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Title: Passive fault current limiting device

Patent ·
OSTI ID:872248

A passive current limiting device and isolator is particularly adapted for use at high power levels for limiting excessive currents in a circuit in a fault condition such as an electrical short. The current limiting device comprises a magnetic core wound with two magnetically opposed, parallel connected coils of copper, a high temperature superconductor or other electrically conducting material, and a fault element connected in series with one of the coils. Under normal operating conditions, the magnetic flux density produced by the two coils cancel each other. Under a fault condition, the fault element is triggered to cause an imbalance in the magnetic flux density between the two coils which results in an increase in the impedance in the coils. While the fault element may be a separate current limiter, switch, fuse, bimetal strip or the like, it preferably is a superconductor current limiter conducting one-half of the current load compared to the same limiter wired to carry the total current of the circuit. The major voltage during a fault condition is in the coils wound on the common core in a preferred embodiment.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
Assignee:
University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
Patent Number(s):
US 5892644
OSTI ID:
872248
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (3)

Tests of 100 kW High-T/sub c/ superconducting fault current limiter journal June 1995
Short circuit test performance of inductive high T/sub c/ superconducting fault current limiters journal June 1995
Recovery time of superconducting non-inductive reactor type fault current limiter journal July 1996