CIRCUIT BREAKERS

• SWITCHGEAR

A COMMON TERM FOR DEVICES USED FOR MAKING AND

BREAKING CIRCUITS IN THE ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEM

INCLUDING AUX,COMPONENTS LIKE RELAYS,COILS ETC.

• SWITCH

A MECHANICAL DEVICE FOR MAKING AND BREAKING NON-

AUTOMATICALLY A CIRCUIT UNDER FULL LOAD

• ISOLATOR

A MECHANICAL DEVICE FOR MAKING AND BREAKING A CKT.

NON-AUTOMATICALLY A CKT. UNDER NO-LOAD ONLY

• CONTACTOR

A DEVICE FOR MAKING AND BREAKING A CIRCUIT UNDER FULL

LOAD, BEINGELECTRO-MAGNETICALLY OPERATED.

• BREAKER
A DEVICE FOR MAKING AND BREAKING A CIRCUIT UNDER
NORMAL AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS

ELECTRICAL FAULT

• AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAULT CAN BE DEFINED AS AN UBNORMAL

CONDITION IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT CAUSES FAILURE OF
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENTS IN THE CIRCUIT SUCH AS :
TRANSFORMERS , CABLES , BUS BAR , AND ALL OTHER EQUIPMENT IN
THE SYSTEM THAT OPERATES AT A GIVEN VOLTAGE LEVEL.

• The faults in power system causes over current, under voltage,

unbalance of the phases, reversed power and high voltage surges. This
results in the interruption of the normal operation of the network,
failure of equipments, electrical fires, etc.
 • FAULT CAN BE CATAGORIZED AS:-

• 1) SHORT CIRCUIT FAULT:- This caused when there is an insulation

failure create a short circuit condition.

• 2) OPEN CIRCUIT FAULT :- This is caused when there is a failure

happens in the conducting path of electricity.

Further these faults can be divided in to SYMMETRICAL OR ASYMMETRICAL

FAULT.

• Consider that a transmission line is working with a balanced load before

the occurrence of open circuit fault. If one of the phase gets melted, the
actual loading of the alternator is reduced and this cause to raise the
acceleration of the alternator, thereby it runs at a speed slightly greater
than synchronous speed.

• This over speed causes over voltages in other transmission lines.

• Thus, single and two phase open conditions can produce the unbalance
of the power system voltages and currents that causes great damage to
the equipments.
A short circuit can be defined as an abnormal connection of very low
impedance between two points of different potential, whether made
intentionally or accidentally.

3 PHASE FAULTS

• The various possible short circuit fault conditions include three phase to
earth, three phase clear of earth, phase to phase, single phase to earth,
two phase to earth and phase to phase plus single phase to earth as
shown in figure.

• The three phase fault clear of earth and three phase fault to earth are
balanced or symmetrical short circuit faults while other remaining faults
are unsymmetrical faults.
Short Circuit Level

• An electrical system consists of Power generation, transmission and

distribution

• Short circuit level at any point in a system is the measure of fault current
that will flow at that point during a fault condition

• S.C. level at various points in the system can vary in magnitude.

• S.C. level of a system is the maximum fault current than can occur during
a fault in the system.

S.C. level is given in KA

Effects of Short Circuit

• High currents during Short circuits can cause damage to electrical

installation by giving rise to excessive

• Thermal Stresses

• Mechanical Stresses
 • Arcing

Thermal Stresses

• Heavy fault current causes temp. of cables, busbar and current-carrying

parts of a breaker to rise enormously even if the circuit is interrupted in
a few cycles.

• ( Temp. rise is proportional to I*I*t where I= Current flowing in the

conductor and t = the duration of the current flow)

• Frequent repetitions of these stresses will reduce the life of the

insulation of cables, bus bar supports, breakers etc. leading to a
permanent damage to the installation.

Mechanical Stresses

• Heavy fault currents set up mutual forces between current-carrying

conductors causing them to be mechanically stressed.

