Frontiers of DC circuit breakers in HVDC and MVDC systems

The development of power electronics is driving high voltage (HV) and medium voltage (MV) applications based on dc technologies for power transmission and distribution, renewable energy integration, and ship and railway systems. DC circuit breakers (DCCBs) are needed to protect and improve the performance of dc or hybrid ac/dc systems during severe fault and/or abnormal operating conditions. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of DCCBs for both HV and MV DC systems. The mechanisms and requirements of DCCBs are summarized. Various DCCB topologies and their merits and demerits are presented and critically reviewed. Future trends and requirements for DCCBs are described. This work is intended to provide a useful point of reference for this technology and to contribute to its future development.