Effect of inductors to mitigate the hot-spot problem in parallel-connected superconducting thin-film fault current limiting elements

We have been developing superconducting thin-film fault current limiter (FCL) elements, in which high-resistivity Au–Ag alloy shunt layers are used to protect YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO) thin films deposited on CeO₂-buffered sapphire substrates. The high resistance of the thin films enables the element to withstand high electric fields of more than 40 V_peak cm⁻¹ during the current-limiting period after quenching, thus greatly reducing the amount of YBCO thin film needed and, consequently, the cost of an FCL. We have succeeded in fabricating and testing 500 V/200 A FCL modules using two 20 cm long YBCO films connected in parallel. In the present study, we performed extensive switching experiments on FCL elements, in which two YBCO films are connected in parallel to achieve higher rated currents, and confirmed the previously observed phenomenon that the hot-spot problem causing film damage just after quench initiation becomes more severe when the total critical current of the thin films is higher. We have investigated the origin of this phenomenon and found that a rapid current transfer from the first-quenched film with lower critical current to the other film causes higher current in the secondly-quenched film that sometimes leads to hot spots. It is demonstrated that the serious hot-spot problem can be mitigated by the use of inductors when the high-resistance FCL elements are connected in parallel. Based on these findings we propose an appropriate architecture of a high electric-field superconducting thin-film FCL that can be used in a real power grid. (paper)