Solid state circuit breaker with reduced clamping voltage
AssigneeThe Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorDi Zhang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solid state circuit breaker that may include a metal oxide varistor (MOV) that is connected in series to a thyristor, the MOV to clamp voltage of current flowing through the solid state circuit breaker; the thyristor including a gate to control flow of the current to the MOV along a first path to the MOV; a breakover diode to activate at a target voltage level to allow the current to flow to the MOV along a second path; and a Zener diode to close the gate and allow current to flow along the first path in response to the current on the second path.
Claims16
A solid state circuit breaker comprising:
- a metal oxide varistor (MOV) that is connected in series to a thyristor, the MOV to clamp voltage of current flowing through the solid state circuit breaker;
- the thyristor comprising a gate to control flow of the current to the MOV along a first path to the MOV;
- a breakover diode to activate at a target voltage level to allow the current to flow to the MOV along a second path;
- a Zener diode to close the gate and allow current to flow along the first path in response to the current on the second path, and
- an RC slapper on a fourth path that bypasses the MOV, the RC slapper to initially and temporarily carry current when the solid state circuit breaker is activated.
A solid state circuit breaker comprising:
- a metal oxide varistor (MOV) that is connected in series to a first thyristor, the MOV to clamp voltage of current flowing through the solid state circuit breaker;
- the first thyristor comprising a first gate to control flow of the current to the MOV along a first path to the MOV;
- a breakover diode to activate at a target voltage level to allow the current to flow to the MOV along a second path;
- a Zener diode to close the first gate and allow current to flow along the first path in response to the current on the second path;
- and
- a second thyristor that is antiparallel to the first thyristor and is connected in series to the MOV, the second thyristor comprising a second gate to control flow of the current to the MOV along a third path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.