Advanced closing switch for three-phase short-circuit test of a very fast current limiter

Abstract

Advanced closing switch for three-phase short-circuit test was developed for very fast current limiter using power electronics devices. The conventional short-circuit test method was used for verification of the current interrupting device with longer time duration to interrupt fault current after the separation of contacts. In the conventional short-circuit test method, a deviation of the closing time between each phase closing switch with a mechanical driving was regulated so that the breaking performance of the conventional switching device could be examined. However, in the new current limiter with very short fault current interruption time, the deviation time between each phase must be reduced less than the regulated time by the conventional test method. For this purpose, the advanced closing switch for three-phase short-circuit test method was developed. In the advanced test method, power electronics devices were used for the initiation of three-phase short-circuit fault. Results of the short-circuit test showed that the advanced circuit had very small deviation time between the initiation of each phase fault. Also, the very fast current limiter with power electronics devices was shown to have an intended interrupting performance. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 130(1): 68–75, 2000