Saturable core reactor responsive to short circuit conditions in a rectifier circuit

A three phase AC power system comprising:

• a three phase AC power source;
• means for rectifying power received from said AC power source for ultimate supply to a load;
• first, second, and third inductors wound on a common core, said first inductor being connected as a series pass device between a first phase output from said AC power source and a first input to said means for rectifying, said second inductor being connected as a series pass device between a second phase output from said AC power source and a second input to said means for rectifying, said third inductor being connected as a series pass device between a third phase output from said AC power source and a third input to said means for rectifying, said common core being an E-I shaped core with each of said first, second, and third inductors being wound on respective legs of said E-I shaped core;
• means for controlling the saturation of said common core, said means for controlling causing magnetic saturation of said core during normal load conditions to allow current to freely flow through said first, second, and third inductors, said means for controlling causing a reduction of the magnetization of said common core below saturation upon the occurrence of a short circuit fault of said load to increase the reactance of said first, second, and third inductors and limit the amount of AC current flowing from said AC power source through said first second and third inductors.