Electronic Circuit Breaker Limits Downtime

Feb. 3, 2003

Electronic circuit breaker limits downtime. In factory-automation settings where 24-V switching supplies power multiple loads, the fault on a single load circuit can shut down the power supply, disabling all loads. The ESS20 electronic circuit breaker combines active electronic current limiting with a conventional thermal circuit breaker to selectively protect individual 24-V dc load circuits. This ensures physical isolation of the load circuit if there's an overload or short circuit. The ESS20's thermal trip mechanism is controlled by a solid-state switch, which actively limits inrush currents to a maximum of 1.8 times the rated current, preventing nuisance tripping. It isn't offered by standard thermal-magnetic (TM) circuit breakers, forcing designers to overrate TM breakers. Rated current for the ESS20 is a switch-selectable 3 or 6 A. The 12.5-mm wide ESS20 costs $30 to $50 in production lots.

E-T-A Circuit Breakers
www.etacbe.com
(847) 827-7600

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.