The quench behavior of coated conductors (CCs) was simulated with a focus on the initial stage of quenches, and the current limiting behavior of superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) at DC faults was calculated. Since the fault current reaches the peak in several ms in DC lines due to capacitor discharge, it is necessary to understand the initial quench behavior well. Considered in the simulation are characteristics of CCs in the flux-flow state, current sharing, non-uniform critical current distribution in CCs, and heat transfer to surroundings. The simulation fit data well. Using the CC model developed in the simulation, the current limiting behavior of SFCLs made of CCs at DC faults was calculated. Critical current distribution and heat transfer were found to affect the current limiting behavior of SFCLs less at DC faults. The calculation will contribute to the effective design of SFCLs for applications in DC lines.

Durability of superconductors used to fabricate superconducting power machines is important, since the machines need to operate stably. Quench properties of GBCO (GdBa₂Cu₃O₇) coated conductor tapes laminated with brass were measured and analyzed to investigate the durability of tapes under repeated short-circuit conditions. With short currents applied to the tapes repeatedly, the quench properties of tapes were measured, and bubbles generated during quenches were observed. The results showed that quench resistance and distribution were maintained after repeated quenches. They were maintained after repeated quenches at various applied voltages, which show durability of the tapes under repeated short-circuit conditions. The quench distribution was uniform throughout repeated quenches, which contributed to the durability of tapes.

The Ag thin film of YBCO (yttrium barium copper oxide) CC (coated conductor) protect the YBCO layer and, at the same time, affects the electrical characteristics of the YBCO CC. Therefore, YBCO CC with the commercialization of the Ag thin film layers makes it easy to establish a process, it can lead to a variety of characteristic changes in YBCO CC. In this paper, plasma surface treatment was carried out to facilitate the deposition of the Ag thin film and the deposition process of YBCO CC. Surface roughness from the test results was increased as the time of the plasma surface treatment increased from 5 to 20 minutes. On the other hand, the surface roughness was decreased for the time of the plasma surface treatment over 20 minutes. Furthermore, after depositing, the increasing of deposit amount and reduced lifting phenomenon showed a similar tendency with the rise time of surface roughness.

The second-generation HTS wire its YBCO coated conductor is widely used in the superconducting power apparatus. The YBCO coated conductor uses the normal-superconducting junction to increase the transport capacity of superconducting power apparatus when it is applied. The normal-superconducting junction can be a cause of reducing the stability of the superconducting power apparatus when a fault current is applied. Thus, in this study we have conducted the effect analysing normal-superconducting junction for the fault current using transport current and quench resistance. From the experimental results when a fault current is applied, the effect on the normal-superconducting junction is reduced the larger the amplitude of the fault current and is helpful to maintain the thermal stability of the HTS wire.

Inside the existing superconducting cables, the superconducting wire carries a loss-free current, and the cable former (the stranded copper wire) bypasses the fault current to prevent damage and loss of the superconducting cable when the fault current is applied. The fault-current-limiting-type superconducting cable proposed in this paper usually carries a steady current; but in a fault state, the cable generates self-resistance that makes the fault current lower than a certain width. That is, the superconducting cable that transmitted only a low voltage and a large capacity power repetitively limits the fault current, as does a superconducting current limiter. To complete this structure, it is essential to investigate the mutual resistance relationship between the superconducting wires after applying a fault current. Therefore, in this paper, one kinds of superconducting wires (a wire without a stabilization layer) were connected parallel 4 tapes, respectively; and after applying a fault current, the current, voltage, resistance and thermal stability of the HTS thin-film wires were examined.

When an abnormal condition occurs due to a fault current at a consumer location whereelectricity is supplied through high-Tc superconducting(HTS) cable, the HTS cable would be damaged ifthere is no appropriate method to protect it. The fault-current-limiting type HTS cable that is suggestedin this study has a structure of transport part and limit part. It conduct a zero impedance transportcurrent at ordinary operations and carry out a fault current limiting at extraordinary operations. To makea perfect this structure, it is essential to investigate electrical properties of transport part that comprisethe fault-current-limiting type HTS cable. In this paper, transport part that comprise HTS wire withcopper stabilization layer is examined the current transport properties and the stability evaluation.

The ongoing Superconducting Fault Current Limiter(SFCL) development mainly has focused on the application of commercializaton and power system through combining with normal-conducting device, moving away from current-limiting method, which is solely dependant on the existing superconductor. Compared to the structural development above, on the other hand, the research on applying superconducting current-limiting element to SFCL, the heart of SFCL, still has a lot left to do, apart form traditional resistive type SFCL. In this study, we looked into the current limiting characteristic of SFCL using core and coil. YBCO coated conductor with stainless steel stabilizer layer was verified by the excellent of current-limiting element of the resistive type SFCL that has a high Jc and index as well as being superior in mechanical property. Also, we study temperature characteristics and resistance characteristics, max voltage, response time and current-limiting ability that can be an indicator as current-limiting element while applying to superconducting current-limiting element caused by variation of winding direction, winding ratio of SFCL using core and coil.

The yttrium-barium-copper-oxide (YBCO) coated conductor, which supplement the fault of the existing superconducting current-limit materials YBCO thin film, bismuth-strontium-calcium-copper-oxide(BSCCO) wire and bulk, has been improved its mechanical weakness and has high index; hence, after quench YBCO coated conductor could limit the fault current effectively because of fast resistance occurrence speed. Furthermore, it has wide applicable area as an current limit material because it shows different resistance occurrence tendency by the thickness and kind of stabilization material sputtered on the superconducting layer. Therefore, many researchers are carrying out the study of application of YBCO coated conductor to superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) for making high quality current limit element, based on resistance type. On the other hand, the study for other type except resistance type has been rarely conducted for the application of YBCO coated conductor to SFCL as an current limit element. Consequently, in this study, YBCO coated conductor with different stabilization layer Cu and Stainless steel, is applied to SFCL using iron core and coil, and examine the many index points as an current limit element, such as current limit characteristic, the tendency of resistance occurrence, response time, the temperature trend for stability.

The improved flux-lock type superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) is composed of a series transformer and superconducting unit of the yttrium-barium-copper-oxide (YBCO) coated conductor. In this paper, we investigated current limiting characteristics through winding direction of coil 2 and variable number of coil 1 and coil 2 in improved flux-lock type SFCL. The better fault current characteristics and the burden of YBCO coated conductor can be confirmed from the experimental result in the higher turn ratio of coil 1 and coil 2 in the additive conditions. In case of subtractive condition, we can confirm a similar result in the same case of experimental conditions. but the burden of YBCO coated conductor has been increased from an increase in winding numbers of coil 2.