FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS OF SUPERCONDUCTING FAULT CURRENT LIMITERS POSITIONING IN SMART GRID

A superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) is a device that uses superconductors to instantaneously limit or reduce unanticipated electrical surges that may occur on utility distribution and transmission networks. When an unplanned event, such as lightning or downed power lines, occurs, a large surge of power can be sent through the grid resulting in a fault. Serious faults can generate surge currents more than one hundred times the normal operating currents. These faults can result in damage to expensive grid-connected equipment. SFCL's eliminate or greatly reduce the financial burden on the utilities by reducing the wear on circuit breakers and protecting other expensive equipment. Utilities can reduce or eliminate the cost of circuit breakers and fuses by installing SFCL. At the same time, these allow utilities to avoid or delay upgrading existing circuit breakers and electrical substations to handle ever higher electrical surges. Fault currents in transformers, for instance, can run 10- 20 times the steady state design current. SFCL can reduce these fault currents to levels not exceeding 3-5 times the steady state current, protecting and extending the life of transformers and associated utility equipment. As for a dispersed energy resource, 10 MVA wind farm was considered for the simulation. Three phase faults have been simulated at different locations in smart grid and the effect of the SFCL and its location on the wind farm fault current was evaluated. Two wind farms were considered and their performance is also evaluated. Consequently, the optimum arrangement of the SFCL location in Smart Grid with renewable resources has been proposed and its remarkable performance has been suggested.