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Moradian, M.; Lie, T.T.; Gunawardane, K. Design Improvements of DC Circuit Breaker. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/48819 (accessed on 29 August 2024).
Moradian M, Lie TT, Gunawardane K. Design Improvements of DC Circuit Breaker. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/48819. Accessed August 29, 2024.
Moradian, Mehdi, Tek Tjing Lie, Kosala Gunawardane. "Design Improvements of DC Circuit Breaker" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/48819 (accessed August 29, 2024).
Moradian, M., Lie, T.T., & Gunawardane, K. (2023, September 05). Design Improvements of DC Circuit Breaker. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/48819
Moradian, Mehdi, et al. "Design Improvements of DC Circuit Breaker." Encyclopedia. Web. 05 September, 2023.
Design Improvements of DC Circuit Breaker
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This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/en16176130

While traditional AC mechanical circuit breakers can protect AC circuits, many other DC power distribution technologies, such as DC microgrids (MGs), yield superior disruption performance, e.g., faster and more reliable switching speeds. However, novel DC circuit breaker (DCCB) designs are challenging due to the need to quickly break high currents within milliseconds, caused by the high fault current rise in DC grids compared to AC grids. In DC grids, the circuit breaker must not provide any current crossing and must absorb surges, since the arc is not naturally extinguished by the system. Additionally, the DC breaker must mitigate the magnetic energy stored in the system inductance and withstand residual overvoltages after current interruption. These challenges require a fundamentally different topology for DCCBs, which are typically made using solid-state semiconductor technology, metal oxide varistors (MOVs), and ultra-fast switches.

DC circuit breaker DC microgrids metal oxide varistors surge absorption

1. Introduction

DC microgrids (MGs) are a modern form of electricity distribution system that use DC instead of AC to transmit and distribute electrical energy. In a DC MG, various distributed energy resources (DERs) such as photovoltaic (PV) systems, wind turbines, and energy storage devices are connected to a common DC bus through power electronics interfaces. DC MGs are becoming increasingly popular due to their numerous advantages over traditional AC grids, including improved energy efficiency, higher power quality, greater flexibility, and economical reasons in integrating renewable energy sources [1][2][3]. They are also considered to be an important solution for addressing the challenges of the increasing demand for electricity, energy security, and climate change mitigation.
However, the design and operation of DC MGs pose unique challenges, such as controlling power flow and maintaining stability and reliability, which require innovative solutions. As a result, research and development efforts in the field of DC MGs are ongoing, with the aim of improving their performance and expanding their application [4][5][6].
An overview of a typical DC MG is presented in Figure 1. DC circuit breakers are placed at various locations in the grid, near the renewable energy resources, transmission line, main grid, battery bank, and load sides to ensure microgrid protection and maintenance. The DC circuit breaker (CB) types vary due to the presence of different levels of voltage and current paths within the network, ranging from generation to load. The primary objective of having a DCCB in DC systems is to protect the system against intentional or unintentional faults and voltage or current switching surges [7][8][9][10]. Table 1 provides a brief comparison between the DCCB specifications of some manufacturers [11][12][13][14][15]. The selection of DCCBs will be based on the working conditions, the voltage and current level, and the thermal capacity, which is substantially affected by 𝐼2𝑡 of the beaker. The AC system can endure the fault current for a slightly longer period of time when it is experiencing a thermal overload or overcurrent, since the fault current rise rate is comparatively slow. Due to the DC system’s low short-circuit impedance and the rapid rising time of the fault current, it must be stopped immediately [16][17][18].
Figure 1. Overall topology of DC microgrids.
Table 1. Comparison of different types of commercialized DCCB’s applications.
Description Schneider Electric Eaton Siemens ABB LS
Model Power PacT JDC CJGPVS, CKDPV HDGD SACE Emax Susol
Rated current 30~1200 A 150~3000 A 50~1600 A Up to5000 A 16~1600 A
Performance voltage 500 VDC 600~1000 VDC 600 VDC 250~1000 VDC 500–1500 VDC
Breaking capacity 20 up to 50 KA 1.5 up to 42 KA 42 KA 65 KA 20 up to 50 KA
Ambient conditions −10 to 60 °C −40 to 70 °C −25 to 70 °C −40 to 70 °C −25 to 55 °C
Operation time ≤30 ms 1 ms 70–300 ms ≤70 ms ≤40 ms
Furthermore, DCCBs are also utilized for maintaining the devices within the DC system. When a component of the system requires maintenance, the DCCB can safely interrupt the circuit, allowing the maintenance work to be carried out without posing a risk to personnel or damaging the equipment.
The DCCB system has enabled some researchers [19][20][21] to focus on DC MG fault current limiting, control, and clearing. These areas of study have been widened to include DC MG clusters.

