Possible application of bulk textured Bi:2223 for current limitation

We analyze the potential for using Bi:2223 material obtained by hot forging process in power applications. Current-voltage characteristics have been investigated at 77 K using pulsed currents with an amplitude several times greater than the critical current of the samples. The objective of the present work is the fault current limiter application (FCL). For this application, high performance materials with a predetermined critical current and a homogeneous morphology are necessary. Here, we present measurements obtained on short textured samples. A shaped meander textured sample, connected in series of 0.21 m, has also been measured in current limitation application. According to the magnitude of the pulsed current injected through the sample, different regimes are observed (inductive behavior, recovery and normal state). The E-I curves reveal that the transition to normal state is very rapid for a high critical current density. An electric field of 1600 V/m has been measured and reproducibly repeated. The feasibility to obtain long length samples is demonstrated and results show the possibility to use these materials for FCL devices. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.