A study on the short-circuit test by fault angle control and the recovery characteristics of the fault current limiter using coated conductor

Superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) have been developed in many countries, and they are expected to be used in the recent electric power systems, because of their great efficiency for operating these power system stably. It is necessary for resistive FCLs to generate resistance immediately and to have a fast recovery characteristic after the fault clearance, because of re-closing operation. Short-circuit tests are performed to obtained current limiting operational and recovery characteristics of the FCL by a fault controller using a power switching device. The power switching device consists of anti-parallel connected thyristors. The fault occurs at the desired angle by controlling the firing angle of thyristors. Resistive SFCLs have different current limiting characteristics with respect to the fault angle in the first swing during the fault. This study deals with the short-circuit characteristic of FCL coils using two different YBCO coated conductors (CCs), 344 and 344s, by controlling the fault angle and experimental studies on the recovery characteristic by a small current flowing through the SFCL after the fault clearance. Tests are performed at various voltages applied to the SFCL in a saturated liquid nitrogen cooling system. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.