New Series Type Hybrid Circuit Breakers: Fault Protection with Ultralow Loss and Ultrafast Response for Future DC Power Networks

以交流电(AC)为主的电力是现代文明的核心。然而，在一个多世纪前的电流战争中失利很久之后，直流电正在重新出现。与交流相比，直流本身提供了更高的效率、更好的稳定性、与现代电力负载更好的匹配，以及更容易整合可再生能源和存储资源。由于现代电力电子可以方便地实现电压转换，直流电力在高压直流输电、直流数据中心、光伏发电厂、电动汽车(EV)充电基础设施、舰船和飞机电源系统等应用中正获得吸引力。然而，直流模式转变的一个主要技术障碍是缺乏有效的直流电路保护技术。虽然大量的研究一直在解决这一重要需求，但到目前为止，现有的解决方案都不能同时满足未来直流电网的功率损耗、响应时间和成本要求。非常规的改变游戏规则的直流故障保护概念需要进一步探索。NSERC Discovery项目的目标是开发一种全新的系列型混合式断路器(S-HCB)架构，提供具有超低功率损耗(&lt；10W)、超快响应(&lt；10µS)和低成本的直流故障保护。提出的S断路器概念在工作原理和物理设计上都有别于现有技术的固态断路器或传统的并联式断路器。它提出了一系列独特的多尺度和多物理性质的科学/工程挑战，从基础电磁学到电力电子拓扑/控制，从高压工程到电力系统工程。该计划围绕四个主要任务展开：1)使用多物理仿真工具对S-HCB概念进行建模和仿真；2)在2KV/50A和10KV/100A的功率水平上对S-HCB概念进行原型制作和实验演示；3)对S-HCB概念扩展到高压直流输电领域(例如500KA/1KA)进行可行性研究，并公布指导方针和建议；以及4)与产业界合作，为研究成果寻找商业化机会。如果开发成功，S-HCB架构将有助于开启一个更绿色的直流电力时代，显著减少碳排放。它将产生科学知识、知识产权和设计工具，推动电气工程领域的发展。此外，它还将为培养本科生和研究生以及PDF提供一个极好的平台，这些人在学术界和工业界都有很高的需求。最后，它将包括对居住在偏远离网社区的200,000加拿大人(包括原住民)进行的“DC村纳米格栅”概念的试点研究，以将可再生能源和能源储存结合起来，并减少他们对化石燃料的依赖。

Electricity, in its predominant form of alternating current (AC), is at the heart of modern civilization. However, direct current (DC) electricity is re-emerging, long after losing the War of Currents over a century ago. DC inherently offers higher efficiency, better stability, better match with modern electrical loads, and easier integration of renewable and storage resources than AC. With voltage conversion easily facilitated by modern power electronics, DC power is gaining tractions in applications such as high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission, DC data centers, photovoltaic farms, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructures, shipboard and aircraft power systems. However, one major technical barrier to the DC paradigm shift is the lack of effective DC circuit protection technology. While intensive research has been addressing this important need, so far none of the existing solutions can meet the power loss, response time, and cost requirements of the future DC grids all at the same time. Nonconventional game-changing DC fault protection concepts need to be further explored. The objective of this NSERC Discovery program is to develop a fundamentally new series-type hybrid circuit breaker (S-HCB) architecture that provides DC fault protection with ultralow power loss (<10W), ultrafast response (<10µs), and low cost. The proposed S-HCB concept is distinct from prior art solid state circuit breaker (SSCB) or conventional parallel-type HCB in terms of operation principle and physical design. It raises an array of unique scientific/engineering challenges of multi-scale and multi-physics nature, ranging from basic electromagnetics science to power electronics topology/control to high-voltage engineering to power system engineering. The program is structured around four main thrusts: 1) modeling and simulation of the S-HCB concept using multi-physics simulation tools; 2) prototyping and experimental demonstration of the S-HCB concept at a power level of 2kV/50A and 10kV/100A, respectively; 3) feasibility study of extending the S-HCB concept to the HVDC domain (e.g., 500kV/1kA) and publication of guidelines and recommendations; and 4) collaboration with industry to identify commercialization opportunity for the research outcome. If successfully developed, the S-HCB architecture will help usher in an era of greener DC power with significant reduction in carbon emission. It will generate scientific knowledge, intellectual property, and design tools that advance the field of electrical engineering. Furthermore, it will provide an excellent platform for training undergraduate and graduate students, and PDFs, who are in high demand in academia and industry. Lastly, it will include a pilot study of a "DC Village Nanogrid" concept for the 200,000 Canadians (including the First Nations people) who live in the remote off-grid communities to integrate renewable energy and energy storage, and to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels.