Short-circuit Current Element

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention relates to a short-circuit current element for direct current (DC) power networks. It contains a diode and an energy storage component, such as a capacitor or battery, connected in series. Under normal conditions, the diode blocks current flow from the storage device into the network. However, during a short-circuit or fault condition, when the network voltage drops, the diode becomes conductive, allowing stored energy to flow into the network. This targeted energy discharge ensures that traditional fuses or circuit breakers reliably trip and isolate the faulty circuit branch, even if the short-circuit current from other sources is insufficient to trigger protection devices.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Protection of DC power distribution networks in buildings, factories, or electric vehicle charging stations to improve fault isolation.
• Enhancing reliability and selectivity of protection in renewable energy integration (solar PV or battery systems) using DC grids.
• Safety improvement in DC microgrids for data centers, industrial automation, and IT infrastructure requiring fast and secure fault handling.
• Retrofitting existing DC installations with improved fault protection without the need for expensive electronic circuit breakers.
• Ensuring robust operation in off-grid, mobile, or modular DC networks (e.g., marine electrical systems or temporary event setups).

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables reliable tripping of conventional (mechanical or thermal) fuses in DC networks, even when standard short-circuit currents are inadequate.
• Improves selectivity, ensuring only the faulty circuit branch is disconnected, avoiding unnecessary outages in healthy sections.
• Reduces the need for costly and complex fast electronic circuit breakers, allowing continued use of affordable passive protection devices.
• Simplifies and enhances safety measures when integrating power electronics and renewable sources into DC grids.
• Reduces potential downtime and manual intervention by ensuring automatic and accurate fault isolation.
• Flexible integration with various types of DC network devices, enabling broad applicability across different environments.

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Patent Abstract

Kurzschlussstromelement (10) für ein Gleichspannungsnetz (20), das zumindest einen mit einem Sicherungsgerät (38a, 38b, 38c, 38d) abgesicherten Abzweig (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d) aufweist; wobei das Kurzschlussstromelement (10) eine Diode (12) sowie einen Energiespeicher (14) umfasst, wobei die Diode (12) so angeordnet ist, dass sie im Normalbetrieb des Gleichspannungsnetzes (20) sperrt, wobei der Energiespeicher (14) ausgebildet ist, eine Speicherspannung (USpeicher) kleiner als die Netzspannung (UNetz) des Gleichspannungsnetzes (20) bereitzustellen; wobei die Diode (12) ferner ausgebildet ist, in einem Störbetrieb des Gleichspannungsnetzes (20) einen Energiefluss aus dem Energiespeicher (14) in das Gleichspannungsnetz (20) und in den Abzweig (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d) freizugeben.