Ultrafast Mechanical Switch for Hybrid Current Limiters Navy SBIR FY2006.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2006.2 Topic No.: N06-134 Topic Title: Ultrafast Mechanical Switch for Hybrid Current Limiters Proposal No.: N062-134-0443 Firm: UTRON, inc. 8506 Wellington Road, Suite 200 Manassas, Virginia 20109-3915 Contact: Lester Via Phone: (703) 369-5552 Web Site: www.utroninc.com Abstract: This proposed effort investigates the current and voltage interruption capability of a novel breaker contact design driven by a rugged ultra-fast actuation mechanism. The arc created by the opening contacts is forced to take the form of a thin cylindrical sheet between two close fitting insulating surfaces resulting in very high heat losses compared to free arcs. At any given current, the voltage required to sustain the lossy arc is much higher than a free arc since its input power must always balance its rate of energy loss. This contact design, when combined with the ultra-fast mechanical driver, may be capable of commutating fault currents into a parallel current limiting impedances in medium voltage power distribution systems without the solid state switch used in most of the emerging hybrid current limiting devices. Benefits: The primary potential benefit as an ultra-fast mechanical switch in the hybrid current limiter application is the design simplification allowed by the elimination of the solid state switch. This can be of even greater benefit in those cases where the sold state switch also places an undesirable limit on the maximum voltage. Additionally, the switch may be capable of replacing the vacuum breaker. These benefits also apply to commercial power distribution as well a the shipboard systems. Return