Resistive superconducting current limiter

摘要

A superconductor (12) is placed inside a non-metallic cryostat (14) filled with a cooling medium to maintain the superconductor (12) in a superconductive state. A foil winding (16) is connected in series with the superconductor (12) by current leads (13, 15) and the cryostat (14) is placed inside the winding (16). The winding (16) has only a few turns in order to provide low inductance and low magnetic field when the superconductor (12) is carrying its normal operating current. However in the event of a fault the increase in electrical current in the line winding (16) causes a magnetic field to be generated parallel to the superconductor (12). The magnetic field generated exceeds the critical magnetic field of the superconductor (12). The magnetic field produced by the line winding (16) triggers the superconductor (12) to the resistive state. <IMAGE>