Robust 5 kA, 1 kV Solid-State DC Circuit Breaker for Next Generation Marine Power Systems

Recent developments in maritime vessels have seen a continuous drive towards All-electric Ships (AES). DC distribution enables highly efficient integration of primary storage, energy storage and loads in confined spaces. However, ensuring reliable fault protection for such systems is paramount to meeting the stringent reliability and availability requirements of marine power systems. In this regard, solid-state circuit breakers (SSCB) demonstrated to provide fast and reliable fault interruption using well-proven semiconductor technologies. In previous work, RB-IGCTs have been demonstrated to be a promising candidate for SSCBs, providing high efficiency and robustness. In this paper, we present a comprehensive investigation of a complete SSCB design based on RB-IGCT technology for high power, future-ready electric ships. Moreover, experimentally validated robustness of the SSCB technology is also presented. This experimentally validated DC SSCB technology is a strong contender to become backbone of DC power systems in next generation marine and electric ship applications.