Flux-coupling Superconducting Fault Current Limiter Research Articles

Quenched Flux-Coupling Superconducting Fault Current Limiter Scheme and Its Electromagnetic Design Method.

In order to solve the problem of excessive short-circuit current in the present power system, a fault current limiter has become a new type of power device with high demand and is one of the current research hotspots. The flux-coupling type superconducting fault current limiter (FC-SFCL) generates a current-limiting impedance through decoupling superconducting parallel inductance based on the circuit breakers' fractional interruption. The principle is simple, and the impedance is low during normal operation. It can directly use the existing circuit breaker to open a short circuit that is much higher than its own breaking capacity. Thus, it can be used for large-capacity fault current limiting and effective failure breaking. This paper focused on exploring and studying the implementation scheme of practical products of FC-SFCL. Considering that the quenched-type parallel inductance can limit the first peak value of the fault current, a quenched-type improvement scheme was proposed. Then, an electromagnetic design method based on the simplified calculation of the number of parallel tapes was proposed, which simplified the design process and reduced the design difficulty of the quenched FC-SFCL. Taking a 10 kV/500 A/5 kA quenched prototype as an example, its electromagnetic design was completed, and the performances of the non-quenched and quenched schemes were compared. The results showed that, compared to the non-quenched structure, the technical economics of the quenched one were more prominent, and it can be used preferentially for engineering prototypes. This study about the scheme of the quenched FC-SFCL and its electromagnetic design method is useful for promoting the implementation of the current limiter engineering prototype.

Voltage Distribution Research on Flux-Coupling-Type SFCL

The level of short circuit current in power system is increasing rapidly, and flux-coupling superconducting fault current limiter based on paralleled superconducting windings can effectively limit short-circuit current by the increased impedance after decoupling of the windings. The superconducting winding with high coupling factor is the core component of this SFCL, and the voltage distribution of windings may be uneven depending on the winding type and operating condition. This could affect the quenching of superconducting windings, and even endanger the insulation. In this paper, the voltage distribution of pancake-winding and layer-winding is theoretically analyzed, then simulations considering different operating conditions were carried out, and two prototypes were processed and the experiment results are in accordance with simulation to some degree.

A Modified Bridge Switch-Type Flux-Coupling Nonsuperconducting Fault Current Limiter for Suppression of Fault Transients

This paper proposes a modified bridge switch-type flux-coupling nonsuperconducting fault current limiter (BSFC-NSFCL) for suppressing the fault current and voltage sag. A flux-coupling reactor and a bidirectional bridge switch are combined to perform the functions of steady-state line current sharing and fault current suppression. The modified BSFC-NSFCL mainly utilizes the magnetic flux cancellation effect to make the limiter behave as a short circuit on the circuit during normal operation. Hence, there is almost no impact on the power system when the limiter is used. When a fault event occurs, the bridge switch turns off immediately, and then, the magnetic flux cancellation effect disappears. Thus, the impedance of primary coil inserts into the circuit to restrict the fault current and voltage sag phenomena. Once the fault is removed, the bridge switch turns on again, and the BSFC-NSFCL recovers to the normal operation. The modified NSFCL is more cost-effective and easy to be implemented than the flux-coupling superconducting fault current limiter. Theoretical analysis for the BSFC-NSFCL has been fully developed and proven by MATLAB software. Finally, the analytical, simulated, and experimental results have been carried out to verify the feasibility and performance of the proposed BSFC-NSFCL.

Voltage Distribution Characteristic of a Flux-Coupling Superconducting Fault Current Limiter in Different Operating Conditions

Voltage Distribution Characteristic of a Flux-Coupling Superconducting Fault Current Limiter in Different Operating Conditions