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1s IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics. Intelligent Control and Energy Systems (ICPEICES-2016)

Basic Concepts of Superconducting

Fault Current Limiter

l 2
Deeksha Sharma and Kishan Bhushan Sahay
1,2Department ofElectricalEngineering, Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology, Gorakhpur, India
E-mail: Isharma [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract-The need for power demand has been ever during faulty conditions. Such types of devices, called
increasing due to numerous day-to-day causes. With increase fault current limiters or FCLs, have significant potential in
in power demand, the fault levels witness a general rise. The alleviating power system stresses in locations where fault
superconducting fault current limiters have been seen as a
current levels are supposed to rise beyond the capacity of
much needed power device to limit the fault current in the
an existing circuit breakers.
electrical power system. This paper presents the undeniable
usage of the superconducting fault current limiters ( SFCLs) Traditionally, the power transmission and distribution
in large fault current limitation. In line to this, this paper
systems contain circuit breakers for disconnecting the
also analyses its usefulness as compared to the conventional power when a fault occurs. But for maximum reliability;
methods of fault limitation. It reviews the different they want to interrupt every possible faulty portion of
techniques involved in current limitation through SFCL. It network. That is, all the circuit breakers, even the smallest
also discusses the basic operation of SFCL by exploiting the ones, should be able to disconnect huge fault currents.
change in the behaviour of a superconductor under different This paper has been organized in eleven sections. The
conditions. This paper also includes the fault control
need of a fault current limiter in electric power generation
mechanism of SFCL, their characteristics and their main
and transmission has been discussed in Section 11. Section
region of application. An overview of challenges to the usage
III gives a brief overview of a superconducting fault
of SFCL in power circuitry and its future prospects in the
existing world is provided. current limiter (SFCL). Section IV discusses the operation
Keywords-Current Limiting; Fault Current; High of SFCL by exploiting the properties of a superconductor.
Temperature Superconductor; Power Transmission Grid The two major types of SFCL, resistive and inductive,
have been discussed in Section V. Section VI shows the
I. INTRODUCTION applications of SFCLs to various locations in a power
The need for power demand has been ever increasing grid. Advantages of SFCL are pointed out in section VII.
due to numerous day-to-day causes. With increase in Section VIII discusses the challenges to be achieved yet.
power demand, the fault levels witness a general rise. The Future prospects and conclusion is given in Section IX.
short circuit faults are the most destructive ones among the Section X presents the references.
uncountable faults occurring in power systems. These
11. NEED OF FAULT CURRENT LIMITER
short-circuit faults can even cause current over 20 times
the rated current. The consequences of inevitable fault The traditional devices, used for fault current
current in electrical network usually mean thennal or limitation, are:
mechanical stress for the affected equipment. Protection • Fuses are simple, reliable and they are usually
relays interrupt the normal power tlow. The results are used in low voltage and in middle voltage
voltage interruption and other power quality problems to distribution grids. The main disadvantages are the
the end-users. Power equipment is normally dimensioned single-use and the manual replacement of the
for the tremendous stress under fault conditions. The fuses.
maximal short-circuit current is one of the most important • Circuit-breakers are commonly used, reliable
dimensioning parameter and it is directIy Iinked to the protective devices. The circuit-breakers for high
price of the equipment. The downsizing of the existing current interrupting capabilities are expensive
equipment, such as transformers, lines, bus-bars and and have huge dimensions. They need regular
circuit-breakers is possible by decreasing the maximal maintenance because they have certain Iimited
fault current [ 1]. At present there exist no conventional number of operation cycles.
devices to limit peak short-circuit currents in high voltage • Air-core reactor and transformers with increased
power systems [2]-[8]. leakage reactance increase the impedance of
Some devices are used to reduce the fault current distribution network and consequently limit the
levels in transmission and distribution systems while they short-circuit currents [9].
remain "electrically invisible" under nominal conditions. There have been an increase in the number of studies
That is, the role of such devices comes into play only on the alternative solution to improve the reliability of

978-1-4673-8587-9/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE [1]

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1s IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics. Intelligent Control and Energy Systems (ICPEICES-2016)

