DIRECT CURRENT POWER SYSTEM

A direct current (DC) power system includes a plurality of energy sources supplying power to a plurality of loads (236) and a common DC bus (200) having at least one positive rail (208). The common DC bus (200) is coupled between the plurality of energy sources and the plurality of loads (236). The common DC bus (200) includes at least two DC bus subsections (202, 204) with DC power transfer capability therebetween and at least one DC bus separator (206) coupled between the at least two DC bus subsections. The DC bus separator (206) includes at least one positive rail controllable switch (216) with at least one of its terminals coupled with at least one terminal of a positive rail inductor (222) to provide a current path between the at least two DC bus subsections (202, 204) during normal operation via the positive rail inductor (222). The at least one positive rail controllable switch (216) is controlled to be switched off to break the current path when a fault on the positive rail (208) is detected. Furthermore, the DC bus separator (206) includes at least one positive rail diode (220) connected in parallel to the at least one positive rail inductor (222) and arranged to provide a circulating current path to dissipate an inductor current in the at least one positive rail inductor (222) when the at least one positive rail controllable switch (216) is switched off.