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Neptune BU Switching
Circuit diagram and operations
Modes of Operation




Normal
Under fault
Fault Locating
Restoration
 Default mode of the BU switch:
 Restoration mode for negative voltage
 Fault locating mode in the positive voltage
Normal Mode
NO
Latch
Latch
NO
NC
1. S3 is open
2. Circuit is energized from either end
3. Voltage across Z1 or Z2 is the power
supply for the controller
4. S5 or S6 are close, and S1 or S2 are
also closed.
Under Fault Mode
Options
Option 1: Do nothing
Fault causes a drop in the voltage of several
science nodes.
Science nodes send signals to shore stations.
Shore stations shut down the system.
Power interruption sets the BU controller to the
default restoration mode.
System goes into fault locating mode.
Option 2: BU clears the fault by opening
S1 and S2
Option 1
 Merits:
Simplifies the BU hardware
 No need for pre-insertion resistance to limit the fault current.
 No need to worry about restrikes
 No need for additional control actions.
 Demerits:
Entire system is shut down
Zeners must withstand the maximum possible
fault current for extended time.
The duration of fault depends on
 The speed of communications between nodes and shore
stations.
 The shut down speed of the shore station
Option 2
Merits:
Faults can be cleared faster than Option 1
Only a portion of the system is disabled
Demerits:
Pre-insertion resistance, and restrike prevention
are needed inside the BU.
After several BUs are open, it is difficult to
locate the fault without communications, and
the system will have to shut down anyway.
Fault Locating Mode
1. Shore station voltage is positive to isolate all
loads (is +voltage really necessary?)
2. S4 is closed
3. Circuit could be energized from either end
4. Voltage across Z1 or Z2 is the power supply
for the controller
5. S5 or S6 will close S1 or S2
6. Voltage across Z3 opens S4 after a delay
7. S1 and S2 remain closed regardless of the
magnitude of the current.
Fault locating mode: Issues
 Do we really need a positive voltage?
 If the negative voltage is kept below 5kV, all science node are
disconnected
 If we don’t use the positive voltage circuit, we can reduce
the BU components
 No need for back-to-back zeners except for Z3
 No need for the extra diodes and dummy loads
 One advantage of energizing the system with positive
voltage is that the local BU intelligence will be able to
differentiate between fault locating mode and restoration
mode (depending on the direction of current).
 Could we use two different voltage levels for fault locating and
restoration modes?
Restoration Mode
Sequence
 The voltage of the shore station is
negative, and below 5kV to isolate all
science nodes
 BUs are closed in sequential manner
 Delay and/or current measurements are
needed
 Any coordination?
If Fault is not present
The BUs remain closed
Shore station voltage increased gradually
to the rated level.
Science nodes become active
Closing on Fault
 Objective: open the breaker and keep it open
until the system shuts down and restarts.
 Process: open S1 and S2. S3 will close
controller memory keeps the breaker of the
BU open until the system is shut down.
Shutting down the system will erase the
memory, and the breaker goes into the default
mode.
The system can operate with one section
open
Problem 1:
 Dummy load of the BU will be energized
until the fault is fixed and the breaker is
closed.
 The dummy load can consume substantial
power if kept on for long period
 Can we put a relay circuit in series with the
dummy load?
The power supply for the BU will be lost. So
what?
Problem 2:
 After S1 and S2 are opened, and before S3
is fully closed, there is no current in the
zeners and the power supply for the
controller is lost.
The controller sets the breaker to the default
mode, and the breaker will attempt to close.
This is an oscillatory process.
We may need small energy storage device for
the controller
Keep S3 closed for longer period during
restoration.
Delays and synchronization
o Delay1: In sequential closing of BUs
o how long should S3 remain closed?
o How many subsequent BUs should be
energized before S3 is opened?
o Delay2: When S5 and S6 close, S1 and
S2 close. There should be a delay after
the power supply becomes available and
before S5 and S6 are closed.
Delays and synchronization
Reasons for Delay2: Assume two BUs
o We should close BU2 only when we know that the
previous cable section has been completely
energized and has achieved steady-state.
o If BU1 sees no fault after completion of its own
delay, it will be latched in the close position.
o If BU2 sees fault during its own delay interval, it will
open. However, BU1 will remain closed.
Closing on Fault: Issues
 How can we differentiate between a fault current
and cable energization current?
 Closing the BUs should be sequential.
 How to coordinate between neighboring BUs
while closing on fault.
Can a simple time delay do it?
 How shore stations know if we close on fault?
(science nodes are isolated!)
Complete Circuit diagram
General Design Issues
Other Important considerations
o Response time of shore station is crucial in
‘Option 1’ of the fault mode operation.
o How to set the fault limit for shore station?
o Zeners can withstand 500A peak transient
current and 10A steady state current. Will they
survive for extended fault time (until shore
station respond)?
Issue for Normal operation
Current reversal in the steady state
Temporary zero current
Control circuit is rest to the default restoration
mode.
Energy storage?
Conclusion
 The BU design is viable.
 Components need to withstand fault currents for
extended time.
 Lack of communications between the BUs may
require the reliance on delay circuits for the
sequential switching of the system.
 Threshold for fault current needs to be carefully
determined.
 Positive and negative energization may need to
be rethought.
Lab Demo
Circuit diagram
Demo steps
 Energize the model from its left side with negative
source
 (1) Close Breaker 1+ and Breaker 2+. Bulb 1+ and Bulb 2+ won’t
be on, showing that they are isolated from the power source.
 (2) Close either Breaker 2 or Breaker 3 or both of them, Bulb 2
and Bulb 3 won’t be on, showing that BU1 is open and no power
can reach BU2.
 (3) Close Breaker 1, Bulb 1 and LED1 will be on. Now measure
the voltage across S1 and S2, it will be 0, showing one of them
is closed.
 (4)Close Breaker 2, Bulb 2, LED 2 and LED 4 will be on,
showing there is current in the circuit between BU1 and BU2.
Measure the voltage across S4 and S5, it will be 0, showing one
of them is closed.
Demo steps
 (Continued)
 (5) Open Breaker 1, Bulb 1 is off (of course). Except for Bulb 1,
no other things change their state in the circuit, showing that
once BU2 is energized, the dummy load of BU 1 (Bulb 1) can be
drop off. It is no use any more.
 (6) Close Breaker 3, Bulb 3 and LED 5 will be on.
 (7) Open Breaker 2, Bulb 2 is off (of course). Except for Bulb 2,
no other things change their state in the circuit, showing that
once a load is connected to the backbone, all the dummy loads
of BUs (Bulb 1 and 2) can be drop off. They are no use any more.
 (8) Open Breaker 3, Bulb 3 and all the LEDs are off, showing
that no current will be in the circuit if no any load is connected to
the backbone.
Demo steps
Energize the model from its left side with
positive source
(1) Close Breaker 1 and Breaker 2. Bulb 1 and
Bulb 2 won’t be on, showing that they are
isolated from the power source.
(2)The following operations can be the same
with those in the negative energized situation.
The circuit can also be energized from the
right side. The phenomenon will be the
same since it is symmetrical.