Quenching current level coordination in superconducting power transmission systems

Abstract

AbstractIn the present power transmission system, electric power devices are equipped under the concept of insulation coordination and are protected from lightning overvoltage and switching surge by the arrester. However, the future superconducting power transmission system is characterized by the heavy current transmission capability, the lower transmission loss and lightning‐surge‐free circumstances. Thus, in the superconducting power transmission system, superconducting devices should be protected rather from quenching by the overcurrent of a short‐circuit fault than from the breakdown by over‐voltage.In this paper, a new concept of the coordination for the superconducting transmission system is proposed as a “quenching current level coordination” instead of the insulation coordination. Furthermore, it is pointed out that the quenching current level coordination has the duality relationship with the present insulation coordination. A superconducting fault current limiter should play an important part of the quenching current level coordination to prevent the other superconducting devices from quenching.