Estimation of AC transport current loss generated in Bi2223 bulk for fault current limiter

The AC transport current loss generated in a Bi2223 straight bulk having circular cross section and infinite length was calculated by one-dimensional analysis, assuming that the electric field-current density (E-J) characteristic of the bulk depends on the magnetic field. First, we estimated the loss of the sample conductor made by us. When the transport current whose peak value equal to critical current flows, the loss of 1.52 x 10(-3) J/m is generated per cycle. The temperature rise due to the loss is very small and hardly causes the critical current degradation. This magnitude of the loss is a little larger than that of YBCO thin films having almost the same critical current as the bulk. In the case that the fault current limiter made from the bulk is installed into a 6.6 kV distribution system, the total AC transport current loss is less than 1/100 of transmission loss in the distribution system. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.