Advanced Power Distribution Systems

"Present circuit breakers, in conjunction with UPSs, decrease power reliability with respect to load faults. To eliminate this drawback, DTI will develop an advanced power-distribution system for shipboard use, with a nominal rating of 50 A in each circuit.The switching will be done by IGBTs, which have a switching time less than two microseconds. This is more than three orders of magnitude faster than requested in the solicitation. This fast power-distribution system will further increase the reliability of Navy shipboard power, crucial for computer-based controls. The system design will reduce the required current by a factor of 2.5 or more, depending on the load, correspondinglyreducing the cost and size of the power distribution panel. In the commercial sector, a circuit topology similar to that in use on Navy ships is employed by computer intensive internet service providers and server farms to ensure isolation from griddisruptions. As this topology becomes more widespread, the circuit breaker developed under this SBIR will be ideally suited to protect these systems."