Fault Current Limiters

Zenergy’s new mFCL devices use ordinary resistive copper magnets to enable a mFCL technology that can safely and reliably suppress even the largest fault currents with a compact, affordable, long-lived device that is almost maintenance-free.

 

There are no moving parts, no consumable parts, no fatigue-cycle or fault-event-limited components, and they incorporate design and manufacturing processes that are similar to those for conventional high-voltage transformers. Zenergy mFCLs operate at ambient temperature and contain no cryogenic liquids or gases, have no vacuum or pressure vessels, and pose no stored-energy or oxygen displacement concerns.

 

As a result, Zenergy’s mFCLs exhibit durability, reliability and operating and maintenance profiles resembling those of similarly-sized transformers – oil sampling, wash-down, periodic inspection, corrosion protection and partial discharge monitoring – along with a limited amount of maintenance specific to its industrial-grade DC power supply.

 

Through extensive research, development and design evolution, Zenergy has improved the efficiency of its mFCL technology to the point that these conventionally magnetised mFCLs can consume less auxiliary power that was formally required to cool the HTS magnets in the old superconducting mFCLs.

 

Advantages of Zenergy Power mFCL:

 

  • Self resetting, no human intervention required;
  • Able to carry the short-circuit current for the duration of the short circuit;
  • Able to handle multiple faults within a short interval;
  • Full remote monitoring and data collection and dessimation;
  • No interruption of supply when mitigating fault currents;
  • Reduce or eliminate issues associated with conventional current limiting reactors. This includes transientrecovery voltages and high insertion impedances (reactor voltage drops can be 4-5 times higher than mFCLs);
  • Has a low maintenance regime: the mFCL maintenance profile is no more demanding than that for a similar sized transformer;
  • The mFCL has no moving parts, thereby minimising the chances of component failure;
  • Operates at ambient temperature, with no need for cryostats, chillers, compressors and other auxiliary equipment normally associated with superconductive type fault current limiters;
  • Uses established and proven transformer standards and manufacturing processes.