DC Building Power Protection by Digital DC Circuit Breaker

Overview

Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI) has developed a semiconductor-based digital ultra-fast DC circuit breaker for protecting the power source, load, and cables in LVDC grid from damage in abnormal electric conditions.

  • DC Building Power Protection by Digital DC Circuit Breaker
Research completion
Ongoing
Commercialisation opportunities
IP licensing - Technology co-development
Problem addressed

To address the short circuit failure is DC voltage that cannot be effectively protected by DC mechanical circuit breaker, ASTRI has developed a semiconductor-based digital ultra-fast DC circuit breaker for LVDC applications to protect the power source, load and cables from damage in abnormal electric conditions, such as short circuit and overload, in a “microsecond range” protection speed.

Innovation
  • Ultra-fast protection – x100 faster than classical MCB, significantly reduce short circuit current;
  • Ultra-efficient – 99.9% power efficiency;
  • Safe & quiet – electric “arcless” disconnection, no risk of fire; natural cool design;
  • Fault identification – avoid false trigger due to “fault similar” phenomenon;
  • Ultra-long life – semiconductor-based disconnection;
  • Online configurable – reconfigurable trip curves on-site.
Key impact
  • Ensure a safe operation of DC voltage powered green building which can provide 5 – 20% energy saving to nowadays AC voltage powered building;
  • Significantly minimized the safety hazard from arc flash.
Award
  • Advanced Digital Circuit Breaker for Energy Efficient Direct Current (DC) Buildings”, Silver medal in Geneva 2021
  • Power supply system for carbon neutral building, Hong Kong ICT Awards (HKICT Awards) 2021: Smart Living (Smart Home) Silver Award 
  • 2021-22 Hong Kong Awards for Industries Awards: Innovation and creativity certificate of merit
Application
  • Low voltage DC application
  • Battery energy storage system
  • DC building power supply

Patent

  • US Patent No. 11,070,045; CN App No. 202080001432.8 and HK App No. 62021034089.4
  • US Patent No. 11,283,214 and CN App No. 202180000607.8
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI)

Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) is founded in 2000 by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As Hong Kong’s largest government-funded research and development centre, ASTRI is a key force and super connector driving innovation and technology advancement in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and the global innovation ecosystem. This role is strengthened through its merger with Nano and Advanced Materials Institute (NAMI).

Committed to bringing high impact research from lab to market, ASTRI advances interdisciplinary, market driven R&D that delivers practical innovations for industry and meaningful benefits for society.

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