Recovery time of superconducting non-inductive reactor type fault current limiter

A superconducting fault current limiting device for electric power systems has been investigated to determine its feasibility. A noninductive reactor type fault current limiter has been constructed using a metal superconductor. Two bifilar wound solenoids were connected in antiparallel or antiseries. On each connection, a fault current limiting test was performed by suddenly short-circuiting a resistive load. The recovery (normal-to-superconductive state transition) time after the current limiting mode has been studied using a small-scale model of a fault current limiter for an LV power distribution line. The results reveal that the current limiter could be operated under a repetitive fault current accident which was removed within a few cycles of the limiting mode. The recovery time is a function of the dissipated energy under current limiting mode. Test results are presented.