1

Fuse Types, Department

Short-circuit,
Mohammad Zeeshanload Nawaz variation and
of Electrical Engineering,
Current
University Limiter
of Engineering and Technology Lahore
2018betelec12@student.uet.edu.pk

together inside a single fuse body [2]

iv. Parallel combination of high-voltage fuse and ZnO
varistors [2]
Fuse are basically cheap and simple devices, even their
Fuse behavior is somewhat more complex than maybe generally
realized. Surprisingly the arcing process which occurs when
Abstract they interrupt current is still not fully understood [3]
In few recent years, power conductor
devices used for control power systems. Since their Besides the advantages features the nowadays fuses have
operating voltage and current have been increasing many drawbacks:
more and more, the accident of the short circuit i. The time current cannot adjusted.
ii. Current limiting effect is uncontrollable.
faults gives rise of the serious damage to not only the
iii. At DC applications fuses cannot operate to reverse
semiconductors but also the whole power control current.
system. Therefore, the protection techniques for the iv. Fuses operating the previous thermal state.
semiconductors are regarded as an important issues. v. The power loss can reach important values in the case
In this work I explained the different types of fuses of power convertors protections.
on the basis of high –voltage and medium-voltage.
2. Types
1. Introduction
Fuses can be divide into two main categories according to the
Fuse have been produced over 100 years and there are now an type of input supply voltage:
extremely large number in use throughout the world. They i. AC fuses.
incorporate one or more current-carrying elements, depending ii. DC fuses
on their current rating and melting these followed by arcing,
and occurs when excessive overcurrent flow through them. DC fuses:
Fuse are designed to interrupt safely the very high current
faults that may encounter in services. They limits the energy When metallic wire melts because of heat generating by the
dissipated during fault periods they enables the fuse to be of over current, then arc is produced and it is very difficult
relatively small overall dimensions and may leads the distinguish this arc because of DC constant value.
economics, cost and size of the protective equipment’s.[1]
AC fuses:

In AC system voltage with 60 Hz or 50 Hz frequency changes

its amplitude from zero to 60 times every second so arc extinct
easily as compared to DC. AC fuses are small in size than DC
fuses. It’s further divided into categories High-voltage fuses
and Low-voltage fuses.[3]

High-voltage fuse:

After many improvements and changes into fuse design have i. Cartridge Fuse.
been presented in order to extend the low current interruption ii. Liquid Type HRC Fuse.
capabilities such as: iii. Expulsion Type HRC Fuse.
i. Using of non-traditional fuse elements metals, like
aluminum or cadmium [2] Low-voltage fuse:
ii. Use of bound silica sand [2] i. Rewireable Fuse.
iii. Current limiter and explosion elements put ii. Cartridge type LV fuse.
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iii. Striker type fuse.

iv. Switch type fuse
v. Drop-out fuse.

3. High-Voltage Fuses

Cartridge Fuse:

This is a fast type of safety devices that is used to protect

cables power cables power line equipment against overload
and short circuit in electrical systems. The main purpose of
this type of fuse to protect systems and human life. It is made
by ceramic, glass, porcelain
The construction of these types of fuses are same as similar to
the low voltage fuses. Inn this type of fuse, the fuse elements
are wounded in the shape of the ring for removing the Corona
Effect.
In some of the HRC fuses the two fuse elements are used.
These fuse elements are connected parallel to each other. The
one element is used for the flows of the normal current and the
other is used for short circuit current for heavy current is made
of tungsten metal because of high resistance.[4]

When the faults are occurs short-circuit current passes

through the fuse element. The fuse element becomes melt and
breaks. The small quantity of gas generated at time of fusion.
The liquid uses in the fuse extinguish the arc.
These types of fuse are used as the back-up protection of the
circuit breaker. Its increases the short-circuit capacity of the
circuit breaker. [4]

Expulsion Type HRC Fuses:

It is the escapable fuse in which expulsion effects the gases

They are made in capacities of 1 to 1000 Amperes for
voltages 125, 250, 600 and 1000 volts
Liquid Type HV HRC Fuse:
This type of fuse is mostly used in the high voltage circuit. It
is used for the transformer protection or for the circuit having
a rating 400A.
The fuse has the glass tube which fills with carbon
tetrachloride CCl4. The fuse element placed inside the glass
tube. The one end of the tube is sealed and other one is fixed
with the help of phosphorous bronze wire.
produced by internal arcing. In this the fuse link chamber is
filled with boric acid for expulsion of gases.
These type fuses are widely used for the protection of feeders
and transformers because their low cost. It developed for 11
kV, and there is Rupturing capacity is up to 250 MVA.
These types of fuses compromises a hollow open ended tube
made of synthetic resin-bonded paper.
Fuse element are placed in the tubes and the ends of the tube is
connected to suitable fittings at each end. The arc producing is
blown off in the inner coating of the tube, and the gases thus
formed extinguish the arc.[5]
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Striker Fuse:
4. Low-Voltage Fuses It is the mechanical device having enough force and
displacement can be used for closing tripping/indicator
Rewireable Fuse: circuits.

