Current Limiting Reactors & Short Circuit Currents - Electrical Engineering

6/6/2020 Current Limiting Reactors & Short Circuit Currents | Electrical Engineering
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Current Limiting Reactors

& Short Circuit Currents |
Electrical Engineering
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A current limiting reactor, also sometimes called a

series reactor, is an inductive coil having a large
inductive reactance in comparison to its resistance and
is used for limiting short circuit currents during fault
conditions. These are installed in feeders and ties, in
generator leads, and between bus sections to reduce
the magnitude of short circuit currents and the effect of
the resulting voltage disturbances.
Their cost is often more than offset by the saving in

circuit breaker cost as a result of the lower short circuit
ratings that can be used; their use is, therefore,
restricted to the interconnection of large power
systems.
The reactors allow free interchange of power under

Contour: Definition and Methods | Contour
normal conditions but under short circuit conditions the
|Surveying
disturbance is confined to the faulty section. As the
resistance of reactors in comparison to their reactance
Read Next Story
is very small, the efficiency of the system is not
affected appreciably.
https://www.engineeringenotes.com/electrical-engineering/short-circuit/current-limiting-reactors-short-circuit-currents-electrical-engineering/25099 1/12
Principle of Operation of Current Limiting

Reactors:
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It is clear that the short circuit currents are reduced by

an increase of the percentage reactance in the system.
The short circuit currents depend upon the generating
capacity, voltage at the fault point and the total
reactance between the generators and the fault point.
The circuit breakers should have enough breaking
current capacity—more than the expected fault
currents.
If the fault currents are beyond the capacity of the

circuit breaker, the fault currents may not be
interrupted. In large interconnected systems the total
rating of the generators is very high and, therefore, the
fault currents are very high. There is a possibility that
the circuit breakers of suitable breaking capacity may
not be available.
So it becomes necessary to limit the fault currents by

some means so that available or existing circuit
breakers can be used safely for handling them. Further,
when the system is extended by the addition of more
generating units, more generating stations or by a
supply from the grid, the fault currents to be interrupted
by the same circuit breaker will become greater than
before.
It is uneconomical to scrap the existing switchgear,

which was adequate for the former output but is not of
sufficient capacity to meet the extensions. In such a
|Surveying
case there is a need of providing a protective reactor
between the old system and the extensions for limiting
Read Next Story
the short circuit currents to a permissible value.
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By including a reactor or a few reactors at strategic

locations, the short circuit currents at different points
can be reduced. Hence current limiting reactors are of
considerable importance in limiting the currents so that
the various circuit breakers are not called upon to
break currents above their rated value.
Primary Functions of Current Limiting

Reactors:
The current-limiting reactors are used to perform
the following functions:
1. Protective reactors are used to reduce the flow of

current into a short circuit so as to protect the
apparatus from excessive mechanical stresses and
from overheating and thus protect the system as a
whole.
2. Protective reactors are used to reduce the

magnitude of voltage disturbances caused by short
circuits.
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|Surveying
3. They also localise the fault by limiting the current
that flows into the fault from other healthy feeders or
parts of the system, thereby avoiding the fault from Read Next Story
spreading. This increases the chances of continuity of

supply.
4. They reduce the duty imposed on switching

equipment during short circuits to be within economical
ratings.
So they are used:
(i) In systems where extensions have been made and

the circuit-breaker rupturing capacities have become
inadequate and
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(ii) In large systems, so as to limit the short circuit MVA

to match with the rupturing capacity of the circuit
breakers.
In general, reactors should be located at points in the

network where they can be most effective. Very few
occasions arise where it is necessary or desirable to
introduce reactance in the generator circuit as modern
alternators have sufficient inherent reactance to enable
them to withstand the forces of short circuit.
However, when modern machines are to be operated

in parallel with older ones, a case may arise where
added reactance in the circuits of the older machines
will provide protection and give them roughly the same
characteristics as the new machines.
Reactors installed in individual feeder circuits are not

