JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

ANANTAPUR COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING KALKIRI

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

Seminar topic on

SURGE CURRENT PROTECTION USING SUPERCONDUCTOR

Under the guidance of Submitted by

Mrs.M.MEHETAJ, M.Tech B.VYSHNAVI
Assistant professor (Adhoc) 18KA1A0246
 CONTENTS
Objective

Introduction

Working Principle

Advantages

Disadvantages

Conclusion

Future scope

References
 OBJECTIVE

Modern power systems are growing fast with most complex

electrical equipment’s in the system. The installation, running and
maintenance cost of the power system equipment’s are more.
Whenever a fault occurs ,there is a need for the protection of these
systems because the equipment’s used in this power system are more
expensive. It describes the use of superconductor as protective device
for surge current protection .
 INTRODUCTION
Surge currents occurs due to the lightning strikes, sudden changes in load ,
sudden variations in the input voltage of the electrical machines. Surge
current may cause great damage to the power systems. The conductors
which are used to trip the circuit may not work efficiently due to their high
resistance. To eliminate this superconductors are used. superconductors
conduct electricity offering zero resistance below certain temperatures.
Superconductor can be used to efficiently operate the power system
equipment and protect it from surge current
SURGE CURRENT

The maximum instantaneous input current drawn by an electrical device

when it is turned ON, is defined as surge current.

It is also known as inrush current or input surge current or switch on surge.

Inrush current can be high as 100 times the normal steady state current.

Surges are produced by various events such as equipment faults, lightning

discharges, capacitor bank building and load switching.

 SUPERCONDUCTOR 
Metallic elements, alloy or compounds that will conduct electricity without
resistance below a certain temperature, is called a superconductor.

The dutch physicist ‘HEIKE KAMERLINGH ONNES’ of leiden university

was the first person to observe superconductivity in mercury.

 Superconductivity is a phenomenon of exactly zero electrical resistance that

apply in certain materials when cooled below critical temperature.

Superconductors are extraordinary because they take no energy to current flow .

So no energy is lost to friction to sustain the current.
 NEED OF SURGE CURRENT PROTECTION


High inrush current can effect the electrical systems by tripping fuses and circuit

breakers unnecessarily.


If inrush current is not in place, relays and circuit breakers must be rated higher than

any possible inrush current.


This surge current can cause components damage and/or failure within the equipment

itself, blown fuses, tripped circuit breakers.


Inrush current can also cause pitted contacts on switches and relays due to arcing of the

contacts.
 WORKING PRINCIPLE

The phenomenon of exclusion of magnetic flux or ejection of lines of

magnetic induction from the interior of bulk superconductors, when
they are below the transition temperature is called MEISSNER’S
EFFECT.
 Superconductors have electronic and magnetic properties. That is ,
they have negative susceptibility, and acquire a polarization OPPOSITE
to an applied magnetic field. This is the reason that superconducting
materials and magnets repel one another.
 If the temperature increases the sample will lose its superconductivity
and the magnet cannot flow on the superconductor.
HOW DOES IT WORKS

Superconductor SPD or SCL prevents the current from exceeding a

given value.

It presents a negligible impedance for normal current value

It naturally and automatically inserts a high impedance above a given

current.

Superconductor SPD’S impedance disappears automatically after the

surge clearance and a certain delay.
 ADVANTAGES

 Safety and reliability.

 Good power quality.

 Cost of circuit breakers and fuses can be reduced.

 Life of transformers extended.

DISADVANTAGES

Superconducting materials superconduct only when they kept below

a given temperature called the transition temperature.

High melting and boiling points.

CONCLUSION
The purpose of this presentation is the study of surge current
protection using superconductors. The superconductor fault current
limiters offers efficient advantages to power systems and opens up a
major application for superconducting materials.
FUTURE PLAN
Tepco is going to develop a three phase limiter over the next three to
four years and test it in the grid within this century.

The current plan is to introduce solid state breakers for distribution

before installing superconductive fault current limiter,
 REFERENCES


IEEE transaction on applied superconductivity


http://www.scribd.com/doc/115890153/surge-current-protection-using-

superconductors


http://jntuhome.com/surge-current-protection-using-superconductors-

seminardownload-full-paper-eee-seminar-topics/


http://kguru.info/t-surge-current-protection-using-superconductors-ppt--

55999


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/surge_protector