Hardware-based, redundant overvoltage protection

摘要

A generator system includes a generator 12 and a generator control unit (GCU) 14. The GCU is connected to monitor and regulate the generator output voltage. The GCU includes a protection signal processor 54 that receives monitored generator voltages and executes software to detect an overvoltage condition. The GCU further includes redundant, hardware based overvoltage detection that detects a peak voltage value associated with the monitored generator voltage and includes fast overvoltage detection circuit that generates a first overvoltage fault signal if the peak voltage value is greater than a first threshold value and includes an inverse overvoltage detection circuit that generate a second overvoltage fault signal if the peak voltage value is greater than a second threshold value for a duration of time that varies with a magnitude of the peak voltage value.