Applications of an HTS thin film switching element in the inductive current limiter

We report the results of the test of a new inductive fault current limiter (FCL), where a secondary coil is fabricated from a superconducting BSCCO wire short-closed by a thin film switching element. This switching element was fabricated from an YBCO thin film deposited on a sapphire substrate and covered by Au layer. Under fault conditions the switching element passes into the normal state, whereas the coil remains in the superconducting state in any operation regime. The FCL meets to the basic requirements of power systems: low impedance under a normal regime of the protected circuit; fast increase of its impedance and the current limitation during a fault; quick return to the initial state after a fault ceases. The parameters of a full-scale device are estimated.