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Close and charging motor

control circuits for a power
circuit breaker explained in
detail
By Edvard   | February, 13th 2023 | 1 comment | Translate | Save to
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Home / Technical Articles / Close and charging motor control circuits for a power circuit breaker explained in

detail

CB Control Schematics
This technical article deals with schematics of close and charging motor
control circuits for a medium-voltage circuit breaker. The proper functioning
of MV switchgear depends on control circuits. For the switchgear to operate
properly, the integrity of these control circuits is crucial, hence records of
commissioning and maintenance activities are crucial for troubleshooting
procedures.
Close and charging motor control circuits for a power circuit breaker
explained in detail (on photo: Operating mechanism of Siemens's medium-
voltage vacuum circuit breaker)
In order to gain the skills of troubleshooting and following the sequence of
operations, one must also be able to understand and interpret control
circuits.
Despite having numerous control circuits, all of them ultimately boil down to
the CB close/trip coils. It’s worth mentioning that switchgear designs must
incorporate interlock systems in order to prevent unintentional closures that
could compromise the security of both people and equipment.

Protection relays for medium-voltage circuit breakers are not built within the
circuit breaker like those for low-voltage breakers, nor are they powered by
the primary circuit’s current. The safety relays are offered externally.
Because of this, medium voltage circuit breakers rely on control power to
precisely and consistently trip or open the breaker in the case of a
malfunction.
Since the availability of control power is critical to the protective function of
a medium-voltage circuit breaker , the control power source is extremely
reliable.
The most reliable source in a utility electric generation station is a DC
source from a station battery system. Even on a loss of all AC power in
the power plant, the battery voltage is maintained and the breakers are able
to provide their circuit protective functions.
While the protective relay in medium voltage applications requires control
power, the typical medium voltage breaker is closed and opened via
mechanical springs in the breaker and there is a manual close and trip
button on the face of the breaker along with a flag indicating breaker status.
The operating mechanism is a stored-energy mechanism. The closing spring
is charged either electrically or manually. It latches tight at the end of the
charging process and serves as an energy store. The force is transmitted
from the operating mechanism to the pole assemblies via operating levers.

To close the breaker, the closing spring can be unlatched either

mechanically by means of the local “ON” pushbutton or electrically by
remote control. The closing spring charges the opening or contact pressure
springs as the breaker closes. The now discharged closing spring will be
charged again automatically by the mechanism motor or manually.
Then the operating sequence OPEN-CLOSE-OPEN is stored in the springs.
The charging state of the closing spring can be checked electrically by
means of a position switch.
Figure 1 shows the manual close button, the manual trip button, the flag
indicating breaker open or closed, the flag indicating charging spring charged
or discharged, and other elements of a circuit breaker.

Figure 1 – Circuit Breaker Spring-Charging Mechanism

Figure 1 – Circuit Breaker Spring-Charging Mechanism

Where:

1. Closing Spring
2. Latch Check Switch (To Rear of Motor Cutoff Switch)
3. Motor Cutoff Switch
4. Closing cam
5. Spring Release Assembly
6. Shunt Trip Assembly
 7. Closing Spring
8. Reset/Opening Spring
9. Manual Charge Socket
10. Ratchet Wheel
11. Operations Counter
12. Charging Motor
Figure 2 shows the typical close and charging motor control circuit for a
power circuit breaker. Table 1 defines some of the functions of the contacts
in the control schematics of Figures 2 and 3 (see below).

