AU2020316661B2 - Overcurrent protection device for a direct current network - Google Patents
Overcurrent protection device for a direct current network Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- AU2020316661B2 AU2020316661B2 AU2020316661A AU2020316661A AU2020316661B2 AU 2020316661 B2 AU2020316661 B2 AU 2020316661B2 AU 2020316661 A AU2020316661 A AU 2020316661A AU 2020316661 A AU2020316661 A AU 2020316661A AU 2020316661 B2 AU2020316661 B2 AU 2020316661B2
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- current
- semiconductor switching
- current variable
- switching arrangement
- overcurrent
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Active
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
- H02H3/00—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection ; integrated protection
- H02H3/08—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection ; integrated protection responsive to excess current
- H02H3/087—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection ; integrated protection responsive to excess current for dc applications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
- H02H3/00—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection ; integrated protection
- H02H3/20—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection ; integrated protection responsive to excess voltage
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
- H02H7/00—Emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions
- H02H7/26—Sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, e.g. for disconnecting a section on which a short-circuit, earth fault, or arc discharge has occured
- H02H7/268—Sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, e.g. for disconnecting a section on which a short-circuit, earth fault, or arc discharge has occured for dc systems
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K2217/00—Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00
- H03K2217/0027—Measuring means of, e.g. currents through or voltages across the switch
Abstract
An overcurrent protection device in a load path (2) of a direct current network comprises a controllable semiconductor circuit arrangement (10) and a control unit (20) having a driver circuit (21) and having an overcurrent monitoring unit (22) which is designed to cause the driver circuit (21) to switch the controllable semiconductor circuit arrangement (10) so as to block if a voltage signal (s
Description
Overcurrent protection device for a direct current network
Description
The invention relates to an overcurrent protection apparatus for a DC network. In particular, the invention relates to an over current protection apparatus for protecting consumers arranged in a DC network. The invention also relates to a DC network. The invention also relates to a method for protecting against an overcurrent in a load path of a DC network.
Load arrangements that are supplied from a DC network are used in particular in the industrial field. The supply of load ar rangements from DC networks offers the advantage of being able to react flexibly and robustly to fluctuating network quality and energy supply through intelligent network control and inte grated storage means. In particular, regenerative energy gener ators such as, for example, battery storage means and/or photo voltaic systems can easily be integrated into a DC network. Conversion losses from AC to DC voltage can be avoided in this case. The possibility of being able to buffer store braking energy, for example from drives operated in generator mode, results in energy savings.
In such DC networks, it is necessary to be able to monitor the current flowing in a load path. Furthermore, if too high a current arises, it should be possible to switch off the current in the load path via a switching arrangement arranged in the load path. This type of monitoring is particularly necessary for cases of overloading and short-circuit currents.
It is known to use mechanical circuit breakers or power switching elements which can switch direct currents, for example, as switching elements.
Furthermore, protective devices which switch direct currents exclusively by means of semiconductor switching elements are known. The semiconductors require actuation that enables rapid charge reversal of the capacitances of the switch, which means that the actuation is highly complex.
Furthermore, protective devices in hybrid technology which im plement an interruption of the current flow by means of semi conductor switching elements, with the current conduction, how ever, being implemented via mechanical contacts, are known. The semiconductor switching elements of such hybrid overcurrent pro tection apparatuses in this case have to be matched to the behavior of the mechanical switching elements and therefore need a complex control system for switching off an overcurrent or short-circuit current. Mechanical switching elements also re quire more time to switch off such currents.
In principle, however, there is the problem with all of the above-mentioned variants of overcurrent protection apparatuses that the identification of overcurrents is only possible in the case of very high overcurrents, such that the time until the overcurrent protection apparatus is activated by switching the switching elements used therein off is relatively long. Even if this does not have to lead directly to the destruction of com ponents of the overcurrent protection apparatus, it results in a high load on the components of the overcurrent protection apparatus.
Summary
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or amelio rate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.
Embodiments of the invention are intended to specify an over current protection apparatus for a DC network which is improved structurally and/or functionally and in particular enables faster and earlier identification of an overcurrent. It is also an object of the invention to specify a method for protecting against an overcurrent in a load path of a DC network.
