Open flyback diode protection

An exciter drive circuit comprising:

• a direct current (DC) link including a positive DC rail configured to provide a positive DC voltage to a positive voltage exciter rail, and a negative DC rail configured to provide a negative DC voltage to a negative voltage exciter rail;
• an exciter winding including a first exciter terminal connected to the positive voltage exciter rail and an opposing second exciter terminal connected to the negative voltage exciter rail;
• a flyback circuit interposed between the DC link and the exciter winding, the flyback circuit configured to establish a first flyback current path that conducts the current from exciter winding in response to an inductive flyback event, the first flyback current path configured to deliver the current output by the exciter winding from the negative voltage exciter rail to the positive DC rail and from the negative DC rail to the positive voltage exciter rail;
• and
• a flyback fault protection circuit interposed between the flyback circuit and the exciter winding, the flyback fault protection circuit configured to establish a second flyback current path that conducts the current from exciter winding in response to the inductive flyback event and a fault present in the flyback circuit, the second flyback current path configured to deliver the current output by the exciter winding from the negative voltage exciter rail to the positive voltage exciter rail.