Superconducting Fault Current Limiter for Transmission Voltage

Abstract

Within a collaboration of American Superconductor, Siemens, Nexans and Southern California Edison one electrical phase of a resistive superconducting fault current limiter for the 115 kV transmission voltage level has been designed and manufactured. The active part of the limiter consists of 63 bifilar coils made of 12 mm wide steel-stabilized YBCO conductor and is housed in a cryostat operated at 5 bar and 74 K. The first phase was completely assembled and successfully subjected to power switching tests and high voltage tests. The basic design of the system and the test results are reported. The work was funded in part by US-DOE under Contract Number DE-FC26-07NT43243.