ENSYSTROB – Design, manufacturing and test of a 3-phase resistive fault current limiter based on coated conductors for medium voltage application

Within the German project ENSYSTROB a 3-phase resistive fault current limiter for medium voltage applications (12 kV, 533 Arms) was designed, built, tested and installed in the grid for a one year’s field test. The superconducting modules are made of YBCO coated conductors and replace the modules of an already successfully tested limiter on the basis of BSCCO 2212 bulk material. The components are multifilar spirals equipped with pairs of 12 mm wide YBCO tapes. The single components were characterized with respect to critical current, AC losses and limitation behavior under all possible operation conditions. The finally mounted limiter was successfully tested with respect to high voltage and limitation according to the standards of the customer. It is now installed and operating in its field test location. Finally we give a first comparison of both materials with respect to the different operational aspects.

► We installed 3-phase superconducting current limiter for 12 kV, 533 A in a real grid.
► ENSYSTROB is the so far largest resistive superconducting current limiter world wide.
► Our superconducting current limiter ENSYSTROB is based on YBCO coated conductors.
► We showed that the AC losses of the ENSYSTROB current limiter are negligible.
► We compared two material options, YBCO tapes and bulk BSCCO, for current limiters.