SWITCHGEAR

By
Dr.R.Murugan
Circuit Breaker
 Circuit Breaker

• Circuit breakers are some of the most important components in modern electric
power systems.
• A circuit breaker is a device used to open and close electrical circuits
• In the closed position, a circuit breaker shall be an ideal conductor. That is, when
closed, the circuit breaker shall carry its rated normal current without losses or
overheating.
• In the open position, a circuit breaker shall be an ideal insulator and shall
withstand its rated voltage, and all nature of overvoltage's, without a breakdown
of either the internal or external insulation.
CB Parts

Live tank circuit breakers are comprised of three (3) main

components: 1) one or more breaking elements, 2)
support insulator(s) and 3) one or more operating
mechanisms.
 Why use a circuit breaker?

• Circuit breakers perform two general switching functions in a network:

• Fault current switching and
• Load current switching.
Fault current switching
• Fault current switching operations are unplanned events which are initiated by a
network’s protection system when a phase-to-ground (e.g. tree branch comes into
contact with one phase) or phase-to-phase (e.g. a large bird lands and touches
two or move phases simultaneously) fault occurs
• When a fault occurs, the system current increases rapidly and the system must be
opened, or interrupted, in order to protect other apparatus, including lines, from
the excessive current.
• It is also necessary to restore normal operation as soon as possible. Thus, a circuit
breaker must be capable of rapidly closing again once it has interrupted a fault.
Load current switching
• Load current switching operations are typically planned events initiated by a
system operator from either within a substation or from a remote location.
• One of the most frequent load current switching operations a circuit breaker must
perform is for compensation purposes. A circuit breaker will open or close to add or
remove either capacitance or reactance to a network to ensure the efficient
transmission of power.
• Load current switching operations are also used to open an electrical circuit so that
apparatus can be maintained.
 CB Standards

Today, the two standards with the most influence throughout the world are IEC and
ANSI. Each standard prescribes its own tests and procedures with respect to routine
tests required on circuit breakers during manufacturing (i.e. IEC 62271-100 and ANSI
C37.09, respectively).
 Theory of Current Interrupting Requirements

• An opening operation, or interruption, is the most critical function of a circuit

breaker.
• To interrupt current, there are three (3) general requirements that must be met
for any high voltage alternating current circuit breaker to interrupt, or break,
fault or load current.
• Arcs in A.C circuits
• Natural current zero
• Thermal Interruption
• Dielectric stress (TRV)
 CURRENT ZERO

• Interruption of alternating current always takes place at a natural current zero

crossing. Thus, for high voltage circuit breakers to interrupt there must be a current
zero crossing.

• Further, in order to pass testing per International Standards, the circuit breaker
must be capable of interrupting at two (2) successive current zeroes.

• Therefore, the circuit breaker contact travel must be sufficient to allow for current
breaking at short arcing times (i.e. first current zero) and long arcing times (i.e.
second current zero).
 THERMAL INTERRUPTION

• Thermal interruption is primarily a concern for fault current interruption when the peak current
① is quite high. In capacitive switching cases, for example, thermal interruption is not a concern.

• When a circuit breaker opens, it draws an arc which must be broken or interrupted. At the peak
current ①, the temperature of the arc, and interrupting medium near the arc, is approximately
20,000° K.

• In order to interrupt the current (IB), the interrupting medium must cool down to approximately
2000° to 3000° K by the time the current waveform crosses zero ②.

• Note that, at 2000° K, SF6 gas has an electrical conductivity approximately equal to that of glass
or porcelain.
 WITHSTAND DIELECTRIC STRESSES

• Immediately after current interruption, the voltage stress across the circuit breaker
will increase rapidly. At the same time, the voltage withstand properties of the
circuit breaker will also increase rapidly.

