Single-line-to-ground fault test of a 3-phase superconducting fault current limiting reactor

The current limiting behavior of a 3-phase superconducting fault current limiting reactor (SCFCLR) in a model power system at a single-line-to-ground (SLTG) fault is experimentally confirmed. A small arc gap is attached on one phase of the model transmission line. A single-line-to-ground fault is activated. The behavior of the grounding current and the arc is observed. It is shown that: (1) the fault current is limited to a very small value by the large zero-phase-sequence reactance of the SCFCLR, and the self-extinction of the fault arc is observed; (2) the power flow is not disturbed by a SLTG fault at all, and no power system disturbances are observed; and (3) the windings do not quench for a SLTG fault. A supplementary experiment for a two-phase short circuit fault was also carried out