Low Voltage

Switchgear
IEC 61439
By. Ibrahim Ismail
 WHAT IS SWITCHGEAR
Switchgear is the combination of electrical
disconnect switches, fuses or circuit breakers used
to control, protect and isolate electrical
equipment.
ELECTRICAL POWER
Switchgear is used both to de-energize
equipment to allow work to be done and to
Switchgear clear faults downstream.

Switchgear is a general term covering a wide

range of equipment concerned with 3 basic
functions:

❑ Isolation:

LOADS LOADS LOADS LOADS ❑ Control:

❑ Protection:
CAREER PATH
 SUPPLIERS BANELBUILDERS

EGYPT
MARKET

EGYPT
Assembling of enclosures
 WORK FLOW

TECHNICAL OFFER

1
DESIGN DRWINGS
AND DOCUMENTS TENDER ENGINEER
FINANCIAL OFFER

CONSTRUCTION PANEL CONSTRUCTION

ENGINEER PROCESS
 LV POWER
SWITCH GEAR

SURFACE FREE
MOUNTED STAND
PANELS PANELS

Modular

Fishpone
WHAT IS LV SWITCHGEAR

Generally electrical switchgear rated upto

1KV is termed as low voltage switchgear.
The term LV Switchgear includes low
voltage circuit breakers, switches, off load
electrical isolators, HRC fuses, earth
leakage circuit breaker, miniature circuit
breakers (MCB) and molded case circuit
breakers (MCCB) etc i.e. all the accessories
required to protect the LV system.
  Power distribution board : A distribution board (also known as panel board,
breaker panel, or electric panel) is a component of an electricity supply system that
divides an electrical power feed into subsidiary circuits, while providing a
protective fuse or circuit breaker for each circuit in a common enclosure.
 Motor control center: is an assembly to control some or all electric motors in a
central location.

low voltage
switch gear
FREE-STAND
PANEL
CONSTRUCTION
Cubicle
construction
 BODY
ROOF

TOP
PANEL
REAR MOUNTING
PANEL PLATE

SUPPORTS

SIDE
PANEL

BASE
BOTTOM
PANEL

PLINTH
Schneider

Blockset Prisma

ABB

MNS
FUNCTIONAL
DEVICE
❑ Isolation:

❑ Control:

❑ Protection:
 CONTROL DEVICES
◼ Switching on and off

Impulse relay Contactor Circuit breaker

MOTOR
 CONTROL DEVICES
CONTACTORS
solenoid operated switching device, capable of making, carrying and breaking currents
under normal circuit conditions including operating overload conditions .

❑ Function: control
- two-position device (open / closed).
- commonly controlled remotely by on-off pushbuttons ,
- It does not provide protection for the circuit it controls.
- It does not provide isolation.

Thermal overload relay

❑ Function: protection
protection against overload conditions
 CONTROL DEVICES
CONTACTORS

C
CONTROL DEVICES
 CONTROL DEVICES

IMPULSE RELAY

Impulse Relays Impulse relays are a form of latching relay that

transfers the contacts with each pulse. Many impulse relays are
made up of a magnetic latchrelay and a solid state steering circuit
that, upon application of power, determines which position
the relay is in and energizes the opposite coil.
 ISOLATION DEVICES

LOAD-BREAK
SWITCH
 ISOLATION DEVICES
LOAD-BREAK
SWITCH
Mechanical switching device which complies with the isolating
function. It can withstand normal operating current, In case of
fault current , withstanding is for very short time.

❑Function: isolation
- two-position device (open / closed).
- generally manually-operated,
- lockable,
 ISOLATION DEVICES

A
B
PROTECTION DEVICES

FUSES CIRCUIT BREAKER

automatically operated electrical devices designed to protect

an electrical circuit from damage caused by excess current
from an overload or short circuit.
 PROTECTION DEVICES
 Overload protection

t (s)

0
60 A I (A)
overloads
 PROTECTION DEVICES
 Overload protection
bimetal strip
t (s)

X (s) Y

0
60 A 120 A I (A)
 PROTECTION DEVICES
 Short-circuit protection

t (s)

Y
X (s)

I (A)
250 A
3000 A
 PROTECTION DEVICES
 Earth leakage protection
 PROTECTION DEVICES
CIRCUIT
BREAKER
A circuit breaker is an automatically operated
electrical switch designed to protect an
electrical circuit from damage caused by excess
current from an overload or short circuit.

