Breaker Coordination

Main Components
Discrimination
Back-up Protection
Discrimination
Ideally only C
1
should operate for all overloads
up to its rated overload breaking capacity

Supply
Load
C
2
C
1
Back-up Protection
Ideally C
2
should operate if C
1
fails to operate
within operating time or if short circuit current
exceeds rated overload breaking capacity of C
1

Supply
Load
C
2
C
1
Some Important Parameters
I
cu
, rated ultimate short circuit breaking
capacity
I
cs
, rated service short circuit breaking capacity
SCPD, short circuit protection device
I
s
, selectivity limit current
I
B
, take over current
Design Method
Use the characteristic curves of the breakers
to decide operating conditions
Use practical tests to verify or decide the set
points of breakers
Some practical considerations
I
S
should not be too low this can cause loss
of discrimination
I
CU
of C
1
should not be smaller that I
B
of the
association
Some Examples
A Pre arching characteristic of fuse
B Operating characteristic of fuse
C Operating characteristic of the non
current limiting circuit breaker
Since the instantaneous release cannon be stopped once started
a practical test must be done to determine selectivity in the
shaded area
C
1
Non current limiting circuit breaker
C
2
Current limiting circuit breaker
C
1
,C
2
Non current limiting circuit breakers