SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING A DISCONNECT SWITCH VIA A NETWORK

A system for controlling a disconnect switch via a network may include a disconnect switch and a drive. The disconnect switch may receive alternating current (AC) power from an AC power supply, and the drive may then receive the AC power via the disconnect switch. The drive may include a processor that may communicatively couple to the disconnect switch. As such, the processor may control a drive operation that corresponds to the drive and control a disconnect operation that corresponds to the disconnect switch.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to industrial automation systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to controlling the flow of electricity through an industrial automation system.

Industrial automation systems may employ various types of electronic devices such as an alternating current (AC) drive to provide a controllable AC voltage to various devices within the industrial automation system. The AC drive may receive AC voltage from an AC voltage supply and convert the received AC voltage into direct current (DC) voltage using a rectifier. The AC drive may then convert the DC voltage into a controllable AC voltage using an inverter. In some cases, a regenerative AC drive may provide regenerated power back to a grid or to the AC voltage supply from the inverter.

In certain situations, conditions may arise that result in undesirable outcomes, including system damage, with respect to a coupling between the AC voltage supply and the AC drive. For example, the AC voltage supply may provide an undesired surge of voltage to the AC drive. Accordingly, it is now recognized that it may be desirable to isolate the AC drive from the AC voltage supply under certain conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the original claims are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the presently disclosed systems and techniques. Indeed, the claims may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

In one embodiment, a system for controlling a disconnect switch via a network may include a disconnect switch and a drive. The disconnect switch may receive alternating current (AC) power from an AC power supply, and the drive may then receive the AC power via the disconnect switch. The drive may include a processor that may communicatively couple to the disconnect switch. As such, the processor may control a drive operation that corresponds to the drive and control a disconnect operation that corresponds to the disconnect switch.

In another embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium may include computer-executable instructions that may receive, at a drive, data associated with an alternating current (AC) power supply, a drive, a motor, or any combination thereof from one or more sensors. The computer-executable instructions may then send a first signal from the drive to a disconnect switch coupled between the AC power supply and the drive when the data is outside a range of values. Here, the first signal may cause the disconnect switch to open.

In yet another embodiment, a disconnect switch may include at least one pole that may conduct alternating current (AC) current between an AC power supply and an industrial automation drive. The disconnect switch may also include a control system that may communicatively couple to a drive control system that corresponds to the industrial automation drive. The control system may receive a signal from the drive control system, such that the signal may cause the at least one pole to open or close.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed towards a network-controlled disconnect switch. In one embodiment, a drive control system may be communicatively coupled to a disconnect switch via a network or a direct communication link. As such, the drive control system may send commands to the disconnect switch to open and/or close quickly and on demand. Moreover, the drive control system may simultaneously control the operations of an industrial automation drive and the operations of the disconnect switch. In this manner, commands designated for the disconnect switch may be passed through the industrial automation drive to the disconnect switch, such that the industrial automation drive may monitor and control the operation of the disconnect switch.

By way of introduction,FIG. 1is a perspective view of an industrial automation drive10that may be coupled to a disconnect switch42, in accordance with embodiments described herein. In one embodiment, the drive10may be a PowerFlex® drive manufactured by Rockwell Automation. The drive10may include a housing12having a receptacle14to hold a human interface module (HIM)16, that may be used to program the drive10, monitor alerts detected by the drive10, control operations of a disconnect switch42, or the like.

As described further below, the drive10may be adapted to receive three-phase power from an alternating-current (AC) power supply18and to convert a fixed frequency AC input power from the AC power supply18to controlled frequency AC output power that may be applied to a motor20. The AC power supply18may include a generator or an external power grid. A variety of components or devices may be disposed within the drive10and may be used in the operation and control of a load such as the motor20. As will be described further below, the operating characteristics of the drive10may be determined, in part, by a programming configuration of the drive10. The programming configuration of the drive10may include any data, software, or firmware that may define the performance of the drive10, the appearance or performance of a user interface of the drive10, the performance or user interface appearance of any peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the drive, operations of a disconnect switch42, or the like. As such, the programming configuration may include operating parameters, parameter customization data, and firmware for the drive10, a disconnect switch42, or any other device that may be communicatively coupled to the drive10. In one embodiment, the programming configuration may be implemented by the drive10via a drive control system28, which will be described in greater detail with reference toFIG. 4below.

Keeping this in mind,FIG. 2illustrates a block diagram of the drive10and provides additional details regarding the make-up of the drive10. The drive10includes a rectifier22that receives a constant frequency three-phase AC voltage waveform from the AC power supply18. The rectifier22may perform full wave rectification of the three-phase AC voltage waveform, outputting a direct current (DC) voltage to an inverter module24. Although the AC power supply18has been described above as providing a constant frequency three-phase AC voltage waveform, it should be noted that the AC power supply18is not limited to providing a three-phase AC voltage waveform. Instead, it should be understood that the AC power supply18may also provide different waveforms such as a six-phase AC voltage waveform or the like.