• (This force is proportional to I*I/d where

I = Current flowing in the conductor and

d = Distance between the conductors )

• These forces can cause conductors to bend or break and also

mechanically damage the insulation of the cables, bus supports, etc.
Arcing

• An arc, which occurs at the point of contact separation in a breaker,

represents an enormous concentration of energy and can cause severe
damage at the point of arcing by burning away the contact tips, and
adjacent conductors and insulation.

• Greater the distance of contact separation, higher are the effect of

arcing

• With arcing, the time duration is extremely important because the feet
of the arc tend to move towards the supply source, spreading the area
of damage.

Methods adopted to minimize

Effects of Short Circuit

• A well-designed Protective Relay system trips out a breaker and isolates

the faulty circuit from the power source within a short time to
prevent/minimize effects of high short circuit current, as and when it
occurs.

• The equipment in the system, the cables, the switchgear, the bus bar,
the generator are designed to withstand the effects of short circuit
during that short period.

Prior Calculation of the short circuit levels in the system is therefore required
to help in

a. Designing an appropriate Protective Relay System

b. Choosing the right switchgear with suitable short circuit withstand capacity
to be used in the system.

Definition of a Circuit Breaker

“A device capable of making and

breaking of an electric circuit under

normal and abnormal condition”

 • Functions of a Circuit breaker

1) Make or break a circuit manually or by remote control under normal

conditions.

• 2) Break a circuit automatically under fault conditions (like over

current, Short circuit, etc).

• 3) Make a circuit manually or by remote control under the fault

conditions.

• To continuously monitor the current flowing in the circuit and to protect

the system by tripping when there are overloads or short-circuits in the
system as quickly as possible to minimize effects of short circuits and
overloads.

Circuit breakers for controlling and protection of different parts of the

circuit like Transformers, Motors, Generators/Alternator etc.
Purpose of Circuit Breakers

• Purpose of Circuit Breakers are

• 1. Close on normal and fault currents

• 2. Break normal and fault currents

• 3. Carry fault currents without blowing itself up.

• Important characteristics of CB are

• 1. The total breaking time -The speed with which the main current is
opened after a tripping impulse is received.
2. The Rupturing capacity - The capacity of the circuit that the main
contacts are capable of interrupting without being destroyed or causing
an arc in short time.

• Breaker specifications

• Rated Normal Current – R.M.S. value of current that the breaker can
carry continuously with the temp. rise in the current carrying parts
within 40-50 C.

• Making Capacity- Maximum (fault) current on which the breaker can

make without incurring any damage to itself.

• Expressed in Peak value of making current in KA.

• Breaking Capacity- Maximum (fault) current which the breaker can break
without incurring any damage to itself.

• Expressed in RMS value in KA/MVA.

Types of Breakers

• Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs)

• Molded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCBs)

• Air Circuit Breakers (ACBs)

• Bulk Oil Circuit Breakers (OCBs)

• Minimum Oil Circuit Breakers (MOCBs)

• SF 6 Breakers

• Vacuum Circuit Breakers (VCBs)

What is Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB

• MCBs are used primarily as an alternative to the fuse switch in most of

the circuits.

• An MCB or miniature circuit breaker is an electromagnetic device that

embodies a complete enclosure in a moulded insulating material.

• The main function of an MCB is to switch the circuit, i.e., to open the
circuit (which has been connected to it) automatically when
the current passing through it (MCB) exceeds the value for which it is
set.

• It can be manually switched ON and OFF as similar to normal switch if

necessary.

• Protects lines and cables against overload and short-circuit. Can also be
used for limited motor protection applications.

• Fixed current setting and trip characteristics

• Manually closed and electrically tripped.

• Max. current capacity – 63 Amps

• Rated Breaking Capacity – upto 10 KA

• Moulded case circuit breaker

• MCCB is an automatic electrical device used to protect the electrical

equipment from overload, short circuit, instantaneous over current and
earth fault.

• It is an advanced version of MCB (Miniature circuit breaker). It is

available from 32 Amps to 1600 Amps with the voltage range of 230V to
1.1kV.

