Using the Fault Current Limiter With Spark Gap to Reduce Short-Circuit Currents

Abstract

This paper proposes a fault current limiter (FCL) of resonant type. The FCL consists of a capacitor and a reactor. The inductive reactance of the reactor is controlled by a spark gap. The operating principle of the FCL is based on producing a large current-limiting impedance in the fault system network. The current-limiting effect of the FCL is examined by experiment and Alternate Transients Program simulation, which shows that such a limiting device can reduce the fault currents significantly during short-circuit faults.