Wireless Solutions for Smart Circuit Breakers

18 Nov.,2022

 

Smart Circuit Breaker

overview

Why Smart Circuit Breakers?

Electrical faults can lead to dangerous and sometimes deadly situations. Seen as critical safety devices, circuit breakers control the flow of power, primarily through electromechanical circuit breakers. Yet, because of their thermal-mechanical nature, they present a short operational lifetime and are sensitive to vibration and movement.

The shift to smart circuit breakers drives greater energy efficiency and safety. Estimated to reach $7.7 billion by 2025 in market size, this represents a multibillion-dollar revenue opportunity for device makers.

Retrofit Versus Solid-State Circuit Breakers

Adding wireless capabilities to existing power installations is done by retrofitting the existing distribution switchgear, which ensures a quick upgrade and fast time-to-market for improved energy efficiency. Solid-state circuit breakers come into play for new installations. By replacing mechanical relays with electronic parts, they are more reliable and predictable, therefore ruling out arching.

Benefits of Smart Circuit Breakers

Regardless of the device type, circuit breakers are designed to react when current exceeds a certain threshold. Quickly detaching an affected zone prevents any possible downtime for the entire electrical system. Smart circuit breakers can respond to a short circuit a hundred times faster and can clear a fault in a few microseconds.

Smart circuit breakers can also act as electrical submeters and provide power consumption at the circuit level. With accurate usage overview, breakers can identify possible anomalies and enhance the distribution system’s performance.

Learn more about this topic by accessing our electrical submetering page.

Wireless Solutions for Smart Circuit Breakers

Silicon Labs makes it possible for IIoT device makers to engineer smart circuit breakers for industrial and commercial customers. Our wireless SoCs and modules offer best-in-class RF performance with great receiver sensitivity and +20dpm high transmission power to extend wireless connectivity across harsh environments. By adding advanced security features on every ordered chip, Silicon Labs helps reduce the risk of ecosystem security breaches and prevent unwanted devices from passing the commissioning process.