Executive Summary : | The global transition to local renewable energy production is causing a significant change in electrical grid transmission and distribution systems. This shift requires new challenges and requirements for modern energy supply systems, leading to more complicated designs and operations of the electricity network. The next-generation electrical grid infrastructure must meet new requirements such as bidirectional power transfer capability and active management of power quality to ensure grid stability and bridge the gap between long-distance cities/loads. Adopting direct current (DC) electrical distribution can lead to higher efficiency, better utilization of existing AC infrastructure, increased power transfer from 20-80%, and integration of remote generators or consumers. However, the DC system faces issues such as inability to protect itself from short circuit faults and low impedance to short circuit faults. Conventional mechanical circuit breakers are limited in their use.
Changing the power system in buildings to DC form offers several benefits, including the integration of renewable energy sources at the distribution level, eliminating power conversion stages, and making power transfer efficient and carbon neutral. DC power and DC microgrids are considered next-generation technology that could fundamentally change the way we power commercial buildings. However, there is a lack of an efficient and fast protection device called a "DC circuit breaker." This proposal aims to develop smart and intelligent DC circuit breakers for applications in both DC microgrids and DC homes. |