Apparatus including a circuit breaker adapted to selectively provide arc flash protection in connection with a wind turbine

1. An apparatus comprising:

a wind turbine comprising a wind turbine generator configured to generate an alternating current (AC) power output;

a transformer having a high-voltage side coupled to a load;

a circuit breaker adapted to selectively reduce arc flash energy available to the wind turbine, the circuit breaker arranged to provide circuit interruption between the wind turbine generator and a low-voltage side of the transformer upon detection of a fault condition, the circuit breaker having an arc flash protection mode and a normal protection mode, wherein, in response to a sensed condition, a respective one of the modes is automatically set so that the circuit breaker can perform the circuit interruption in accordance with a protection functionality of the set mode; and

at least one sensor coupled to an automated mode selector of the circuit breaker for automatically setting in response to the sensed condition the arc flash protection mode or the normal protection mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense whether AC power output is being generated by the wind turbine generator.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense a condition of a door that provides access into a tower of the wind turbine.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense a condition indicative of access or proximity to a serviceable electric panel of the wind turbine.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense a presence of a human being in a predefined area of the wind turbine.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a manual mode selector adapted to override the automated mode selector.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the manual mode selector comprises a key switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of an electrical sensor, an optical sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a motion sensor, and a combination of two or more of said sensors.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a wind turbine comprising a wind turbine generator configured to generate an alternating current (AC) power output;

a transformer having a high-voltage side coupled to a load; and

a circuit breaker adapted to selectively reduce arc flash energy available to the wind turbine, the circuit breaker arranged to provide circuit interruption between the wind turbine generator and a low-voltage side of the transformer upon detection of a fault condition, the circuit breaker having an arc flash protection mode and a normal protection mode, wherein, in response to a sensed condition, a respective one of the modes is automatically set so that the circuit breaker can perform the circuit interruption in accordance with a protection functionality of the set mode,

wherein the load comprises a collector system fed by the wind turbine and further wind turbines.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the further wind turbines comprise respective circuit breakers adapted to selectively provide individualized arc flash protection in connection with the further wind turbines.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a transformer having a high-voltage side coupled to a load;

a circuit breaker arranged to provide circuit interruption between a wind turbine generator of a wind turbine and a low-voltage side of the transformer upon detection of a fault condition, the circuit breaker comprising an arc flash protection mode and a normal protection mode, wherein, in response to a sensed condition, a respective one of the modes is automatically set so that the circuit breaker can perform the circuit interruption in accordance with a protection functionality of the set mode; and

at least one sensor coupled to a mode selector of the circuit breaker for automatically setting in response to the sensed condition the arc flash protection mode or the normal protection mode.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense whether AC power output is being generated by the wind turbine generator.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense a condition of a door that provides access into a tower of the wind turbine.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense a condition indicative of access or proximity to a serviceable electric panel of the wind turbine.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense a presence of a human being in a predefined area of the wind turbine.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a manual mode selector adapted to override the mode selector for automatically setting the arc flash protection module or the normal protection module.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the manual selector comprises a key switch.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a transformer associated with a respective one of a plurality of wind turbines, the transformer having a high-voltage side coupled to a collector system fed by the plurality of wind turbines;

a circuit breaker adapted to selectively reduce arc flash energy available to the respective one wind turbine, the circuit breaker arranged to provide circuit interruption between a wind turbine generator of the respective one wind turbine and a low-voltage side of the transformer upon detection of a fault condition, the circuit breaker comprising an arc flash protection mode and a normal protection mode, wherein, in response to a sensed condition, a respective one of the modes is automatically set so that the circuit breaker can perform the circuit interruption in accordance with a protection functionality of the set mode; and

at least one sensor coupled to an automated mode selector of the circuit breaker for automatically setting in response to the sensed condition the arc flash protection mode or the normal protection mode,

wherein further ones of the plurality of wind turbines that feed the collector system comprise respective circuit breakers adapted to selectively and individually reduce arc flash energy available to the further ones of the plurality of wind turbines.