A hybrid multi-port HVDC circuit breaker that improves interruption and reset time through shared energy dissipation and fault current regeneration

Abstract

This paper proposes a Hybrid Multi-Port DC Circuit Breaker (HMPDCCB) design that addresses the limitations of existing hybrid DC circuit breakers (HDCCBs), such as high cost, complexity, and slow response to high fault current and voltage demands. The HMPDCCB is based on a common breaker, energy dissipation, and regeneration branch for all connected HVDC lines, reducing interruption time to 1.8 milliseconds. It effectively manages fault energy through Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) of the main breaker branch with parallel surge arrester, reducing energy losses and enhancing power system efficiency. The HMPDCCB provides selective protection for all connected DC lines at a lower investment cost and incorporates current-limiting inductors (CLIs) to slow the rise of fault currents. The proposed HMPDCCB has been rigorously modelled and simulated using MATLAB Simulink®/Simpowersystems, and the simulations show that it achieves a fault current interruption time of 1.8 milliseconds and a reset time of fewer than 3 milliseconds, outperforming existing models.