These types of circuit is mostly used in the small circuit or for

domestic wiring. The fused case and fuse carrier are the main
two parts of the Rewireable fuse.
The baes of the fuse is made up of porcelain and hold the
wires which may be made up of lead tinned cooper,
Aluminum or ally of tin-lead the fuse carrier can be easily
inserted out in the base without opening main switch.
Rewireable fuse using under 60 Ampere and for 240 volts
these types of fuses are used for domestic purposes.

These fuses are providing with a loaded-spring striker that can

act as a visual indicators that the fuse has blown and also
activate other switch gear. Its rating 1250Amperes

Switch Fuse:

These types of switches is used for low and medium voltages

Drop-out Fuse:
The melting of fuse causes the fuse element to drop out under
gravity about its lower support, such type of fused is used for
the protection of outdoor transformers.
circuits. The rating of the fuse units in the range of 30, 60,
100, 200, 400, 600, and 800 Amperes.
The fuse unit is available as 3-pole and 4-pole unit. The
making capacity of such type of fuses is up to 46 kA. They
can safely break depending upon rating currents of the order
of three times the load current.[7]
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A handle that is manually operated can connect or disconnect

high current fuses. The drop out fuse under working voltage of
12/ 24 kV, 36kV and current limiting range 100 and 200
Amperes. An example of short circuit is a storm damage a power line ad
cutting off electricity. Some of the effects of short circuits are
Cartridge type LV Fuse: overheating, fire, and explosions. These all can lead to
significant damage and injury one of the most dangerous
These fuses are used to protect electrical appliances such as outcomes from a short circuit it’s an arc flash
motors, pumps where high voltage rating and currents are
required. They are available up to 600A and 600VAC and Internal Effects:
widely used in industries commercial as well as home They are caused by break down of equipment or transmission
distribution panels.[7] line from the deterioration of insulation in a generator
transformer it is all due to improper installation.
External Effects:
5. Applications of Fuses: Causing by short circuit include insulation failure due to
lightning surges overloading of equipment causes excessive
i. Motors and Transformer heating, mechanical damage etc.
ii. Air-conditioner
iii. Home distribution boards Current effects
iv. Laptops When a short circuit occurs the current in the circuit increases
v. Cell phones to an abnormally high value while the system voltage
vi. Game systems decreases to a low value. The heavy current due to short
vii. Printers circuit causes excessive heating which may result in fire or
viii. Digital cameras explosion.[8]
ix. Portable electronics
x. DVD player 7. Load Variation
xi. LCD motions
xii. Battery packs A variable load is a load that is applied over an area; that is, a
xiii. Power converters surface. A variable load can be applied in any direction
specified by a vector or can be applied normal to the surface.
A function can be defined to control the magnitude of the load
at different locations on the surface.
On the power station load varies from time to time due to
uncertain demands of the consumers, which is known as load
6. Short- circuit variable on the power station.

A short circuit is an abnormal connection between two nodes Effects of variable loading on power system:
of an electric circuit intended to be at different voltages OR a i. Generation of power becomes costly.
low resistance connection between two conductors supplying ii. Difficulty in controlling the system.
electrical power to any circuit. iii. Required of additional equipment.
iv. Increased losses.

Load Curve:

The above figure shows a typical daily load curve. As we can
see, the maximum load demand occurs around 8 pm. Such a
load curve shows the variation of load with time. We can
determine the maximum demand on the system too. This
maximum demand relates to the maximum load that occurs on
the system. This maximum load will affect the size and
capacity of the plant.
8. Current Limiter
It is the practice of imposing a limit on the current that maybe
delivered to a load protect the circuit generating or
transmitting the current from harmful effect due to short
circuit or overload. The current limiting term are used as
overcurrent device
Current Limiter as a fuse:
The most modern fuse is current limiting. A fuse will restrict
fault currents to such low values that a high degree of
protection is given to circuit components against even very
high short-circuit currents. They permit breakers with lower
interrupting ratings to be used. [8]
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9. References
1) [1] P. McEwan, “Mr. Edward Naime FRS – Discover
of the electric fuse?” Perspericktywy Rozoju Technik
Przerywania Pradu, Gdansk, 1996.
2) [2]. A, Metcalf, “A new fuse phenomenon,” Beama
Journal vol. 44, pp.109-112 and 151-54, 1939.
3) [3]. J. Gomez, D. Tourn and P. McEwan, “research
and investigate of the pre – arcing behavior of
dissimilar uniform, double element CAD techniques”
4th international Conference on electric Fuses and
their Applications, pp. 65, 1995.
4) [4]. A, Plesca, “special cartridge for HRC fuses” ,
Patent NO. RO 120107, 2005
5) [5]. D, Aubery, “New 11Kv EXPLOSION fuses for
overhead lines”, Electrical Times, 1974.
6) [6]. A Wright and P. G. Newbery Electric Fuse IEEE,
London 2004.
7) [7]. J, G. Leah, “New applications flexibiltty for
medium- voltage current-limiting fuses,”, IEEE
Transaction on industry Applications, vol,IA21,
pp,1075-1080, 1985.
8) [8]. Paul, Horowitz, Winfield hill, the Art of
electronics, second edition, Cambridge university
Press, 1989 ISBN 0 – 521- 37095- 7 P.316