Circuit Breaker Selection (Section 10.

5)

AC Circuit Breakers
A circuit breaker is a mechanical switch capable of interrupting fault currents and of reclosing. Classified as low voltage circuit breakers (< 1500 V) OR power circuit breakers (>1500 V) Different types depending on the medium in which the arc is elongated (air, oil, SF6, vacuum..)

AC Circuit Breakers

Reclosing of circuit breakers

Most faults are temporary and self clearing. It is assumed that whatever caused the fault has disintegrated. In EHV systems the standard practice is to reclose only once. Multiple shot reclosing in EHV systems may lead to transient stability problems

Circuit breaker selection

Modern circuit breaker standards are based on symmetrical interrupting current. Only the symmetrical fault current at the point of location is calculated and a circuit breaker with symmetrical interrupting capability equal to the calculated current is chosen. Can handle asymmetrical fault current if dc offset is not too large Power circuit breakers with a 2 cycle interrupting time are designed to handle asymmetrical currents up to 1.4 times the symmetrical interrupting capability

Fault current components

Fault current components

Fault current components

Subtransient Period

Transient Period

Steady State Period

Fault current calculation

Period Fault Current Generator Reactance Synchronous Motor Reactance Induction Motor reactance ( 50 hp)

Subtranient period

Subtransient current OR Asymmetrical current Transient current OR Symmetrical current

XdG

Xdsm

Xdsm

Transient period

XdG

Xdsm Xdsm = 1.5Xdsm = ???Xdsm

E/X method for circuit breaker selection

Simplified method Maximum symmetrical fault current at point of fault is calculated using prefault voltage and system reactance. Resistances, shunt admittances, non-rotating impedances loads and prefault load currents are neglected. If X/R is < 15, then a circuit breaker with symmetrical interrupting capability equal to OR > calculated current is satisfactory

E/X method for circuit breaker selection

If X/R is > 15, the DC offset may not have decayed sufficiently and a method for correcting the calculated fault current to account for the DC and AC time constants needs to be applied. If X/R is unknown, the calculated fault current should not be more than 80% of the breakers interrupting capability.

Application Guide for AC High Voltage Circuit Breakers rated on a Symmetrical Current Basis

Application Guide for AC High Voltage Circuit Breakers rated on a Symmetrical Current Basis

Voltage ratings
Rated maximum voltage: Designated the maximum rms line-line operating voltage. Rated low frequency withstand voltage: The maximum rms line to line voltage the circuit breaker can withstand without insulation damage. Rated impulse withstand voltage: The maximum crest voltage of a voltage pulse with standard rise and delay times that the breaker insulation can withstand.

Voltage ratings
Rated voltage range factor K: The range of voltage for which the symmetrical interrupting capability times the operating voltage is constant.

Current ratings
Rated continuous current: The maximum rms current that the breaker can carry continuously while closed without heating. Rated short circuit current: The maximum rms symmetrical current that the breaker can safely interrupt at rated maximum voltage. Rated momentary current: The maximum rms asymmetrical current that the breaker can withstand while closed without damage.

Current ratings
Rated interrupting time: The time in cycles from the instant the trip coil is energized to the instant the fault current is cleared. Rated interrupting MVA: For a three phase circuit breaker, this is 3 times the rated maximum voltage in kV times the rated short circuit current in kA.

Symmetrical interrupting capability of a 69 kV class breaker

Symmetrical interrupting capability of a 69 kV class breaker

Symmetrical interrupting current increases from rated short circuit current I = 19 kA at rated maximum voltage Vmax = 72.5 kV to Imax = KI = (1.21)(19) = 23 kA at an operating voltage 72.5 of Vmin = ( )= = 60 kV.
1.21

For any operating voltage V between Vmin and Vmax the symmetrical interrupting current is
(72.5)(19)

Symmetrical interrupting capability of a 69 kV class breaker

For any operating voltage V below Vmin the symmetrical interrupting current remains constant at Imax = KI = 23 kA

Example 1
The calculated symmetrical fault is 17 kA at a three phase bus where the operating voltage voltage is 64 kV. The X/R ratio at the is unknown. Select a circuit breaker from the given tables for this bus.

Example 1
Consider the next highest available standard voltage from the table. Therefore consider a 69 kV class breaker. At 64 kV, the symmetrical interrupting capability (72.5)(19) of the breaker is = 21.5 kA
64

If X/R is unknown, the calculated fault current should not be more than 80% of the breakers interrupting capability. We need to do this check

Example 1
Calculated fault current = 17 kA Breakers interrupting capability = 21.5 kA
17 Therefore 21.5

= 79.1 % < 80%

So the calculated fault current is not more than 80% of the breakers interrupting capability therefore the chosen 69 kV class breaker is suitable for the application.

Example 2
A 69 kV circuit breaker has a voltage range factor K of 1.21, a continuous current rating of 1.2 kA and a short circuit current rating of 19 kA at a maximum rated voltage of 72.5 kV. Determine the maximum symmetrical interrupting capability of the breaker and determine the voltage range at which the symmetrical interrupting current is lower than the maximum symmetrical interrupting current

Example 2
Maximum symmetrical interrupting capability = K x rated short circuit current = 1.21(19) = 23 kA

Vmin =

( )

72.5 = 1.21

60 kV.

Therefore the voltage range at which the symmetrical interrupting current is lower than the maximum symmetrical interrupting current is 60 kV 72.5 kV

Tutorial Exercises

Tutorial Exercises

Tutorial Exercises