Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

George Emmanuel

David J Morrell

Saeed Jazebi

Paul J Murphy

Piotr R Lubicki

Charles L Stanley

Semaan Y Fersan

Scott W Nickerson

Embodiments of the disclosure include a fault current limiter (FCL) providing symmetrical electrostatic shielding. In some embodiments, a FCL includes a superconductor maintained at a first voltage greater than zero voltage, and an enclosure containing the superconductor, the enclosure maintained at a second voltage greater than zero voltage, wherein the second voltage is different from the first voltage. The FCL may include an electrical connection directly coupling the superconductor and the enclosure, wherein the electrical connection enables each of a plurality of current limiting modules of the superconductor to receive, during a fault condition, an equal or unequal sub-portion of a total voltage drop.

Fault current limiter providing symmetrical electrostatic shielding

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a current protection device for a fault current limiter, the current protection device including a detection circuit electrically coupled between a current transformer and a pneumatic timer, and an electrical vacuum interrupter (EVI) coupled to a pneumatic cylinder. In some embodiments, the EVI includes a set of breaker contacts, wherein the pneumatic timer is communicatively coupled with the pneumatic cylinder to actuate a moveable contact of the set of breaker contacts. In some embodiments, the detection circuit is configured to detect a current of the current transformer, and to provide a control signal to the pneumatic cylinder to open or close the set of breaker contacts based on the detected current.

Pneumatically operable current protection device for a fault current limiter

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Peabody, MA, United States of America

George Emmanuel