A DC-operating resistive-type superconducting fault current limiter for AC applications

Abstract

The feasibility of a novel type of superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) based on the
\nsynergy of the resistive and the rectifier concept is investigated. The proposed SFCL acts as a
\nresistive type in the limiting phase whereas in normal operating conditions it operates as a
\nrectifier, thus avoiding true AC currents and related AC losses in the superconductor. The
\nconcept of a DC-operating resistive-type SFCL (in short a DC resistive SFCL) is illustrated and
\nthe design parameters of the device are derived with reference to a practical application to the
\ndistribution voltage level. The design of the rectifier bridge by means of commercially available
\ndiscrete diodes and the estimation of the total power consumption due to these components is
\ncarried out. Finally, the feasibility of the DC resistive SFCL by means of present state of the art
\nsuperconductors (including 1 and 2 G high temperature superconductors as well as MgB2) is
\ndiscussed, and a comparison with the conventional AC resistive concept is given.