Basic concepts of superconducting fault current limiter

The need for power demand has been ever increasing due to numerous day-to-day causes. With increase in power demand, the fault levels witness a general rise. The superconducting fault current limiters have been seen as a much needed power device to limit the fault current in the electrical power system. This paper presents the undeniable usage of the superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) in large fault current limitation. In line to this, this paper also analyses its usefulness as compared to the conventional methods of fault limitation. It reviews the different techniques involved in current limitation through SFCL. It also discusses the basic operation of SFCL by exploiting the change in the behaviour of a superconductor under different conditions. This paper also includes the fault control mechanism of SFCL, their characteristics and their main region of application. An overview of challenges to the usage of SFCL in power circuitry and its future prospects in the existing world is provided.