A generic real-time computer Simulation model for Superconducting fault current limiters and its application in system protection studies

A model for the SCFCL suitable for use in real time computer simulation is presented. The model accounts for the highly nonlinear quench behavior of BSCCO and includes the thermal aspects of the transient phenomena when the SCFCL is activated. Implemented in the RTDS real-time simulation tool the model has been validated against published BSCCO characteristics. As an example for an application in protection system studies, the effect of an SCFCL on a utility type impedance relay has been investigated using a real time hardware-in-the-loop (RT-HIL) experiment. The test setup is described and initial results are presented. They illustrate the effect of how the relay misinterprets the dynamically changing SCFCL impedance as an apparently more distant fault location. It is expected that the new real-time SCFCL model will provide a valuable tool not only for further protection system studies but for a wide range of RT-HIL experiments of power systems.