• It has a higher current rating of up to 2500, Amp, and adjustable trip

settings

• Used for protection of

• * DG Sets

• * Transformers

• * Distribution Feeders

• * Motors (Back-up protection)

• Current Capacity - available up to 1200 Amps

• Manually/Electrically closed and tripped

 • Available with

• * Fixed/Adjustable thermal trip settings

• * Fixed/Adjustable magnetic trip settings

• The MCCB uses a temperature sensitive device (the thermal element)

with a current sensitive electromagnetic device (the magnetic element)
to provide the trip mechanism for protection and isolation purposes.
This enables the MCCB to provide:

• Overload Protection,

• Electrical Fault Protection against short circuit currents, and

• Electrical Switch for disconnection.

AIR CIRCUIT BREAKER

MAIN FUNCTION OF THE AIR CIRCUIT BREAKERS IS TO:-

• A) OPEN AND CLOSE 3 PHASE CIRCUIT MANUALLY AND

AUTOMATICALLY.

• B) OPEN THE CIRCUIT AUTOMATICALLY WHEN FAULT OCCURS.

MAIN FEATURES OF ACB IS THE ARC QUENCHING DURING THE

OPENING AND CLOSING OF ACB UNDER FAULT CONDITION.

• Used as Generator and Bus-tie breakers

• Arc extinction takes place in the medium of fresh air.

• Current capacity – available up to 6300 Amps.

• Breaking capacity – available up to 100 KA.

• Manually/Electrically spring charged closing.

• Manually/Electrically tripped.
• Simple to operate and maintain.

• High Dielectric strength even in hot, humid conditions.

• High degree of system protection and coordination due to

the use of Micro processor based releases. (Optional)

• Under voltage Trip instantaneous/time delay type.

• Adjustable Instantaneous short-circuit trips. (Magnetic)

• Adjustable overload settings 80-120% of nominal current.

What is an Arc in a Circuit breaker

• During opening of current carrying contacts in a circuit breaker the

medium in between opening contacts become highly ionized through
which the interrupting current gets low resistive path and continues to
flow through this path even the contacts are physically separated.

• During the flowing of current from one contact to other the path
becomes so heated that it glows. This is called arc.

• As long as this arc is sustained in between the contacts the current

through the circuit breaker will not be interrupted because arc is itself a
 conductive path of electricity. For total interruption of current the circuit
breaker it is essential to quench the arc as quick as possible.

Methods of arc interruption in Circuit breakers

• There are two methods by which interruption is done.

• 1. High resistance method,

• 2. Low resistance method or zero interruption method.

• High resistance method

• In high interruption method we can increase the electrical resistance of

the arc and it forces the current to reach to zero and thus restricting the
possibility of arc being re struck.

• The arc resistance can be increased by various methods like lengthening

or cooling of the arc etc.

• This method is used in dc power circuit breaker, and low and medium
ac power circuit breaker.

• Low resistance method is applicable only for ac circuit and it is possible

there because of presence of natural zero of current.

• The arc gets extinguished at the natural zero of the ac wave and is
prevented from restricting again by rapid building of dielectric strength
of the contact space

Air Break Circuit Breaker (ACB

• air as an arc quenching medium.

• This type of circuit breaker employs a high resistance interruption

principle.

• The arc runners and chutes increase the arc length. Moreover, by
cooling and splitting techniques arc resistance increases . This will
extinguish the arc at the current zero.
 • The breaker has two contacts: main contact and arc contact. The main
contacts are silver plated and have low contact resistance. The current
conduct when the mains contacts are in a closed position. The arcing
contacts are made of copper alloy and they are heat resistant.

Working Principle of an ACB

• When the breaker is in close condition, the current flows in the main
contact.

• When the contacts are open, the main contact is separated first and the
arcing contact remains closed.

• Therefore, the current in the main contact moves to the arcing contact.

• Now the arcing contacts are separated and an arc is formed between
them.