The inverter module24may accept the positive and negative lines of the DC voltage from the rectifier22and may output a discretized three-phase AC voltage waveform at a desired frequency, independent of the frequency of AC power supply18. Driver circuitry26may provide the inverter module24with appropriate signals, enabling the inverter module24to output the AC voltage waveform. The resulting AC voltage waveform may thereafter drive a load, such as the motor20.

Drive control system28may be coupled to the driver circuitry26and may be programmed to provide signals to the driver circuitry26for driving the motor20. In certain embodiments, the drive control system28may be programmed according to a specific drive configuration desired for a particular application. For example, the drive control system28may be programmed to respond to external inputs, such as reference signals, alarms, command/status signals, etc. The external inputs may originate from one or more relays or other electronic devices. The programming of the drive control system28may be accomplished through software configuration or firmware code that may be loaded onto an internal memory of the drive control system28or programmed via the HIM16. The firmware of the drive control system28may respond to a defined set of operating parameters. The settings of the various operating parameters determine the operating characteristics of the drive10. For example, various operating parameters may determine the speed or torque of the motor20or may determine how the drive10responds to the various external inputs. As such, the operating parameters may be used to map control variables within the drive10or to control other devices communicatively coupled to the drive10. These variables include things like: speed presets, feedback types and values, computational gains and variables, algorithm adjustments, status and feedback variables, and programmable logic controller (PLC) like control programming.

The drive10and the motor20may also include one or more sensors30for detecting operating temperatures, voltages, currents, etc. With feedback data from the sensors30, the drive control system28may keep detailed track of the various conditions under which the inverter module24may be operating. For example, the feedback data may include conditions such as actual motor speed, voltage frequency, power quality, alarm conditions, etc. The feedback data may then be used to control other devices such as the disconnect switch42, which will be described in greater detail below.

In some embodiments, the drive10may be communicatively coupled to one or more peripheral devices. For example, the drive10may be coupled to a communications module that allows communication with a network. The communications module may be programmed with certain firmware and may include various operating parameters, such as data rate, used to define the communication performance of the drive10. The drive10may also include a feedback module that may include various encoders, resolvers, motion feedback sensors, etc. that may be used to provide feedback data to the drive10. The drive10may also include digital or analogue input/output (I/O) peripherals, and an enhanced safety board, for example. The peripheral devices may be included in an option card that is inserted into a communications port of the drive10. All of the peripheral devices coupled to the drive10may be accessed through the HIM16. As such, the HIM16may also obtain programming configuration, such as operating parameter information, and firmware, applicable to peripheral devices.

Keeping the foregoing in mind,FIG. 3illustrates an embodiment of an industrial automation system40employing the drive10with a disconnect switch42. The industrial automation system40may include the AC power supply18, the disconnect switch42, the drive10, and the motor20. As mentioned above, the drive10may include the rectifier22that may receive three-phase AC voltage from the AC power supply18and convert the AC voltage into a DC voltage. The drive10may also include the inverter module24that may then convert the DC voltage into a controllable AC voltage, which may then be used to control the operation of the motor20.

To isolate the drive10from the AC power supply18, the disconnect switch42may be opened, thereby removing the input AC voltage from the drive10. As such, the disconnect switch42may include mechanical components that enable one or more poles of the disconnect switch42to open (i.e., break a circuit) and close. In this way, the disconnect switch42may protect the drive10, the motor20, and other downstream devices when the power from the AC power supply18may cause damage to the industrial automation system40. For example, the disconnect switch42may open when the AC voltage from the AC power supply18is unbalanced, experiencing a fault, experiencing under-voltage or over-voltage conditions, increased levels of harmonics, or the like.

In certain embodiments, the disconnect switch42may be a circuit breaker, a molded case switch, or the like. The disconnect switch42may be a three-pole switch that may disconnect the three-phase AC power supply18from the drive10. However, it should be noted that the disconnect switch42is not limited to a three-pole switch and may include any number of poles.

As mentioned above, the drive10may include the drive control system28that may control the operation of the drive10, the motor20, or the like. As such, the drive control system28may receive inputs that correspond to operating the drive10, the motor20, and the like. In one embodiment, the drive control system28may be communicatively coupled to a remote system44, which may be used to control the drive10, the motor20, or the disconnect switch42via the drive control system28from a remote location away from where the industrial automation system40is located. In certain embodiments, the drive control system28may be communicatively coupled to the remote system44via a wireless network, a local area network, the Internet, or the like. However, it should be noted that the drive control system28may be communicatively coupled to the remote system44via a hard-wired connection, such as an Ethernet connection or the like.