• For successful interruption, the voltage withstand properties of the circuit breaker
must increase faster than the voltage stress (i.e. Transient Recovery Voltage or
TRV) across the circuit breaker.
 ARC Quenching
What is an Arc in CB?
• When a short-circuit occurs, heavy fault current flows through the contacts of the
Circuit breaker.
• At the instant, CB contacts begin to open, the current carrying contacts area
decreases and large fault current causes increased current density and rise in
temperature (between opening contacts become highly ionized through which the
interrupting current gets low resistive path and continues to flow through this
path even the contacts are physically separated). The heat produced in the
medium between contacts it glows. This is called arc.
• The arc provides low resistive path and continues to flow through this path even
the contacts are physically separated.
• As long as this arc is sustained in between the contacts the current through the
circuit breaker will not be interrupted finally as because arc is itself a conductive
 ARC Quenching
ARC Resistance:
• During the arching period, the current flowing between the contacts depends
upon on the arc resistance. The greater ARC resistance, the smaller current that
flows between the contacts. The ARC resistance depends upon on the following
factors.
• Degree of ionization
• Length of the ARC
• Cross section of the ARC.
 ARC Quenching
What is an Arc in CB?
• During opening of a circuit breaker, the medium in between opening contacts
become highly ionized through which the interrupting current gets low resistive
path and continues to flow through this path even the contacts are physically
separated. During the flowing of current from one contact to other the path
becomes so heated that it glows. This is called arc.
• As long as this arc is sustained in between the contacts the current through the
circuit breaker will not be interrupted finally as because arc is itself a conductive
path of electricity.
• Therefore, it is essential to quench the arc as quick as possible for total current
interruption of the circuit breaker.
 Principles of Arc Extinction in Circuit Breaker

Factors responsible for the maintenance of arc between the contacts

Potential difference between the contacts.

• When the contacts have a small separation, the p.d. between them is
sufficient to maintain the arc.
Ionized particles between contacts
The ionized particles between the contacts tend to maintain the arc. If the
arc path is deionized, the arc extinction will be facilitated.
 Methods of Arc Extinction in Circuit Breaker

There are two methods of extinguishing the arc in circuit breakers

• High resistance method
• Low resistance or current zero method.
High resistance method
In this method, arc resistance is made to increase with time so that current is
reduced to a value insufficient to maintain the arc. Consequently, the current is
interrupted or the arc is extinguished.
The resistance of the arc may be increased by
• Lengthening the arc
• Cooling the arc
• Reducing X-section of the arc
• Splitting the arc
 Methods of Arc Extinction in Circuit Breaker

Low resistance or current zero method

• In this method, arc resistance is kept low until current zero where the arc
extinguishes naturally and is prevented from restriking in spite of the rising voltage
across the contacts.
• All modern high power AC Circuit Breakers employ this method for arc extinction
• The current zero can be achieved by
• the ionized particles in the space between contacts to recombine into neutral
molecules
• Sweeping the ionized particles away and replacing them by unionised
particles.
The de ionization can be achieved by
• Lengthening the arc
• High pressure arc
• Cooling effect
• Blast effect
 Recovery voltage & Restriking voltage

Recovery voltage
• It is the normal frequency rms voltage that appears across the contacts of the
circuit breaker after complete interruption of the arc. It is approximately equal to
system voltage.
Restriking voltage.
• It is the transient voltage that appears across the contacts at current zero or near
current zero during arcing period & will have higher frequency in KHZ.
 Rating selection of Circuit Breakers

• Ambient Temperature, High altitude, High Pollution,

• Rated voltage.
• Rated insulation level.
• Rated frequency.
• rated current.
• Rated Operated duty.
• Rated transient recovery voltage.
• Rated operating sequence.
• First-pole-to-clear-factor
 Ambient Temperature

As part of the normal service conditions in IEC 60694, 2001, the normal ambient
temperature at which a circuit breaker is required to perform is defined as the range
between +40° C and either –25° or –40° C.
 High Altitude

• As part of the normal service conditions defined in IEC 60694, 2001, the normal altitude for
which a circuit breaker shall be rated is defined as 1000 m or less.
• For installations above 1000 m, the external dielectric withstand levels of circuit breakers must
be de-rated due to the lower air density at high altitudes. As an approximation, the de-rating
factor can be considered as one percent (1%) for each 100 m above 1000 m (i.e. 1% for 1100 m,
2% for 1200 m, etc.)
 High Pollution

