ABSTRACT
Short-circuits occur in well-designed power systems and cause large decaying transient currents, generally much above the system load currents. These result in disruptive electrodynamic and thermal stresses that are potentially damaging. Fire risks and explosions are inherent. One tries to limit short-circuits to the faulty section of the electrical system by appropriate switching devices capable of operating under short-circuit conditions without damage and isolating only the faulty section, so that a fault is not escalated. The faster the operation of sensing and switching devices, the lower is the fault damage, and the better is the chance of systems holding together without loss of synchronism.
