Overcurrent Tests and Numerical Simulations on a 66-kV-Class RE123 High-Temperature Superconducting Model Cable

In Japan, the development of a 66-kV-class superconducting power cable was started in 2008 as a national project. A high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power cable typically consists of a copper former, HTS conductor layers, electrical insulation layers, HTS shield layers, and copper shield layers. A 66-kV-class superconducting power cable may be subjected to a fault current of 31.5 kA_rms for 2 s. Therefore, in order to ensure the stability and feasibility of the cable, the thermal characteristics and current distributions of the cable need to be investigated under fault conditions. In this study, overcurrent experiments were performed on a 2-m-long HTS model cable. Numerical simulations were also performed on the model cable by using a computer program on the basis of a 3D finite element method and an electrical circuit model.