Patent ID: 7821753

Claim:
A high current DC power distribution system rated for providing at least about 150 amperes of primary electrical current during steady state operation, the system comprising: a plurality of parallel-connected transistors connected in series between a DC source and a storage capacitor system in parallel with a high current load; and a control circuit operably connected to the transistors and to a bypass component connected in parallel to said transistors, wherein the control circuit is configured to activate the transistors in linear mode for controllably charging the storage capacitor system, and, subsequently, to activate the bypass component via an opto-isolator for shunting the transistors for steady state operation of the system, wherein the plurality of parallel-connected transistors is arranged in a symmetric array, back-to-back against a first common bus bar, said first common bus bar being electrically connected to a first type of operational terminal of the transistors, and said array being disposed between second and third bus bars commonly electrically connected to a second type of operational terminal of the transistors, said bus bars being connected in series between the DC source and the storage capacitor system, and a third type of operational terminal of each of the transistors being electrically connected to the control circuit for controlling activation of the transistors.