Executive Summary
This thesis from the Naval Postgraduate School details the design and development of a testbed for medium voltage MW scale DC circuit breakers, crucial for future naval hybrid and electric ship concepts. It evaluates solid-state circuit breaker topologies to ensure the reliability and safety of MVDC power distribution systems for naval applications. The research confirms the feasibility of the proposed circuit breaker designs through simulation, despite experimental validation limitations.
Why It Matters
This document is critical for defense analysts as it addresses the development of essential power distribution technology for future naval vessels, directly impacting the operational capabilities and safety of the U.S. Navy's electric and hybrid ship concepts.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. Navy's transition to Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) power systems is vital for future operations, necessitating advanced solid-state circuit breakers.
Source evidence · PDF page 24
The NAVSEA 2007 NGIPS Technology Development Roadmap describes why transitioning to an MVDC power system is vital to the future operations of the Navy. This document discusses the two circuit breaker topologies that are not currently available for commercial use but serve as a foundation for how to proceed with testing to ensure the MVDC power distribution system becomes a long-term solution.
- Solid-state circuit breakers offer significantly faster response times (microseconds vs. milliseconds) and longer lifecycles compared to conventional electromechanical breakers, crucial for electric propulsion ships.
Source evidence · PDF page 28
Future electric propulsion ships will need to use the emerging
- While simulations confirmed the testbed's ability to emulate system conditions for a 2-kV, 1000 A solid-state circuit breaker, full experimental validation was hindered by supply chain issues and lab limitations at the Naval Postgraduate School.
Source evidence · PDF page 86
We cannot fully validate the simulation results through experimentation due to supply chain issues during the COVID-19 pandemic and the limitations of the high-voltage lab at the Naval Postgraduate School at the time. With reasonable assurance, the simulation results support that the testbed can successfully emulate system conditions required for the proposed future testing of a 2-kV, 1000 A solid-state circuit breaker.
Strategic Relevance
The development of reliable medium voltage DC circuit breakers is strategically important for the modernization of naval fleets, enabling more efficient and resilient power systems for advanced electric and hybrid propulsion warships. This directly supports enhanced operational capabilities and energy security for naval forces.