A Study of Quench Behaviors in YBCO Flims for Superconducting Fault Current Limiter

기포발생에 따른 초전도 한류기용 YBCO 박막 퀜치특성 연구

In these days, the interruption capability of some circuit breakers, which are installed in the transmission systems, is getting lower than the magnitude of the fault current because of continuous increase of power demand and relatively short power line which was installed in forms of mesh network As a result of these situations, fault current limiters (FCLs) are strongly necessary. There are various types which is investigated around the world, and new power apparatuses that have been newly considered and developed by many manufactures. In this paper, we considered resistive superconducting fault current limiters with YBCO thin films. The resistive limiters utilize a transition of YBCO films from superconducting to normal state caused by exceeding the critical current. By means of newly occurred impedance, the fault current will be limited effectively. Generally, a few current path patterns are available for YBCO films to enhance the current limiting performance of YBCO films. In this paper. the meander-type and the bi-spiral-type were used for current paths of YBCO flims. When YBCO films are quenched into the normal state, bubbles could be observed on the surface of YBCO films. Using our high-speed camera, the number of bubbles and the size of bubbles could be visualized and the relation between bubbles and current density was analyzed. By means of moving pictures of bubbles, we observed how the quench extended or how the heat was conducted in films.