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Durakool releases new ceramic high-voltage DCcontactors

January 07, 2024

Durakool has announced the expansion of its CHV series of ceramic HVDC contactors and its innovative range of precharge resistors. These products are designed for battery isolation in electric vehicles, high voltage battery storage systems, and switching HVDC in solar panel applications.

The company’s focus is on the non-consumer market where EVs require higher power connections, including heavy industry, trucks, buses, construction, off-road, marine, aerospace, and industrial sectors. The initial launch of the ceramic contactor at the European Battery Show earlier this year addressed a specific OEM need within these fields, leading to design-in activity. In response to requests for higher power switching devices for precharge and discharge applications, Durakool has expanded its range of precharge/discharge contactors (up to 60A) and now offers a complete range of compatible power resistors (up to 2800W).

Ricardo Esquinazi, Brand Manager for Durakool, stated, “The CHV contactor’s non polarised terminals make it possible for electric vehicles to provide stand-by power back to the charger. They also enable the contactor in an EV to break high DC currents whilst using regenerative braking, resulting in longer service life and higher ‘in application’ reliability.” He added, “Our HVDC contactors protect vehicles, their occupants and emergency service personnel by providing isolation of the high voltage battery from the electronic drive system upon vehicle impact and when vehicles are not in use.”

Durakool’s CHV series of ceramic contactors, which can switch high voltage DC up to 1500VDC, are suitable for high voltage DC battery and solar panel applications where high voltage batteries must be connected/disconnected from the load or power source. The non-polarised power terminals of CHV series contactors can break current flowing in either direction.

The sealed ceramic arc chamber within the contactor provides superior isolation compared to epoxy sealed DC contactors, enabling higher DC voltages to be switched. The standard twin coil economisers reduce coil operating currents and heat emitted from the contactor coil, thus requiring less battery power to maintain the contactors in the operated position. This results in improved reliability and helps increase the driving range for demanding electric applications for on-road and off-road, both for (rapid) charging and electric industrial operation. No additional coil back EMF suppression is required.

Durakool now offers a comprehensive portfolio of components to manage power in a compatible manner, in response to the heavy industry trend towards higher power. Durakool engineers continue to develop better switching solutions for the evolving requirements of all high-power electrical industries, particularly for professional off-grid operations, and renewable energy. These industries will likely require HVDCs within their high voltage electrical systems for safe and reliable operation, to comply with government body, legal and stringent safety regulations, such as International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. Most parts feature UL approval. The production process for Durakool’s ceramic contactors is easily automated for continuous, rather than batch production, resulting in cost savings for higher volumes and even more reliable contactors.