The Analysis, Design, and Optimization of an Electronic MOV Circuit for the Solid-State Circuit Breaker Applications

The electronic metal oxide varistor (eMOV) is the series connection of a traditional MOV and a thyristor with its gate controlled by a breakover diode (BOD). Compared with the traditional solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) design, the eMOV allows the decoupling of the MOV clamping voltage and the direct current (DC) system voltage and proves essential for efficiency and power density enhancement. This paper focuses on the operation details and optimization of the eMOV. In-depth analysis and experimental results are provided to validate the eMOV design methodology and highlight the key application aspects.