Hardware dependability study of an automatic circuit recloser

Abstract

At present the rate of digitalization in the world of energy is increasing and the effort aims product development as well. The need of more efficient processes utilizes numeri­cal modeling and simulations to their limits to provide quick and reliable results often unattainable by testing. One of such examples is the assessment of mean time to failure (MTTF) of switchgear components. An automatic circuit recloser with awaited operating life of 25 years in 24/7 regime and 10 years warranty period is investigated. The critical component within the auto re­closer design is an electronic controller board.MTTF analysis, considering a temperature rise near the electronic assembly is performed in this paper. Effective utilization of top analysis methods, including numerical simulation, is demonstrated for smooth implementation of the digital components.