An arc-less DC Vacuum Circuit Breaker Technology Based On Capacitor Absorbing Energy

Abstract

Compared with AC interruption, DC interruption has no natural current zero crossing in the process of current interruption. The objective of this paper is to propose an arc-less DC vacuum breaker technology based on capacitor absorbing energy. The proposed DC vacuum breaker includes a current commutation vacuum interrupter in parallel with an energy absorption capacitor. In a current interruption, the vacuum interrupter will open without arc if the voltage of the vacuum interrupter is always lower than arcing voltage. The experimental results show that DC current was successfully interrupted without arc when the energy absorption capacitor was 3 mF. The DC current interruption capability was 750 V and 750 A, respectively. The competition between recovery voltage and dielectric recovery strength of vacuum interrupter determines whether an arc is generated.