The drive control system28may be communicatively coupled to a disconnect control system46via a communication link48. The disconnect control system46may be an interface used to control the operation of the disconnect switch42. As such, the disconnect control system48may include various devices, such as an optocoupler-tied contact, a relay-driven coil, or the like, which may control the operations of the disconnect switch42(e.g., when the disconnect switch42opens and closes). For example, the disconnect control system46may control the operation of the disconnect switch42based on an auxiliary miniature circuit breaker (MCB), a bell alarm, an operating closing coil, a trip release, a shunt trip, and the like. In certain embodiments, the drive control system28may send commands to the disconnect control system46via the communication link48to engage or disengage the auxiliary miniature circuit breaker (MCB), the bell alarm, the operating closing coil, the trip release, the shunt trip, or the like, thereby closing or opening the disconnect switch42.

The communication link48may enable the drive control system28to communicatively couple to the disconnect switch42. As such, the communication link may include a wired or wireless communication channel between the drive control system28and the disconnect control system46. In certain embodiments, the communication link48may be part of a local area network (LAN) architecture a network and may include mediums such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), mobile telecommunications technology (e.g., 3G, 4G, 4LTE), ProfiNet, Ethernet Industrial Protocol (IP), other industrial control protocols, and the like. As such, the drive control system28may control the operation of the disconnect switch42by sending signals to the disconnect control system46via the communication link48.

To effectively enable the drive control system28to control the operation of the drive10and the disconnect switch42, the drive control system28may include various components that may be used to receive data, process data, communicate data, store data, and the like. Keeping this in mind and referring toFIG. 4, a detailed block diagram50of the drive control system28is illustrated. As shown in the figure, the drive control system28may include a communication component52, a processor54, a memory56, a storage58, input/output (I/O) ports60, and the like. The communication component52may be a wireless or wired communication component that may facilitate communication between the drive10, the disconnect switch42, the remote system44, other industrial automation systems, and the like via the communication link48or the like. The processor54may be any type of computer processor or microprocessor capable of executing computer-executable code. The memory56and the storage58may be any suitable articles of manufacture that can serve as media to store processor-executable code, data, or the like. These articles of manufacture may represent non-transitory computer-readable media (i.e., any suitable form of memory or storage) that may store the processor-executable code used by the processor54to perform the presently disclosed techniques.

Generally, the drive control system28may receive data related to the industrial automation system40, the power received from the AC power supply18, the operations within the drive10, the operations of the motor20, or the like from the sensors30via I/O ports60. As such, the drive control system28may interpret the received data and determine whether the drive10, the motor20, or any other downstream devices may be susceptible to an adverse condition such as a fault or the like. When the drive control system28determines that a probability of a threat to the operation or life of the drive10, the motor20, or any other downstream devices may exceed some threshold, the drive control system28may send a signal to the disconnect control system46via the communication link48to open the disconnect switch42. As such, in one embodiment, the drive control system28may trip a device such as an optocoupler-tied contact, a relay-driven coil, or the like, which may be part of the disconnect control system46, thereby triggering the disconnect control system46to open the disconnect switch42.

In another embodiment, the disconnect control system46may not include any relays, MCBs, or the like. Instead, the disconnect control system46may include similar components to those illustrated as part of the drive control system28inFIG. 4. In this case, the drive control system28may send a signal to the disconnect control system46to open and/or close the disconnect switch42on demand.

In some instances, the drive control system28may monitor various parameters in the industrial automation system40and may send a signal to the disconnect control system46to open and/or close the disconnect switch42based on the monitored parameters. For instance, the drive control system28may receive data from the sensors30that may sense, as mentioned above, actual motor speed, voltage frequency, power quality, alarm conditions, etc. Additionally, the sensors30may also sense a line-to-line voltage from the AC power supply18, a line-to-ground voltage from the AC power supply18, a current for each phase of the AC power supply18, and the like. When the data (e.g., measurements) received by the drive control system28falls outside an expected range of values, the drive control system28may send a command to the disconnect control system46via the communication link48to open the disconnect switch42. The command to open the disconnect switch42may include de-activating or removing a voltage from a closing coil that may be used to control when the disconnect switch14opens or closes. Alternatively, the command to open the disconnect switch42may include sending a signal to the disconnect control system46to open the disconnect switch46, which may be directly controlled by the disconnect control system46. In certain embodiments, the drive control system28may control each individual pole of the disconnect switch42. That is, the drive control system28may specify one of a number of poles in the disconnect switch42to open.

Moreover, since the disconnect control system46may be directly controlled by the drive control system28via the communication link48, the disconnect switch42may also be opened or closed via the remote system44or the like by sending a command to the drive control system28to open or close the disconnect switch42. As such, the drive control system28may be used to coordinate the operation of the drive10and the disconnect switch42.

