Design and Analysis of DC Solid-State Circuit Breakers Using SiC JFETs

Protection against short-circuit faults remains a major technical challenge in increasingly popular dc power networks. This paper describes a new concept of a self-powered dc solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) with one or more normally on SiC JFETs as the main static switch and a fast-starting isolated dc/dc converter as the protection driver. The new SSCB detects short-circuit faults by sensing its terminal voltage rise and draws power from the fault condition itself to turn and hold off the SiC switch. The new two-terminal SSCB can be directly placed in a circuit branch without requiring any external power supply or extra wiring. A low-power isolated dc/dc converter is designed and optimized to provide a fast reaction to a short-circuit fault. Unidirectional and bidirectional SSCB prototypes based on this design concept have been built. Repeated interruption of fault currents up to 180 A at a dc bus voltage of 400 V within 0.8 μs was experimentally demonstrated. DC circuit protection applications provide a unique market opportunity for wide-bandgap semiconductors, which are outside the conventional focus on power electronic converters.

[1]  A. Sannino,et al.  Feasibility of a DC network for commercial facilities , 2002, Conference Record of the 2002 IEEE Industry Applications Conference. 37th IAS Annual Meeting (Cat. No.02CH37344).

[2]  K. Sano,et al.  A surge-less solid-state dc circuit breaker for voltage source converter based HVDC transmission systems , 2012, 2012 IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE).

[3]  Yukihiko Sato,et al.  SiC-SIT Circuit Breakers With Controllable Interruption Voltage for 400-V DC Distribution Systems , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[4]  Robert S. Howell,et al.  600-V / 2-A Symmetrical Bi-Directional Power Flow Using Vertical-Channel JFETs Connected in Common Source Configuration , 2010 .

[5]  Victor Veliadis,et al.  Demonstration of a 600-V, 60-A, bidirectional silicon carbide solid-state circuit breaker , 2011, 2011 Twenty-Sixth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC).

[6]  Dominique Bergogne,et al.  Ultrafast safety system to turn-off normally on SiC JFETs , 2011, Proceedings of the 2011 14th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications.

[7]  Rob Cuzner,et al.  Shipboard Solid-State Protection: Overview and Applications , 2013, IEEE Electrification Magazine.

[8]  H. Pugliese,et al.  Discovering DC: A Primer on dc Circuit Breakers, Their Advantages, and Design , 2013, IEEE Industry Applications Magazine.

[9]  G. Griepentrog,et al.  Intelligent, compact and robust semiconductor circuit breaker based on silicon carbide devices , 2008, 2008 IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference.

[10]  Z. John Shen,et al.  Solid state circuit breakers for DC micrgrids: Current status and future trends , 2015, 2015 IEEE First International Conference on DC Microgrids (ICDCM).

[11]  Mesut Baran,et al.  DC distribution for industrial systems: opportunities and challenges , 2002, IEEE Technical Conference Industrial and Commerical Power Systems.

[12]  Jun Wang,et al.  A self-powered ultra-fast DC solid state circuit breaker using a normally-on SiC JFET , 2015, 2015 IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC).

[13]  D.J. Hammerstrom,et al.  AC Versus DC Distribution SystemsDid We Get it Right? , 2007, 2007 IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting.

[14]  Jun Wang,et al.  A self-powered bidirectional DC solid state circuit breaker using two normally-on SiC JFETs , 2015, 2015 IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE).

[15]  A. Sannino,et al.  Low-Voltage DC Distribution System for Commercial Power Systems With Sensitive Electronic Loads , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery.

[16]  Robert M. Cuzner,et al.  The Status of DC Micro-Grid Protection , 2008, 2008 IEEE Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting.

[17]  M. Bosworth,et al.  Operation and design considerations of FID at distribution voltages , 2013, 2013 Twenty-Eighth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC).

[18]  C. Scozzie,et al.  Hard-Switch Stressing of Vertical-Channel Implanted-Gate SiC JFETs , 2012, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[19]  A. Sannino,et al.  Protection of Low-Voltage DC Microgrids , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery.

[20]  C. Scozzie,et al.  Reliable Operation of SiC JFET Subjected to Over 2.4 Million 1200-V/115-A Hard Switching Events at 150 $^{\circ}\hbox{C}$ , 2013, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[21]  A.R. Bendre,et al.  IGCTs vs. IGBTs for circuit breakers in advanced ship electrical systems , 2009, 2009 IEEE Electric Ship Technologies Symposium.

[22]  Z. John Shen,et al.  Wide-Bandgap Solid-State Circuit Breakers for DC Power Systems: Device and Circuit Considerations , 2015, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.