SHUNT CONNECTED SUPERCONDUCTING ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HAVING A SINGLE SWITCHABLE CONNECTION TO THE GRID

摘要

The field of the invention relates generally to the stabilization and control of electric power delivered from a utility grid (104) to a load (106). In particular, the field of the invention relates to a shunt connected superconducting energy management system (SEMS) providing a single switched connection (112) between a utility grid and one or more power sensitive loads such as a semiconductor manufacturing plant having power requirements in the range on the order of 2 megawatts (MW) to 200 MW. An aspect of the present invention provides a superconducting energy management system (SEMS) for insuring power quality for an entire industrial plant or group of plants. The present SEMS is installed at a single location where power enters the plant or group of plants such as an industrial park. This advantageously eliminates the need for power conditioning circuitry distributed throughout a plant or group of plants and further eliminates the disadvantages of harmonic pollution associated with such distributed power conditioning circuitry. This aspect of the invention advantageously insures that power quality measures will not impact the layout and operation of a plant's production equipment and that power quality related maintenance cost can be substantially reduced. This aspect of the invention has the capability to provide power at levels of about 2-200 MW or higher, for periods of from 0.015 to 10 seconds to ride-through short duration and power fluctuations or losses.