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A switching assembly includes a first terminal and a second terminal, and a contactor connected to the first terminal, where the contactor includes a relay switch and a coil. The switching assembly further includes a first switch connected to the second terminal, and a rectifier bridge connected in

A switching assembly includes a first terminal and a second terminal, and a contactor connected to the first terminal, where the contactor includes a relay switch and a coil. The switching assembly further includes a first switch connected to the second terminal, and a rectifier bridge connected in series between the contactor and the first switch. The switching assembly also includes a control unit configured to selectively apply a control signal to the coil to cause the relay switch to open or close based on a voltage measured at the first terminal or based on a voltage drop measured across the rectifier bridge.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A switching assembly, comprising: a first rectifier bridge;a first contactors, coupled in series with the first rectifier bridge, including a coil and a first relay switch connected via a first direct connection to a first phase of a first voltage source;a second rectifier bridge;a second contact

1. A switching assembly, comprising: a first rectifier bridge;a first contactors, coupled in series with the first rectifier bridge, including a coil and a first relay switch connected via a first direct connection to a first phase of a first voltage source;a second rectifier bridge;a second contactors coupled in series with the second rectifier bridge, including, the coil and a second relay switch connected via a second direct connection to a second phase of the first voltage source;a third rectifier bridgea third contactor, coupled in series with the third rectifier bridge, including the coil and a third control connected via a third direct connection to a third phase of the first voltage source; anda control unit configured to selectively apply a control signal to the coil to cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open or close based on voltages measured across one or more of the first, second or third rectifier bridges. 2. The switching assembly of claim 1, wherein, when selectively applying the control signal to the coil to cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open or close, the control unit is further configured to: cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open when any of the voltages measured across the first, second, or third rectifier bridges indicates a failure in a rectifier of the first, second or third rectifier bridges; andcause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to close when the voltages measured across the first, second, and third rectifier bridges do not indicate a failure in a rectifier of the first, second and third rectifier bridges. 3. The switching assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second and third rectifier bridges comprises a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) connected in parallel with a second SCR. 4. The switching assembly of claim 1, wherein the first voltage source comprises a utility power source and wherein the switching assembly is coupled between the utility power source and a distributed energy power source. 5. The switching assembly of claim 1, wherein the first rectifier bridge is connected in series between the first relay switch and a first output terminal, wherein the second rectifier bridge is connected in series between the second relay switch and a second output terminal, and wherein the third rectifier bridge is connected in series between the third relay switch and a third output terminal. 6. The switching assembly of claim 5, wherein the first rectifier bridge comprises a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) connected in parallel with a second SCR, wherein a cathode of the first SCR is coupled to the first output terminal and an anode of the first SCR is connected to the first relay switch, and wherein a cathode of the second SCR is connected to the first relay switch and an anode of the second SCR is coupled to the first output terminal. 7. The switching assembly of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to selectively apply the control signal to the coil to cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open or close based further on a voltage measurement of the first phase of the first voltage source, the second phase of the first voltage source, or the third phase of the first voltage source. 8. The switching assembly of claim 7, wherein, when selectively applying the control signal to the coil to cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open or close, the control unit is further configured to: cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch, and the third relay switch to open when the voltage measurement of the first phase of the first voltage source, the second phase of the first voltage source, or the third phase of the first voltage source is less than a threshold voltage level; andcause the first relay switch, the second relay switch, and the third relay switch to close when the voltage measurement of the first phase of the first voltage source, the second phase of the first voltage source, or the third phase of the first voltage source is greater than the threshold voltage level. 9. The switching assembly of claim 5, wherein the first direct connection to the first phase of the first voltage source comprises a first input terminal and wherein a first output switch is connected in series between the first rectifier bridge and the first output terminal, wherein the second direct connection to the second phase of the first voltage source comprises a second input terminal and wherein a second output switch is connected in series between the second rectifier bridge and the second output terminal, andwherein the third direct connection to the third phase of the first voltage source comprises a third input terminal and wherein a third output switch is connected in series between the third rectifier bridge and the third output terminal. 10. The switching assembly of claim 9, further comprising: a first bypass switch connected between the first input terminal and the first output terminal, wherein the first bypass switch is connected in parallel with the first relay switch, and the first rectifier bridge;a second bypass switch connected between the second input terminal and the second output terminal, wherein the second bypass switch is connected in parallel with the second relay switch, and the second rectifier bridge; anda third bypass switch connected between the third input terminal and the third output terminal, wherein the third bypass switch is connected in parallel with the third relay switch, and the third rectifier bridge. 11. The switching assembly of claim 10, wherein the first input terminal couples to a first non-critical load and the first output terminal couples to a first critical load, wherein the second input terminal couples to a second non-critical load and the second output terminal couples to a second critical load, andwherein the third input terminal couples to a third non-critical load and the third output terminal couples to a third critical load. 12. The switching assembly of claim 1, wherein the control unit, when selectively applying the control signal to the coil, is further configured to: determine an occurrence of a failure associated with the first, second or third rectifier bridges based on the voltages measured across the one or more of the first, second or third rectifier bridges, andapply the control signal to the coil to cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open based on the occurrence of the failure. 