• The lengthening, splitting, and cooling the arc increases the resistance.
The arc runner (Arcing horns) and arc chutes increases the length of the
arc. The arc moves along the arc runner and forced to move upwards
into the arc chute.

• The arc is split in this way by arc splitters and thus it extinguishes
SF6 Circuit breaker

• In an SF6 Circuit breaker, sulphur hexafluoride gas is used as the arc

quenching medium.

• The sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6) is an electronegative gas and has a

strong tendency to absorb free electrons.

• The contacts of the breaker are opened in a high-pressure flow sulphur

hexafluoride (SF6) gas and an arc is struck between them.

• The gas captures the conducting free electrons in the arc to form
relatively immobile negative ions.

• This loss of conducting electrons in the arc quickly builds up enough

insulation strength to extinguish the arc.

• SF6 CBs are used in substations for all voltages ranging from 144 to 765
kV or even above.

• The SF6 circuit breaker consists of two main parts:

• 1) The Interrupter Unit

• 2) The Gas System

• Interrupter Unit

• The interrupter unit of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) circuit breaker consists

of fixed and moving contacts enclosed in a chamber.

• The chamber is called the arc interruption chamber which contains the
SF6 gas.

• This chamber is connected to sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) gas reservoir. A

valve mechanism is there to permit the gas to the arc interruption
chamber.
•

• When the contacts of the breaker are opened, the valve mechanism
permits a high-pressure sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) gas from the
reservoir to flow towards the arc interruption chamber.

• The high-pressure flow of sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6) rapidly absorbs

the free electrons in the arc path. It forms immobile negative ions which
are ineffective as charge carriers.
 • The result is that the medium between the contacts quickly builds up
high dielectric strength and causes the extinction of the arc.

ADVANTAGES OF SF6 BREAKERS

• 1) VERY SHORT ARCING TIME DUE TO SUPERIOR ARC QUENCHING

PROPERTY OF SF6 GAS.

• 2)DIEELECTRIC STRENGEH OF SF6 GAS IS 2-3 TIMES MORE THAN

AIR, THERE FOR CAN INTERRUPT MUCH LARGER CURRENTS.

• NOISE LESS OPERATION DUE TO CLOSED GAS CIRCUIT.

Vacuum Circuit Breaker

• In a vacuum circuit breaker is a the arc quenching takes place in a

vacuum medium.

• The operation of opening and closing of current carrying contacts and

arc interruption takes place in a vacuum chamber in the breaker which is
called a vacuum interrupter.

• It is mainly used for medium voltage ranging from 11 KV to 33 KV.

• The pressure inside the vacuum interrupter is approximately 10-4 torrent

and at this pressure, very few molecules are present in the interrupter.

• When the fault occurs in the system, the contacts of the breaker are
moved apart and hence the arc is developed between them.

• When the current carrying contacts are pulled apart, the temperature of
their connecting parts is very high due to which ionization occurs.

• Due to the ionization, the contact space is filled with vapour of positive
ions which is discharged from the contact material.

At current zero the arc is extinguished very quickly, and the dielectric
strength is established very quickly. At current zero the vaporized metal which
is localized between the contacts diffuses rapidly on the surface of the
contacts, resulting in a quick recovery of dielectric strength
Since vacuum has a very fast rate of recovery of dielectric strength, the arc
extinction in a vacuum breaker occurs with a short contact separation of a
distance of 5 to 10 mm depending upon the operating voltage

The construction is mainly divided into three parts,

i.e., fixed contacts, moving contact and arc shield which is placed inside the arc
interrupting chamber

The outer envelope of vacuum circuit breaker is made up of glass because the
glass envelope help in the examination of the breaker from outside after the
operation.

The fixed and moving contacts of the breaker are placed inside the arc shield.
The pressure in a vacuum interrupter at the time of sealing off is kept at about
10-6 torr.

The moving contacts of the circuit breaker are move through a distance of 5 to
10 mm depending upon the operating voltage.

