Test results for laboratory scale inductive high-T/sub c/ superconducting fault current limiters

Several laboratory scale screened iron core superconducting fault current limiters (<1 kVA nominal rating) have been built and tested in order to study their fault current limitation characteristics. In this article we present the experimental results for a static impedance test and for a dynamic short circuit test. The static test is used to define the device operating conditions and the dynamic short circuit test is used to characterize the limiter's performance. With the superconducting limiter in the test circuit, short circuit fault currents are limited to a few times the nominal current. The device impedance shows an initial rapid response followed by a more gradual increase over the first few cycles of fault current. Using a simplified circuit model analysis the experimental results are used to deduce materials parameters such as the superconductor current density and resistivity. The development prospects for high-T/sub c/ superconducting fault current limiters are discussed.<
>