In one aspect, the invention provides an overcurrent protection apparatus for a DC network, comprising: a controllable semicon ductor switching arrangement which is arranged in a load path of the DC network; a control unit having a driver circuit for actuating the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement and having an overcurrent monitoring unit which is designed to cause the driver circuit to switch the controllable semiconduc tor switching arrangement off when a voltage signal applied to a desaturation monitoring terminal exceeds a predetermined volt age limit value; a current measurement device which is arranged in the load path and which detects the level of the current flowing through the controllable semiconductor switching ar rangement and provides a current variable signal representing the current variable; an evaluation circuit which is designed to generate a current variable voltage signal from the current variable signal supplied to said evaluation circuit, said cur rent variable voltage signal being supplied as the voltage sig nal to the overcurrent monitoring unit at the desaturation mon itoring terminal thereof, and wherein the current measurement device and the evaluation circuit are together designed to emu late a desaturated semiconductor switching element of the semi conductor switching arrangement by the evaluation circuit being also designed to generate the current variable voltage signal in such a way that it has a value greater than the predetermined voltage limit value when the level of the current flowing through the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement exceeds a predefined current limit value at which the control unit is to cause the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement to switch off.
- 3a
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for protec tion against an overcurrent in a load path of a DC network, comprising the following steps: detecting the level of a current flowing through a controllable semiconductor switching arrange ment arranged in the load path; providing a current variable signal representing the current variable; emulating a desatu rated semiconductor switching element of the semiconductor switching arrangement by generating a current variable voltage signal from the current variable signal in such a way that it has a value greater than a predetermined voltage limit value when the level of the current flowing through the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement exceeds a predefined current limit value at which the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement is to be caused to switch off; supplying the current variable voltage signal to a desaturation monitoring terminal of an overcurrent monitoring unit of a control unit provided for actuating the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement as a voltage signal; and causing, through the overcurrent moni toring unit of the control unit, a driver circuit of the control unit to switch the controllable semiconductor switching arrange ment off when the voltage signal applied to the desaturation monitoring terminal exceeds the predetermined voltage limit value.
An overcurrent protection apparatus for a DC network is pro posed. The overcurrent protection apparatus is used, for exam ple, to protect a consumer arranged in the DC network. Such a consumer may be in particular one or more capacitive and/or inductive consumers. Capacitive consumers are, for example, in verters which generate from the voltage provided by the DC net work a three-phase voltage or at least an AC voltage for a load, for example a motor.
The overcurrent protection apparatus comprises a controllable semiconductor switching arrangement which is arranged in a load path of the DC network. The load path connects, for example, a
- 3b
supply potential, which is applied to a supply terminal or rail, to the consumer mentioned.
The overcurrent protection apparatus also comprises a control unit having a driver circuit for actuating the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement and having an overcurrent monitoring unit which is designed to cause the driver circuit to switch the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement off when a voltage signal applied to an overcurrent monitoring input exceeds a predetermined voltage limit value.
The actuation of the controllable semiconductor switching ar rangement by the driver circuit comprises switching respective semiconductor switching elements of the semiconductor switching arrangement on or off. In particular, power electronic compo nents such as, for example, MOSFETs (metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistors), IGBTs (insulated-gate bipolar transistors) and the like are used as semiconductor switching elements. Such power electronic components can be of the n-channel or p-channel type, or npn or pnp type. The semiconductor material may be based on silicon (Si) or SiC (silicon carbide) or the like. If the semiconductor switching arrangement comprises more than one controllable semiconductor switching element, then two of the controllable semiconductor switching elements in the load path are expediently interconnected in antiseries with one another.
In particular, a so-called desaturation monitoring terminal of the control unit is used as the overcurrent monitoring input. This is also known as the so-called DESAT input, which, depending on the configuration of the overcurrent monitoring unit, causes the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement to be switched off at a predetermined voltage limit value. A typical predetermined voltage limit value is, for example, 9 V (for 1200 V components) or greater.
