DC microgrids require rapid and reliable techniques for residual current detection and protection against short circuit, overcurrent, and overvoltage. Solid-state circuit breakers provide viable high-speed protection for DC microgrids. Microcontroller-based control circuits, in conjunction with a diverse array of sensors, facilitate rapid fault identification, measurement of various grid parameters, telemetry, and load control, while metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor based switching cells enable swift isolation of these faults. A device that integrates bidirectional solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) and residual current device (RCD) features into a single hybrid unit is required to safeguard users and linked apparatus. Only a limited number of proven solutions for measuring residual current can be directly utilized in DC grids. Hall effect sensors offer low power consumption and compact physical dimensions. Nonetheless, fluxgate-based current sensors provide enhanced linearity and precision. Therefore, a hybrid SSCB/RCD protection device that operates as such is proposed in this paper. The primary design and implementation challenges of DC microgrids and various residual current measurement techniques were examined to assess the proposed hybrid device. The power circuit topology was selected, and a compact prototype was developed and evaluated in the laboratory. Conducted tests demonstrated its conformance with requirements, usefulness in residential 350 V DC microgrids, and capability to safeguard the microgrid from short circuits, users from electric shock, and the grid from overloads caused by connected devices.
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