Title :
Analysis of a Liquid Metal Current Limiter
Author :
Wu, Huaren ; Li, Xiaohui ; Zhang, Min ; Stade, D. ; Schau, H.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Nanjing Normal Univ., Nanjing, China
Abstract :
A liquid metal fault current limiter (LMFCL) was investigated as a tool for improving the power quality and reliability of power service. The LMFCL is a newly developed current limiter for low-voltage power systems. It can effectively limit the fault current by taking advantage of the pinch effect and arcs in the LMFCL. A multiphysics simulation of magneto-fluid in the LMFCL was performed based on the 3-D finite element method for analysis of the pinch effect. The magnetic forces were calculated, and the turbulence driven by the magnetic forces was simulated. The results of the turbulent simulation coincide with those of the experiments. Several characteristics of the LMFCL are described based on analysis of the results of experiments with single-phase power sources of 253, 440, and 725-V.
Keywords :
fault current limiters; finite element analysis; power supply quality; reliability; short-circuit currents; 3D finite element method; liquid metal fault current limiter analysis; low-voltage power system; magnetic force; pinch effect; power quality; power service reliability; short-circuit currents; single-phase power sources; turbulence; voltage 253 V; voltage 440 V; voltage 725 V; Current limiters; magnetohydrodynamic (MHD); multiphysics simulation; short-circuit currents;
Journal_Title :
Components and Packaging Technologies, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TCAPT.2009.2024157