Because the dielectric withstand levels of a circuit breaker are diminished when insulators are
coated with dust, sand or salt, installations in heavily polluted areas, such as near mines,
chemical plants, oceans and deserts, place special demands on circuit breakers.
 First-pole-to-clear-factor

• The first-pole-to-clear-factor (kpp) is depending on the Grounded versus Ungrounded earthing of the
network. The first-pole-to-clear-factor is used for calculating the transient recovery voltage
(TRV) for three-phase faults.
• When a three-phase circuit breaker opens under load or fault currents, one phase always
interrupts before the other two phases. The transient recovery voltage (TRV) conditions will
thus be different for the first phase to interrupt than for the other two phases at interruption.
• TRV conditions for the fist phase to interrupt are strongly influenced by
• Grounding conditions of the network.
• Type of fault current and load to be interrupted.
• For general fault interruption cases, the TRV conditions of the first phase to interrupt (First-
pole-to-clear factor).
• For a circuit breaker interrupts under out-of-phase conditions, the TRV of the first phase to
interrupt. (Ref).
• For capacitive switching cases, TRV conditions of the first phase to interrupt. ( Affected not only
by the grounding conditions, type of capacitive load and the presence of a fault).
Rated voltage:
• The rated voltage is the maximum voltage (phase-phase), expressed in kV rms, of
the system for which the equipment is intended. It is also known as maximum
system voltage
Rated insulation level:
• The combination of voltage values and its insulation level of a circuit breaker with
regard to its capability to withstand dielectric stresses.
• The rated value given is valid for altitudes ≤1000 m above sea level. A correction
factor is introduced for higher altitudes
Rated frequency:
• The rated (power) frequency is the nominal frequency of the system expressed in
Hz, which the circuit breaker is designed to operate in.
• Standard frequencies are 50 Hz and 60 Hz.
Rated normal current :
• The rated normal current (sometimes referred to as rated current, nominal current
or rated continuous current) is the maximum continuous current the equipment is
allowed to carry.
• The current is expressed in A rms.
• The rated normal current is based on a maximum ambient temperature of +40 °C.
At higher temperatures derating of the normal current might be necessary
 Operating Duty

Breaking Capacity:
Breaking current is the RMS value of current that a circuit breaker is required to break at the
instant of contact separation.
Breaking capacity (MVA) = Rated symmetrical breaking current (kA) × Rated service voltage (kV) ×
√3
Making capacity:
A circuit breaker may complete a full short circuit on being closed. This is known as making
capacity.
Making capacity = 1.8 × √2 × Symmetrical breaking capacity.
Short time rating:
Circuit breaker should be capable of carrying high currents safely and without showing undue
stress for a specified short period in a closed position. This is known as short time rating.
Rated operating sequence :
• The rated operating sequence (also known as standard operating duty or standard
duty cycle) is the specified operating Sequence
Rated Transient Recovery Voltage (TRV) :
• TRV is the peak transient voltage (expressed in kV) that corresponds to the first
pole-to-clear when interrupting a three-phase fault at rated short-circuit current.
• The rated transient recovery voltage (uc) is calculated as follows (based on IEC):
 CB Operating Mechanisms

• The Circuit Breakers connected in one phase is called the single pole. e.g. application in the
neutral connection of a reactor) or two (2) phases (e.g. railway applications).
• A Circuit Breaker suitable for three phase system is called a ‘triple-pole
Circuit Breaker as shown. Each pole of the Circuit Breaker comprises one or more interrupter or
arc-extinguishing chambers.

