CIRCUIT BREAKERS

UNIT V
Electrical circuit breaker is a switching device which can
be operated manually as well as automatically for
controlling and protection of electrical power system
respectively.
As the modern power system deals with huge
currents ,the special attention should be given during
designing of circuit breaker to safe interruption of
arc produced during the operation of circuit breaker
 Classification of Circuit Breakers
• Types of Circuit Breaker (According to their arc quenching
medium)
—Oil circuit breaker.
—Air-Break circuit breaker.
—Air Blast circuit breaker.
—SF6 circuit breaker.
—Vacuum circuit breaker.

• Types of Circuit Breaker (According to External Design)

—Dead Tank type
—Live Tank Type
Types of Circuit Breaker (According to their services)
— Outdoor circuit breaker
— Indoor breaker.
Types of Circuit Breaker (According to the operating mechanism)
— Spring operated circuit breaker.
— Pneumatic circuit breaker.
— Hydraulic circuit breaker.
Types of Circuit Breaker (According to the voltage level of types)
— Extra High Voltage circuit breaker (above 765kV)
— Ultra High Voltage circuit breaker (300kV to 765kV)
— High voltage circuit breaker (66kV to 220kV)
— Medium voltage circuit breaker (1kV to 52kV)
— Low voltage circuit breaker (less than 1kV)
 Oil Circuit Breaker

 Oil has better insulating properties than air. And has also a good cooling property.

 In a CB, when arc is formed it discomposes oil into gases.

 Possibility of forming explosive mixture with air and production of carbon

particles in the oil due to heating.

Various types of oil CB:

• Plain break.
• Self generated pressure.
• Double break.
• Bulk oil
• Minimum oil.
Contd;..
 Plain-break Oil Circuit Breakers
• Figure shows a double break plain oil circuit
breaker.
• When contacts separate there is a severe arc
which decomposes the oil into gases.
• The gas obtained from the oil is mainly hydrogen.
• The volume of gases produced is about one
thousand times that of the oil decomposed.
• Hence, the oil is pushed away from arc and the
gaseous medium surrounds the arc.
Plain-break Oil Circuit Breakers
 Advantages
• The arc energy is easily absorbed by the oil due to its
decomposition.
• The gases formed due to oil decomposition has good cooling
properties.
• The cooling surfaces formed by surrounding oil is close to the
arc.
• The oil is used acts as an insulator.

• After current zero a flow of coil oil flows in the contact space
which is having dielectric strength.
 Dis advantages

• Do not permit high speed interruption.

• Have long and inconsistent arcing time.

• There is no special control over the arc other than the

increases in length by separating the moving contacts.

Applications : Plain oil circuit breaker are upto 150 MVA

capacity installed in low capacity applications having
vo,.tages note more than 11KV.
 Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Plain explosion pot
• In this type of circuit-breakers, arc energy is
utilised to generate a high pressure in a chamber
known as explosion pot or pressure chamber or
arc controlling device.
• The contacts are enclosed within the pot.
• The pot is made of insulating material and it is
placed in the tank.
• Such breakers have high interrupting capacity.
• The arcing time is reduced.
 Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Plain explosion pot
• Since the pressure is developed by the arc itself, it depends upon
the magnitude of the current.
• Therefore, the pressure will be low at low current and high at
high values of the current.
• This creates a problem in designing a suitable explosion pot.
• At low current, pressure generated should be sufficient to
extinguish the arc.
• At heavy currents, the pressure should not be too high so as to
burst the pot.
• Various types of explosion pots have been developed to suit
various requirements.
• A few of them have been discussed below.
 Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Plain explosion pot
• Figure shows a plain explosion pot.
• This is the simplest form of an explosion pot.
• When the moving contact separates a severe arc is
formed.
• The oil is decomposed and gas is produced.
• It generates a high pressure within the pot because there
is a close fitting throat at the lower end of the pot.
• The high pressure developed causes turbulent flow of
streams of the gas into the arc resulting in arc-extinction.
Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Plain explosion pot