2. Design Improvements of DCCBs for DC Microgrid Application

2.1. MOV-Based DCCBs

For DCCBs based on MOVs, the circuit breaker’s embedded MOV completely handles surge absorption. Different designs define the strategy for absorbing the released energy [22][23][24][25].
The significant drawback of these designs is that the MOVs deteriorate over time when exposed to surges [26][27].
The separated MOV technique shown in Table 2 illustrates an approach that involves two distinct MOVs placed in specific locations within a circuit, to isolate the two functions of the MOV, namely voltage clamping and energy absorption. This proposed approach aims to separate the two functions of MOVs, allowing them to operate independently and more efficiently. The result shows successful test and surge absorption through the paralleled MOV’s circuit. However, the test is restricted to a small range of voltage and current amplitudes.
Table 2. A comparative study of three conventional MOV-based DCCB designs.
Description Topology 1 [28] Topology 2 [29] Topology 3 [30]
Proposed Model Energies 16 06130 i006 Energies 16 06130 i007 Energies 16 06130 i008
Model
Verification		 Energies 16 06130 i009 Energies 16 06130 i010 Energies 16 06130 i011
Technique Separated MOV Ground Clamping MC FCL
Technology MOV-IGBT MOV-MOSFET, IGBT MOV-IGBT
Vdc/Idc 30 v/2.5 A 400 v/4 A 500 v/380 A
Response Time 0.4 µs 50 ms 1.8 ms
Number of
Passive
Components		 4 6 8
Number of
Active
Components		 1 2 ≥4
The ground clamping strategy illustrates a new DCCB design that uses a current limiter to absorb the surge voltage [29]. This SSCB design consists of several components including a main switch (S2) that conducts the line current and prevents source voltage before and after breaker operation. Additionally, the design includes a MOV to demagnetize the energy stored in the system inductor, a ground clamping switch (S1) that bypasses the DC bus, and a current-limiting inductor (L2) with its resistive energy absorber. In this design, minimum current limiting inductance could be determined by Equation (21) according to the bus voltage, V D C , the breaking time, 𝑇𝐵𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑘, the zero current detection time, 𝑇𝑑𝑒𝑡, the saturation current of the inductor, 𝐼𝐿𝑠𝑎𝑡, and the threshold current of 𝐼0:
L s > V D C T B r e a k + T d e t I L s a t − I 0
Furthermore, the magnetic coupling fault current limiter (MC FCL) technique proposes a fault current limiting design with a magnetic coupling auxiliary circuit in the input of the circuit breaker to limit the severity of the current shocks. 
Overall, while various techniques for surge absorption have been successful in damping surges and fault currents, there are design issues that need to be addressed. For example, many designs rely on metal oxide varistors (MOVs) for surge absorption, but often fail to consider their limitations, as their ability to damp surges can weaken, and they will degrade over time.