Single pole:
• For single-pole operation (1-pole operation), each
individual pole of the circuit breaker is operated by its
own operating mechanism. This makes single-phase as
well as three-phase auto-reclosing possible.
 Diverse operating mechanisms

Spring loaded
The spring operated mechanism is a mechanic actuating system using a spring as
energy storage. .
Hydraulic / Gas pressure
The hydraulic operating mechanism has a nitrogen accumulator for storing the
actuation energy.
Hydraulic / Spring
This mechanism is a combination of hydraulics and springs. Energy is stored in a
spring set which is tensioned hydraulically. Power is transmitted hydraulically to
operate the CB contacts.
Pneumatic
There are a number of different designs of pneumatic operating mechanisms.
Common for most types are that the energy is stored as compressed air in an air
receiver (reservoir) and that the air pressure is converted to mechanical
movement via a piston.
Auxiliary contacts and coil Electromagnetic coils are used to control the operation of
most types of circuit breakers. They are fast and reliable but a common cause of
trouble of the circuit breaker as they can burn or get stuck in position. One
 CB Pole Operation

Three Pole:
• For three-pole operation (three-phases of the circuit breaker), (ganged operation)
all three poles are operated by a common operating mechanism or dependent,
operation.
• Opening or closing of CB`s, the remaining poles must be in the same position or
performing the same operation.
• The three poles are mechanically linked together for three-phase auto-reclosing
(shown in red).
• Spring operating mechanisms, which are the most common operating
mechanisms.
• The energy required to operate the three-poles is stored in one common operating
mechanism
 Testing of Circuit Breakers

The most influence standards throughout the world are IEC and ANSI. Each standard prescribes
its own tests and procedures with respect to routine tests required on circuit breakers during
manufacturing (i.e. IEC 62271-100 and ANSI C37.09, respectively).
Testing of Circuit Breakers (Online/Offline Tests)
Testing of Circuit Breakers
 Fuse

A fuse is short piece of metal, inserted in the circuit, which melts when excessive
current flows through it and thus breaks the circuit.
•
 High-Rupturing capacity (H.R.C.) cartridge fuse

• HRC stands for High Rupturing Capacity. HRC Fuse has high rupturing
capacity. Because of its high current rupturing capacity, a special method for
extinguishing arc is required in the design of HRC Fuse.
• HRC fuses have various applications:
• HV HRC fuses are used for short circuit protection in high voltage switchgear
for 50 to 60 Hz frequency range
• HRC fuses are used in Distribution Xmer upto 2000KVA
• Used in High Voltage motors upto 3MW
• Capacitors upto 1200 KVAR
• Cable feeders.
Construction: HRC Fuse consists of heat resisting ceramic body having metal end caps on
which silver current carrying element is welded in a special manner as shown in figure
below.

As clear from the figure above, the fuse element have a portion of Tin Alloy, known as a
Eutectic Material. This alloy is used to give the fuse specific operating characteristics. Also,
constrictions in the fuse element are provided which play a very vital role in the operation of
Fuse. The space between the body surrounding the Fuse element is filled filling powder
such as with Silica Send, Chalk, plaster of peris etc.
Working:
• Under normal operating conditions the current flowing through the Fuse element does not
provide enough energy to melt the element. The heat produced is absorbed by the
surrounding filling powder.
• If a large current flows the energy produced melts and vaporizes the fuse element before
the fault current reaches the peak.
• The chemical reaction between the fuse element vapour and filling powder results into
high resistance material which helps in extinguishing the arc.

H.R.C. fuse with tripping device

 Time-current relationship of Fuse

• A Fuse operates when its element melts due to heat produced by I2RF, where
RFis Fuse resistance.
• This heat produced increases if the current flowing through the Fuse element
increases.
• Therefore, we can conclude that a Fuse element will melt faster for large fault
current while it will take some time for lower value of fault current.
How to Interpret the Fuse Characteristics?
• In the above figure, curve for three Fuses
of rating 60 A, 100 A and 200 A are give.
• We select Fuse of rating 60 A for the
sake of understanding.
• See, if the current flowing through the
Fuse element is around 350 A then the
Fuse element will melt in .02 sec i.e. 20
ms while if the current is around 225 A
then it will take 50 ms to melt.
• Thus we see that the Fuse characteristic
is Inverse Time. Higher the current, lower
will be the time to melt.