❑ Function:
- protection - control - isolation.

Miniature Molded case Air circuit

circuit breaker circuit breaker breaker
1A-125 A
20A – 1600A 630A – 6300A
Miniature
circuit breaker
MCB
 Miniature Circuit Breaker MCB
• MCB stands for Miniature Circuit Breaker.
• DIN rail modules.
• Rated current under 125A. 25-32-40-50-63-80-125

• Short ct usually under 18 KA.

• Fixed trip characteristics.
• For small application usually residential
buildings.
Miniature Circuit Breaker MCB
 Miniature Circuit Breaker MCB
• RCD: residual current device
An RCCB consists of a 3-winding transformer, which has 2
primary windings and 1 secondary winding. Neutral and line
wires act as the two primary windings. A wire wound coil is the
secondary winding. The current through the secondary winding
is zero at the balanced condition. In balance condition, the flux
due to the current through the phase wire will be neutralized by
the current through the neutral wire,
 Miniature Circuit Breaker MCB
RCD

RCCB: residual RCBO : residual

current circuit current breaker
breaker overload
 Miniature Circuit Breaker MCB

ACTI 9 IC60 S 200

ACTI 9 IDPN ACTI 9 NG

SH 200 5SL
Schneider ABB Siemens
Miniature Circuit Breaker MCB
Molded
Case Circuit
Breaker

MCCB
Molded Case Circuit Breaker

Molded case
circuit breaker
20A – 1600A
TRIP UNITS
The trip unit is the “brain” of the circuit breaker. It consists of trip units
components that will automatically trip the circuit breaker when it
senses an overload or short circuit. The tripper bar is moved by a
manual “PUSH TO TRIP” button, a thermal overcurrent sensing
element or an electromagnet.
thermal / magnetic Electronic (static)
trip units trip units

thermal relay overload long time

protection

magnetic relay short circuit short time

protection
TRIP UNITS
THERMAL/MAGNETIC
TRIP UNITS
Electronic trip unit
 Molded Case Circuit Breaker MCCB

Tmax
NSX

Easypact EZC FORMULA A1 3VA

Schneider ABB Siemens
Air Circuit
Breaker
ACB
1. OFF button (O)
2. ON button (I)
3. Main contact position indicator
4. Energy storage mechanism status
indicator
5. Reset Button
6. LED Indicators
7. Controller
8. “Connection”, “Test” and “isolated”
position stopper (the three-position
latching/locking mechanism)
9. User-supplied padlock
10. Connection “,” Test “and” separation “of
the position indication
11. Connection (CE) Separation, (CD) Test (CT)
Position indication contacts
12. Rated Name Plate
13. Digital Displays
14. Mechanical energy storage handle
15. Shake (IN/OUT)
16. Rocker repository
Fault trip reset button
PROTECTION DEVICES
PROTECTION DEVICES
 Molded Case Circuit Breaker MCCB

Masterpact mtz

Masterpact Emax2 3WL

Schneider ABB Siemens
 PROTECTION DEVICES

FUSES
A fuse consists of a metal strip or wire fuse element, of small
cross-section compared to the circuit conductors, mounted
between a pair of electrical terminals, and (usually) enclosed by
a non-combustible housing. The fuse is arranged in series to
carry all the current passing through the protected circuit.

HRC(High Rupturing Capacity) Fuses

Semi - enclosed Rewirable fuses
cartridge type fuses
 PROTECTION DEVICES
❑ Characteristics:

FUSES - IEC defines fuses by two letters code as follows:

- the first letter indicates the main operating mode:

a = Fuse is used for short circuit protection only.
g = Fuse is used for short circuit protection and overload.
protection.

- the second letter indicates the object to be protected:

G = cable and conductor protection
M = motor circuit protection
R = semiconductor protection
S = semiconductor protection
Tr = transformer protection
N = North American conductor protection
D = N. A. “time delay” for motor circuit protection
Accessories
 Fire alarm control
panel

BMS
Building management
system

Manual control
Molded case
CB
  What is the Main Function for the SHUNT TRIP ?

A device designed to switch the Power Circuit Breaker OFF remotely.

