We reserve all rights in this document and in the information contained therein.

Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties without express authority is strictly forbidden.
ABB Switzerland Ltd

ACS 5000

Main Circuit Breaker

Specification

Issued

Dietmar Gamp

1.12.2008

Check / rel.

Thomas Bchle

1.12.2008

Resp. dept.

ATDAD
ABB Switzerland Ltd

Technical Specification MCB

No. of sh.

MCB Specification for ACS 5000

Document No.

Lang.

Rev. ind.

Sheet

3BHS125149 ZAB E50

en

Revisions
Index

Page/Chapter

All
3.1.5
3.2.5.1
Fig. 3 to 6
all

A
B

Description

Date/Name

First issue
CTs on transformer primary side
Revised description of undervoltage coil
Revised drawing
Complete revision

20.03.2006 / Ga
10.08.2006 / Ga
01.12.2008 / Ga

Table of Contents
1

Purpose of this Document.............................................................................................. 3

Overview .......................................................................................................................... 3

3 Circuit Breaker Main Technical Data ............................................................................. 3

3.1 Voltage and Current Ratings ............................................................................................. 3
3.2 Total break Time ...............................................................................................................3
4 Signal Interface between Drive and Main Circuit Breaker........................................... 4
4.1 Overview of Control Signal Interface................................................................................. 4
4.2 MCB Control Signals ......................................................................................................... 5
4.2.1
Contact Ratings of the MCB Control Signals ............................................................. 5
4.3 MCB Status Feedback Signals.......................................................................................... 6
5 MCB Control Principles .................................................................................................. 6
5.1 Release Conditions for Closing ......................................................................................... 6
5.2 MCB in Test Position......................................................................................................... 6
5.3 MCB in Service Position.................................................................................................... 7
5.4 MCB Opening Circuit......................................................................................................... 7
5.4.1
Opening Circuit with Undervoltage Coil...................................................................... 7
5.4.2
Opening Circuit with Two Opening Coils .................................................................... 8

ABB Switzerland Ltd

Document No.

Lang.

Revision

Sheet

3BHS125149 ZAB E50

en

1 Purpose of this Document

This document specifies the technical requirements for the Main Circuit Breaker (MCB) of an
ACS 5000 variable frequency drive system.
Additional customer, application or site specific requirements may be applicable, but shall not
be in contradiction to the requirements listed in present document. In case of such
contradictions this specification shall prevail. Deviations from this specification require approval
by ABB.

2 Overview
The MCB is located on the primary side of the converter transformer. The MCB connects and
disconnects the main power to the ACS 5000 drive system and protects the system against
subsequent damages originating from failures on MV supply side (e.g. overvoltage), in the
converter (e.g. failed components) or in any other component of the drive system.
The MCB shall preferably be a SF6-gas insulated or a vacuum-type circuit breaker.
For safe and reliable operation, it is imperative that the MCB is exclusively closed by the
ACS 5000 and that the requirements, stipulated in this specification, specifically for the break
time and the signal interface of the MCB, are adhered to.

3 Circuit Breaker Main Technical Data

3.1

Voltage and Current Ratings

The rated voltage of the MCB shall be equal or higher than the nominal voltage of customers
MV supply network.
The current ratings of the MCB must be sufficient
to make and carry nominal load currents (incl. specified overload conditions) of the drive
system,
to clear short-circuit currents in the drive system (i.e. transformer, converter and cabling),
incl. transformer primary side short-circuit current.

3.2

Total Break Time

The maximum total break time of the MCB must not exceed 60 ms.
Remark: For converter protection reasons the maximum response time for opening the MCB
shall not exceed 75 ms. This requirement is fulfilled with above specified break time and a
maximum signal delay time inside ACS 5000 controls of less than 15 ms.

ABB Switzerland Ltd

Document No.

Lang.

Revision

Sheet

3BHS125149 ZAB E50

en

4 Signal Interface between Drive and Main Circuit Breaker

4.1

Overview of Control Signal Interface

The following diagram shows the principal signal interface between the ACS 5000 control
system and the MCB.

