Prospect for application of superconducting fault current limiter in Chinese power grid

Development of strong and smart electric power grids requires better solutions for short-circuit fault current control. Besides system optimization, effective fault current limiting hardware will provide meaningful options for utilities to deal with fault current control. Superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) has superior properties as a fault current limiting device. An SFCL can have very low impedance during normal power transmission, resulting in exceptional low voltage drop on the device and very low transmission loss. When a short-circuit fault takes place, it automatically turns to high impedance, suppressing the magnitude of the fault current. This paper will discuss the prospects of SFCLs in various kinds of power grids and the design requirements for SFCLs in different applications.