When energized a Shunt Release instantaneously activates the circuit
breaker mechanism ensuring a rapid disconnection of the main contacts.

shunt trip
 Siemens
Schneider ABB STL
MX SOR-C

MOLDED CASE CIRCUIT BREAKER SHUNT TRIPS

  What is the Main Function for the Under voltage release ?

The MN release opens the circuit breaker when its supply voltage drops to a
value below 35 % of its rated voltage Un.
Under voltage tripping, combined with an emergency-off button, provides fail-
safe tripping.

The MN release is continuously supplied, i.e. if supply is interrupted:

either voluntarily, by the emergency-off button,
Under voltage or accidentally, through loss of power or faulty wiring,
the release provokes opening of the circuit breaker.
release
 Siemens
Schneider ABB UVR
MN UVR-C
  What is the Main Function for the Motor mechanism?
The motor mechanism module is used to remotely open and close the circuit
breaker. It is made up of a spring-charging motor equipped with an opening
release and a closing release.

Motor
mechanism
Schneider ABB Siemens
  What is the Main Function for the Auxiliary and alarm switches?
The auxiliary and alarm switches can be very simply snapped into place and
connected up in accessories compartments provided on the front panel of the
unit to the left and right of the handle.
All auxiliary and alarm switches are designed as changeover contacts and
therefore provide a high degree of flexibility for planning and installation
purposes.

Auxiliary
switches
 BMS
Building management system

Shunt trip

Fire alarm control

LOAD panel
 Under voltage
relase

Sensitive
LOAD load
 BMS
Building management system

LOAD
ACB
accessories
SHUNT TRIPS , UVR AND CLOSING COIL

Schneider ABB Siemens

MX YO 3WL

AIR CIRCUIT BREAKER SHUNT TRIPS

MOTOR OPERATION

Schneider ABB Siemens

Cubicle
construction
Cubicle
construction
 Horizontal BB
Compartment

Cubicle
construction
Out going CB

Vertical BB
Compartment
 Horizontal BB
Compartment

Cubicle
construction
the main
4 compartments

Functional
Cable Compartment comp. Vertical bus bar comp.
 Breaker comp. Vertical bus bar comp.

Cubicle
construction
the main incomer CB
Cubicle
component
(Horizontal/Main) BB Compartment
(Vertical/Distribution) BB Compartment
Functional unit –Withdrwable

3
Functional Unit
withdraw able
Functional unit – Fixed

3
Functional Unit
fixed
Cubicle
construction
Corner cell
800x800 mm
Classification
We can classify LVSWG according to :
1-Feeder access (Top-Bottom).
2- Location (indoor – outdoor).
3-IP (20-31-42-54).
4-Forms (1-2-3-4).
 INCOMER
BB

INCEOMER FEEDER

TOP
INCEOMER FEEDER

BUTTOM
5
IP
index protection
6
forms
6
forms
6
forms
6
forms
6
forms
6
forms
6
forms
How to determine
switch gear dimensions
 70 cm 20 cm 70 cm 40 cm
Front
access

Cable compartment
Vertical BB
200 cm Main Functional
CB comp.

70 cm 130 cm
 60 cm
Front
access

200 cm
 70 cm 20 cm 70 cm
Rear
access

Vertical BB
200 cm Main Functional
CB comp.

90 cm 90 cm
 60 cm 30cm
Rear
access

Cable compartment
200 cm

90cm
 Horizontal BB
10 mod.

VERTICAL
Function unit
MODULE 30 mod.

CUBICAL-----< 40 module each 5 cm

 More than
[100->250A] [400->630A] [400->630A] [630-1000] 1600A

4 C.B 1 C.B 1 C.B 2 C.B

7 vertical modules 7 vertical modules 10 vertical modules Per cubical
 400
KVAR

70cm
EXAMPLE
 1 CUBICAL 10

7
7
10

1 CUBICAL
10 MODULE

7 MODULE 7 MODULE
CUBICAL 1 VERTICAL CUBICAL 2 CABLE VERTICAL CABLE
BB COMP BB COMP
 200 cm
70 cm

Vertical BB
20 cm
70 cm

Cable compartment

Vertical BB
40 cm 20 cm 70 cm

Cable compartment
40 cm