The Z-Source Breaker for Ship Power System Protection

The Navy is considering alternative power system architectures to traditional 60 Hz Medium Voltage Alternating Current (MVAC) power systems for shipboard operation. One alternative architecture being strongly considered for several reasons, is Medium-Voltage Direct Current (MVDC). With that consideration, comes the need for effective electrical fault risk prevention and mitigation. This paper explores the application of the recently invented "z-source dc circuit breaker" to a ship power system. Specifically, detailed simulation is used to study the response of the z-source breaker to faults at various locations in a ring-type dc power system. The addition of a central control unit results in ideal response in that only breakers necessary to isolate the fault remain open for all cases. This paper further explores implementation issues for eventual application to Navy ships.