Novel DC switch and DC socket for high voltage DC power feeding systems

This paper presents a novel and reliable DC switch and DC socket for high voltage DC power feeding system, in which the arc does not occur when the are turned on/off and inserted/removed, respectively. The novel prototype DC switch and DC socket have been made. Both are almost same circuit configuration and operation principle and then composed of two mechanical relays and a single MOSFET. It has been tested for the proposed DC switch to protect not only the arc but also thermal problem. As a result, it is confirmed that the arc thermal problem do not occur when the MOSFET and relays are turned on/off and relays are on in steady state, respectively, and that they have the excellent performance characteristics using simple semiconductor snubbers with the overvoltage clamp function.