The overcurrent protection apparatus also comprises a current measurement device which is arranged in the load path and which detects the level of the current flowing through the controlla ble semiconductor switching arrangement and provides a current variable signal representing the current variable; According to expedient configurations, the current measurement device may be designed to output a voltage or a current as current variable signal. In the first case, the current measurement device may comprise a shunt in the load path, for example. If the current measurement device is designed to output a current as the current variable signal, the current measurement device may be, for example, a Hall sensor, a GMR sensor (GMR: giant magnetore sistance, that is to say a sensor that evaluates a magnetic field), a sigma-delta converter or an AMR sensor (AMR: anisotropic magnetoresistance; supplied for example by the com pany Sensitec GmbH, DE).
Finally, the overcurrent protection apparatus comprises an eval uation circuit which is designed to generate a current variable voltage signal proportional to the current from the current variable signal supplied to said evaluation circuit, said cur rent variable voltage signal being supplied as the voltage sig nal to the overcurrent monitoring unit at the overcurrent moni toring input thereof. The evaluation circuit is also designed to generate the current variable voltage signal in such a way that it has a value greater than the predetermined voltage limit value when the level of the current flowing through the control lable semiconductor switching arrangement exceeds a predefined current limit value at which the control unit is to cause the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement to switch off.
The evaluation circuit thus "translates" a value of the current variable signal that exceeds the current limit value into a current variable voltage signal which, according to the design of the overcurrent monitoring unit, reaches a voltage level that is sufficient to exceed the predetermined voltage limit value and thereby cause the controllable semiconductor switching ar rangement to be switched off.
In contrast to the known solutions, the proposed overcurrent protection apparatus makes it possible to trigger the overcur rent protection apparatus even if the rated current is exceeded to a significantly smaller extent. Triggering is understood here to be a switching off of the controllable semiconductor switch ing arrangement at the instigation of the overcurrent monitoring unit.
The evaluation circuit is therefore advantageously used to pro cess the current variable signal so that it can be supplied to the overcurrent monitoring unit at the overcurrent monitoring input thereof. If the predetermined current limit value is ex ceeded, the evaluation circuit generates the current variable voltage signal in such a way that it corresponds to a value greater than the predetermined voltage limit value, which leads to the overcurrent protection apparatus being triggered.
The proposed overcurrent protection apparatus thus uses a de saturation monitoring signal path which is present in many con trol units and which is intended to switch off the semiconductor switching arrangement in the event of large overcurrents, for example 4 to 6 times the rated current. The combination of current measurement device and evaluation circuit makes it pos sible to bring the semiconductor switching arrangement into the off state even in the event of smaller overcurrents.
This is made possible by the fact that the current measurement device and the evaluation circuit are designed to emulate a desaturated semiconductor switching element of the semiconductor switching arrangement.
The current limit value at which the current variable voltage signal that generates the triggering is generated can expedi ently be adjusted variably. The current limit value IG can in this case be adjusted variably between the limits Irated < Ig < x
* Irated. In other words, the current limit value can be selected between the rated current Irated and x times (for example x = 5) the rated current (as the outermost limit).
In an expedient configuration, the evaluation circuit may com prise a microcontroller on which a program for evaluating the current variable signal and for generating the current variable voltage signal is executed. In other words, the evaluation cir cuit may be implemented in software that is executed by the microcontroller.
The evaluation circuit may additionally or alternatively be de signed as a transistor stage which generates the current varia ble voltage signal. In the simplest configuration, the evalua tion circuit may be designed as an amplifier which generates the current variable voltage signal from the current variable in formation.
According to a further expedient configuration, the evaluation circuit may be designed to delay the output of the current variable voltage signal depending on the current variable sig nal. For example, if the rated current is slightly exceeded (for example twice the rated current), the current variable voltage signal may be generated after a period of time ti since the overcurrent was detected, whereas if the rated current is ex ceeded by a larger amount (for example the rated current is exceeded by 4 times), the current variable voltage signal is generated after a period of time t 2 since the occurrence of the overcurrent, where t2 is smaller than ti. Depending on the con figuration of the evaluation circuit, any gradation can be car ried out here for different current variable signals, which are stored in a table or are described by an equation, for example.