The function of the charging motor (M) is to compress the main closing

spring which is the mechanical stored energy mechanism. The energy
required to trip or open the circuit breaker is provided by the tripping spring,
while the energy required to close the circuit breaker is supplied by the
closing spring.
When the main closing spring has been fully charged and the stored energy
mechanism is prepared for a closing operation, the motor cutoff switch
(LS) creates an electrical break in the control circuit supplying the charging
motor (M).
The control circuit’s logic is served by the anti-pump relay (Y), which
prevents a continuous electrical close signal from causing the circuit breaker
to repeatedly close after receiving a trip signal. Solenoids are used to power
the breaker’s electrical operation. Depending on which solenoid is triggered,
the close and trip springs will either close or open the breaker.
Learn much more about how anti-pump relay works.
Table 1 – Device descriptions for Figures 5 and 6
Device Designation Device Description
LS Spring charge limit switch shown with breaker
closing springs discharged
M Breaker closing springs charging motor
52/a Breaker normally closed auxiliary contact
52/b Breaker normally open auxiliary contact
Y Anti-pump relay
LCS Latch check switch
PR Protective relay
CS/C Control switch close contact
CS/T Control switch open contact
TC Close coil
CC Trip coil
With the charging spring discharged, the spring charge limit switch (LS) is
closed between the charging motor (M) and the secondary stab pin 9. This
applies DC voltage to the charging motor and runs the charging motor until
the closing springs become charged.
The LS contact will become active as the closing springs charge. This
allows the charging motor and secondary stab pin 9 to make contact,
deactivating the spring charging motor (M). The closing spring will discharge
as soon as the breaker is tripped and then reset, and the LS contact between
the secondary stab pin 9 and the charging motor will automatically close,
recharging the closing spring.

With the breaker open, the contact 52/b is closed. The 52/b contact is an
auxiliary contact that simply mirrors breaker status. When the breaker is
open, the 52/b contact is closed, and when the breaker is closed, the 52/b
contact is open. The normally open spring-charged limit switch (LS) contact
below the 52/b contact is closed when the closing spring is charged.
This is a normally open contact off the LS mechanism. In order to ensure that
there is mechanical force available to close the breaker, this contact is only
closed when the closing spring is charged.

Downstream of the 52/b contact is the latch check switch (LCS). The circuit
breaker can be used for instantaneous reclosing thanks to the latch check
switch. Before allowing the instantaneous re-closure, the switch makes sure
that the mechanical mechanism has been reset and is prepared for a reclose
following a breaker trip.
Downstream of the latch check switch (LCS) is a normally closed contact
from the anti-pump relay (Y). The anti-pump relay (Y) acts as a one-shot
device.
Looking at Figure 2, you can see that the anti-pump relay is driven by the
close signal on stab pin 11 and the position of the charging spring limit
switch normally closed contact.

Figure 2 – Circuit breaker close circuit schematic

 Figure
2 – Circuit breaker close circuit schematic
Before the breaker is closed, the anti-pump relay is not yet energized as
the charging spring limit switch is open. Once the breaker closes, the
closing spring discharges. This closes the normally closed charging motor
limit switch LS which energizes the anti-pump relay coil (Y). The Y relay
seals itself in with the Y relay normally open contact, in parallel with the LS
normally closed contact.
The normally closed contact from the Y relay prevents the close coil from
being re-energized until the anti-pump relay Y resets. What resets the Y
relay is the removal of the close command from the control switch contact
CS/C.
In essence, the anti-pump relay makes sure that the control switch’s close
contact CS/C contacts are closed only once before the close coil is
energized. This guarantees that the breaker will not reclose until the close
command is removed and reasserted if the breaker trips back open after
being closed into a fault. This stops the circuit breaker from opening and
closing into a fault and stops the breaker from failing.
The normally closed contact from the Y relay is closed because the anti-
pump relay is no longer powered. Stabil pin 11 receives voltage when the
control switch close contact (CS/C) is closed. The close coil (CC) is
energized if the 52/b contact, LS contact, LCS contact, and Y contact are all
closed. The 52/b contact automatically opens when the breaker closes,
cutting off power to the close coil.
Figure 3 shows the typical trip control circuit of a circuit breaker. Please
consult the Table 1 (see above) as it defines the functions of the contacts
used in the control schematics of Figure 3.
The trip coil of the breaker  is connected in series with auxiliary 52/a breaker
contacts so that it only energizes when the breaker is closed and needs to
be opened or tripped. This prevents damaging of the trip coil should the trip
signal remain on the breaker trip coil after the breaker opens and the trip coil
no longer needs to be energized but the control switch or protective relay
contact is still closed.
Figure 3 – Circuit breaker trip circuit schematic
 Fig
ure 3 – Circuit breaker trip circuit schematic
Either the control switch trip contact (CS/T) closing or any closing protection
relay contacts (PR) will energize the trip control coil. The green light is
powered by the normally closed auxiliary breaker contact (52/b), so
whenever the breaker is opened, the 52/b contact closes and the green light
becomes active, signaling that the breaker is open.

