Switchgear & Protection

Switchgear Equipment: Switches

 List of Equipment

• Equipment concerned with switching and interrupting currents under both normal and abnormal conditions

• Switches
• Fuses
• Circuit breakers
• Relays and
• Instrument Transformer
 Switches

• A switch is a device which is used to open (Off) or close (On) an electrical circuit. Switches can be used under full-load or no-load
conditions.

• However switches cannot interrupt the fault currents. i.e. when fault occurs it can not open the circuit to de-energize the faulty part
of the system.

• When the contacts of a switch are opened, the sudden change of current in the circuit due to breaking results in the generation of
large induced e.m.f. (several thousand volts), this high voltage exceeds the dielectric strength of air and an arc is produced in the
air between the contacts.

• Based on opening medium of the switch contacts, switches may be classified into (i) air break switches (ii) oil switches.
 Air Break Switches
Definition: The switch whose contacts open in the air is called AB switch. This means the
quenching of an arc is achieved by air.

• It is designed to open a circuit under load.

Ionized air which is
• The maximum voltage for the switches is up to 35kV.
act as a conductor
Working principle: For opening contact of the switch, the air break switch is operated manually
when their handle is placed on a ground level. When switch is opened, arc is generated. As the
switch opens, moving arm moves further and further away. Consequently, the arc is lengthened,
cooled and current is interrupted.

Air break switches may be equipped with arcing horns. Due to the induced high voltage during
breaking the contact, insulators which are connected with the contact may break down as a result
of flashover from high voltage. To bypass this high voltage, special arcing horns are provided.
Arcing horns are pieces of metals. Where one horn is grounded. Due to this high voltage, the air-
gap between the arcing horns gets ionized and voltage is discharged in the ground and thus it
helps to protect insulator.

Applications: The air break switches install in outdoor and mainly use for switching and isolation Arcing horn in
mostly in the distribution network as a switching point. transformer bushing
 Oil switches
An oil switch is a high-voltage switch whose contacts are opened and closed in oil. The switch is actually immersed in oil filled steel tank.

Consider a short circuit fault occurs in the line then abnormal high current flows in line due to the fault. Let’s say 300A fault current flows in
the line.

A primary side of C.T is connected to line to be protected and secondary side is connected to trip coil. A current transformer let’s say of ratio
is 100:5 connected to line to be protected. The fault current 300A flows through the primary of CT and then accordingly in secondary of C.T,
15 A is found and this current flows through trip coil. The fault current in the trip coil produces magnetic field and pulls up the moveable
plunger and therefore the switch is opened.

With high voltages, an arc forms between the contacts when opening the contacts. The reason for placing high-voltage switches in oil is that
the oil helps to remove the arc and thus helps in ultimate breaking of the circuit. Initially arc will evaporate part of the oil because of the high
temperature and the vaporized oil develops a pressure which assists in quenching the arc by lengthening the arc.

Oil: Naphthenic oil, Paraffinic oil

 Isolator or disconnecting switch
Isolator or disconnecting switch is used to isolate one portion of the circuit from the other and is not intended to be opened while
current is flowing in the line.

Applications: Such switches are generally used on both sides of circuit breakers in order that repairs and replacement of circuit
breakers can be made without any danger.

Disconnectors can be manual or motor operated.

They should never be opened until the circuit breaker in the same circuit has been opened and should always be closed before the
circuit breaker is closed.

Types: Based upon their constructional features and mounting arrangement,

the major types of disconnectors are:

Centre-break disconnectors
Double-break disconnectors
Pantograph disconnectors
Horizontal break knee disconnectors
Isolator rating:

Rated voltage
• MV: 2 kV – 36 kV
• HV:5 kV – 800 kV

Rated current
• MV: 400 A – 1,250 A
• HV:2,000 A – 5,000 A

Rated short-time withstand current (3 s)

• MV: 5 kA – 25 kA
• HV:50 kA – 80 kA