an economical proposition as often a considerable
number of feeders are involved. A good case, however,
can be that of a group feeder where the insertion of
additional reactance is necessary to protect a group of
circuit breakers of low rupturing capacity. Similarly, an
interconnector between new and old sections of an
installation may profitably include a reactor and thus
eliminate the need of replacing old circuit-breakers.
|Surveying
Drawbacks of Current Limiting Reactors:
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Current limiting reactors have some drawbacks too as

with the introduction of the reactors, total percentage
reactance of the circuit increases, thereby causing
increase in reactive volt drop and decrease in power
factor due to increased angle of lag. Thus regulation
becomes poorer.
Reactor Ratings:
The rating of a reactor is usually expressed in terms of
percentage and on a three phase system operating at
11 kV, a 20 per cent is one which will have a voltage
drop of 1,270 volts across it with full-load current
flowing through it.
Other ratings are given below:
i. Continuous Rated Current:
It is the rms value of current which the reactor can

carry continuously, with temperature rise of current
carrying parts and other parts, within specified limits
[e.g., 1,000 A].
ii. Rated Short-Time Current:
It is the symmetrical rms value of fault current which

the reactor can carry for specified short-time Contour:
duration Definition and Methods | Contour
(e.g., 60 k A for 1 second). |Surveying
iii. Rated Voltage:

Read Next Story
It is the line-to-line service voltage for which the reactor

is designed.
iv. Short-Circuit Rating:
The reactors should be capable of withstanding the

mechanical and thermal stresses during short circuit at
its terminals for a specified period of time.
v. Rated Over-Current Factor:
It is the ratio of rated short-time current to continuous

current.
vi. Rated Through-Put kVA:
It equals √3 times the product of rated voltage and

rated current in case of 3-phase reactors.
Design Features of Current Limiting

Reactors:
The essential requirement of a current limiting reactor
is that its reactance should not decrease on account of
saturation under short circuit conditions (when a large
current flows through its windings) if short circuit
current has to be limited to a predetermined value.
If fault current exceeds about three times rated full-load

current an iron core reactor having essentially constant
permeability would require large cross section of core
and therefore, the reactor will turn out to be very costly
and heavy. Because of this reason, air-cored reactors
are usually used to limit the short circuit or fault
currents.

|Surveying
Read Next Story
Term Insurance with

Alternatively an iron core with an air gap is used for

current limiting reactors. Moreover, the presence of an
iron core introduces eddy current and hysteresis losses
which means that power consumed by an iron-cored
reactor is more than the power consumed in an air-
cored reactor. Normally in an iron-cored reactor, the
total losses are of the order of 5% of kVA rating of the
reactor.
Types of Current Limiting Reactors:

There are two types of reactors in use viz, bare type
and shielded type.
In the bare or unshielded type reactors, circular coils or

bars of stranded copper are embedded in a number of
specially designed concrete slabs. Such an
arrangement affords a very rigid mechanical support
against the mechanical forces developed due to the
flow of short circuit currents through the reactor
windings.
The mechanical forces act in the form of a couple that

tries to compress the winding axially and gives rise to
radial expansion and for this reason only circular coils
are used as in the case of transformers. The individual
turns of the winding are inclined with respect to the
horizontal plane. Contour: Definition and Methods | Contour
|Surveying
The necessary insulation to earth is provided by a
concrete base and porcelain post insulators which also Read Next Story
serve the purpose of supports. Such reactors are also

known as cast concrete type or dry type reactors.
Dry type reactors are usually cooled by natural

ventilation and are sometimes designed with forced air
and heat exchanger auxiliaries.
Dry type reactors are very simple from the

constructional point of view and are robust but
have the following disadvantages:
(i) Large space is required because the magnetic field

on account of load current is practically unrestricted.
(ii) Difficulty is experienced in cooling of large coils by

fans.
(iii) These are unsuitable for outdoor services,
(iv) Their use is limited to the voltages of 33 kV.
The shielded or oil-immersed type reactors employ

insulation and cooling arrangement similar to those of
the ordinary transformers. In an air-cored construction,
there must be laminated-iron shields or copper shields
around the outside of the conductors in order to
prevent the magnetic flux entering the tank walls and
causing excessive losses and heating.
Term Insurance with


