Siddaganga Institute oI Technology

Electronics & Communication Engineering

Technical Seminar Synopsis On
'CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Presented By
- aveen T.M
(1SI06EC069)







CIRCUIT BREAKERS
aveen T.M (1SI06EC069)

Abstract:
A circuit breaker is an automatically-operated
electrical switch which is designed to protect an
electrical circuit Irom damage caused by
overload or short circuit.
Used to prevent the heavy current Irom
damaging power system components.
Unlike Iuses, normal operation can be resumed
with minimal turn around time.
Keywords:
Frame,Trip Unit,Arc Extinguisher,Air
Break/Miniature Circuit Breaker,Oil Circuit
Breaker,Air Blast Circuit Breaker,SF6 Circuit
Breaker ,Vacuum Circuit Breaker.

1 Introduct|on

First ever circuit breaker SF6 type circuit
breaker in the year 1938 by Germany.
Researcher:Vitaly Grosse.USA developed it in
the year 1951.Researchers: Lingal, Browne and
Storm .First industrial application in the
year 1953.
Circuit breakers requires to reduce arcing ie,
Sparks jump Ior several inches in the highly
ionized ambient atmosphere.
The Culprit: Arcing
Sparks jump Ior several inches in the highly
ionized ambient atmosphere.
The high current can still damage the circuit.
Arcing is analogous to Flash-over in
transmission lines.

Block diagram:

.1 Frame:
O Provides space Ior mounting the
components & holding them in place.
O Must withstand mechanical stresses.
O Provides insulation & isolation path Ior
current.
. Contacts:
O Provides a method Ior connecting the
circuit with the system.
O Forms a part oI the isolation circuit.

Basic Iunctions:
O Opening
O Closing

..1 Operation: Opening
O Spring is generally used Ior the purpose.
O Opening process is Iaster.
O Spring gets recoiled during Closing
Operation.

.. Operation: Closing
O Solenoid is generally used Ior the
purpose.
O Closing process is slower.
O Force oI attraction increases with
reduction in distance.

.3 Trip unit:

Cpens Lhe clrculL durlng
O @hermal overload
O horL clrculL
O round laulL

24 Arc exLlngulsher

O Circuit Breakers diIIer in the type arc
extinguishers used in them.
O Extinguishes an arc when contacts are
opened.

Classification:

ased on operaLlonal volLage
O ow volLage clrculL breakers
eg alr break clrculL breaker
O ,edlum volLage clrculL breakers
eg vacuum clrculL breaker
O lgh volLage clrculL breakers
eg sf6 clrculL breaker

31 Alr break clrculL breaker

O "uenching medium: Air at atmospheric
pressure.
O Suitable Ior high current interruption at
low voltage.
O Principle oI high resistance is used Ior
arc interruption.

32 vacuum clrculL breaker

O Arc "uenching medium: High Vacuum.
O Air at a pressure oI 10-5 mm & below is
called High Vacuum.
O An arc Iormed at a small separation oI
1cm can also be extinguished
eIIiciently.
O Contacts made oI special materials.


3.3 SI6 circuit breaker:
O Specialty: inert, non-toxic, non
Ilammable heavy gas.
O High dielectric strength(.5 times that oI
air)
O isadvantage: ecomposes at high
temperature.
O ith moisture, it may spoil the parts oI
CB.

331 ub caLegorles
O ouble-pressure SF6 Circuit breakers
Early type oI SF6 Circuit breaker
O PuIIer type Circuit Breakers
Uses SF6 in a compressed Iorm


Advantages:

O Protect an electrical circuit Irom
overload.
O Protect an electrical circuit Irom
shortcircuit.
O Used Ior high speed arc interruption
O Oil can be used Ior both insulation & arc
extinguishing purpose.

Disadvantage:

O SI6 used in circuit breakers decomposes
at high temperature.
O ith moisture, SI6 may spoil the parts
oI circuit breaker.
O Higher the operating voltage more is the
Oil required in bulk oil circuit breaker.

Applications of circuit breaker:

O UPS Equipment
O Power Supplies
O Small Generators
O Entertainment Systems
O Vending Machines
O OIIice Machines
O Telecom Power istribution
O Railway Signaling System
O Automatic control systems
O Generator sets
O AC and C Branch Circuit Protection
O Power conversion systems









Conclusion:
It prevent the heavy current Irom damaging
power system components.
Unlike Iuses, normal operation can be resumed
with minimal turn around time.

8 References:

O clenLlflc amerlcan by roberLrblrge
O @he lock key paraldlgm by mlchael
consad