Research on Arc Restraint in Dynamic Response Process of A New Self-Driving Fault Current Limiter

In view of the limitation of vacuum circuit breakers (VCBs) in breaking high-rise rate short-circuit current, this paper proposes a new type of self-driving fault current limiter (SD-FCL). The SD-FCL can be self-triggered to limit the capacity and the peak value of short-circuit current. Therefore, the SD-FCL can reduce the power burden and improve the reliability of VCBs. This paper proposes a topology of SD-FCL and based on its working principle to establish a MHD arc model of the dynamic response process. Then this paper investigates the effect of driving-rail materials on the arc characteristics and analyses the arc temperature and shape changes under four driving-rail materials. The simulation results show that the lower rail materials’ conductivity and thermal conductivity, the lower the arc energy. In terms of current limiting effect, the SD-FCL can act as quickly as 4. 2ms to limit a peak short-circuit current of 16. 5kA to 13. 35kA and the maximum efficiency of current limited is 55%. The SD-FCL can be combined with VCBs to break higher short-circuit current.