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T-Type Modular DC Circuit Breaker (T-Breaker) for Future DC Networks

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2526573· OSTI ID:2526573
 [1]
  1. The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)
The developed T-Type Modular DC Circuit Breaker (T-Breaker) technology offers an all-in-one solution to challenges in DC networks. This includes swift fault detection and protection, power transient stability, and power quality improvement, achieved through the utilization of wide bandgap (WBG) power semiconductors and energy storage devices. The T-Breaker not only facilitates rapid fault current detection and interruption but also implements fault current limiting through active insertion of storage devices or by operating WBG devices in the saturation region. Additionally, with the assistance of energy storage devices, potential overvoltage issues on power devices induced by control signal misalignment can be mitigated. The T-Breaker can be regulated to perform shunt current injection/absorption using the vertical arm and series voltage insertion via the horizontal arm, thereby enhancing DC system stability during voltage or load power fluctuation transients. The OSU team and Raytheon team actively worked together on designing, fabricating, assembling, and testing of two T-Breaker prototypes. The first prototype is rated at 1 kV, 500 A with half-bridge (unipolar) structure to validate the T-Breaker concept. The second prototype is rated at 20 kV, 50 A with full-bridge (bipolar) topology which can reach an efficiency of 99.977%, realize a power density of 60.2 MW/m3, and eliminate the 500-A fault current with a fault response time of around 20 µs. The prototypes show great feasibility of adopting this technology in multiple applications including electrified aircraft, super charging stations, data centers, etc.
Research Organization:
The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
DOE Contract Number:
AR0001110
OSTI ID:
2526573
Report Number(s):
DoE-OSU--01110
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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