Abstract: As a key part of series resonant type fault current limiter, the reliable operation of metal oxide voltage limiter(MOV)is especially important. By using electromagnetic transient analysis program, a 110 kV single-phase circuit was taken as the example for analyzing the energy absorption characteristics of MOV for the system short-circuit fault. The results showed that the longer short-circuit faults time, the more energy that the MOV absorbed and that the closed time of fast switch could determines the energy that MOV absorbed. In addition, the ANSYS finite element analysis program was also used for analyzing the transient thermal characteristics of MOV, by taking MOV valve units and the whole MOV as the research object. The temperature rise of MOV valve units as a function of the time of short-circuit fault and the injected energy was obtained. At the same time, the temperature field distribution of MOV valve units and the whole MOV were worked out, the temperature distribution characteristics were also analyzed. Based on the above analyses, a practical MOV was constructed and its temperature increase was experimentally determined. Good agreement between the determined temperature increase and the corresponding theoretical calculations was obtained, which indicating the calculations reliability. The research results could provided theoretical direction for the design of configuration strategy for fault current limiters and for the protection strategy of MOV temperature rise, and could present theoretical reference for the design of MOV.

Key words: fault current limiter, metal oxide voltage limiter(MOV), simulation, energy absorption, thermal characteristics