Electric propulsion and integrated hybrid power systems can improve the energy efficiency and fuel consumption of different kinds of vessels. If the vessel power system is based on DC grid distribution, some benefits such as higher generator efficiency and lower volume and cost can be achieved. However, some challenges remain in terms of protection devices for this kind of DC grid-based power system. The absence of natural zero crossing in the DC current together with the fast and programmable breaking times required make it challenging. There are several papers related to DC breaker topologies and their role in DC grids; however, it is not easy to find comprehensive information about the design process of the DC breaker itself. In this paper, the basis for the design of a DC solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) for low voltage vessel DC grids is presented. The proposed SSCB full-scale prototype detects and opens the fault in less than 3 µs. This paper includes theoretical analyses, design guidelines, modeling and simulation, and experimental results.

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Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs enable enhanced performance of power converters in several applications. Parallel connection of SiC MOSFETs become mandatory for medium power applications due to the current rate of existing modules. A balanced current sharing between paralleled MOSFETs is desired to maximize the power capability of each device, maximizing the power capability of the whole system. This work studies the static current unbalance of two paralleled 1200V-400A SiC MOSFET modules with individual gate driver. Experimental measurements are done focused on parasitic inductance caused by electromechanical layout.

Aircraft electrification requires reliable, power-dense, high-efficient, and bidirectional rectifiers to improve the overall performance of existing aircrafts. Thus, traditional bulky passive rectifiers must be substituted by active rectifiers, satisfying the requirements imposed by up-to-date standards. However, several challenges are found in terms of power controllability, due to the standardized passive rectifier-based operating conditions. This work presents the implementation of an active rectifier modular architecture for aircraft applications. An analysis of the technical difficulties and limitations was performed and three innovative modular architectures are proposed and designed. In order to find the most suitable architecture, a comparison framework is proposed, focusing on efficiency, volume, and reliability parameters. From the comparative analysis, it can be concluded that the two-stage configuration architecture is a good solution in terms of semiconductor life expectancy and low volume. However, if converter redundancies are required, the single-stage with STATCOM configuration is an excellent trade-off between low volume, redundancy, and cost-effectiveness.

Electromagnetic coupling is the mechanism by which one circuit induces noise or interference in another adjacent circuit. This coupling mechanism generates Electromagnetic Interferences that degrade or even interrupt the operation of adjacent circuits. However, it is often rare in the academic and professional fields of power electronics to have sufficient knowledge to identify and address this problem. Therefore, intuition plays an important role in anticipating and dealing with this problem. This article describes the basic principles of this coupling mechanism and proposes simple solutions to this electromagnetic interference problem. These solutions must be applied right from the design phase of any electronic equipment. The problem described and its solutions are experimentally validated in a simple test circuit. This article is mainly oriented to the academic and professional field of power electronics and aims to describe in a simple and experimental way the problems associated with inductive coupling.