Question No. 1: Briefly explain different types of fuses used in electrical systems?

Types of Fuses:
The fuses are mainly classified into two types, depends on the input supply voltages they are the
AC fuses and the DC fuses. There are two major types of fuses.

1. DC fuse.
2. AC fuse.

1.DC Fuse:
The DC fuse opens or breaks the circuit when the excessive current flow through it. The only
difficulty with the DC fuse is that the arc produced by the direct current is very difficult to extinct because
there are no zero current flows in the circuit. For reducing the DC fuse arcing the electrodes are placed
more distance apart due to which the size of the fuse increases as compared to AC fuse.

2.AC fuse:
The AC fuses are categorized into two types they are the low voltage fuses and the high voltage
fuses.
1. Low voltage fuses.
2. High voltage fuses.
1.low voltage fuses:
Low voltage fuses are further divided into groups.
a. Rewireable fuses
b. Cartridge fuses
c. Drop-out fuses
d. Striker fuses
e. Switch fuses
a. Rewireable fuses:
This type of circuit is mostly used in the small current circuit or for domestic wiring. The fuse case
and the fuse carrier are the two main parts of the rewireable fuse. The base of the fuse is made up of
porcelain, and it holds the wires which may be made up of lead, tinned copper, aluminum or alloy of tin-
lead. The fuse carrier can be easily inserted or taken out in the base without opening the main switch.
b. cartridge fuses:
The fuse element is totally enclosed in an enclosed container, and it has metal contacts on both
sides. These fuses are further classified as D-type cartridge fuses and the Link type cartridge fuses.
D-type cartridges fuses:
The main parts of the D-type fuse are the base, adapter ring, cartridge and a fuse cap. The
cartridge is kept in the fuse cap, and the fuse cap is fixed to the fuse base. The cartridge tip touches the
conductor when it is completely screwed to the base and thus completes the circuit through the fuse links.
Link type cartridge fuses or HRC:
In such type of fuses, the fuse element carries the fault current for a long duration. If the fault is
not clear, then the fuse element will melt and open the circuit. The major advantage of HRC fuse is that it
clears the low as well as a high fault current.
c. drop-out fuses:
The melting of fuse causes the fuse element to drop out under gravity about its lower support.
Such type of fuse is used for the protection of outdoor transformers.
d. striker fuses:
It is a mechanical device having enough force and displacement which can be used for closing
tripping/indicator circuits.
e. switch fuses:
Such type of switches is used for low and medium voltages circuit. The rating of the fuse unit is in
the range of 30, 60, 100, 200, 400, 600, and 800 amperes. The fuse unit is available as 3-pole and 4- pole
unit. The making capacity of such type of fuses is up to 46 kA. They can safely break depending upon rating
currents of the order of 3 times the load current.
2. high voltage fuses:
The high voltage fuses have the special design. They are mainly classified into three types.
a. Cartridge type HV HRC fuses.
b. Expulsion type HV fuses.
c. Liquid type HV HRC fuses.
a. Cartridge Type HV HRC Fuse:
The fuse element of the HRC fuse is wound in the shape of the helix which avoids the corona effect
at the higher voltages. It has two fused elements placed parallel with each other, one of low resistance
and the other is of high resistance. The low resistance wire carries the normal current which is blown out
and reducing the short circuit current during the fault condition.
b. Expulsion Type HV Fuse:
Expulsion type fuses are widely used for the protection of feeders and transformer because of
their low cost. It is developed for 11kV, and their rupturing capacity is up to 250 MVA. Such type of fuses
comprises a hollow open-ended tube made of synthetic resin-bonded paper.
c. Liquid Type HV HRC Fuse:
Such type of fuses is filled with carbon tetrachloride and sealed at both the ends of the caps.
When the fault occurs then the current, exceed beyond the permissible limit, and the fuse element is
blown out. The liquid of the fuse acts as an arc extinguishing medium for the HRC fuses. They may be
employed for the transformer protection and the backup protection to the circuit breaker.
Question No. 2: Briefly explain different types of circuit breakers used in electrical
systems?
A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit
from damage caused by overload or short circuit situations.
Following are some major types of circuit breaker.
1. Miniature Circuit Breaker.
2. Molded Case Circuit Breaker.
3. Residual Current Circuit Breaker.
1. miniature circuit breaker:
A miniature circuit breaker (MCB) is an Electrical Switch which automatically switches off the
electrical circuit during an abnormal condition of the network means in overload condition as well as faulty
condition. Whenever continuous overcurrent flows through MCB, the bimetallic strip is heated and
deflects by bending. This deflection of bi-metallic strip releases a mechanical latch. As this mechanical
latch is attached with the operating mechanism, it causes to open the miniature circuit breaker contacts,
and the MCB turns off thereby stopping the current to flow in the circuit. To restart the flow of current
the MCB must be manually turned ON. This mechanism protects from the faults arising due to overcurrent
or overload and short circuit.
2. molded case circuit breaker:
A molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) is a type of electrical protection device that is used to
protect the electrical circuit from excessive current, which can cause overload or short circuit. With a
current rating of up to 2500A, MCCBs can be used for a wide range of voltages and frequencies with
adjustable trip settings. These breakers are used instead of miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) in large scale
PV systems for system isolation and protection purposes.
3. residual current circuit breaker:
A Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB) is an important safety measure when it comes to
protection of electrical circuits. It is a current sensing device, which can automatically measure and
disconnect the circuit whenever a fault occurs in the connected circuit or the current exceeds the rated
sensitivity. RCCB works on the principle of Kirchhoff’s law, which states that the incoming current must
be equal to the outgoing current in a circuit.