SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Electrical power system upgrades for next-generation ground combat vehicles require technology advances such as fast-operating Solid State Circuit Breakers (SSCB) to protect against faults from high power loads such as Directed Energy Weapons, radar jammers, and sensors. Emerging Silicon Carbide (SiC) based power electronic protective devices offer advantages over silicon devices, especially for high-voltage buses. Creare has demonstrated a single-channel, fast-operating SSCB that operates at high power levels and uses innovative gate drive circuitry to provide fault protection within less than 10 microseconds at steady-state load currents up to 1,000 A. Innovative thermal management allows operating at high ambient temperature and coolant temperatures while maintaining adequately low semiconductor junction temperatures. Creare’s SSCB provides fast protection, minimizes size, and maximizes lifetime and reliability. During the Base Phase I and Phase II, we demonstrated feasibility of a single-channel, fast-operating SSCB with design, analysis, laboratory demonstration, and delivery of a prototype to the Army. During this Sequential Phase II program, Creare proposes to expand functionality to multiple channels in a power dense packaging configuration that can support small manned and unmanned vehicles and subsystems such as artillery turrets on next-generation combat vehicles.