Notice that the red light is not only fed from two 52/a contacts in series but is
also fed through the breaker trip coil between the two 52/a contacts.
This is done for the following reason: When the breaker is closed (via the
52/a contact) AND there is continuity through the trip coil, the red light will be
activated. If you approach this breaker and notice that the green light is on
and the red light is off, you will know that it is open and that you have the
power to close it.
If you approach this breaker and observe the red light on and the green
light off, you will know it is closed, have control power available to trip it, and
continuity through the trip coil, which confirms the trip coil’s integrity.
If you approach the breaker and  neither the red nor the green light is on,
what does that mean?

One of two things is implied by this. Either the breaker is closed but the
trip coil has failed and is open, or we have opened our fuse to the breaker’s
trip circuit. It is crucial to be alert to this condition and raise the alarm so that
the problem can be fixed. A contact closure from the protective relay (PR) or
the control switch trip contact (CS/T) will NOT open or trip the breaker if the
breaker is closed and the trip coil is open.
This indicates that  we have lost any overcurrent, differential, or other
protection that this breaker may have been providing, and this issue needs
to be fixed right away.
Suggested Reading – Tricks in designing and analyzing schematics and
diagrams of HV substations
This is a good moment to explain a word of caution about the location of
the red light! Notice that when the breaker is closed, the red light is
illuminated by allowing current to flow through the trip coil. To
prevent nuisance tripping of the breaker , the resistance that the red light
presents must be much higher than the resistance that the trip coil presents
to prevent this current from activating the trip coil.
Said in another way, the current required to illuminate the red light must be
substantially lesser than the minimum current required to activate the trip
coil. The same discussion pertains to any device connected in parallel with
the trip contacts. One common application of modern distributed control
systems (DCS) is to parallel a voltage input to the DCS with the trip
contacts.
To stop the breaker from accidentally tripping, the input resistance of this
DCS input must be significantly higher than the resistance of the trip coil.
Additionally, it is standard procedure to connect two DCS voltage inputs that
are in series with one another in parallel with the trip contact when the
breaker is essential to the proper operation of the plant.

This is done so that, in the event one of the two cards fails shorted, it does
not cause a nuisance trip of the breaker.

Some of the specifications for the switchgear assembly’s construction are

defined by IEEE standards. The types of switchgear that are being
considered are divided up into separate IEEE standards. According to IEEE
standard C37.20.1, low voltage power circuit breakers must comply. For
metal-clad (MC) switchgear IEEE C37.20.2 applies.
Figure 4 – Metal-clad (MC) switchgear

Figure 4 – ABB UniGear ZS1 vacuum circuit breakers (VCB) – photo credit:
slaters-electricals.com
For metal-enclosed interrupter IEEE C37.20.3 applies. Unless the customer
specifies other arrangements, the phase arrangement on a three-phase
assembled switchgear bus and connection are set up as phase A, phase B,
and phase C from front to back, or top to bottom, or left to right as viewed
from the front of the switchgear.
When viewed from the front of the switchgear, the polarities on the buses
and connections of DC assembled switchgear are set up as positive, neutral,
or negative from front to back, or from top to bottom, or from left to right.
Even though this is the IEEE standard, switchgear is always built
specifically for a customer needs, so the user should always refer to
specific switchgear construction drawings for information on the phase
orientation of the switchgear. The IEEE standard phase configuration is
frequently deviated from in older generation stations. In some older
stations, A-B-C phase rotation was west to east and south to
north instead of left to right and top to bottom.
Below is a description of some of the auxiliary contacts in a breaker, starter,
or cubicle. A form “a” contact is a normally open contact while a form
“b” contact is a normally closed contact. A form “c” contact has a normally
open and normally closed contact with one side being common.
Below are some specific standard nomenclatures for auxiliary contacts along
with their description.

