Air Circuit Breaker

By Hiren Patel
 Introduction
• Air at atmospheric pressure is used as an arc
extinguishing medium in air break circuit
breakers.
• It works on high resistance interruption
principle.
• Arc is lengthened rapidly by arc runners and
arc chutes, cooled by lengthening and splitting
arc, so resistance will increase.
• If Varc > Vsyst, arc will extinguish.
• Used in DC and AC circuits upto 12 KV.
• They are generally indoor type.
• Magnetic field is used for lengthening the arc.

• Typical AC ACB ratings :

Construction of Air Break C.B.
• Arc core is conducting path of plasma.
• By cooling the arc, diameter of the arc is
reduced.
• By lengthening, cooling and splitting the arc, it
will extinguish if Varc > Vsyst.
ACB used for Low and Medium Voltage
• Main contacts are conducting the current in
normal position of breaker.
• They have low contact resistance and are
silver plated.
• Arcing contacts are hard, heat resistant, of
copper alloy.
• Arc moved upwards due to electromagnetic
effect and thermal effect.
• AC ACB have current limiting feature
(magnetic blow-up of arc)
• ACB used for DC upto 15 KV.
 Arc Extinction in AC Air C.B.
• Here, the arc is lengthened, cooled and
splitted which will increase the resistance of
arc. So, there is reduction in the fault current
therefore, it will not reach the prospective
high value.
• Arc extinction process is assisted by current
zero interruption.
ARC Runners (Arcing Horns)
Lengthening of ARC by means of
Magnetic Fields
• The magnetic field it self does not extinguish
the arc. It moves the arc rapidly into the arc
spliters. Cool down the arc by spliters using
fresh cooled air.
• These splitter plates are of a material which
can with stand high temperatures.
A low voltage Air Circuit Breaker
with current limiting features
 L.V. ACB provided with following type
of protective release
• 1. Thermal tripping release : Bimetallic strip
with inverse I-t characteristics
• 2. Super Rapid Trip : Non-adjustable Super
rapid magnetic release collapsing at function
point instead of actuating the trip bar
• 3. Under voltage release suitable for AC and
DC both.
• 4. Shunt Trip.
 Operating mechanism for ACB
• Solenoid
• Spring charged manually or motor driven
• Pneumatic
 Series connected overload trip coil
arrangement
• Coil connected in series.
• Tripping is based upon electromagnetic
attraction by the field of the solenoid (used
upto 800 Amp / or used for 5 or 1 Amp with
CTs)
• Oil dashpot provides time-lag.
Air Break D.C. C.B. for Medium Voltage

Standing Arc
• During the arcing process, arc resistance
increase so Varc increases.
• Every length of arc corresponds to definite arc
characteristics

• Rating of HVDC ACB

• 1500 V, 10 KA continues , 80 KA breaking
MCB,MCCB

Having
characteristics of
switch and Fuse
(HRC)