SEMINAR REPORT ON POLYFUSE

INTRODUCTION
Current flow in a conductor always generates heat. Excess heat is damaging to
electrical components. Overcurrent protection devices are used to protect
conductors from excessive current flow. Thus protective devices are designed to
keep the flow of current in a circuit at a safe level to prevent the circuit
conductors from overheating.

A fuse is a one-time over-current protection device employing a fusible link that

melts (blows) after the current exceeds a certain level for a certain length of
time. Typically, a wire or chemical compound breaks the circuit when the
current exceeds the rated value. A fuse interrupts excessive current so that
further damage by overheating or fire is prevented. Wiring regulations often
define a maximum fuse current rating for particular circuits. Overcurrent
protection devices are essential in electrical systems to limit threats to human
life and property damage. Fuses are selected to allow passage of normal current
and of excessive current only for short periods.

Polyfuse is a resettable fuse that doesn’t need to be replaced like the

conventional fuse. Many manufacturers also call it PolySwitch or MultiFuse.
Polyfuse are designed and made of PPTC material in thin chip form. It is placed
in series to protect a circuit. Polyfuse provide over-current protection and
automatic restoration.

Like traditional fuses, PPTC devices limit the flow of dangerously high current
during fault condition. Unlike traditional fuses, PPTC devices reset after the
fault is cleared and the power to the circuit is removed. Because a PPTC device
does not usually have to be replaced after it trips and because it is small enough
to be mounted directly into a motor or on a circuit board, it can be located inside
electronic modules, junction boxes and power distribution centers.

OVERCURRENT PROTECTION

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Polyfuse is a series element in a circuit. The PPTC device protects the circuit by
going from a low-resistance to a high-resistance state in response to an
overcurrent condition, as shown in Figure-1. This is referred to as "tripping" the
Figure 1 - Overcurrent protection circuit using Polyfuse

device. In normal operation the device has a resistance that is much lower than
the remainder of the circuit. In response to an overcurrent condition, the device
increases in resistance (trips), reducing the current in the circuit to a value that
can be safely carried by any of the circuit elements. This change is the result of
a rapid increase in the temperature of the device, caused by I2R heating.

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

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Technically these are not fuses but Polymeric Positive Temperature Coefficient
(PPTC) Thermistors. Polyfuse device operation is based on an overall energy
balance. Under normal operating conditions, the heat generated by the device
and the heat lost by the device to the environment are in balance at a relatively
low temperature, as shown in Point 1of Figure-2. If the current through the
device is increased while the ambient temperature is kept constant, the
temperature of the device increases. Further increases in either current, ambient
temperature or both will cause the device to reach a temperature where the
resistance rapidly increases, as shown in Point 3 of Figure-2.
Figure 2 – Operating curve as resistance varies with temperature

Any further increase in current or ambient temperature will cause the device to
generate heat at a rate greater than the rate at which heat can be dissipated, thus
causing the device to heat up rapidly. At this stage, a very large increase in
resistance occurs for a very small change in temperature, between points 3 and 4
of Figure-2. This is the normal operating region for a device in the tripped state.
This large change in resistance causes a corresponding decrease in the current
flowing in the circuit. This relation holds until the device resistance reaches the
upper knee of the curve (Point 4 of Figure-2). As long as the applied voltage
remains at this level, the device will remain in the tripped state (that is, the
device will remain latched in its protective state). Once the voltage is decreased
and the power is removed the device will reset.

CONSTRUCTION & OPERATION

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PPTC fuses are constructed with a non-conductive polymer plastic film that
exhibits two phases. The first phase is a crystalline or semi-crystalline state
where the molecules form long chains and arrange in a regular structure. As the
temperature increases the polymer maintains this structure but eventually
transitions to an amorphous phase where the molecules are aligned randomly,
and there is an increase in volume. The polymer is combined with highly
conductive carbon. In the crystalline phase the carbon particles are packed into
the crystalline boundaries and form many conductive paths, and the polymer-
carbon combination has a low resistance.

Figure 3 - Polymer film in semi crystalline phase and conducting chains of carbon molecules.

