Fault detection in a power distribution system providing high voltage direct current through multiple channels with a floating ground

A high voltage direct current (DC) power system, comprising:

• a high voltage power source;
• a high voltage positive bus coupled to the high voltage power source;
• a high voltage negative bus coupled to the high voltage power source;
• a common mode capacitor circuit, coupled to the high voltage positive bus, the high voltage negative bus, and the high voltage power source such that the high voltage positive bus and the high voltage negative bus have a floating ground;
• a plurality of power distribution channels, each of the plurality of power distribution channels is coupled to the high voltage positive bus and the high voltage negative bus, and configured to be coupled to a load;
• wherein each of the plurality of power distribution channels comprises a channel protection circuit that is configured to measure a current in an associated power distribution channel;
• and
• an electrical fault isolation function, coupled to the channel protection circuit of each of the plurality of power distribution channels, wherein the electrical fault isolation function receives current measurements from the channel protection circuit of each of the plurality of power distribution channels and identifies and isolates a faulty one of the plurality of power distribution channels based on an imbalance in a first voltage on the high voltage positive bus and a second voltage on the high voltage negative bus and based on comparing the current measurements from the channel protection circuit of each of the plurality of power distribution channels in the frequency domain.

A high voltage direct current (DC) distribution system, comprising:

• an high voltage bus including a high voltage positive bus and a high voltage negative bus, wherein the high voltage bus has a floating ground;
• a plurality of power distribution channels, each of the plurality of power distribution channels is coupled to the high voltage bus, and configured to be coupled to a load;
• and
• an electrical fault isolation function, configured to receive voltage measurements for the high voltage bus and current measurements for each of the plurality of power distribution channels, wherein the electrical fault isolation function is configured to identify and isolate a faulty one of the plurality of power distribution channels based on an imbalance in the voltage measurements for the high voltage bus and based on a comparison of the current measurements for each of the plurality of power distribution channels in the frequency domain.