Saving power in defense electronic systems often requires well-placed circuit breakers. To encourage the development of smaller, faster circuit breakers, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and its Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) contracted Menlo Microsystems to develop major advances in circuit-breaker technology.
By building upon its innovative Ideal Switch high-voltage circuit-breaker technology, Menlo Micro seeks to combine its circuit breakers with solid-state switch technology for a hybrid solution that will enhance the performance and reliability of U.S. Navy power-distribution systems.
Circuit breakers have not undergone significant reductions in size, weight, and power (SWaP) in recent years, but they could benefit from a hybrid approach. The hybrid devices are being designed for switching as much as 1-kV DC voltage and 10-kA DC current in U.S. naval electrical systems.
The circuit breakers are targeted for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program’s Advanced Technology Innovation Pipeline (ATIP) Program. One of the goals is to build 100-A power building blocks that can be integrated into many systems.
Menlo Micro will develop a hybrid circuit-breaker solution that combines its high-power MM9200 SMT Ideal Switch (see image above) with a solid-state switch. The low resistivity of the contacts on the Ideal Switch components reduces external cooling and heatsinking requirements. By developing a hybrid circuit breaker, it's expected to handle higher power levels in smaller package sizes, with increased efficiency, higher reliability, and reduced maintenance requirements in critical defense systems.
Russ Garcia, CEO at Menlo Micro, said, “The 1-kV/10-kA circuit-breaker solution using Menlo Micro’s technology will be groundbreaking and the first evolution in the circuit-breaker field in decades. We look forward to our partnership with the U.S. Navy demonstrating the scalability of these advanced circuit breakers.”
He added, “Menlo Micro’s high-current solution offers vastly improved performance, protection, and reliability that will not only drastically change power control for defense ground, air, and sea vessels, but will revolutionize power control in buildings, microgrids, and other energy distribution applications.”
Garcia acknowledged the special needs of military users: “We understand the greater energy-efficiency goals the DoD is targeting for powering the future and look forward to supporting their initiatives.”