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An inrush current limiter is a device or devices combination used to limit inrush current. Passive resistive components such as resistors (with power dissipation drawback), or negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors are simple options while the positive one (PTC) is used to limit max current afterward as the circuit has been operating (with cool-down time drawback on both).
NTC thermistors can be used as inrush-current limiting devices in power supply circuits when added in series with the circuit being protected. They present a higher resistance initially, which prevents large currents from flowing at turn-on. As current continues to flow, NTC thermistors heat up, allowing higher current flow during normal operation.
If the example circuit from before is used with a pre-charge circuit which limits the dV/dT to less than 600 volts per second, then the inrush current will be reduced from 670 amperes to 7 amperes. This is a "kinder and gentler" way to activate a high voltage DC power distribution system.
Inrush current, input surge current, or switch-on surge is the maximal instantaneous input current drawn by an electrical device when first turned on. Alternating-current electric motors and transformers may draw several times their normal full-load current when first energized, for a few cycles of the input waveform.
Current limiting reactor. The main motive of using current limiting reactors is to reduce short-circuit currents so that circuit breakers with lower short circuit breaking capacity can be used. They can also be used to protect other system components from high current levels and to limit the inrush current when starting a large motor. [5]
As an inrush current limiter device in power supply circuits, they present a higher resistance initially, which prevents large currents from flowing at turn-on, and then heat up and become much lower resistance to allow higher current flow during normal operation.
Current limiter with NPN transistors. The circuit to the left overcomes the thermal problem (see also, current limiting). To see how the circuit works, assume the voltage has just been applied at V+. Current runs through R1 to the base of Q1, turning it on and causing current to begin to flow through the load into the collector of Q1.
The lower the coefficient, the greater a decrease in electrical resistance for a given temperature increase. NTC materials are used to create inrush current limiters (because they present higher initial resistance until the current limiter reaches quiescent temperature), temperature sensors and thermistors.