Fault Current LimitersHyper Tech's proprietary technology will enable production of a low cost, scalable solution for integrating power generators with the electric grid.
MgB2 Fault Current LimitersA superconducting FCL is a device that uses superconductors to instantly limit electrical surges before they reach a circuit breaker. Conventional utility equipment that currently mitigates this problem consists of large copper coils called line reactors. These are bulky devices that continuously consume power. Superconductors alone possess the unique physical properties that allow them to react instantly to current changes. In their superconducting state, they pass electricity continuously without power losses at normal levels while limiting current surges. The main advantages of superconducting FCLs are their fast response to over-current conditions, response without an external trigger, and negligible influence on an electrical network under normal operating conditions. There are several types of superconducting FCLs but they fall into two basic categories: resistive and inductive. A resistive superconducting FCL operates as described above. They are intended to be passive and have a recovery time dependent entirely on the selected method of cooling. If the fault energy is stored inertially in a heat sink, the recovery time will be long, on the order of minutes, as determined by the mass of the components. An inductive superconducting FCL is designed to remain superconducting and stores the fault energy within the coils of the superconductor while providing the necessary impedance to limit the fault current. The inductive superconducting FCL is not usually preferred because of its greater size and cost, which are driven by the large volume of superconductor required.