Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Shahab Mehraeen

Sudipta Sen

David Rush

Boyu Wang

Mohammadamin Moghbeli

A DC circuit breaker system includes a first mechanical switch, a first parallel capacitor connecting a first terminal and a second terminal of the first mechanical switch, a second mechanical switch in series with the first mechanical switch, a second parallel capacitor connecting a first terminal and a second terminal of the second mechanical switch, a first diode connecting the first terminal and the second terminal; and a second diode connecting the first terminal and the second terminal. The first mechanical switch separates contacts in response to a fault current; the second mechanical switch separates contacts in response to the fault current; and opening the first and second mechanical switches and turning off the first and second diodes reverses current flow and clears a current fault. The DC circuit breaker system may also be equipped with a surge arrestor at its input and a freewheeling diode at its output.

Bipolar hybrid circuit breaker for low-voltage DC circuits

An embodiment of a DC circuit breaker system includes a first mechanical switch, a first parallel capacitor connecting a first terminal and a second terminal of the first mechanical switch, a second mechanical switch in series with the first mechanical switch, a second parallel capacitor connecting a first terminal and a second terminal of the second mechanical switch, a first diode connecting the first terminal and the second terminal; and a second diode connecting the first terminal and the second terminal. According to the present disclosure, the first mechanical switch initiates a separation of contacts in response to a fault current; the second mechanical switch initiates a separation of contacts in response to the fault current; and opening of the first and second mechanical switches and turning off of the first and second diodes reverse a direction of a current flow and clear a current fault.

Bipolar hybrid circuit breaker for low-voltage dc circuits

The present disclosure provides a DC mechanical circuit breaker that can utilize two switches, one of which can generate zero-crossing with an alternate oscillatory circuit for the other one, which can be a conventional zero-crossing-based AC breaker and can be used in the main circuit. This is different from the conventional single-switch commute-and-absorb method currently used. The present disclosure shows that disclosed circuit breaker improves the fault current extinction and significantly reduces the voltage rate-of-change while creating the current zero-crossing faster compared to the available technology. Thus, disclosed circuit breaker is capable of interrupting high DC currents with minimal arc through a less expensive AC circuit breaker. Simulation and hardware results are provided to show the efficiency of the disclosed circuit breaker.

DC circuit breaker with an alternating commutating circuit

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for a fast power network simulator. A system configured per this disclosure can use identify a power network, the power network comprising generators, transmission lines, and loads, and receive a model of the power network. The model of the power network can include: models of the generators modeled as differential equations, and models of the transmission lines and the loads modeled as algebraic equations. The system can convert, via a processor, the algebraic equations of the models of the transmission lines and the loads to additional differential equations, then combine, via the processor, the differential equations and the additional differential equations, to yield combined differential equations. The system can then iteratively solve linear equations, via the processor, associated with the combined differential equations, to yield solutions, and output the solutions as part of a power simulation of the power network.

Growing community of inventors

Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America

Shahab Mehraeen