Application of a Novel Superconducting Fault Current Limiter in a VSC-HVDC System

Compared with the traditional high-voltage direct-current based on line commutated converter (LCC-HVDC), the voltage source converter-based HVDC (VSC-HVDC) system has several advantages. However, VSCs are vulnerable to the dc short-circuit faults because of the large discharge current of the dc-link capacitor. This paper presents a novel superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL), which can effectively limit the amplitude of short-circuit current of the VSC-HVDC system. The SFCL utilizes both superconducting coils (SCs) and resistance to limit the rapidly growing current. First, the working principle and operating characteristics of the SFCL are studied. Second, the rules of parameters coordination are analyzed in order to obtain the best current limiting effect of the SFCL. Third, the electromagnetic design of SCs is done to prove the feasibility of the scheme. Finally, a simulation model is established, and the current-limiting effect of both the limiters and the parameters coordination is verified.