Switch systems for controlling conduction of multi-phase current

A switching system comprising:

• a switching assembly for controlling conduction of multiple phases of current from a power source to a first load, the switching assembly including multiple sets of switch cells conductively coupled to different power conductors that extend between the power source and the first load, the power conductors conducting different phases of current such that each set of switch cells is configured to control conduction of a different phase of current to the first load, the switch cells including first and second solid state switching devices having respective diodes, the diode of the first solid state switching device conductively coupled in an opposite direction to the diode of the second solid state switching device;
• a transformer having a primary winding and multiple secondary windings that are conductively coupled to the sets of switch cells;
• and
• a switch controller conductively coupled to the primary winding via a pair of signal conductors, the switch controller configured to transmit an activation control signal via the pair of signal conductors to the primary winding, the activation control signal conveyed from the primary winding to the sets of switch cells via the secondary windings,
• wherein, responsive to receiving the activation control signal, the sets of switch cells are configured to activate to conduct the multiple phases of current from the power source to the first load along the power conductors.

A switching system comprising:

• a switching assembly for controlling conduction of three-phase current from a power source to a motor of a subterranean pump that is disposed beneath a surface of earth for pumping a resource to the surface, the switching assembly including three sets of switch cells disposed beneath the surface, each of the three sets of switch cells conductively coupled to a different power conductor of three power conductors that extend from the power source at the surface to the motor, the power conductors conducting different phases of current relative to one another such that each set of switch cells is configured to control conduction of a different phase of current to the motor, the switch cells including first and second solid state switching devices having respective diodes, the diode of the first solid state switching device conductively coupled in an opposite direction to the diode of the second solid state switching device in the same switch cell;
• and
• a transformer configured to be disposed beneath the surface, the transformer including a primary winding conductively coupled to a pair of signal conductors that extend from the primary winding to the surface, the transformer further including at least three secondary windings that are conductively coupled to the three sets of switch cells, the transformer configured to convey a control signal that is received from the surface via the pair of signal conductors to the three sets of switch cells via the secondary windings, the control signal configured to at least one of activate the three sets of switch cells to conduct the three-phase current from the power source to the motor or deactivate the three sets of switch cells to stop conduction of the three-phase current from the power source to the motor.