Switching And Control Devices For DC-Supplied Distribution Systems

Some technical solutions are presented for load management automation in dc distribution systems where peak reduction of maximum load is desired or energy availability is limited, such as in photovoltaic plants. A comparison is made between electro-mechanical and solid-state relays for use with a microprocessor-based control station. The design of the switching devices, based on the use of novel semiconductors, aims at achieving automatic variations of load layout, providing at the same time even more effective control and protection than conventional ac devices. Some experimental results are shown.