Tape lifetime monitor in fault current limiter

A superconducting fault current limiter system, comprising:

• a superconducting fault current limiter unit;
• a condition monitor, coupled to the superconducting fault current limiter unit;
• and
• a controller, coupled to the condition monitor, the controller comprising:
• a processor;
• and
• a memory unit coupled to the processor, including a lifetime routine, the lifetime routine operative on the processor to monitor the superconducting fault current limiter, the lifetime routine comprising a lifetime estimation processor to:
• receive a set of fault information for a fault event of a superconductor tape of the superconducting fault current limiter;
• determine a present state of the superconductor tape based upon the fault information;
• determine an estimated lifetime of the superconductor tape based upon the present state;
• retrieve fault history data of the superconductor tape;
• generate an updated fault history of the superconductor tape using the set of fault information and the fault history;
• and
• determine a critical current of the superconductor tape based upon the updated fault history, wherein the critical current is reduced if a number of fault events in the fault history increases.

A method for controlling a superconducting fault current limiter, comprising:

• receiving a set of fault information for a fault event of a superconductor tape of the superconducting fault current limiter;
• determining a present state of the superconductor tape based upon the fault information;
• determining an estimated lifetime of the superconductor tape based upon the present state, the set of fault information comprising a fault current amplitude of the fault event, a fault voltage of the fault event, a fault duration, calculated energy of the fault event, or any combination thereof;
• and
• retrieving a fault history data of the superconductor tape;
• generating an updated fault history of the superconductor tape using the set of fault information and the fault history;
• and
• determining a critical current of the superconductor tape based upon the updated fault history, wherein the critical current is reduced if a number of fault events in the fault history increases.