Loss Analysis on the Saturated Iron-core Superconducting Fault Current Limiter for VSC-HVDC System

This article analyzed the losses from the saturated iron-core superconducting fault current limiter (SISFCL) which could be potentially applied into a Voltage Source Converter based High Voltage Direct Current (VSC-HVDC) network. The mathematical model of SISFCL and the loss computation on High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) parts have been performed based on the FEM (finite-element method) combined with H-formulation solved by the COMSOL. Before the FEM modelling of SISFCL, the fault current statues were modeled using PSCAD. The operation performance of SISFCL was simulated as well based on the electromagnetic characteristics analysis, and the power dissipations in the HTS coils of SISFCL were calculated. Results demonstrate even with a DC system, there were certain amounts of loss happened in the HTS coils of SISFCL, if the SISFCL encountered a considerably high fault current.