The New Family of Low-Voltage, Hyper-Speed Arcless, Hybrid, DC Circuit Breakers for Urban Traction Vehicles and Related Industrial Applications

The paper presents a new family of low voltage direct current, hybrid circuit breakers for urban traction vehicles (DCH-T) that also can be used in related industrial applications. A hyper-speed current breaking operation is performed by the means of a serial hybrid system, additionally protected by a fuse and a surge arrester. This process is arcless under any conditions. DCH-T circuit breakers are characterized by unique constructional and operational features and superior short-circuit parameters that are unreachable for classical magnetic blow-out devices. They effectively reduce short-circuit currents and the thermal and electrodynamic consequences of this phenomenon. They can protect all types of semiconductor converters used in electric traction vehicle drives. Moreover, they operate selectively in relation to the substation circuit breakers. Their contact life (even under short-circuit conditions) is equal to their mechanical life. Despite all the breaker standard functions, they offer special functions, such as cooperation with an on-board vehicle computer or a traffic control system. They are environmentally neutral and they can meaningfully improve passenger safety. Chosen thermal problems of DCH-T breakers has been modeled with the aid of simulation software and analyzed. DCH-T short-circuit parameters have been verified experimentally and the results are presented herein.