In a simpler configuration, the semiconductor switching arrange ment may comprise only a single controllable semiconductor switching element. As already described, the semiconductor switching arrangement may also comprise a plurality of control lable semiconductor switching elements, wherein in particular a configuration having two semiconductor switching elements in terconnected in antiseries with one another is provided.
According to a further aspect, a DC network having an overcurrent protection apparatus as described herein is proposed. The DC network has the same advantages as those that have been described above in connection with the overcurrent protection apparatus according to the invention.
According to a further aspect, a method for protecting against an overcurrent in a load path of a DC network is proposed. The method comprises the following steps: detecting the level of a current flowing through a controllable semiconductor switching arrangement arranged in the load path; this detection step is preferably carried out by a current measurement device arranged in the load path. providing a current variable signal represent ing the current variable. generating a current variable voltage signal from the current variable signal in such a way that it has a value greater than a predetermined voltage limit value when the level of the current flowing through the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement exceeds a predefined current limit value at which the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement is caused to switch off; this generation step is preferably carried out by an evaluation circuit. supplying the current variable voltage signal to an overcurrent monitoring input of an overcurrent monitoring unit of a control unit pro vided for actuating the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement as a voltage signal. and causing, preferably a driver circuit of the control unit, to switch the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement off when the voltage signal applied to the overcurrent monitoring input exceeds the prede termined voltage limit value; this causing step is preferably carried out by the overcurrent monitoring unit of the control unit.
The object outlined is also achieved by a computer program prod uct according to the invention. The computer program product is designed to be able to be executed in a control unit. The com puter program product may be stored as software or firmware in a memory and may be designed to be able to be executed by a computer. As an alternative or in addition, the computer program product may also be designed at least partially as a hard-wired circuit, for example as an ASIC. The computer program product is designed to receive and evaluate a voltage signal and to generate commands to a driver circuit of the control unit.
According to the invention, the computer program product is designed to implement and carry out at least one embodiment of the outlined method for protection against an overcurrent in a load path of a DC network. In this case, the computer program product may combine all the partial functions of the method, that is to say may be of monolithic design. As an alternative, the computer program product may also be configured in a seg mented manner and may in each case distribute partial functions to segments that are executed on separate hardware. For example, part of the method may be carried out in the evaluation circuit and another part of the method may be carried out in the control unit, such as a PLC or a computer cloud, for example.
The invention is described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments in the drawing. In the figures:
fig. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a first, general design variant of an overcurrent protection apparatus accord ing to the invention;
fig. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a second, general design variant of an overcurrent protection apparatus accord ing to the invention;
fig. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a third, general design variant of an overcurrent protection apparatus accord ing to the invention; and
fig. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a fourth, general design variant of an overcurrent protection apparatus accord ing to the invention.
Figures 1 to 4 show schematic illustrations of an overcurrent protection apparatus 1 for the protection of a consumer arranged in a DC network and not illustrated in any of the figures. The DC network, which is likewise not illustrated in detail, provides a DC voltage to a supply terminal or rail. The DC voltage may be provided by a battery, for example. It may also be any other desired energy source or a combination of several energy sources at the terminals of which a DC voltage is pro vided. Such energy sources may be, for example, a photovoltaic system and/or a battery store, but also a rectifier that gener ates the DC voltage by rectifying an AC voltage generated by an AC voltage source.
Since neither the configuration of the DC voltage network nor the consumer in detail is important for understanding the in vention, only one load path 2 is illustrated in figures 1 to 4, which load path connects the supply terminal or rail and the consumer or consumers via the overcurrent protection apparatus 1.
The overcurrent protection apparatus 1 comprises a semiconductor switching arrangement 10 arranged in the load path 2. The con trollable semiconductor switching arrangement 10 comprises at least one controllable semiconductor switching element 11, 12 (as shown in figures 2 to 4). In particular, power electronic components such as MOSFETs or IGBTs, for example, come into consideration as controllable semiconductor switching elements 11, 12. The power electronic component or components may be of the n-channel or p-channel type, or of the npn or pnp type. The semiconductor material may be based on silicon (Si) or gallium nitride (GaN) or the like.
