/Proactive Relay And Relay Driver Failure Identification Mechanism And Microgrid Interconnect Device Including The Same
Abstract

A microgrid interconnect device (MID) includes: a relay structured to be connected to a utility grid and distributed energy resources (DERs); a relay driver connected to the relay and structured to actuate the relay to connect or disconnect the DERs from the grid, the relay driver further structured to provide relay state information including a relay driver fault feedback signal; a relay and relay driver failure identification mechanism connected to the relay driver and structured to perform a fault test to determine that the relay driver fault feedback signal is accurate; and a control circuit connected to the relay driver and the failure identification mechanism, the control circuit structured to cause the relay driver to actuate the relay, receive the relay state information, cause the failure identification mechanism to perform the fault test and determine that the relay driver fault feedback signal is accurate based on fault test results.

Full Text

What is claimed is:

A microgrid interconnect device (MID) includes: a relay structured to be connected to a utility grid and distributed energy resources (DERs); a relay driver connected to the relay and structured to actuate the relay to connect or disconnect the DERs from the grid, the relay driver further structured to provide relay state information including a relay driver fault feedback signal; a relay and relay driver failure identification mechanism connected to the relay driver and structured to perform a fault test to determine that the relay driver fault feedback signal is accurate; and a control circuit connected to the relay driver and the failure identification mechanism, the control circuit structured to cause the relay driver to actuate the relay, receive the relay state information, cause the failure identification mechanism to perform the fault test and determine that the relay driver fault feedback signal is accurate based on fault test results.
Timeline
Filed
06/03/2026
Published
09/24/2026
Granted
Not Available
IPC Codes(6)
H02J 3/388:Arrangements for the handling of islanding, e.g. for disconnection or for avoiding the disconnection of power
H02H 1/00:Details of emergency protective circuit arrangements
H02H 3/10:additionally responsive to some other abnormal electrical conditions