Solid-State Circuit Breakers For Medium Voltage

How can the large power needs of future electric ships for propulsion, radar, and weapons systems be met given the prohibitive size and weight of the required number of standard 60 Hz AC generators and transformers? A solution may lie in a rugged, efficient, and compact solid-state, 10-20 kV Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) circuit breaker (Figure 1). In this paper, Diversified Technologies, Inc. will describe the architecture of a Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) circuit breaker. The solid-state, 10 20 kV class breaker is a breakthrough that establishes the viability of MVDC power distribution. It delivers extremely fast fault interruption, low peak currents, flexible and programmable coordination, and mechanical isolation; the keys to reliable and safe operation.