A current flowing through the device generates heat (I2R losses). As long as the
temperature increase does not cause a phase change, nothing happens. However,
if the current increases enough so that corresponding temperature rise causes a
phase change, the polymer’s crystalline structure disappears, the volume
expands, and the conducting carbon chains are broken. The result is a dramatic
increase in resistance. Whereas before the phase change a polymer-carbon
combination may have a resistance measured in milliohms or ohms, after the
phase change the same structure’s resistance may be measured in megaohms.
Current flow is reduced accordingly, but the small residual current and
associated I2R loss is enough to latch the polymer in this state, and the fuse will
stay open until power is removed.

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Figure 4 - Polymer film in amorphous phase and broken carbon chains

The process is almost reversible, in that when the temperature falls, the polymer
returns to its crystalline structure, the volume decreases, and the carbon
particles touch and form conductive paths. However, the exact same conductive
paths never form so that the resistance after reset is slightly different from
before. The resistances of a PPTC fuse may triple or quadruple after the first
reset, but thereafter changes are relatively unimportant.

OPERATING PARAMETERS
 Initial Resistance: It is the resistance of the device as received from the
factory of manufacturing.

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 Operating Voltage: The maximum voltage a device can withstand

without damage at the rated current.

 Holding Current: Safe current passing through the device under normal
operating conditions.

 Trip Current: It is the value of current at which the device interrupts the
current.

 Time to Trip: The time it takes for the device to trip at a given
temperature.

 Tripped State: Transition from the low resistance state to the high
resistance state due to an overload.

 Leakage Current: A small value of stray current flowing through the

device after it has switched to high resistance mode.

 Trip Cycle: The number of trip cycles (at rated voltage and current) the
device sustains without failure.

 Trip Endurance: The duration of time the device sustains its maximum
rated voltage in the tripped state without failure.

 Power Dissipation: Power dissipated by the device in its tripped state.

 Thermal Duration: Influence of ambient temperature.

 Hysteresis: The period between the actual beginning of the signaling of

the device to trip and the actual tripping of the device.

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HOLD AND TRIP CURRENT AS A FUNCTION OF

TEMPERATURE

Figure 5 illustrates the hold- and trip-current behavior of Polyfuse devices as a

function of temperature. One such curve can be defined for each available
device. Region A describes the combinations of current and temperature at
which the Polyfuse device will trip (go into the high-resistance state) and
protect the circuit. Region B describes the combinations of current and
temperature at which the Polyfuse device will allow for normal operation of the
circuit. In Region C, it is possible for the device to either trip or remains in the
low-resistance state (depending on individual device resistance).

Figure 5 – Hold current & Trip current variation with temperature

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OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS

Figure 6 – Operating characteristics of polyfuse as current increases with time

Figure-6 shows a typical pair of operating curves for a PPTC device in still air
at 0oC and 75oC. The curves are different because the heat required to trip the
device comes both from electrical I2R heating and from the device environment.
At 75oC the heat input from the environment is substantially greater than it is at
0oC, so the additional I2R needed to trip the device is correspondingly less,
resulting in a lower trip current at a given trip time (or a faster trip at given trip
current).

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Typical Resistance Recovery after a Trip Event

Figure-7 shows typical behavior of a Polyfuse device that is tripped and then

Figure 7 – Typical resistance recovery after a trip event

allowed to cool. Over an extended period of time, device resistance will

continue to fall and will eventually approach initial resistance. However, since
this time can be days, months, or years, it is not practical to expect that the
device resistance will reach the original value for operation purposes. Therefore,
when Polyfuse devices are chosen R1MAX should be taken into consideration
when determining hold current. R1MAX is the resistance of the device one hour
after the thermal event.

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ADVANTAGES OVER TRADITIONAL FUSES

Conventional thermal fuses are not resettable and are therefore limited in their
ability to match the low temperature protection of PPTC devices. The selection
of a low fusing temperature in conventional thermal fuses is limited by the need
to avoid nuisance tripping in temporary high ambient temperature
environments, such as car dashboards on a hot day or high storage temperatures.
Even thermal fuses with 94°C or higher fusing temperatures often nuisance trip
during normal operation or pack assembly.