|Surveying
In iron-cored construction air gaps are introduced in the

core to prevent saturation and to give a magnetizing
Read Next Story
current of the desired value. Such current limiting
reactors can be used up to any voltage level, for

outdoor or indoor constructions.
Other advantages of oil-immersed current-limiting

reactors are:
1. They have size smaller than the dry type air-cored

reactors because of ease of cooling due to oil
immersion.
2. They have higher factor of safety against flash-over.
3. They have higher thermal capacity.
4. There is no magnetic field outside the tank to cause

heating or magnetic forces in adjacent reactors or
metal structures during short circuit.
The air-cored type, having no iron, has a constant

reactance at all currents, but the reactance of the iron-
core or iron-shielded types may drop by about 10 per
cent due to saturation during short circuits.
Selection of Current Limiting Reactors:

The aspects to be considered in the selection of a
current limiting reactor are:
(i) Reactance in ohms or in percentage.
(ii) Normal current rating,
(iii) Short-time current rating
(iv) Rated voltage
(v) Rated through-put kVA
(vi) Type (dry or oil-immersed, air-cored or iron cored)
(vii) Number of phases (single or three)
(viii) Indoor or outdoor Contour: Definition and Methods | Contour

|Surveying
(ix) Circuit characteristics (frequency, voltage etc.).
Read Next Story
Home ›› Electrical Engineering ›› Power System ››
Short Circuit ›› Current Limiting Reactors & Short
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6/6/2020 Current Limiting Reactors & Short Circuit Currents | Electrical Engineering

Business Management Ideas

Current Limiting Reactors

Fiber optic rotary joints FORJ

Mo on Fiber Optic Rotary Joints(FORJ) can be combined with power and

A current limiting reactor, also sometimes called a

Their cost is often more than offset by the saving in

The reactors allow free interchange of power under

Principle of Operation of Current Limiting

Fiber optic rotary joints FORJ -

It is clear that the short circuit currents are reduced by

If the fault currents are beyond the capacity of the

So it becomes necessary to limit the fault currents by

It is uneconomical to scrap the existing switchgear,

By including a reactor or a few reactors at strategic

Primary Functions of Current Limiting

1. Protective reactors are used to reduce the flow of

2. Protective reactors are used to reduce the

spreading. This increases the chances of continuity of

4. They reduce the duty imposed on switching

So they are used:

(i) In systems where extensions have been made and

(ii) In large systems, so as to limit the short circuit MVA

In general, reactors should be located at points in the

However, when modern machines are to be operated

Reactors installed in individual feeder circuits are not

Term Insurance with

Current limiting reactors have some drawbacks too as

Other ratings are given below:

i. Continuous Rated Current:

It is the rms value of current which the reactor can

ii. Rated Short-Time Current:

It is the symmetrical rms value of fault current which

iii. Rated Voltage:

It is the line-to-line service voltage for which the reactor

iv. Short-Circuit Rating:

The reactors should be capable of withstanding the

v. Rated Over-Current Factor:

It is the ratio of rated short-time current to continuous

vi. Rated Through-Put kVA:

It equals √3 times the product of rated voltage and

Design Features of Current Limiting

If fault current exceeds about three times rated full-load

Contour: Definition and Methods | Contour

Read Next Story

Term Insurance with

Alternatively an iron core with an air gap is used for

Types of Current Limiting Reactors:

In the bare or unshielded type reactors, circular coils or

The mechanical forces act in the form of a couple that

serve the purpose of supports. Such reactors are also

Dry type reactors are usually cooled by natural

Dry type reactors are very simple from the

(i) Large space is required because the magnetic field

(ii) Difficulty is experienced in cooling of large coils by

(iii) These are unsuitable for outdoor services,

(iv) Their use is limited to the voltages of 33 kV.

The shielded or oil-immersed type reactors employ

Term Insurance with

Contour: Definition and Methods | Contour

In iron-cored construction air gaps are introduced in the

reactors can be used up to any voltage level, for

Other advantages of oil-immersed current-limiting