• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2012

In recent years, DC distribution systems are becoming hot issue due to the increase in digital loads and DC generation systems according to the expansion of renewable energy technologies. However, removing the fault current in DC grids is comparably difficult since the current in DC grids has no zero-crossing point like in AC grids. Thus, developing dedicated DC circuit breakers for DC grids is necessary to get safety for people and electrical facilities. This paper proposes magnet arc extinguishing method to develop a 300[$V_{DC}$]/10[A] DC circuit breaker. The performance of the proposed DC circuit breaker was verified by an experimental circuit breaker test system built in this research.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.503-510
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• 2020

The importance of DC breakers as key protection equipment is increasing in accordance with growing concerns on MVDC distribution network systems without DC/AC conversion. Different from the situation in AC systems, no natural zero-crossing point exists in DC systems. Thus, DC breaker technology is more difficult than AC breaker technology. The solutions for DC breakers can be divided into three types: mechanical, power electronics, and hybrid. In this study, the operating principles of several topologies of hybrid circuit breakers and that of the proposed DC breaker are analyzed and simulated by sorting two types. The breakers are compared in terms of the type and number of semiconductors, volume, power loss, auxiliary components, isolation, and other aspects. The advantages and disadvantages of the breakers are also analyzed.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.65 no.12
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• pp.2109-2112
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• 2016

The rate of rise of the fault current in DC grids is very high compared to AC grids because of the low line impedance of DC lines. In AC grids the arc of the circuit breaker under current interruption is extinguished by the zero current crossing which is provided naturally by the system. In DC grids the zero current crossing must be provided by the circuit breaker itself. Unlike AC girds, the magnetic energy of DC grids is stored in the system inductance. The DC circuit breaker must dissipate the stored energy. In addition the DC breaker must withstand the residual overvoltage after the current interruption. The main contents of this paper are to ${\cdot}$ Explain the theoretical background for the design of DC circuit breaker. ${\cdot}$ Develop the simulation model in PSIM of the real scaled DC circuit breaker for 1,800V DC railway. ${\cdot}$ Suggest design guidelines for the DC circuit breaker based on the experimental work, simulations and design process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.16-21
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• 2017

Fire or electrical problem while DC electric traction vehicle operation caused by various reasons can lead to not only suspension of the operation, but also severe aftermath such as massive casualty. In this paper, fire analysis on DC electric traction vehicle caused by electrical breakdown on line breaker, which is in connection with the power supply, is presented. When the electric arc, the by-product of frequent line breaker operation, is not fully diminished, it leads to electrical breakdown and fire. Especially, electrical breakdown can be easily induced by the open-and-close operation of inner contractor inside line breaker, eventually followed by ground fault and generation of transient current. Electric arc is consequent on the ground fault and acts as possible ignition source, leading to fire. Also, during the repetitive operation of the line breaker, the contactor is separated each other and some copper powder is generated, and the copper powder provided breakdown path, resulting in fire.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.07a
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• pp.834-835
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• 2008

전자기 접촉기(electromagnetic contactor)는 교류 또는 직류 저압의 전로(電路)에 사용되는 부하개폐기의 한 종류로 전자석 코일(electromagnet coil)의 여자(勵磁)에 의하여 주 접촉자를 개폐시키는 기기이다. 일반적으로 전자기 접촉기는 단락전류를 차단하도록 설계되어 있지는 않다. 그러므로 설치 시 적절한 단락 보호가 이루어져야 하며, 반드시 접촉기의 일부분일 필요는 없다. 차단기와 퓨즈 등을 단락보호장치(SCPD, Short-Circuit Protective Device)로 많이 사용한다. 전자기 접촉기는 특히 고빈도 개폐를 목적으로 사용되는 개폐기로, 농형모터(squirrel-cage motors)의 시동, 운전 중의 정지, 플러깅(plugging, 모터가 운전하고 있는 중에 모터의 1차측 접속을 역으로 바꿔서 모터를 급격히 정지시키거나 역 회전시키는 것) 및 인칭(inching, 모터를 짧은 기간 동안 1회 또는 반복 여자해서 피동기구를 조금 이동시키는 것)에 많이 쓰인다. 이러한 기기의 개폐특성을 평가하기 위한 부하는 과도회복 전압의 진동 주파수(oscillatory frequency)와 진폭율 ${\gamma}$를 얻을 수 있도록 조정되어야 한다. 본 논문에서는 고빈도 개폐능력을 갖고 있는 전자기 접촉기의 과도회복 전압 특성과 그 특성을 얻기 위한 부하 회로의 조정방법에 대해 고찰하였다.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.526-531
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• 2016

This paper presents an experimental study on the optimal settings for the selected DC fault relay (50F) to improve the operating performance for the high-speed circuit breaker on DC feeding system which ensure safety within rolling stock maintenance depot. In this study, current supplied to overhead contact wire was calculated on 1 ms interval to analyze the correction values of DC fault selective relay for the operation of current supply cutout. Particularly, standards for the accurate detection of accidents between an electric railway vehicle and the electric power facilities are shown by investigating the optimal correction values for detection of fault current, and the results indicated that it takes about 213 ms for the DC fault selective relay(50F) to fully open. In the future, the correction values of DC fault selective relay suggested in this paper will be used as the reference values of protective relay for the safe operation of DC electric railroad system such as urban railway.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.946-958
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• 2009

Lately, Seoul metro is changing transformation facilities which have been operated in subway line 1 and 2 for a long duration of time. Although the exiting protection relays in DC feeder system have such several functions as 76I, 50, 85, and 64P, the new protective relay have a great variety of functions such as 76I, 76D, DDL-I, DDL-T(Imin), 85, and 64P, as well as record and save various events and accident wave in order to review and analyze the working causes of the protective system. However, because the new digital relays are not used properly for protective propose, there are the cases that the electric accident is deteriorated more. Therefore, in this paper, we will describe that making the use studying installation intention, direction, and setting up value of the protection relay in DC breaker operation not only prevents from making the electric accident worse but also shows the efficient operation method of direct current protection system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2022

Circuit breakers are a crucial factor in ensuring the safety of a Direct Current (DC) grid. One type of DC circuit breaker, the Z-source DC circuit breaker (ZCB), uses a thyristor, which is a type of semiconductor switch. In the event of a fault in the circuit, the ZCB isolates the fault by generating a zero crossing current in the thyristor. The thyristor quickly and actively isolates the fault while generating a zero crossing current, but thyristor switch cannot control turn-off and the allowable current is lower than the current of the mechanical switch. Therefore, it is best to use a mechanical switch with a high allowable current capacity that is capable of on/off control. Due to the slow reaction time of mechanical switches, they may not isolate the fault during the zero crossing current time interval created by the existing circuit. In this case, the zero crossing current time can be increased by using the property that hinders the rapid change in the current of the inductor. This paper will explore whether adding system inductance to increase the zero crossing current time interval is a solution to this problem. The simulation of changing inductor and capacitor (LC) of the circuit is repeated to find an optimal change in the zero crossing current time according to the LC change and provides an inductor and capacitor range optimized for a specific load. The inductor and capacitor range are expected to provide optimization information in the form LC values for future applications of ZCB's using a mechanical switch.