Hybrid circuit breaker and methods for opening and closing such a circuit breaker

A hybrid circuit breaker, comprising:

• a switching device comprising a main branch connecting two electrical terminals and a switching branch connecting the two electrical terminals and in parallel with the main branch, the switching device comprising:
• a mechanical switch, belonging to the main branch, configured to switch between a closed configuration allowing current to flow in the main branch, and an open configuration opposing the flow of current in the main branch;
• a semiconductor component, belonging to the switching branch, configured to switch between a conducting configuration allowing current to flow in the switching branch and a non-conducting configuration opposing the flow of current in the switching branch;
• and
• an isolating switch, belonging to the switching branch, configured to switch by means of an isolation mechanism between a closed configuration allowing current to flow in the switching branch, and an open configuration opposing the flow of current in the switching branch, the isolating switch having, in the open configuration, a resistance to the passage of current in the switching branch that is higher than a resistance to the passage of current in the switching branch of the
• semiconductor component in the non-conducting configuration;
• a control unit, configured to command a switching of the mechanical switch between its open configuration and its closed configuration, of the semiconductor component between its non-conducting configuration and its conducting configuration, and of the isolating switch between its closed configuration and its open configuration via the isolation mechanism, depending on the incoming current passing through the hybrid circuit breaker between the two electrical terminals;
• characterized in that the mechanical switch is also able to switch, by means of the isolation mechanism, into a disconnect configuration, distinct from the open configuration and from the closed configuration, that opposes the flow of current in the main branch, and such that a resistance to the passage of current in the main branch of the mechanical switch in the disconnect configuration is greater than the resistance to the passage of current in the main branch of the mechanical switch in the open configuration.