STUDY OF CIRCUIT

BREAKERS

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS CIRCUIT BREAKER??

NEED OF CIRCUIT BREAKER??

WHERE IT IS USED??

HOW IT OPERATES??

WHAT IS CIRCUIT BREAKER??

A circuit breaker is an
automatically-operated
electrical switch designed
to protect an electrical
circuit from damage
caused by overload or
short circuit
Circuit breaker layout

CAUSE FOR ARC FORMATION

Equivalent circuit

Arc phenomenon

ARC PHENOMENON
when a short circuit
occurs, the contacts of
circuit breaker begin to
separate
The p.d between the
contacts is sufficient to
ionize the air or oil or gas.
This ionized air acts as
conductor and ARC is
struck between them even
though contacts of breaker
are opened

ARC INTERRUPTION METHODS:

High Resistance
Interruption
The resistance of arc is
increased by
1.Cooling of arc
2.Increasing the length of
arc
3.Reducing the cross
sectional area of arc
4.Spliting of arc

Low Resistance
Interruption
1.Energy Balance Theory
If rate of heat generation is
lesser than rate of heat
dissipation between the
contacts arc will be
extinguished.
2.Voltage Rate Theory
if the dielectric strength
increases more rapidly than the
restricking voltage arc is
extinguished.

TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Based of insulating medium employed in the circuit
breakers , CBs are classified as
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Air Break Circuit Breakers (ACB)

Air Blast Circuit Breakers (ABCB)
Oil Circuit Breakers (OCB)
Vacuum Circuit Breakers (VCB)
Sulphur Hexafluoride Circuit Breakers (SF6CB)

AIR B REAK CIRCUIT BREAKERS (ACB)

Generally indoor type

Used for DC circuits upto 12kV

For low and medium AC circuits, usually upto 6.6kV, 4002400A and rupturing currents of 13-20kA
Arc is lengthened by magnetic field and arc runners
Finally arc extinguished by arc splitters
Two sets of contacts: main and arcing contacts
Main contacts are to dislodge first and do not open any
current
Arcing contacts are closed under spring pressure and
made of hard copper alloy

AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Compressed air of 20-30kg/cm2 is
used for arc extinction in this type of
breakers.
A compressor is needed for
maintaining the air pressure .
Arc is blown away by the blast of air
under pressure.
Scavenging the products of
ionization after current zero with
consequent arc extinction within a
cycle
The air gap (1.75cm) is very small
between the contacts after separation.

THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF AIR BLAST CBS

Axial-blast type

Cross-blast type

fig: cross flow ABCB

Air blast is directed along the

arc path. The fixed and
moving contacts are held in
the closed position by spring
pressure under normal
condition

Air blast is directed at right

angles to the arc.
The cross blast lengthens and
forces the arc into a suitable
chute (Arc splitters) for arc
extinction.

Radial-blast type

Advantages
1.The risk of fire is
eliminated.
2.Cheap compared to oil circuit
breaker
3.Arcing time is very less thereby
less burning of contacts
Disadvantages
1.The air blast circuit breakers are very
sensitive to the variations in the rate of
rise of restriking voltage
2.Maintenance is required for
compressor plant which supplies air
blast.

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS (OCB)

Transformer oil is used as quenching
medium
Heat of the arc causes the oil to decompose
into hydrogen(70%), acetelyn etc.
Hydrogen gas has high heat conductivity
and cools the arc, thus aiding the deionization of the medium between the
contacts.
Gas formation rises the pressure inside the
device, arc is pushed across the side vents,
thereby elongating the arc
Gas sets up turbulence in the oil and forces
it into the space between contacts, thus
eliminating the arcing products from the arc
path.

TYPES OF OIL CIRCUIT

BREAKERS
Bulk oil circuit breakers

A large oil tank is used The oil has to serve 2

purposes.

It extinguishes the arc during opening of contacts

and ,

It insulates the current conducting parts from one

another and from the earthed tank.

Still used for voltages upto 66kV

Cross sectional view

Of
bulck oil CB

TYPES OF OIL CIRCUIT

BREAKERS
Low oil circuit breakers

Arc is extinguished in a small arc control device

filled with oil

oil is used only for arc extinction

Current conducting parts are insulated by air or

porcelain or organic insulating material.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

1.

It requires smaller space for installation.

2.

1.
The degree of carbonization is
increased due to less quantity of oil.
2.

Maintenance problems are reduced.

3.

Requires less quantity of oil.

4.

Risk of fire is reduced.

Difficulty of removing the gases

from the contact space in time.
3.

Possibility of explosion.

4.
The dielectric strength of the oil
deteriorates rapidly due to high degree of
carbonization.

VAC U UM CIRCUIT BREAKERS(VCB)

oVacuum as such is a dielectric
medium and arc cannot persist in ideal
vacuum
oVacuum in the order of 10-4 torr is
used as the arc quenching medium.
Far superior arc quenching properties
than any other medium.
As soon as the arc is produced in
vacuum, it is quickly extinguished
due to the fast rate of recovery of
dielectric strength in vacuum.