13. The switching assembly of claim 12, wherein the control unit, when selectively applying the control signal to the coil, is further configured to: determine, subsequent to the occurrence of the failure associated with the first, second or third rectifier bridges, whether the first rectifier bridge, the second rectifier bridge or the third rectifier bridge has been repaired, andcause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to be latched open based on the determination of whether the first rectifier bridge, the second rectifier bridge or the third rectifier bridge has been repaired. 14. The switching assembly of claim 13, wherein the control unit, when determining whether the first rectifier bridge, the second rectifier bridge or the third rectifier bridge has been repaired, is further configured to: measure voltages across the first, second and third rectifier bridges, anddetermine whether the first rectifier bridge, the second rectifier bridge or the third rectifier bridge has been repaired based on the measured voltages across the first, second and third rectifier bridges. 15. The switching assembly of claim 13, wherein the control unit, when determining whether the first rectifier bridge, the second rectifier bridge or the third rectifier bridge has been repaired, is further configured to: receive, once the first rectifier bridge, the second rectifier bridge or the third rectifier bridge has been repaired, a manual reset, andcause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to close based on the manual reset. 16. The switching assembly of claim 12, wherein the control unit, when selectively applying the control signal to the coil, is further configured to: determine a voltage level of the first phase, the second phase and the third phase of the first voltage source,determine when the voltage level of the first phase, the second phase or the third phase of the first voltage source becomes less than a threshold voltage, andcause the first relay switch, the second relay switch, and the third relay switch to open when the voltage level of the first phase, the second phase or the third phase of the first voltage source becomes less than the threshold voltage. 17. The switching assembly of claim 16, wherein the control unit, when selectively applying the control signal to the coil, is further configured to: determine, subsequent to causing the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open, when current voltages measured across the first, second and third rectifier bridges no longer indicate the occurrence of the failure associated with the first, second or third rectifier bridges,determine, subsequent to causing the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open, a voltage level of the first phase, the second phase and the third phase of the first voltage source,determine when the voltage level of the first phase, the second phase and the third phase of the first voltage source becomes greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, andcause the first relay switch, the second relay switch, and the third relay switch to close when the voltage level of the first phase, the second phase and the third phase of the first voltage source becomes greater than or equal to the threshold voltage and when the voltages measured across the first, second and third rectifier bridges no longer indicate the occurrence of the failure associated with the first, second or third rectifier bridges. 18. A switching assembly, comprising: a first rectifier bridge;a first contactor, coupled in series with the first rectifier bridge, including a coil and a first relay switch connected via a first direct connection to a first phase of a first voltage source, wherein the first voltage source comprises a utility power source and wherein the switching assembly is coupled between the utility power source and a distributed energy power source;a second rectifier bridge;a second contactor, coupled in series with the second rectifier bridge, including the coil and a second relay switch connected via a second direct connection to a second phase of the first voltage source;a third rectifier bridge, wherein each of the first, second and third rectifier bridges comprises a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) connected in parallel with a second SCR;a third contactor, coupled in series with the third rectifier bridge, including the coil and a third relay switch connected via a third direct connection to a third phase of the first voltage source; anda control unit configured to selectively apply a control signal to the coil to cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open or close based on voltages measured across one or more of the first, second or third rectifier bridges. 19. A switching assembly, comprising: a first rectifier bridge;a first contactor, coupled in series with the first rectifier bridge, including a coil and a first relay switch connected via a first direct connection to a first phase of a first voltage source, wherein the first voltage source comprises a utility power source and wherein the switching assembly is coupled between the utility power source and a distributed energy power source;a second rectifier bridge;a second contactor, coupled in series with the second rectifier bridge, including the coil and a second relay switch connected via a second direct connection to a second phase of the first voltage source;a third rectifier bridge;a third contactor, coupled in series with the third rectifier bridge, including the coil and a third relay switch connected via a third direct connection to a third phase of the first voltage source; anda control unit configured to selectively apply a control signal to the coil to cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open or close based on voltages measured across one or more of the first, second or third rectifier bridges and further based on a voltage measurement of the first phase of the first voltage source, the second phase of the first voltage source, or the third phase of the first voltage source. 20. The switching assembly of claim 19, wherein, when selectively applying the control signal to the coil to cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch and the third relay switch to open or close, the control unit is further configured to: cause the first relay switch, the second relay switch, and the third relay switch to open when the voltage measurement of the first phase of the first voltage source, the second phase of the first voltage source, or the third phase of the first voltage source is less than a threshold voltage; andcause the first relay switch, the second relay switch, and the third relay switch to close when the voltage measurement of the first phase of the first voltage source, the second phase of the first voltage source, or the third phase of the first voltage source is greater than the threshold voltage.