For example,FIG. 5illustrates a flow chart of a method70for controlling an operation of the disconnect switch42. In particular, the method70depicts a flow chart for opening the disconnect switch42. In certain embodiments, the processor54of the drive control system28may perform the method70.

Referring now toFIG. 5, at block72, the drive control system28may monitor various parameters associated with the drive10, the industrial automation system40, or the like. In one embodiment, the drive control system28may receive data from the sensors30that may indicate certain operating characteristics of the drive10, the motor20, or the like. In addition to the data received from the sensors30, the drive control system28may predict or determine additional data related to the industrial automation system40based on the received data. For example, if the temperature of the motor20exceeds some threshold, the drive control system28may determine that the AC power supply18or the drive10may be producing larger than expected harmonics or the like. Other examples of monitored parameters may include, and are not limited to, a power quality received from the AC power supply18, fault conditions (e.g., ground fault, line-to-line fault) within the industrial automation system40, diode or insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) failure in the rectifier22and/or the inverter module24, overcurrent and/or under-voltage alarms, and the like.

At block74, the drive control system28may determine whether the monitored parameters are within some range of values or limits. In one embodiment, the range of values may be determined based on historical data received by the drive control system28. Alternatively, the range of values may be input by a user via the HIM16or the like.

If, at block74, the parameters monitored by the drive control system28are within their respective expected ranges, the drive control system28may return to block72and continue monitoring the various parameters associated with the drive10, the industrial automation system40, or the like. If, however, at block74, the parameters monitored by the drive control system28are not within their respective expected ranges, the drive control system28may proceed to block76. At block76, the drive control system28may send a command to the disconnect control system46to open the disconnect switch42as described above.

In certain embodiments, in lieu of determining whether the monitored parameters are within some range of values at block74, certain parameters may be evaluated based on whether a condition (e.g., alarm) exists or does not exist. For example, the monitored parameters may include data indicating whether a fault has been detected in the industrial automation system40, the drive10, the AC power supply18, or the like. In this case, if the monitored parameter indicates that a certain condition exists, the drive control system28may proceed to block76and send a command to the disconnect control system46to open the disconnect switch42.

After the disconnect switch42opens, the drive control system28may be capable of closing the disconnect switch42when the monitored parameters return to within their respective ranges or their expected conditions. For instance,FIG. 6depicts a method80for closing the disconnect switch42via the drive control system28. Like the method70described above, the processor54of the drive control system28may perform the method80.

In certain embodiments, after the drive control system28sends the command to the disconnect switch42to open at block76, the drive control system28may proceed to block82of the method80and monitor various parameters associated with the drive10, the industrial automation system40, or the like, as described above with respect to block72.

Like block74described above, at block84, the drive control system28may determine whether the monitored parameters fall within some range of values or limits. The drive control system28may determine whether certain conditions exist or do not exist, as described above.

If, at block84, the parameters monitored by the drive control system28are still not within their respective expected ranges or indicate that certain conditions continue to exist, the drive control system28may return to block82and continue monitoring the various parameters associated with the drive10, the industrial automation system40, or the like. If, however, at block84, the parameters monitored by the drive control system28are back within their respective expected ranges or indicate that the certain conditions are no longer present, the drive control system28may proceed to block86. At block86, the drive control system28may send a command to the disconnect control system46to close the disconnect switch42as described above.

Although the method80has been described as being performed after block76ofFIG. 5, it should be noted that in certain embodiments, the method80may be performed independently by the drive control system28without performing the method70. As such, the method80may be used to commission or start the operation of the motor once various parameter values were within a particular range of values or certain conditions were satisfied.

Moreover, although the method70and the method80have been described above as being performed using the drive10within the industrial automation system40, it should be noted that the method70and the method80may also be performed using the drive10that may be part of other systems such as a bus supply system90, as illustrated inFIG. 7. Referring now toFIG. 7, the bus supply system90may include the AC power supply18, the disconnect switch42, the remote system44, the disconnect control system46, and the communication link48as described above. Additionally, the bus supply system90may include a rectifier92that may convert the AC voltage provided by the AC power supply18into a direct current (DC) voltage. The DC voltage may then be provided to a DC bus or the like, which may be distributed to a DC load or system.

In one embodiment, the rectifier92may include a rectifier control system94that may control the operation of the rectifier920and the disconnect switch42. In certain embodiments, the rectifier control system94may include similar components as illustrated in the block diagram50of the drive control system28inFIG. 4. As such, the rectifier control system94may perform the method70and the method80using the processor54or the like based on parameters monitored with respect to the bus supply system90. Moreover, like the drive control system28, the rectifier control system94may send signals to the disconnect control system46to open and/or close the disconnect switch42on demand via the communication link48.