3. Specific application: current limiting

3.1 Context

The expansion of electrical networks of all kinds, from power distribution to telecommunications, in both industrial and domestic sectors, has greatly increased the risk of faults such as overvoltage or overcurrent. The multiplicity and complexity of electrical networks, and the need for reliable, high-efficiency systems, have led to the development of protection devices, particularly series protection. Because of the high energy content of short-circuits, there are several constraints on the design of current-limiting components. The first is its ability to limit and dissipate short-circuit energy, in the form of heat. The second constraint is the component's (or system's) ability to operate at high voltage, due to the overvoltages that can occur in electrical installations...