Design of an Electromagnetic Actuator for a 2MW DC Circuit Breaker with a Fast Mechanical Switch Installed in the Railway Distribution Grid

The expansion of DC grids and the development of industrial and residential applications at DC voltages require the use of fast DC Circuit Breakers (DCCB) with increased reliability. The hybrid circuit breaker (HCB) is a type of DCCB that has been investigated and optimized in various studies. The mechanical component of the HCB is developed in two configurations: linear and rotational. According to studies, rotational switches are more controllable and efficient than linear models. In this paper, at first, a TC actuator for a fast rotational switch used in a classic 2 MW hybrid DCCB installed in railway distribution grids, is designed. Then its performance is simulated in COMSOL® Multiphysics software. Then, the effect of the TC supply circuit elements, such as the number of turns, coil layers, capacitor, and its initial voltage on the velocity of the moving contact, torque, and coil efficiency, is investigated.