The controllable semiconductor switching element or elements 11, 12 of the semiconductor switching arrangement 10 are actuated by a control unit 20. The control unit 20 comprises a driver circuit 21, which provides an actuation signal for the semicon ductor switching arrangement 10 at a signal output 21S, using which signal a respective controllable semiconductor switching element 11, 12 can be switched on or off. In figures 1 to 4, the controllable semiconductor switching elements 11, 12 are actuated by a common actuation signal of the driver circuit 21. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that each of the controllable semiconductor switching elements 11, 12 could also be actuated by different actuation signals that are generated by different driver circuits.
The control unit 20 also comprises an overcurrent monitoring unit 22. The overcurrent monitoring unit 22 is coupled to an overcurrent monitoring input 22S of the control unit 20. The overcurrent monitoring unit 22 receives a voltage signal S3
there, wherein, when the voltage signal exceeds a predetermined voltage limit value, a control signal s4 for the driver circuit 21 is generated in order to switch the switching elements of the semiconductor switching arrangement 10 off.
The overcurrent monitoring input 22S is a desaturation monitor ing pin (DESAT pin) which is present in typical control units and which, by means of the overcurrent monitoring unit 22 which is also usually present, generates the control signal s4 in the event of large overcurrents I in the load path 2. Large overcurrents are typically 4 to 6 times the rated current Irated flowing through the load path 2, which result owing to principle.
In conventional overcurrent protection apparatuses, the voltage signal s, represents a voltage dropping across one of the semi conductor switching elements of the semiconductor switching ar rangement 10. In order that the voltage dropping across the load path of the semiconductor switching element reaches or exceeds the predetermined voltage limit value, the current I flowing through the semiconductor switching arrangement 10 must be at least 4 times the rated current Irated.
In order to avoid this principle-related disadvantage, the over current protection apparatus 1 according to the invention pro vides a current measurement device 30 in the load path 2. In other words, the current measurement device 30 is arranged in series with the semiconductor switching arrangement 10. The cur rent measurement device 30 detects the level of the current I flowing through the controllable semiconductor switching ar rangement 10 and provides a current variable signal si repre senting the current variable. The current variable signal si represents either a voltage value or a current value depending on the configuration of the current measurement device 30.
The current variable signal si is supplied to an evaluation circuit 40. The evaluation circuit 40 is designed to generate a current variable voltage signal s2 from the current variable signal si supplied to said evaluation circuit, said current var iable voltage signal being supplied as the voltage signal S3 to the overcurrent monitoring unit 22 at the overcurrent monitoring input 22S thereof, that is to say S2 = S3. The evaluation circuit generates the current variable voltage signal s2 in such a way that it has a value greater than the predetermined voltage limit value (of the overcurrent monitoring unit 22) when the level of the current I flowing through the controllable semi conductor switching arrangement 10 exceeds a predefined current limit value, which can be adjusted variably. The predefined current limit value is selected such that, when it is exceeded, the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement 10 is caused to switch off by the control unit 20 by virtue of the overcurrent monitoring unit 22 determining that the predeter mined voltage limit value has been exceeded and outputs the control signal s4 for the driver circuit 21, as a result of which the driver circuit switches the semiconductor switching arrange ment 10 off.
The basic principle of the overcurrent protection apparatus 1 thus makes provision for the current variable signal si generated by the current measurement device 30 to be processed by the evaluation circuit 40 in such a way that a (DC) signal is applied to the overcurrent monitoring input 22S, which signal leads to the switching off of the semiconductor switching arrangement 10.
The current measurement device 30 and the evaluation circuit 40 thus emulate a desaturated semiconductor switching element of the semiconductor switching arrangement and as a result can generate as the voltage signal S3 a voltage that becomes active when the condition for an overload and/or a short circuit is met.
This makes it possible to bring the semiconductor switching arrangement 10 into the blocking state even in the event of smaller overcurrents, for example 1.2, 1.5 or 2 times the rated current.
The fact that the signal routing does not have to be DC-isolated results in a fast response speed and an inexpensive construction of the overcurrent protection apparatus.
Figures 2 to 4 subsequently show different embodiments of the method described above.
