CIRCUIT BREAKERS

CIRCUIT BREAKERS-1
-Role of Circuit Breaker in Protection
-Operating Mechanism in CBs
-Fault clearing times in CBs
-Arc interruption theories in CBs
-Restriking voltage and Recovery voltage
- Resistance Switching
-Current chopping in Circuit breakers
 CIRCUIT BREAKERS-1
-Role of Circuit Breaker in Protection
 CIRCUIT BREAKERS-1
https://youtu.be/wGFnooeA6Iw
-Operating Mechanism in CBs
Actuator is one of the important element in CB. Actuator
mechanism will make the movable contact to move away
from fixed contact upon the closure of relay contacts. To
suppress the arc that occurs between the contacts, it is
important for the movable contact to move swiftly away
from the fixed contact.
For this purpose, an energy storage element like spring,
pneumatic arrangement is used to initiate the movement of
movable contact.
Whenever, CB required to operate, the energy from the
spring or pneumatic arrangement will be released which is
imparted to moving element of the circuit breaker.
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- Arcing in CBs
Whenever relay activates CB, circuit breaker
movable contact moves away from fixed
contact. When the circuit is interrupted
because of inductance present in the circuit, a
huge voltage will be developed across the
contacts. Because of Rate of rise of voltage
across the opened contacts, the medium
between the contacts gets ionized causing an
Arc
Mechanism of Arc Quenching
Varc and Iarc
Circuit Breaker Operating Time
 CIRCUIT BREAKERS-1
-Arc interruption theories in CBs
Selpian’s Theory Energy Balance Theory
 Techniques for Arc Interruption
• High Resistance Interruption:
In this process the resistance of the arc is increased by
lengthening and cooling it to such an extent that the system
voltage is no longer able to maintain the arc and the arc gets
extinguished.
 Techniques for Arc Interruption
• Current Zero Interruption:
In AC circuits , current undergoes zero twice in a cycle. Arc
gets extinguished when the arc current is zero and is
prevented from restriking by rapid building up of dielectric
strength between the contacts. This method is used in all AC
circuit breakers
Restriking Voltage & Recovery Voltage
Rate of Rise of Restriking Voltage
Natural frequency of Oscillations
Current Chopping
 Resistance Switching

• Resistance is used across the Circuit Breaker

Contacts which is known as Pre insertion
resistance. This resistance dampens the
restriking voltage oscillations there by
reduces the RRRV.
• Generally resistance value is used to damp
the oscillation critically
 Summary
-Role of Circuit Breaker in Protection
-Operating Mechanism in CBs
-Fault clearing times in CBs
-Arc interruption theories in CBs
-Restriking voltage and Recovery voltage
- Resistance Switching
-Current chopping in Circuit breakers
 Next Video CB-2
• Types of Breakers
• Principles of different types of breakers
• Ratings of Circuit Breakers
• Testing of Circuit Breakers