Voltage distribution characteristics of a resistive superconducting fault current limiter in DC systems

HVDC circuit breakers (CBs) are not satisfactory in interrupting extremely high short-circuit current in DC systems. One way to solve this problem is to employ resistive superconductor fault current limiters (SFCLs) in HVDC systems. The resistive SFCLs should be installed in series-connected to withstand extremely high voltage when superconductors quenches. The objective of this paper is to obtain voltage distribution characteristics of a resistive SFCL in HVDC systems. Results of the experiments and simulations show that voltage distribution characteristics have significant difference from the superconductor starting quenching to 2 ms after the superconductor quenching. Voltage distribution characteristics become stable from 2 ms after the superconductor quenching. Installing smaller parallel resistance near the prior quenched superconductor is an effective method to improve voltage distribution characteristics of the SFCL.