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Title: Superconducting fault current-limiter with variable shunt impedance

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1108610

A superconducting fault current-limiter is provided, including a superconducting element configured to resistively or inductively limit a fault current, and one or more variable-impedance shunts electrically coupled in parallel with the superconducting element. The variable-impedance shunt(s) is configured to present a first impedance during a superconducting state of the superconducting element and a second impedance during a normal resistive state of the superconducting element. The superconducting element transitions from the superconducting state to the normal resistive state responsive to the fault current, and responsive thereto, the variable-impedance shunt(s) transitions from the first to the second impedance. The second impedance of the variable-impedance shunt(s) is a lower impedance than the first impedance, which facilitates current flow through the variable-impedance shunt(s) during a recovery transition of the superconducting element from the normal resistive state to the superconducting state, and thus, facilitates recovery of the superconducting element under load.

Research Organization:
Superpower, Inc, Schenectady, NY, USA
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
F36-03G013033
Assignee:
Superpower, Inc. (Schenectady, NY)
Patent Number(s):
8,588,875
Application Number:
12/691,325
OSTI ID:
1108610
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (12)

Superconducting fault current limiter patent April 1997
High voltage design structure for high temperature superconducting device patent May 2008
Superconducting matrix fault current limiter with current-driven trigger mechanism patent April 2008
Superconducting FCL using a combined inducted magnetic field trigger and shunt coil patent October 2007
Matrix current limiter with transformer configurations patent September 2005
Variable Inductive Reactor patent May 1975
Self-triggering superconducting fault current limiter patent October 2008
Matrix-type superconducting fault current limiter patent December 2003
Method and apparatus to trigger superconductors in current limiting devices patent October 2004
Self field triggered superconducting fault current limiter patent February 2008
Superconductive fault current limiters patent December 1997
Superconducting matrix fault current limiter with current-driven trigger mechanism patent October 2005