Current limiting reactor
In electrical engineering, current limiting reactors can reduce short-circuit currents, which result from plant expansions and power source additions, to levels that can be adequately handled by existing distribution equipment.<ref name="Source 1">Simpson, James. "The how and why of current-limiting reactors". EC&M Electrical Construction & Maintenance. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)</ref>
They can also be used in high voltage electric power transmission grids for a similar purpose. In the control of electric motors, current limiting reactors can be used to restrict starting current or as part of a speed control system.
History
Current limiting reactors, once called current limiting reactance coils, were first presented in 1915.<ref name="Source 4">Dann, Walter Melville; Rudd, H. H. (June 17–18, 1915). The Use of Current-Limiting Reactors. Meeting of the Society of Mechanical, Electrical, and Steam Engineers. Boody House, Toledo, Ohio. Retrieved 18 September 2012.</ref> The inventor of the current limiting reactance coil was Vern E. Alden who filed the patent on November 20, 1917 with an issue date of September 11, 1923. The original assignee was Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company.<ref name="Source 5">US 1467771, Alden, Vern, "Current Limiting Reactance Coil", issued September 11, 1923, assigned to Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company</ref>
Operation
A current limiting reactor is used when the prospective short-circuit current in a distribution or transmission system is calculated to exceed the interrupting rating of the associated switchgear. The inductive reactance is chosen to be low enough for an acceptable voltage drop during normal operation, but high enough to restrict a short circuit to the rating of the switchgear. The amount of protection that a current limiting reactor offers depends upon the percentage increase in impedance that it provides for the system.<ref name="Source 2">"Current Limiting Reactors: Technical Overview and Measurement Procedures" (PDF). NWL. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2012.</ref>
The main motive of using current limiting reactors is to reduce short-circuit currents so that circuit breakers with lower short circuit breaking capacity can be used. They can also be used to protect other system components from high current levels and to limit the inrush current when starting a large motor.<ref name="Source 3">"Quality Power". Archived from the original on 10 March 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2012.</ref>
Construction
It is desirable that the reactor does not go into magnetic saturation during a short circuit, so generally an air-core coil is used. At low and medium voltages, air-insulated coils are practical; for high transmission voltages, the coils may be immersed in transformer oil. Installation of air-core coils requires consideration of the magnetic field produced by the coils, which may induce current in large nearby metal objects. This may result in objectionable temperature rise and waste of energy.<ref>"Electrical Transmission and Distribution Reference Book", Westinghouse Electr Corporation, Pittsburgh PA, 1950 pp. 133-135</ref>
Line reactor
A line reactor is an inductor wired between a power source and a load. In addition to the current limiting function, the device serves to filter out spikes of current <ref>http://www.myronzucker.com/linereactorpg1.html What is a Line Reactor?</ref> and may also reduce injection of harmonic currents into the power supply. The most common type is designed for three-phase electric power, in which three isolated inductors are each wired in series with one of the three line phases.<ref>"Cos Phi Inc. - Line/Load Reactor Applications". Archived from the original on 2012-12-28. Retrieved 2014-04-01. Line reactor configurations</ref> Line reactors are generally installed in motor driven equipment to limit starting current, and may be used to protect Variable-frequency drives and motors.:<ref>"Line Reactors and VFDs". ecmweb.com. Archived from the original on 2004-10-20. </ref>)