Figure 8 – Table showing a comparison between a PPTC polyfuse and types of fuses

Hence, the major benefits of polyfuse are as-

 Low base resistance

 Latching (non-cycling) operation

 Automatic reset ability

 Short time to trip

 No arcing during faulty situations

 Small dimensions and compact design

 Internationally standardized and approved

 No accidental hot plugging

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 Withstand mechanical shocks and vibrations and comply with the safety
norms

 Lifetime up to ten times longer

APPLICATIONS
PolyFuses are used in automobiles, batteries, computers and peripherals,
industrial controls, consumer electronics, medical electronics, lighting, security
and fire alarm systems, telecommunication equipment and a host of other
applications where circuit protection is required.
Some of its applications in protecting various equipments are discussed as
below-
 TRANSFORMERS PROTECTION

Figure 9 – Transformer protection by Polyfuse

The equipment powered by a transformer gets overheated due to excessive

current or short-circuit. A Polyfuse on the secondary side of the transformer will
protect the equipment against overload as shown in Figure-9.
 SPEAKER PROTECTION

Figure 10 – Speaker protection by Polyfuse

Nowadays speakers are designed and sold independently of amplifiers.

Therefore, there are possibilities of damage due to mismatches. The protection
choices for loudspeaker systems are limited. Fuses protect the speaker, but a

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 SEMINAR REPORT ON POLYFUSE

blown fuse is always a source of frustration. Using a Polyfuse in series with the
speaker as shown in Figure-10 will protect it from over-current/over-heating
damage. Choosing a correct trip-current rated Polyfuse is important to match the
power level of the speaker.
 BATTERY PROTECTION

Figure 11 – Battery protection circuit for Li-ion batteries

The Figure-11 below shows a schematic of a typical single-cell Li-ion battery

pack for cellular phone applications, using a Polyfuse. Batteries are constantly
charged and discharged over their life-cycle. Over-charge results in an increase
in the temperature of the electrolyte. This could cause either a fire or an
explosion. Polyfuse play a vital role in the charging and discharging cycles of
batteries. The Polyfuse low resistance overcomes the additional series resistance
introduced by the MOSFETs and the low trip temperature can provide
protection against thermal runaway in the case of an abusive overcharge.
1. KEYBOARD/MOUSE PROTECTION

FIGURE 11 – Protection of keyboard/mouse through Polyfuse Device

The operating current of keyboard/ mouse is usually from 200 to 500 mA, but in
a short circuit the current will increase many times. Using PPTC in series

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between the connector and host power supply will limit the current cut the
keyboard/ mouse port to the specified maximum.

CONCLUSION
PPTC resettable fuses are designed for today’s demanding electronic and
electrical industries. The concept of a self-resetting fuse of course predates this
technology. Bimetal fuses, for example are widely used in appliances such as
hairdryers, but these are generally large current devices. PPTC resettable fuses
compete with another common overcurrent protection device, namely positive
temperature coefficient (PTC) ceramic thermistors. However, PPTC fuses offer
several advantages. First, they have lower resistance and therefore lower I2R
heating, and can be rated for much higher currents. Second, the ratio between
open-resistance and close-resistance is much higher than with ceramic PTC
fuses. For example, the resistance change in PTC thermistors is generally in the
range of 1–2 orders of magnitude, but with PPTC fuses, the change may be 6–7
orders of magnitude. However, ceramic PTC fuses don’t exhibit the increase in
resistance after a reset.

The vast majority PPTC fuses on the market have trip times in the range 1–10
seconds, but there are PPTC fuses with trip times of a few milliseconds.
Generally speaking, however, these devices are considered slow-trip fuses. The
blow time depends on the overcurrent, so that a fuse that may open within a few
milliseconds with a severe overload, may take tens of seconds for a light
overload. They are ideal for all low voltage DC and AC application.

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REFERENCES
Electronics For You, Edition- September, 2004

Raychem circuit protection products- Tyco Electronics

http://www.circuitprotection.com

http://www.wikipedia.com

http://www.inter-technical.com

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