electrical systems and one of them is the usage of a fault resistance below a certain temperature. They are of two
current limiter (FCL). The supreme purpose of the types:
installation of FCL in the transmission and distribution
system is to suppress the fault current. The FCL is a series A. Low Temperature Superconductors
element which offers quite small impedance when Low Temperature Superconductors or LTS are the
operating in a normal operation. If the fault occurs the substances that lose all resistivity close to 4K, a
FCL increases its impedance and hence prevents large temperature attainable only by liquid helium. Examples of
current stresses which would have probably resulted in LTS are Lead and Mercury.
damaging, mechanical forces, degrading and extra heating
of electrical equipment. B. High Temperature Superconductors
These FCLs are needed to be able to combat High Temperature Superconductors or HTS are the
transmission and distribution currents and voltages. There
substances that lose all resistance below temperature
are certain expectations from the FCLs when it comes to
mainly attainable by liquid nitrogen (70K). Examples of
performance. They need to have low impedance, low
HTS are YBCO, BSCCO etc.
power loss and low voltage drop during normal operation
and huge impedance during fault conditions. This property 'c
shall block the ongoing large fauIt current in the faulty
state of operation. FCLs should have a very short recovery
time and they are required to limit the value of current
before the first peak of the fault current. They are
supposed to accurately respond to any value of fault
current magnitude and/or phase combination. For a
sufficient time, they should be able to withstand the faulty
conditions. They have to have high thermal endurance,
good reliability and a long Iife. Plus, they should also have Fig. I: Figure Showing Critical Characteristics of a Superconductor
fully automated operation and fast recovery time to
During normal operation, almost negligible
quickly switch to normal state after fauIt removal. Not just
impedance of the superconductor hinders the path of the
this, they are required to minimize the cost of power
current. When a fault arises, this superconductor quenches
generation and transmission, i.e. they should have a low
and its resistance rises sharply. The current is limited and
cost and low volume of their own [10].
diverted to a parallel circuit which has the desired larger
m. SUPERCONDUCTlNG FAULT CURRENT LIMITER impedance. The inherent ability to switch from virtually
zero resistance to a finite value when Ic is exceeded can be
A high temperature superconducting fault current used to limit short-circuited fault current, where Ic refers
Iimiter (SFCL) comes up with a promising solution to to the critical value of current.
survive the various short circuit faults in a modern power
Normal Faulted
system [ 1 1]-[15]. Today, the superconducting materials I
possess the ability to meet the performance considerations 40 MVA
\Jo.....A....AJ � 40MVA
�Z=5% z= 5%
of power system components. Thus, a prominent portion I Fl = 1850 A Isc" 7400 A
of the proposed FCL designs apply the use of �z=o
superconducting materials in order to achieve the fault 12.47 kV
current limiting action. SFCL is a new power device to
automatically limit a fault current to a safe level with
superconducting property. The SFCLs have by far Fig. 2: Figure Showing Fault Control Action of SFCL
satisfied nearly all the requirements of an efficient current
limiter, few of them mentioned in the previous article. The
pctive F:J
transformer type superconducting fault current limiter f\ /:O$P
JtCurre t

Um tedF:Jul
[ 16]-[ 19] is one type of SFCL. F:Jult Onser \; 1\ If\\ NU
enrf\

IV. BASIC OPERATION OF SFCL \ / 1\

lJ\1
Superconducting fauIt current Iimiters employ the V'\. ",\
'--"'
:1\
1
Ir( 1(\
!\
'\
electrical properties of a superconductor where it rapidly
loses its superconductivity, also called quenching, above a \ \ 11 \"\
certain current density, temperature and magnetic field. A Nor 31 \
opera (on
superconductor is an element, inter-metallic alloy or T/me(s)

compound that will conduct electricity without offering Fig. 3: Figure Showing Fault Control Graphs with and without SFCL.
This Clearly Reflects the Extensive Limitation of Fault Current by SFCL

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1s IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics. Intelligent Control and Energy Systems (ICPEICES-2016)

V. TYPES OF SFCL developed between the line and the HTS element. When a
fauIt occurs, the large current on the secondary side causes
SFCLs are majorly c1assified into two categories:
quenching of the HTS element. This resuIts in a voItage
A. Resis tive SFCL rise across primary that eventually opposes the fauIt
current.
In this type, the current directly tlows through the The merit of this design is that the cryogenic power
series added superconductor. Upon quenching, a keen rise load may be lower because no heat ingress is caused
in the resistance lessens the fauIt current from the through current into the superconductor. Its disadvantages
prospective fauIt current. include significant losses, large size and weight and
inductive behavior [20],[21].

VI. ApPLICATIONS OF SFCL IN POWER GRID

Three main applications areas are:

