The　short　circuit　current　can　be　limited　quickly　after　being　detected　in　the　incipient　stage　of　short　circuit　fault,　in　this　case,　the　operation　safety　of　power　system　can　be　ensured.　In　this　paper,　the　area　surrounded　by　current　half-cycle　curve　and　the　time　axis　is　taken　as　the　criterion　of　early　detection　on　short　circuit　fault.　Combining　the　characteristics　of　distribution　network　short　circuit　fault　with　the　output　features　of　cascaded　H-bridge　converter,　a　method　based　on　three　single-phase　cascaded　H-bridge　multi-level　converters　is　proposed　in　flexible　short-current　limiting.　These　converters　are　connected　to　the　grid　via　coupled　capacitors.　The　voltage　signal　is　selected　as　the　feedback　so　that　the　converters　can　generate　output　voltage　to　achieve　the　goal　of　limiting　fault　current　using　an　appropriate　control　method.　The　simulation　results　show　that　based　on　the　early　detection,　the　proposed　method　can　suppress　the　first　peak　value　of　the　fault　current　to　mitigate　the　harms　and　relieve　the　burden　of　circuit　breaker.　In　addition,　the　selection　of　faulty　phases　is　unnecessary.　©　2017,　The　editorial　office　of　Transaction　of　China　Electrotechnical　Society.　All　right　reserved.