In figure 2, the semiconductor switching arrangement 10 com prises a first and a second semiconductor switching element 11 and 12 which are interconnected in antiseries with one another. The first and the second semiconductor switching element 11, 12 are, for example, IGBTs. Corresponding freewheeling diodes are not illustrated for the sake of clarity. Control terminals 11S, 12S of the first and second semiconductor switching element 11, 12 receive a common actuation signal from the signal output 21S of the driver circuit 21 of the control unit 20. The current measurement device 30, here in the form of a shunt 31, is ar ranged in series between the first and the second semiconductor switching element 11, 12. In this case, respective emitter ter minals 11E, 12E of the first and second semiconductor switching element 11, 12 are connected to respective terminals of the shunt 31. Collector terminals 11C, 12C are arranged in the load path on the side facing away from shunt 31.
By way of example, the evaluation circuit 40 is designed as an operational amplifier. Due to the design, the current measure ment device 30 in the form of the shunt 31 provides as current variable signal si a voltage which is detected at the inputs of the amplifier 42. The amplifier 42 then generates the current variable voltage signal S2, which is supplied to the overcurrent monitoring unit 22 as the voltage signal S3.
Although the current measurement device 30 in the form of the shunt 31 is provided between the first and the second semicon ductor switching element 11, 12 in the present exemplary embod iment, this is not absolutely necessary. It is only important that the current measurement device 30 is arranged in series with the elements of the semiconductor switching arrangement in the load path 2.
Fig. 3 shows a modification of the exemplary embodiment de scribed in fig. 2, in which the current variable voltage signal S2 is supplied to a microcontroller 41, which then generates the voltage signal S3 and makes it available at the overcurrent monitoring input 22S. With the aid of the microcontroller 41, it is possible, for example, to process the current variable voltage signal s2, for example by filtering, and to make further adjustments, for example with regard to a signal propagation time. For example, a delay in the voltage signal S3 can be provided in the load path 2 depending on the level of the over current.
Fig. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment in which, for exam ple, a Hall sensor, a GMR sensor or a sigma-delta converter is used as the current measurement device 30, in which case a current is output as current variable signal si. The use of Hall sensors or GMR sensors as current measurement device has the advantage that there is a DC isolation from the measuring point. In the exemplary embodiment shown in fig. 4, the function of the evaluation circuit 40 is implemented by software running on a microcontroller 41. The microcontroller 41 provides the current variable voltage signal s2 at its output as the voltage signal s3 (that is to say s2 = s3).
The evaluation circuit 40 performs the signal processing of the current variable signal si which, after the triggering condi tion, triggers the overcurrent monitoring input 22S using the corresponding current variable voltage signal s3in order thereby to initiate the switching off of the switching element or ele ments of the semiconductor switching arrangement 10.
Claims (12)
1. An overcurrent protection apparatus for a DC network, com prising: - a controllable semiconductor switching arrangement which is arranged in a load path of the DC network; - a control unit having a driver circuit for actuating the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement and hav ing an overcurrent monitoring unit which is designed to cause the driver circuit to switch the controllable semi conductor switching arrangement off when a voltage signal applied to a desaturation monitoring terminal exceeds a predetermined voltage limit value; - a current measurement device which is arranged in the load path and which detects the level of the current flowing through the controllable semiconductor switching arrange ment and provides a current variable signal representing the current variable; - an evaluation circuit which is designed to generate a current variable voltage signal from the current variable signal supplied to said evaluation circuit, said current variable voltage signal being supplied as the voltage signal to the overcurrent monitoring unit at the desaturation monitoring terminal thereof, and wherein the current measurement device and the evaluation circuit are together designed to emulate a desaturated sem iconductor switching element of the semiconductor switching arrangement by the evaluation circuit being also designed to generate the current variable voltage signal in such a way that it has a value greater than the predetermined voltage limit value when the level of the current flowing through the controllable semiconductor switching arrange ment exceeds a predefined current limit value at which the control unit is to cause the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement to switch off.
2. The overcurrent protection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current measurement device is designed to output a voltage as the current variable signal.
3. The overcurrent protection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current measurement device is designed to output a current as the current variable signal.