Auxiliary contact 52/a -It’s opened when the breaker is in the de-energized or

non-operated position. This is an auxiliary contact mounted directly on the
breaker indicating status of the breaker.
Auxiliary contact 52/b – It’s closed when the device is in the de-energized or
non-operated position. This is an auxiliary contact mounted directly on the
breaker indicating status of the breaker.
Auxiliary contact 52/aa – It’s opened when the operating mechanism of the
main device is in the deenergized or non-operated position. This is an
auxiliary contact mounted directly on the breaker indicating status of the
breaker operating mechanism.
This is also referred to as an early out contact because it operates earlier
than the 52/a contact because it is derived from the operating mechanism
rather than the breaker status itself.
Auxiliary contact 52/bb – It’s closed when the operating mechanism of the
main device is in the de-energized or non-operated position. This is an
auxiliary contact mounted directly on the breaker indicating status of the
breaker operating mechanism.
This is also known as an early out contact as it is derived from the
operating mechanism and not the breaker status itself and as such operates
sooner than the 52/b contact.
Auxiliary contact 52TOC/a – It’s opened when the circuit breaker is not in the
connected position. The TOC switch is mounted in the cubicle, not on the
circuit breaker. TOC stands for truck operated contact.
Auxiliary contact 52TOC/b – It’s closed when the circuit breaker is not in the
connected position. The TOC switch is mounted in the cubicle, not on the
circuit breaker. TOC stands for truck operated contact.
Figure 5 – Truck-Operated Contact Auxiliary Switch (TOC switch)
 Figure 5 –
Truck-Operated Contact Auxiliary Switch (TOC switch)
Auxiliary contact 52MOC/a – It’s open when the circuit breaker is
open. The MOC switch is mounted in the cubicle, not on the circuit breaker.
MOC stands for mechanism operated contact.
Auxiliary contact 52MOC/b – It’s closed when the circuit breaker is
open. The MOC switch is mounted in the cubicle, not on the circuit breaker.
MOC stands for mechanism operated contact.
Figure 6 – Mechanism-Operated Control Auxiliary Switches (MOC switch)
 Figure 6 –
Mechanism-Operated Control Auxiliary Switches (MOC switch)
Figure 7 – Mechanism-Operated Control Auxiliary Switch actuator (MOC
switch)
 Figure 7 –
Mechanism-Operated Control Auxiliary Switch actuator (MOC switch)
When coils on devices such as breakers and control relays are connected to
a DC supply and de-energized and are not disconnected from both the
positive and negative supply leads from the control power, these coils are
arranged such that the positive supply is isolated from the relay leaving
the negative supply connected.
This is done to minimize the possibility of corrosion of the relay over
long term service. When coils on devices such as breakers and control
relays are connected to an AC supply and de-energized and are not
disconnected from both the hot and neutral supply leads from the control
power, these coils are arranged such that the hot supply is isolated from the
relay leaving the neutral supply connected.
This is done  to prevent inadvertent energization of the coil should a
ground occur in the control system.
Suggested Course – Learn How to Operate and Analyze Interlocking
Schemes for Substation & GIS
Sources:
1. Energy Production Systems Engineering by Thomas H. Blair
2. T&D Electrical Engineering by Dr C. R. Bayliss
3. RelayAux – Auxiliary relays for tripping and control applications by
Schneider Electric