Application of a power electronic based fault current limiter (FCL) to reduce arc flash energy in electrical grids with high short-circuit power

Faults in electrical grids with a high short-circuit power are, among other things, problematic because of electric arcs. As these arc flashes can come along with a high incident energy and so are a risk, both for persons and equipment, finding ways to reduce the incident energy of arcs makes sense. Fault current limiters (FCL) generally offer the possibility to reduce this arc energy. Currently in a research project the application of a certain type of FCL on the reduction of arc energy is investigated. In this paper the results of the first step of this research project, the theoretical examinations, are summarized. Thereby, for a given system with a high short-circuit power a worst-case estimation for the incident energy of arcing faults is aspired to. Furthermore, statements on the possible limitation of this energy via the application of the considered FCL are derived.