2.2. Capacitor-Based DCCBs

To enhance the design of DCCBs, some studies have explored the use of capacitor-based technology for both commutating and surge absorption purposes. This approach involves a bridge-type capacitor-commutation unit that serves to buffer the device voltage and is considered an independent method for improving DCCB design [31][32]. Table 3 provides a concise overview of the recent designs, highlighting their points of comparison.
Table 3. A comparative study of three conventional capacitor-based DCCB designs.
Description Topology 1 [33] Topology 2 [34] Topology 3 [35]
Proposed Model Energies 16 06130 i012 Energies 16 06130 i013 Energies 16 06130 i014
Model
Verification		 Energies 16 06130 i015 Energies 16 06130 i016 Energies 16 06130 i017
Technique A/C Circuit VI- PMA Soft-switched
Technology Cap-IGBT Cap-IGBT Cap-MOSFET
Vdc/Idc 283 v/43.5 A 750 v/300 A 240 v/50 A
Response Time 15 ms 9.6 ms 20 ms
Number of Passive
Components		 2 7 12
Number of Active
Components		 3 5 5
All three capacitor-based DCCB designs mentioned in Table 3 redirect surges to a subcircuit to reduce the impact of energy released during DC system faults or surges. They effectively absorb energy using specific techniques. However, the designs differ in terms of their response time, their voltage and current levels, and the components used in the circuit.
Other studies have employed unidirectional and bidirectional Z-source DCCB (Z-s DCCB) designs, whose strategy is focused on a capacitor-based design [36][37][38][39][40][41]. Z-s DCCBs show potential as suitable options for protect low- and medium-voltage distribution networks, along with DC equipment, among the various configurations available, because of their uncomplicated structure, control mechanism, and economical price [42]. 
In these designs, electrolytic capacitors for surge absorption are utilized, but these components have limited capacity and cannot dissipate the energy released by high-voltage faults with a longer duration and have a limited lifespan due to their chemical structure.

2.3. Hybrid MOV–Cap DCCBs

Several studies have proposed novel designs of hybrid MOV–Cap DCCBs to overcome the weakness of MOV degradation and the restricted capability of capacitors to absorb energy [43][44][45][46].
All designs shown in Table 4 effectively perform fast through different techniques. The capacitor discharge path is considered for all models, and the voltage and current levels in the circuits are different.
Table 4. A comparative study of three conventional hybrid MOV–Cap DCCB designs.
Description Topology 1 [47][48] Topology 2 [49] Topology 3 [50]
Proposed Model Energies 16 06130 i018 Energies 16 06130 i019 Energies 16 06130 i020
Model
Verification		 Energies 16 06130 i021 Energies 16 06130 i022 Energies 16 06130 i023
Technique AT CB-DCCB TIM-Pack LCC-AIC
Technology MOV–Cap Thyristor MOV–Cap Thyristor-IGBT MOV–Cap SiC MOSFET
Vdc/Idc 150 v/10 A 600 v/145 A 350 v/90 A
Response Time 1.6 ms 6 µs 4 µs
Number of Passive
Components		 5 5 9
Number of Active
Components		 4 4 2
In the active thyristor CB (AT-CB) technique, a bidirectional, low-loss DCCB with a reliable opening process based on a simple hybrid design for a capacitor and a MOV is implemented. This technique is more suitable for medium-voltage DC systems [47].
t q = C b V n α I f m a x
C b = α t q I f m a x V n
Therefore, the value of the bypass capacitor can be approximated using Equation (23), which involves determining the recovery time, 𝑡𝑞, which can be calculated using Equation (22), where the values for the maximum allowable fault, 𝐼𝑓𝑚𝑎𝑥, and the desired coefficient, α, are inserted.
Other techniques involving active injection circuits (LCC-AICs) based on TIM-Pack (Thyristor–IGBT–MOV) and on an inductor capacitor-capacitor, shown in Table 4, switch fault currents into the designed subcircuits within a couple of microseconds to improve reliability.

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Subjects: Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Contributors MDPI registered users' name will be linked to their SciProfiles pages. To register with us, please refer to https://encyclopedia.pub/register :
Mehdi Moradian
,
Tek Tjing Lie
,
Kosala Gunawardane
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Update Date: 06 Sep 2023
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