Performance of Modular SFCL Using REBCO Coated Conductor Tapes Under Repetitive Overcurrent Tests

Recently, the REBCO coated conductor tapes have shown great improvement in the critical current value along with excellent thermal and mechanical properties, turning it more cost attractive to develop superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs). In spite of these evolutions on the Ic and n-index values, the effect of inhomogeneity on long tape lengths must be investigated, in particular, for application in resistive-type SFCLs where several hundred meters must be used for 15-kV voltage level units. The degradation or irreversible damage in REBCO tapes assisted by an optimized external shunt resistor was investigated on 12-mm-width tapes submitted to repetitive overcurrent tests. A modular unit with six stacks of 0.7-m-length tapes was built and tested by applying repetitive overcurrent during 80 ms, with recovery time intervals from 1 to 3 s (under load and no-load conditions), for prospective current levels from 0.8 to 3 kA, with the limiting factor of 1.7 and 3.2. The resistive type of SFCL, which is assisted by external shunt protection, indicates reliable operating conditions after 100 tests with the fault current level of 3 kA.

[1]  Dong Keun Park,et al.  Thermal and Electrical Analysis of Coated Conductor Under AC Over-Current , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.

[2]  Haigun Lee,et al.  Investigation of the Key Factors Affecting the Permanent Damage of the REBCO Coated Conductor in Overcurrent Condition , 2015, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.

[3]  Mathias Noe,et al.  ENSYSTROB – Design, manufacturing and test of a 3-phase resistive fault current limiter based on coated conductors for medium voltage application , 2012 .

[4]  L. Martini,et al.  Design and Production of the ECCOFLOW Resistive Fault Current Limiter , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.

[5]  W. Yuan,et al.  Modeling and Experiment of the Current Limiting Performance of a Resistive Superconducting Fault Current Limiter in the Experimental System , 2015, Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism.

[6]  L. Martini,et al.  Conceptual Design of a 24 kV, 1 kA Resistive Superconducting Fault Current Limiter , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.

[7]  C. Baldan,et al.  Test of a Modular Fault Current Limiter for 220 V Line Using YBCO Coated Conductor Tapes With Shunt Protection , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.

[8]  Dong Keun Park,et al.  Determination of Maximum Permissible Temperature Rise Considering Repetitive Over-Current Characteristics of YBCO Coated Conductors , 2008, IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity.

[9]  Alexander Otto,et al.  Design and test of current limiting modules using YBCO-coated conductors , 2009 .

[11]  D. Park,et al.  A Study on the Design of the Stabilizer of Coated Conductor for Applying to SFCL , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.

[12]  Wolfgang Schmidt,et al.  Investigation of YBCO Coated Conductors for Fault Current Limiter Applications , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.

[13]  Mathias Noe,et al.  Dissipated energy as a design parameter of coated conductors for their use in resistive fault current limiters , 2008 .

[14]  M. Rikel,et al.  HTS Fault Current Limiters—First Commercial Devices for Distribution Level Grids in Europe , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.