When the breaker operates, the

moving contact separates from the
fixed contact and an arc is struck
between the contacts.
The arc is quickly extinguished
because the metallic vapours,
electrons and ions produced during
arc are diffused in a short time and
seized by the surfaces of moving
and fixed members and shields.
Since vacuum has very fast rate of
recovery of dielectric strength, the
arc extinction in a vacuum breaker
occurs with a short contact
separation (say 0.0625 cm).

Advantages

Disadvantages
1. Vacuum circuit
breakers are very
expensive. Production in
small quantities is
uneconomical.
2. For above 36KV VCBs
are not used.
3.They require high
technology for production.
4.In case of loss of
vacuum, the entire
breaker is useless.

1.

VCB are compact, reliable and have longer

life .

2.

They have low arc energy.

3.

Risk of fire is eliminated.

5.

4.

Maintenance is less.

There is no generation of gas during and

after operation.
6.

They can withstand lightning surges.

SULPHUR HEXAFLUORIDE (SF6) CB

SF6 is a highly chemically inert nontoxic,
noninflammable gas
Dielectric strength is 2 or 3 times that of
air
Heat transfer capability is 2 to 2 times
that of air
Chemically stable at temperatures at
which oil begins to decompose and
oxidize
Electronegative, its molecules rapidly
absorb free electrons forming heavy slow
moving negative ions, which are
ineffective as current carriers
Used in 6.6kV to 765kV and 20-60kA
rupturing capacity

SF6 consists of 2parts mainly:

1) The interrupter unit

This consists of fixed contacts which

comprise a set of current carrying
fingers and an arcing probe. As the
contacts move further apart, the arc is
extended and attenuated. It is finally
extinguished by the gas flow the high
pressure to the low pressure systems.

2) The gas system.

The low and high pressure system are
fitted with low pressure alarms and a set
of lock-out switches which give a
warning the moment the gas pressure
drops below a certain value

Advantages

1.

Due to superior arc quenching property, SF6 circuit

breakers have very short arcing time.

2. Since the dielectric strength of SF6 is 2 to 3 times

than that of air , these breakers can interrupt
larger currents
3.

The SF6 circuit breaker gives noiseless operation

due to its closed gas circuit .

4.

Risk of fire is eliminated because SF6 gas is nonflammable.

Disadvantages

1. SF6 breakers are costly due to high cost

of SF6 .
2. Sealing problems arise , imperfect joints
give rise to leakage of gases.
3. After every operation, SF6 gas has to be
reconditioned, so additional equipment is
required.

CIRCUIT BREAKER RATINGS

The rating of a circuit breaker is given according to the
duties that are performed by it. The circuit breaker is
required to perform following major duties:
1.A circuit breaker must be capable of breaking the circuit
and isolating the faulty section in case of faults. This is
described as Breaking capacity of C.B.
2.It must be capable of being closed under faulty condition.
This is described as Making capacity of C.B.
3.It must be capable of carrying fault current for a short
period of time.
This is described as Short time capacity.

OPERATING MECHANISM
Spring mechanism
For circuit breakers up to 245 KV, spring operating mechanism is used. The
closing spring gets charged by geared motor. During closing stroke the
closing spring is discharged. It closes the breaker and also charges the
opening springs. The C.B mechanism is basically very simple since it
compresses a motor reducer and two springs.

Hydraulic mechanism
The hydraulic cylinder is mounted at the base of interrupter unit
and the hydraulic rod is pushed up during closing stroke and pushed
down during opening stroke.
The hydraulic oil at atmosphere pressure from the low pressure
tank is pumped into accumulators at high pressure oil is used for
opening and closing operations.

PNEUMATIC MECHANISM
The pressure of operating air produced by the self
enclosed motor compressor unit is supervised by a pressure
gauge and controlled by a pressure switch. This type of system
is providing for each pole of 420KV and 765KV.

In EHV OCB, compressed air is used for closing and a

spring is used for opening. The spring is charged during the
closing stroke. In ABCB, compressed air is used for both
closing and opening. In some cases of ABCB, the moving
contact is held in closed position by a spring. When
compressed air enters the arc chamber and its pressure exceeds
the spring force, the contacts are opened. The contacts
automatically come in closed position by the spring action
when the supply of compressed air is stopped. Therefore, the
supply of compressed air must be maintained till the auxiliary
CB switch is opened.

CONCLUSION

We have abundant resources for power generation.

Besides generation we have to protect our transmission,
distribution and household equipment mainly we have
to protect our lives from electrical hazards. So, for the
protection circuit breaker is a major and important
device used for protecting and interrupting the power
supply from the fault conditions

BY
N.YAMINI
P.RAJESH
S.SUNEEL KUMAR
J.PRIYANKA
V.SUDHEER KUMAR