim 11 , wherein the signal is a gate voltage, wherein the gate voltage is applied to a gate terminal of a semiconductor-controlled-rectifier (SCR), wherein the SCR becomes conductive upon applying the gate voltage.
16. The computer usable program product of claim 11 , further comprising:
computer usable code for determining whether the voltage exceeds the threshold voltage for the threshold time; and
computer usable code for preventing the outputting responsive to the voltage not exceeding the threshold voltage for the threshold time.
17. The computer usable program product of claim 11 , wherein the short-circuit occurs across a pair of terminals of an appliance receiving DC power from the first part of the DC power circuit.
18. The computer usable program product of claim 11 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.
19. The computer usable program product of claim 11 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage medium associated with the remote data processing system.
20. A data processing system for detecting and interrupting a ground fault in a direct current (DC) power circuit, the data processing system comprising:
a storage device including a storage medium, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code; and
a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code comprises:
computer usable code for comparing a first value of a first current flow over a first part of the DC power circuit with a second value of a second current flow over a second part of the DC power circuit;
computer usable code for generating a voltage, wherein the voltage is proportional to a difference between the first and the second values;
computer usable code for outputting, responsive to the voltage exceeding the threshold voltage for a threshold time, a signal, the signal configured to cause a short-circuit in the first part of the DC power circuit; and
computer usable code for interrupting the first part of the DC power circuit responsive to the short-circuit.