Improved Recovery Time and Voltage Stability for Resistive Superconductor Fault Current Limiters

Abstract

Fault current levels occurring in power systems force the breaking capacities of the breakers. In the power system elements, the generator, transformer, cables, etc., are exposed to the dangerous effects of fault current until the breaker clears the fault. Various limiting methods have been developed to eliminate this adverse situation in recent years. One of these methods is Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCL). With the discovery of High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS), SFCL's Resistive type has become more popular. Resistive SFCL (R-SFCL), based on the non-linear resistance property of superconducting materials, limits the fault within the first half period. However, it cannot provide such a fast response after the fault. The time required to regain the superconducting state after the fault is the recovery time. For R-SFCL manufacturers, recovery time is a design parameter that must be kept short. This study examines limiting performance, recovery time, and voltage stability with the dynamic model created using MATLAB/Simulink. With the shunt breaker method proposed in the study, the recovery time was shortened, and the voltage stability improved.