4. The overcurrent protection apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the current limit value can be adjusted variably.
5. The overcurrent protection apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the current limit value Ig is selected according to Irated < Iq < X * Irated, wherein Irated is a rated current flowing through the load path and 1 < x < 8 holds true.
6. The overcurrent protection apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the evaluation circuit com prises a microcontroller on which a program for evaluating the current variable signal and for generating the current variable voltage signal is executed.
7. The overcurrent protection apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the evaluation circuit is de signed as an operational amplifier which generates the current variable voltage signal.
8. The overcurrent protection apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the evaluation circuit is de signed to delay, where necessary to delay in an adjustable man ner, the output of the current variable voltage signal depending on the current variable signal.
9. The overcurrent protection apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the semiconductor switching arrangement comprises a single controllable semiconductor switching element or two controllable semiconductor switching elements interconnected in antiseries with one another.
10. A DC network, comprising an overcurrent protection apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
11. A method for protection against an overcurrent in a load path of a DC network, comprising the following steps: detecting the level of a current flowing through a controllable semiconductor switching arrangement arranged in the load path; providing a current variable signal representing the current variable; emulating a desaturated semiconductor switching element of the semiconductor switching arrangement by generating a current var iable voltage signal from the current variable signal in such a way that it has a value greater than a predetermined voltage limit value when the level of the current flowing through the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement exceeds a pre defined current limit value at which the controllable semicon ductor switching arrangement is to be caused to switch off; supplying the current variable voltage signal to a desaturation monitoring terminal of an overcurrent monitoring unit of a con trol unit provided for actuating the controllable semiconductor switching arrangement as a voltage signal; and causing, through the overcurrent monitoring unit of the control unit, a driver circuit of the control unit to switch the con trollable semiconductor switching arrangement off when the volt age signal applied to the desaturation monitoring terminal ex ceeds the predetermined voltage limit value.
12. A computer program product which can be executed in a control unit, wherein the computer program product is designed to carry out a method as claimed in claim 11.
Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON & FERGUSON
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP19188335.4A EP3771054A1 (en) | 2019-07-25 | 2019-07-25 | Overcurrent protection device for a dc network |
| EP19188335.4 | 2019-07-25 | ||
| PCT/EP2020/070788 WO2021013922A1 (en) | 2019-07-25 | 2020-07-23 | Overcurrent protection device for a direct current network |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| AU2020316661A1 AU2020316661A1 (en) | 2022-03-17 |
| AU2020316661B2 true AU2020316661B2 (en) | 2023-01-19 |
Family
ID=67438884
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2020316661A Active AU2020316661B2 (en) | 2019-07-25 | 2020-07-23 | Overcurrent protection device for a direct current network |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (2) | EP3771054A1 (en) |
| KR (1) | KR20220037480A (en) |
| CN (1) | CN114175433B (en) |
| AU (1) | AU2020316661B2 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2021013922A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2022194442A1 (en) * | 2021-03-18 | 2022-09-22 | Preh Gmbh | Apparatus for protecting an electrical consumer fed from a dc voltage source from an overcurrent |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102016209354A1 (en) * | 2016-05-30 | 2017-11-30 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | DEVICE FOR PROTECTING AN ELECTRICAL NETWORK IN A VEHICLE AND A PASSENGER NET AND A VEHICLE |
Family Cites Families (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6330143B1 (en) * | 2000-02-23 | 2001-12-11 | Ford Global Technologies, Inc. | Automatic over-current protection of transistors |
