CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Classification of Circuit Breakers

  On the basis of type of Current
 AC Circuit Breaker
 DC Circuit Breaker

 On the basis of rated voltage

 Low Voltage Circuit breaker(<1KV)
 High Voltage Circuit breaker(>1KV)

 On the basis of type of Arc extinction medium

 Oil Circuit Breakers
 Air Circuit Breakers
 Air Blast Circuit Breakers
 Vacuum Circuit Breakers
 Circuit Breakers
 Oil Circuit Breakers

Categories of oil Circuit Breakers

 Plain-Break oil Circuit Breaker

 Bulk oil Circuit Breaker or Controlled break oil circuit breaker

 Minimum oil Circuit Breaker

Plain-break oil Circuit Breaker

Widely used on
• Low voltage DC circuits and low voltage AC distribution
circuits

Disadvantages
• Requires huge amount of Oil for higher voltages

• Become unduly large in size for higher voltages

• Not Suitable for high speed interruption

Controlled-break oil Circuit Breaker
Minimum Oil Circuit Breaker
Advantages
• Reduction in tank size

• Reduction in total weight

• Reduction in cost

• Requires less amount of oil

• Required less maintenance

 Disadvantages of Oil Circuit Breakers

 May Cause fire hazards

 Possibility of forming an explosive mixture with air

 Periodical Reconditioning or replacement is required

Air Circuit Breakers
 Advantages of Air CB over Oil CB
 Fire Risk and maintenance are eliminated

 Expense of regular replacement of medium is avoided

 Heavy mechanical stresses are absent

 Used for low as well as higher transmission voltages

Air Blast Circuit Breakers
Sulphur Hexafluoride Circuit Breaker
  Advantages of Circuit Breaker
 Current chopping tendency is minimized

 No moisture problem and gives noiseless operation

 Arcing time is less, So contact erosion is less

 No reduction in dielectric strength of the gas

Vacuum Circuit Breaker
 Type of Circuit breaker Rating (KV)

Vacuum Circuit Breaker Upto 33KV

Air Break Circuit Breaker Upto 33KV

Air Blast Circuit Breaker Upto 132KV

Minimum Oil Circuit Breaker Upto 132KV

Sulphur Hexafluoride CB All Voltage levels 33KV, 132KV, 220KV,

400KV, 765KV