MV - Switchgear
MCB
-Q0

MCB status closed

MCB status open

-F1

MCB available

4*)

Feeder
Protection
Relay

MCB order close

MCB order open 1

-Q5
-F2

4*)

Transformer
Protection Relay

MCB order open 2 (1*)

MCB order trip (2*)

Transformer

ACS 5000
Frequency converter

Converter
control system

3*)

DO

DI

Remarks:

Motor

(1*) / (2*)
Either command MCB Order Open 2" or MCB Order
Trip shall be used to open the MCB by a 2nd signal.

3*) CTs on each transformer primary system are required

because they allow a more selective overcurrent protection.
4*) Depending on the number of available current input circuits
one, two or three protection relays are required.

Figure 4-1 Signal Interface

ABB Switzerland Ltd

Document No.

Lang.

Revision

Sheet

3BHS125149 ZAB E50

en

4.2

MCB Control Signals

As shown in Figure 4-1, the MCB Order Open and MCB Order Close signals are active high
pulse signals, i.e. the control relay contacts close to activate the command. The MCB Order
Trip signal is active low (steady state), i.e. the relay contact opens to activate the command.
The MCB open command shall be redundant using either:

MCB Order Open 1 and MCB Order Trip or

MCB Order Open 1 and MCB Order Open 2

The MCB shall open instantaneously, as soon as one or more of the open / trip commands are
received.
The requirement for two open commands is based on the following standards:
ISO 13849-1
Safety of machinery Safety-related parts of control systems Part 1: General principles
for design
The standard states the following in section 6.2.6 Category 3:
SRP/CS (safety-related parts of control systems) of category 3 shall be designed so that a
single fault in any of these parts does not lead to the loss of the safety function.
IEC 60204-1
Safety of machinery Electrical equipment of machines Part 1: General requirements
The standard states the following:
By providing partial or complete redundancy, it is possible to minimize the probability that
one single failure in the electrical circuit can result in a hazardous situation. Redundancy
can be effective in normal operation (on-line redundancy) or designed as special circuits
that take over the protective function (off-line redundancy) only where the operating function
fails.
For reliability and safety reasons it is recommended (even essential without undervoltage
tripping coil) that the MCB control voltage is tapped from a save supply system (UPS).

4.2.1

Contact Ratings of the MCB Control Signals

The contact ratings of the auxiliary relays in the ACS 5000 control cabinet are as follows:
Table 4-1 Contacts for MCB Open / Close / Trip Commands
Auxiliary Voltage

Max. Breaking Current *

(supplied from MCB)

30 VDC

6.0 A

110 VDC

2.4 A

220 VDC

0.5 A

380 VAC

6A

* The above listed current ratings are valid for inductive load.

ABB Switzerland Ltd

Document No.

Lang.

Revision

Sheet

3BHS125149 ZAB E50

en

4.3

MCB Status Feedback Signals

As shown in Figure 4-1, the MCB shall offer the following status feedback signals to
the ACS 5000 converter controls:
A dry contact indicating MCB status closed
A dry contact indicating MCB status open recommended signal, but not mandatory
A dry contact indicating MCB available recommended signal, but not mandatory
This signal shall indicate that the MCB is ready for operation, i.e. not in test position, no
alarm or trip present and in remote control mode.

5 MCB Control Principles

5.1

Release Conditions for Closing

Release conditions for closing the MCB are typically:

Grounding switch of the MV switchgear, if applicable, is open.
MCB is racked-in, i.e. in service position.
Control voltage available.
No disturbance / alarm present, no trip / lock-out active.
Control voltage available.
It is recommended to combine those conditions for the summary status signal MCB available,
as specified in the previous chapter.