The metallic bellows made of stainless steel is used to move the moving
contacts. The design of the metallic bellows is very important because the life
of the vacuum circuit breaker depends on the ability of the component to
perform repeated operations satisfactorily.
ARC FORMATION IN VCB

• WHEN THE CURRENT CARRYING CONTACTS OPEN IN A CIRCUIT

BREAKER, CATHODE SPOTS ARE FORMED DEPENDING UP ON THE
CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH THE CONTACTS.
 • THE CONTACTS SURFACE SURFASE IS NORMALLY NOT PERFECTLY
SMOOTH AND MAY HAVE MANY MICRO PROJECTIONS ON THE
SURFACE.

• WHEN CURRENT CARRYING CONTACTS ARE BEING SEPERATED IN A

VCB THE CURRENT FLOWING IN THE CIRCUIT WILL BE
CONCENTRATED AT THOSE PROJECTIONS AS THEY FORM THE LAST
POINT OF CONTACTS.

• DUE TO THEIR SMALL AREA OF CONTACTS THE PROJECTIONS ARE

SUFFICIENTLY HEATED UP AND THEY SUFFER EXPLOSIVE
EVAPORATION OF METAL AND SUPPLY THE METAL VAPOR FO
FORMATION OF ARC IN VCB.

ARC EXTINCTION IN VCB

• SUCCESSFUL CURRENT INTERRUPTION BY A VACCUM ARC DEPENDS UP ON HOW
FAST THE METAL VAPOR IS CONDENCED IN TO ANODE AND SHIELD NEAR AT
CURRENT ZERO.

• AT CURRENT ZERO CROSSING THE ARC CURRENT FALLS AND ULTIMATELY BECOME
ZERO AT EXACT CURRENT ZERO.

• THE METAL VAPOR DENSITY ALSO BECOME VERY LESS AT CUTTENT ZERO AS
MAXIMUM METAL VAPOR IS CONDENCED IN TO ANODE AND SHIELD.

THE DENSITY OF METAL VAPOR BECOME SO LOW THROUGH THE GAP DURING ZERO
CROSSING OF CURRENT,THE CONTACT GAP BECOMES AN INSULATOR WHICH PREVENTS THE
STRIKING OF ARC AGAIN

Advantages of using VCB

• Contact separation (travel) in a breaker is inversely proportional to the

Dielectric strength of the medium in which the contacts separate.

• Vacuum has a high Dielectric Strength and ensures

– Shorter Contact Travel due to the High Dielectric Strength of the

vacuum and

– A shorter Arcing time resulting in lower arc energy.

• The above features ensure the following

 – Compact quiet unit

– Minimizing size of breaker

– Non-flammable and non-toxic

– Contacts suffer lesser wear thereby ensuring longer life of the

breaker

Vacuum Checker
The purpose of a vacuum integrity test is to confirm that the pressure in a
vacuum interrupter is low enough for the interrupter to reliably perform its
switching and insulating functions.

Checking for vacuum

Contact Gap Gauge

Used to check the contact gap in side the vacuum intrepture externally
Checking contact gap

Comparison between breakers

SF6/VACUMM
AIR CIRCUIT OIL CIRCUIT
FACTOR CIRCUIT
BREAKER BREAKER
BREAKER
EMISSION OF HOT
EXPLOSION AND NO RISK OF
SAFETY AIR AND IONISED
FIRE RISK EXPLOSION
GAS
SIZE MEDIUM BULKY SMALLER
FREQUENT
FREQUENT
REPLACEMENT
MAINTENANCE REPLACEMENT MINIMUM
OF ARCING
OF OIL
CONTACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL DUST AND HUMITITY IN ATMOSPHERE
CAN CHANGE PROPERTIES OF NO EFFECTS
DIELECTRIC MEDIUM SINCE SEALED

ENDURANCE AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE EXECELLENT

NO. OF
MEDIUM LOW SF6 – MEDIUM
OPERATION VACUMM - HIGH

UPTO 1KV 3.3 – 22KV SF6 – UPTO 800KV

ECONOMICAL VACUUM – 3.3 –
VOLTAGE RANGE 36KV