| US8885310B2 (en) * | 2012-10-31 | 2014-11-11 | Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. | Gate driver with desaturation detection and active clamping |
| DE102013211692A1 (en) * | 2013-06-20 | 2014-12-24 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Circuit arrangement and energy storage system |
| EP2882103B1 (en) * | 2013-12-04 | 2019-05-29 | ABB Schweiz AG | Method and apparatus for short circuit protection of power semiconductor switch |
| DE102014002058A1 (en) * | 2014-02-18 | 2015-08-20 | Dspace Digital Signal Processing And Control Engineering Gmbh | Overcurrent protection device |
| US9640972B2 (en) * | 2014-03-26 | 2017-05-02 | Infineon Technologies Ag | Controlled switch-off of a power switch |
| DE102015219545B3 (en) * | 2015-10-08 | 2017-01-05 | Ellenberger & Poensgen Gmbh | Electronic circuit breaker |
| DE102017109378B4 (en) * | 2017-02-16 | 2022-07-07 | Dehn Se | Electronic fuse for a load that can be connected to a low-voltage direct current network to protect against transient and temporary overvoltages |
| US10574226B2 (en) * | 2017-02-16 | 2020-02-25 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Gate driver including gate sense circuit |
| CN208479164U (en) * | 2018-07-12 | 2019-02-05 | 东莞朗勤电子科技有限公司 | A kind of over-current detection protection circuit and electronic cigarette |
-
2019
- 2019-07-25 EP EP19188335.4A patent/EP3771054A1/en active Pending
-
2020
- 2020-07-23 WO PCT/EP2020/070788 patent/WO2021013922A1/en unknown
- 2020-07-23 AU AU2020316661A patent/AU2020316661B2/en active Active
- 2020-07-23 EP EP20754635.9A patent/EP3977578A1/en active Pending
- 2020-07-23 CN CN202080053748.1A patent/CN114175433B/en active Active
- 2020-07-23 KR KR1020227005890A patent/KR20220037480A/en unknown
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102016209354A1 (en) * | 2016-05-30 | 2017-11-30 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | DEVICE FOR PROTECTING AN ELECTRICAL NETWORK IN A VEHICLE AND A PASSENGER NET AND A VEHICLE |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP3771054A1 (en) | 2021-01-27 |
| KR20220037480A (en) | 2022-03-24 |
| CN114175433A (en) | 2022-03-11 |
| WO2021013922A1 (en) | 2021-01-28 |
| CN114175433B (en) | 2023-12-26 |
| AU2020316661A1 (en) | 2022-03-17 |
| EP3977578A1 (en) | 2022-04-06 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| JP4924086B2 (en) | Semiconductor device | |
| US9461533B2 (en) | Electronic circuit | |
| US9667061B2 (en) | Semiconductor element drive device | |
| US20190296731A1 (en) | Driving device and power module | |
| US11757444B2 (en) | Semiconductor element drive device and power conversion apparatus | |
| AU2020316661B2 (en) | Overcurrent protection device for a direct current network | |
| US9584113B2 (en) | Arrangement and method for a power semiconductor switch | |
| US11601054B2 (en) | Power semiconductor device protection circuit and power module | |
| US20220069815A1 (en) | Semiconductor device | |
| US20200161853A1 (en) | Fault current limiter for energy storage systems | |
| KR102050907B1 (en) | Fault current limiter and fault current limiting method | |
| US10141834B2 (en) | Multi-phase power conversion device control circuit | |
| US8575974B2 (en) | Method and control circuit for controlling a power semiconductor component | |
| US8941956B2 (en) | Switching ground tether circuit | |
| JPH09312555A (en) | Controller for switching circuit and inverter | |
| JP2020022269A (en) | Protection circuit for semiconductor device, power conversion device comprising the protection circuit for the semiconductor device, and method of protecting semiconductor device | |
| TWI772163B (en) | Overcurrent protection circuit and power converter | |
| US20240072530A1 (en) | Short-circuit detector for electronic fuse circuit | |
| JP7098061B2 (en) | Systems and methods to protect the power semiconductors of half-bridge converters | |
| US11476656B2 (en) | Overcurrent detection in an electronic switch | |
| EP4187787A1 (en) | Protection unit for wide bandgap power switching device and method for operating the wide bandgap power switching device | |
| JP6469910B1 (en) | Overvoltage protection circuit | |
| JP2020060402A (en) | Switching circuit | |
| JPS6395721A (en) | Protection circuit for load switching device | |
| JPH06105450A (en) | Dc semiconductor breaker |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC1 | Assignment before grant (sect. 113) |
Owner name: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG Free format text: FORMER APPLICANT(S): SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT |
|
| FGA | Letters patent sealed or granted (standard patent) |