5.2

MCB in Test Position

Note: When in test position, it is assumed that the MCB is isolated (racked-out) from the
feeding MV bus system.
Control switches, selector switches and status indication shall be provided on the door of the
switchgear cabinet.
The selector switch shall provide two positions, one for local and one for remote.
When the MCB is in test position, the MCB can be closed either from the local pushbutton or
from remote depending on the position of the selector switch.
When the selector switch is in remote position, it shall be possible to test all interlocks.
Therefore all MCB indications and interlock functions shall remain operative.
When the selector switch is in local position, it shall be possible to close the MCB at any time.
Therefore, no interlock function shall remain active.

ABB Switzerland Ltd

Document No.

Lang.

Revision

Sheet

3BHS125149 ZAB E50

en

5.3

MCB in Service Position

Note: When in service position (i.e. in normal operation mode), it is assumed that the MCB is
connected (racked-in) to the feeding MV bus system.
When the MCB is in service position and the selector switch is in remote position, closing of
the MCB shall be possible exclusively from ACS 5000 control.
When the selector switch is in local position, closing the MCB shall not be possible.
Note: Uncontrolled closing of the MCB, while the MCB is in service position, could cause
danger to life or severe damages to the drive system.
All interlock and protection functions shall remain operative at any time.
Opening of the MCB shall be possible at any time independent of the position of the selector
switch.

5.4

MCB Opening Circuit

Besides its standard opening coil (YO 1), the MCB shall additionally either be equipped with an
undervoltage coil (YU) in the control circuit or with a second opening coil (YO 2). Which design
shall be used, has to be agreed between buyer and supplier.
5.4.1

Opening Circuit with Undervoltage Coil

A typical set-up, using one opening coil and one undervoltage coil, is shown in following
diagram.
contact closed -->
MCB "OFF" command

contact open -->

MCB "Trip" command

MCB order open 1

MCB order trip

ACS 5000
MCB
MCB
Control
Supply

internal
trip signals

internal
trip signals

external
trip signals

-Q0
A1

A1

-YO 1
(OFF)

U<
A2

A2

OFF

local OFF
pushbutton

-YU
(undervoltage coil)

main contacts
of MCB (-Q0)

Figure 5-1 MCB Control Circuit with Undervoltage Coil

ABB Switzerland Ltd

Document No.

Lang.

Revision

Sheet

3BHS125149 ZAB E50

en

Usually, the undervoltage trip release is a solenoid which is normally energized and then trips
the MCB by a spring mechanism when the voltage drops below a specified threshold. Typically,
the device should not trip the MCB when the voltage is above 60 -70% of rated voltage but
should trip the MCB when the voltage is less than 40%. The MCB can be closed again when
the control voltage is above 85% of its rated value.
The undervoltage trip release is a safety and protection feature and shall not be used for
switching during normal operation. In the event of an undervoltage in the auxiliary supply, the
undervoltage coil YU is de-energized and the spring which opens the MCB is released.

5.4.2

Opening Circuit with Two Opening Coils

A typical alternative set-up, using two opening coils, is shown in following diagram. If no
undervoltage coil is used it is essential that the MCB control voltage is tapped from a safe
supply system (UPS) in order to guarantee opening of the MCB under all circumstances.
As shown in the diagram below, it is additionally suggested (but not mandatory) to supply the
opening coils from two different supply systems in order to minimize common dependencies. In
this case the voltage ratings of the two opening coils have to be determined individually.

ontact closes -->

MCB "OFF" command

contact closes -->

MCB "OFF" command

MCB order open 1

MCB order open 2

ACS 5000
MCB
MCB
Control
Supply 1

internal trip
signals

internal
trip signals

MCB
Control
Supply 2

external
trip signals

external
trip signals

-Q0
A1

A1

A2

A2

-YO 2
(OFF)

-YO 1
(OFF)

OFF

local OFF
pushbutton

Figure 5-2

main contacts
of MCB (-Q0)

MCB Control Circuit with Two Opening Coils

ABB Switzerland Ltd

Document No.

Lang.

Revision

Sheet

3BHS125149 ZAB E50

en