Inrush-current-limiting with high T/sub c/ Superconductor

We propose an inrush-current-limiting element as a new application of high-temperature superconductor (HTS). The inrush-current-limiting element is required to recover automatically to superconducting state without any current interruption after the current limiting operation. The limiting element proposed suppresses the inrush current using the flux-flow resistance generated in the HTS. Since the flux-flow resistance is small as to be neglected when the instantaneous value of the current in the HTS is below its critical-current, the limiting element may satisfy the above requirement for the inrush-current-limitation. To verify the performance of the inrush-current-limiting element, we performed the current-limiting tests by a limiting element made of bulk Bi2223. As a result, it was confirmed that the limiting element suppressed the magnetizing inrush current of a transformer and self-recovered to superconducting state.