Patent ID: 8749938

Claim:
A fault current limiter comprising: a first switch; a second switch; a power semiconductor element serially connected to the second switch; a detector configured to detect an inflow of a fault current, and when the fault current is detected, transmit a turn-on signal to the first switch, a turn-off signal to the power semiconductor element, and an open signal to the second switch, wherein the power semiconductor element is changed to an OFF state by the turn-off signal, and wherein the first switch is configured to form a current limiting circuit upon being switched to an ON state by the turn-on signal, wherein the second switch is configured to open a contact point in response to the open signal in order to protect the power semiconductor element against the fault current; a first power fuse serially connected with the first switch and configured to temporarily cut off the fault current upon detection of the fault current by the detector, wherein the serial connection of the first switch and the first power fuse is connected in parallel to the serial connection of the power semiconductor element and the second switch; and a resistance element configured to block the fault current; and a second power fuse serially connected to the resistance element and configured to cut off any fault current passing the resistance element, wherein the serial connection of the resistance element and the second power fuse is connected to the first power fuse in parallel.