abstract

• Parallel-connected fault current attenuator (PFCA) is a novel concept for active reduction of short-circuit currents through circuit breakers in power distribution grids. The sustained increase in the short-circuit currents could exceed the rating of the circuit breakers, dangerously spreading the fault. Several series-connected schemes to reduce these high currents, such as fault current limiters and series reactors have been proposed in recent decades. This paper designs and experimentally verifies the feasibility of a parallel-connected power converter to reduce the short-circuit currents, operating as a controlled current source by absorbing current from the fault point. This new configuration reduces the short-circuit currents in all circuit breakers of an electrical substation. The proposed parallel-connected fault current attenuator is implemented using a single-phase neutral-point clamped (NPC) converter and tested using a predictive current control scheme for short-circuits in a scaled-down power system. The experimental results prove the effectiveness of the proposed scheme, reducing significantly the first short-circuit current peak, even when the AC bus voltage is close to zero. IEEE

authors

• González-Torres I.

publication date

• 2021-01-01

published in

• IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics  Journal

keywords

• Circuit breakers; circuit breakers; Circuit faults; fault current limiters; Fault currents; Impedance; Inductors; Limiting; power system faults; Short circuit currents; Short-circuit currents

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1109/JESTPE.2021.3081048

PubMed ID

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