A Computational Study of the Thermal Performance of a 69kV/3000A Solid State Current Limiter Under Transient Fault Current Loading

This paper explores the thermal behavior of a 69kV/3000A Solid State Current Limiter in various transient fault cases. The system has been thermally analyzed in steady-state conditions and the authors have found an acceptable cooling strategy in the case of 864kW of waste heat in a three phase system. It is desired, now, to numerically model two different fault cases: bypass mode and let-through mode. In each case, it is necessary to ensure all system components remain at acceptable temperatures under intense power loading (on the order of 22,400 kW in a one-phase system) through four sets of ten inductors. This research explores the effect of liquid forced convection on the transient operating temperature of the system inductors when numerically modeled in Icepak.