Ishunt RShunt I Lst!unl
- A. SFCL in th e Main Position

Fig. 4: Figure Showing Working of a Resistive Limiter

Superconductor is connected in series with the line to

be protected, so as to utilize this material as the major
current carrying conductor under normal operation. To
keep it superconducting, it is usually immersed in a
coolant that is chilIed by a refrigerator.
When a fault occurs, the inrush of magnetic field and
current shifts the superconductor into the transition region,
thus enlarging its resistance. The nature of resistive SFCL
is largely controlled by the length of the superconductor
Fig. 6: Figure Showing FCL in Main Position
and the type of material used for it. Its advantages are its
compact and simple design. It is intrinsically safe and has Here, the fault-current limiter is used for protecting
no reactance i.e. purely resistive Iimiting action. It has a the entire bus. FCL in the main position on a bus is its
few demerits too, like it has hot spots, AC losses in direct application to the power grid.
resistors and comparatively longer recovery time. In the main position, merits of an FCL are as folIows:
• A larger transformer may be used for meeting the
B. Inductive SFCL
high demand on a bus without breaker upgrades.
The basic concept of this type of SFCL is a • I2Rt damage to the transformer is limited due to
transformer with resistive SFCL acting as the secondary lower value of prospective fauIt currents.
coil. The inductive SFCLs come in many variants, but this
transformer prototype is the most commonly used. In B. SFCL in th e Feeder Position
normal operation, there is no resistance in the secondary
and so the device serves low inductance. During faulty
condition, the large current quenches the superconductor,
the secondary now becomes resistive and so the
inductance of the device rises.
Llne Load

Wt-iTS

Fig. 5: Figure Showing Working of an Inductive Limiter

Fig. 7: Figure Showing FCL in Feeder Position
This device features a transformer in which the FCL in this position protects an individual load on the
secondary side is shunted by an HTS or High Temperature
bus. Underrated equipment can be selectively protected as
Superconductor element. Through mutual coupling of AC needed. In this manner, an SFCL is used for protecting the
coils via magnetic field, an electrical connection is individual circuit on a bus. Here, the less and small

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1s IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics. Intelligent Control and Energy Systems (ICPEICES-2016)

expensive limiters are selectively used to safeguard wired • In addition to this, this device has a shorter
off or too stressed equipments which are hard to replace, recovery time.
like transformers and underground cables. • SFCL reduces the peak value of fault current i.e.
it limits the value of fault current before first
C. SFCL in th e bus-tie Position
peak.
• Along with this, it improves the transient stability
of the power system.
• SFCL provides the system effective damping for
low-frequency oscillations.
• Other than its multifarious benefits, SFCLs uses
liquid Nitrogen cooling system for its operation.
This makes SFCL completely environmental
friendly.

VIII. CHALLENGES TO THIS TECHNOLOGY

There are certain minute things that cause hindrance

Fig. 8: Figure Showing FCL in bus-tie Position to the development of this technology:
• To show their properties, and be of any use, they
There are two similar buses that are tied to each other must be at critical temperature, which can be
in a bus-tie knot. A prospectively faulted bus will receive costly.
the full fault current from just one transformer. The limiter • They emit strong magnetic fields which can
used would need small current rating and at the same time affect humans by causing blindness, sterility,
it would have the following merits: brain cancer and other things.
• Neither bus faces huge increase in fault duty. These problems have been worked on and have been
Separate buses may thus be tied together. sorted to some extent in order to ensure optimum
• When a fault occurs, voltage drop across the utilization of SFCLs to fault limiting operation.
Iimiter rises to a huge level thus maintaining the
voltage level on the non-faulted bus [22]-[23]. IX. FUTURE PROSPECTS AND CONCLUSION

VII. ADVANTAGES OF SFCL The use of SFCL was first pioneered at Boxberg in
2009 in Upper Lusatia which was developed, built and
Superconducting Fault Current Limiter has an edge commissioned by Nexan Superconductors. In recent times,
over the conventional methods of current Iimiting. Some TEPCO is supposed to develop a three-phase Iimiter in the
of these advantages are highlighted in the text below: upcoming years and this Iimiter shall be tested in the grid
• It is self-activating and safe from faiIure. within this century. The true application for the
• It requires low maintenance. superconducting FCL is at transmission voltages of
• The most useful characteristic of SFCL is that it 500 kV.
has low impedance in normal operation while Millions of worth of financial loss is caused every
high impedance in fault operation. Upon fault year to the world's leading economies by electric power
conditions, SFCL instantaneously increases its disruptions. Energy demand is growing rapidly worldwide
impedance tenfold. and instant and sustainable solutions are required to
• For its complete duration, it limits the fault improve the energy supply. The introduction of new
current and switches to its usual state devices like superconducting fault current Iimiters, is a
immediately thereafter. must. They use the electrical properties of HTS to
• Low impedance during normal operation instantaneously protect power grids against short circuits
eradicates the possibility of losses. Hence, in and thereby prevent costly outages. They are key member
steady state condition, SFCL causes negligible of a family of ultra-fast HTS devices and machines used
power loss which further improves the overall for electrical power. It is found that feeder locations of
system efficiency. power stations and wind generators are the most
• The switching time of SFCL is prominently low. economical places for SFCL.
Compared to conventional current limiters, SFCL With the progress of superconducting technology and
has over 100 times faster response time. Faults superconducting materials research and the development
are interrupted within 100 msec for systems with of power electronics technology, superconducting fault
voltage less than 100 kV and within 60 msec for current Iimiters (SFCL) will inculcate new means for
system with voltage equal to or greater than current-limiting technology in fault analysis sector of
100 kV. power system engineering in the coming future.

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