Circuit breaker internal energy storage

What is a solid-state circuit breaker (ABB)?

A technological breakthrough by ABB – a solid-state circuit breaker – will enhance performance of renewable energy solutions, industrial battery storage solutions and so-called edge grids.

What is a circuit breaker?

A circuit breaker is an electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overcurrent/overload or short circuit. Its basic function is to interrupt current flow after protective relays detect a fault.

Why is a solid-state circuit breaker important?

Energy efficiency is a crucial aspect for all electrical installations, including those operating on islanded grids such as vessels with an onboard DC grid. Compared to other semiconductor technologies, ABB’s solid-state circuit breaker guarantees 70% less power losses during the conduction phase.

How fast can a solid state circuit breaker detect a short circuit?

ABB’s solid-state circuit breaker can detect and respond to a short circuit fault 100 times faster than a mechanical circuit breaker. Energy storage systems and their corresponding electrical grid services are strongly affected by the downtime in case of an internal fault.

What is a DC circuit breaker?

In DC grids, the circuit breaker must not provide any current crossing and must absorb surges, since the arc is not naturally extinguished by the system. Additionally, the DC breaker must mitigate the magnetic energy stored in the sys-tem inductance and withstand residual overvoltages after current interruption.

How does Eaton circuit breaker work?

Eaton’s residential, miniature and molded case circuit breakers utilize over-toggle mechanism. The two-step stored energy mechanism is used when a large amount of energy is required to close the circuit breaker and when it needs to close rapidly. The major advantages of this mechanism are rapid reclosing and safety.