Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

Saeed Jazebi

Paul J Murphy

Piotr R Lubicki

David J Morrell

Adrian Wilson

Scott W Nickerson

Shankar Kodle

George Emmanuel

Charles L Stanley

Semaan Y Fersan

John Evans

A superconducting fault current limiter element, comprising: a plurality of tapes, arranged in electrical parallel fashion among one another, wherein at least one tape of the plurality of tapes comprises a superconductor tape, and wherein at least one tape of the plurality of tapes comprises a non-superconductor tape.

Superconducting fault current limiter having improved energy handling

An apparatus for controlling and monitoring the lifetime of a superconducting fault current limiter. The apparatus may include a processor; and a memory unit coupled to the processor, including a lifetime routine, where the lifetime routine is operative on the processor to monitor the superconducting fault current limiter. The lifetime routine may include a lifetime estimation processor to receive a set of fault information for a fault event of a superconductor tape of the superconducting fault current limiter, determine a present state of the superconductor tape based upon the set of fault information, and determine an estimated lifetime of the superconductor tape based upon the present state. The present state may be determined from additional information such as fault history on the superconducting fault current limiter, as well as a database of superconductor tape behavior with respect to various faults.

Tape lifetime monitor in fault current limiter

Embodiments of the disclosure include a fault current limiter having a first current splitting device including a primary winding and secondary winding wound around a first core, and a second current splitting device including a primary winding and a secondary winding wound around a second core. The fault current limiter may further include a fault current limiter module (e.g., a switching module) electrically connected in series between the secondary winding of the first current splitting device and the secondary winding of the second current splitting device. The fault current limiter may further include a second fault current limiter module electrically connected in series with the secondary winding of the second current splitting device. By splitting the fault current limiter into parts with fault current limiter modules interspersed between the windings, the fault current limiter may be to be built with less insulation between the windings.

Fault current limiter with modular mutual reactor

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a current protection device with a mutual reactor including a first winding and a second winding. The current protection device is a subcomponent of a previously developed fault current limiter. The current protection device protects the superconductor from potential damage. The current protection device may include a coil electrically connected in series with the first winding or the second winding, an actuator mechanically coupled at an output of the coil, and an electrical interrupter electrically connected to the first and second windings, wherein the actuator is communicatively coupled with the electrical interrupter to actuate a moveable contact of a set of breaker contacts of the electrical interrupter. In some embodiments, the first and second windings are arranged in parallel to one another. In some embodiments, the coil is electrically coupled to an output of the first winding or the second winding.

Current protection device with mutual reactor

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.

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Peabody, MA, United States of America

Saeed Jazebi