Breaker Coordination

Main Components
• Discrimination
• Back-up Protection
 Discrimination
Ideally only C1 should operate for all overloads
up to its rated overload breaking capacity

Supply Load

C2 C1
 Back-up Protection
Ideally C2 should operate if C1 fails to operate
within operating time or if short circuit current
exceeds rated overload breaking capacity of C1

Supply Load

C2 C1
 Some Important Parameters
• Icu, rated ultimate short circuit breaking
capacity
• Ics, rated service short circuit breaking capacity
• SCPD, short circuit protection device
• Is, selectivity limit current
• IB, take over current
 Design Method
• Use the characteristic curves of the breakers
to decide operating conditions
• Use practical tests to verify or decide the set
points of breakers
 Some practical considerations
• IS should not be too low – this can cause loss
of discrimination
• ICU of C1 should not be smaller that IB of the
association
 Some Examples

• A – Pre arching characteristic of fuse

• B – Operating characteristic of fuse
• C – Operating characteristic of the non
current limiting circuit breaker
Since the instantaneous release cannon be stopped once started
a practical test must be done to determine selectivity in the
shaded area
C1 – Non current limiting circuit breaker
C2 – Current limiting circuit breaker
C1,C2 – Non current limiting circuit breakers