SUBSTATION AUTOMATION
FAULT CURRENT LIMITING REACTOR
Current Limiting Reactors are connected in series with the power system essentially to damp the short circuit fault current. During normal operation, a continuous current flows through the reactor. Current limiting reactors are now widely used to control fault currents in both utility and industrial power systems.
The primary advantages of a current limiting reactor are:
- Reduction of electromechanical loading and thermal stress of transformers and switchgears.
- Improvement of the stability of primary bus voltage during a fault on feeder
- Reduction of Line to line fault current to levels below those of line to ground faults or vice versa.
- Protection of distribution transformer and downstream power equipment and devices from the propagation of initial fast front voltage transients due to faults and circuit breaker operations.
- Increase in system reliability.
This type of reactors are briefly classified as :
PHASE REACTORS :
This type of reactor is connected in series with the transmission or distribution lines and is used to reduce fault level at the output of the reactor to the desirable level. They carry a continuous current during normal operation and hence Power loss is an important consideration. A dry type air core reactor by design has a high Q factor and hence preferred for this application. A low loss reactor can bring substantial benefit to the customer during course of life of the equipment.
BUS TIE REACTORS :
These reactors are used to tie two or more feeders or power sources are connected to a single bus. It is desirable to sectionalize the bus due to high fault levels without losing operational flexibility. The advantage of bus tie reactor is that if load is essentially balanced on both sides of the reactor under operating conditions, the reactor has negligible effect on voltage regulation or system losses. Quality Power can provide the customer a thorough solutions which includes :