Plain explosion pot

 Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Plain explosion pot
• If the arc extinction does not occur within the pot, it occurs
immediately after the moving contact leaves the pot, due to the
high velocity axial blast of the gas which is released through the
throat.
• Since the arc extinction in the plain explosion pot is performed
axially, it is also known as an axial extinction pot.
• This type of a pot is not suitable for breaking of heavy currents.
• The pot may burst due to very large pressure.
• At low currents, the arcing time is more.
• Hence, type of an explosion pot is suitable for the interruption
of currents of medium range.
 Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Cross-jet explosion pot
• It is suitable for high current interruptions.
• Arc splitters are used to obtain an increased
arc length for a given amount of contact
travel.
• In this type of a pot, the oil blast is across the
arc and hence it is known as a cross-jet
explosion pot
Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Cross-jet explosion pot
 Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Self-compensated explosion pot
• This type of a pot is a combination of a cross-jet explosion pot
and a plain explosion pot.
• Below Figure shows a self-compensated explosion pot.
• Its upper portion is a cross-explosion pot, and the lower
portion a plain explosion pot.
• On heavy currents the rate of gas generation is very high and
consequently, the pressure produced is also very high.
• The arc extinction takes place when the first or second lateral
orifice of the arc splitter is uncovered by the moving contact.
• The pot operates as a cross-jet explosion pot.
Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Self-compensated explosion pot
 Self-generated Oil Circuit Breakers-
Self-compensated explosion pot
• When the current is low, the pressure is also low in the
beginning.
• So the arc is not extinguished when the tip of the
moving contact is in the upper portion of the pot.
• By the time the moving contact reaches the orifice at
the bottom of the pot, sufficient pressure is developed.
• The arc is extinguished by the plain explosion pot
action.
• Thus, it is seen that the pot is suitable for low as well as
high current interruptions.
 Bulk Oil CB
• The Bulk Oil CB design is very simple.
• This type of circuit breaker uses a steel tank containing oil and the
contacts are immersed in the oil.
• The steel tank is earthed (dead tank type).In this type construction the
oil requirement is more as the oil is required to provide insulation to the
contacts from the steel tank and insulation between the contacts(in
open state).
• The oil also serves as the medium for extinguishing the arc formed when
the moving contact separates from fixed contact.
• When the contacts separate, arc is form between the contacts.
• The arc gives rise to formation of gas in the which initiate soil circulation.
• This phenomena helps in extinguishing the arc breaking the circuit.
• For higher voltage this very simple principle cannot be much effective.
So an arc control device is usually used to facilitate arc extinction
process.
 Forced Blast Oil Circuit Breakers
• The major disadvantages of self blast oil circuit breakers is long
arcing times and inconsistency of lower currents as pressure
developed is insufficient to force the oil in arc path.
• This difficulty is overcome in force blast oil circuit breakers
which will not relay on the arc to generate the pressure the
pressure but it is supplied from the external source.
• It can be achieved by piston cylinder arrangement.
• The movement of the piston is coupled mechanically to
moving contacts or spring released by tripping mechanism
• This method enables high speed interruption.
• When a fault occurs the contacts get separated and an arc is
struck. The piston forces a jet of oil towards the contact gap
which will extinguish the arc.
 Advantages
• The performance of the breaker is constant even at low
currents as pressure developed is independent of fault
current to be interrupted.
• The Quality Of Oil Required Is Less.

• If current chopping is there while interrupting small inductive

currents then damping by resistance switching is required.
• The moving contact is hollow and consists of a cylinder which
moves down over a fixed piston.
• The tabulator is an arc control device and has axial and radial
vents.
• The axial vents for the interruption of low currents.
• The radial vents for the interruption of high currents
• Top Chamber : It is a metal chamber and it is mounted on the
circuit breaking chamber. It provides expansion space for the
oil in the circuit breaking compartment.
Operation : under normal operating condition , the moving
contact and fixed are engaged position . During abnormal
condition , the moving contact is pulled down by the tripping
springs and arc is struck. .The energy in the arc causes
vaporization of oil and produces gases at high pressure.
• This action prevents the oil to pass through central hole in the
moving contact and results in forcing series of oil through the
respective passages of the tabulator.

• The process of tabulation is one which sections of the arc

successively quenched by the effect of separate streams of oil
moving across each section
 Air Blast Circuit Breakers
• In air blast circuit breakers, compressed air at a pressure of 10-
30 kg/cm2 is employed as an arc quenching medium.
• Air blast circuit breakers are suitable for operating voltages of
132 kV and above.
• They have also been used in 11kV-33 kV range for certain
applications.
• At present, SF6 circuit breakers are preferred for 132 kV and
above.
• Vacuum circuit breakers are preferred for 11 kV – 33 kV range.
• Therefore, the air blast circuit breakers are becoming obsolete.
 Air Blast Circuit Breakers
• The advantages of air blast circuit breakers over oil circuit
breakers are:
1. Cheapness and free availability of the interrupting medium,
chemical stability and inertness of air.
2. High speed operation
3. Elimination of fire hazard
4. Short and consistent arcing time and therefore, less burning of
contacts.
5. Less maintenance
6. Suitability for frequent operation
7. Facility for high speed reclosure
 Air Blast Circuit Breakers
• The disadvantages of an air blast circuit breaker are as
follows.
1. An air compressor plant has to be installed and
maintained.
2. Upon arc interruption the air blast circuit breaker produces
a high-level noise when air is discharged to the open
atmosphere. In residential areas, silencers need to be
provided to reduce the noise level to an acceptable level.
3. Problem of current chopping
4. Problem of restriking voltage
Air Blast Circuit Breakers
 Air-break Circuit Breakers
• Figure shows an air-break circuit breaker.
• It employs two pairs of contacts – main contacts and arcing
contacts.
• The main contacts carry current when the breaker is in closed
position.
• They have low contact resistance.
• When contacts are opened, the main contacts separate first,
the arcing contacts still remain closed.
• Therefore, the current is shifted from the main contacts to the
arcing contacts.
• The arcing contacts separate later on and the arc is drawn
between them.
Air-break circuit breaker
 Air-break circuit breaker
• In air-break circuit breakers, the principle of high
resistance is employed for arc interruption.
• The arc resistance is increased by lengthening, splitting
and cooling the arc.
• The arc length is rapidly increased employing arc runners
and arc chutes.
• The arc moves upward by both electromagnetic and
thermal effects.
• It moves along the arc runner and then it is forced into a
chute.
• It is splited by arc splitters.
 Air-break circuit breaker
• A blow-out coil is employed to provide magnetic
field to speed up arc movement and to direct the arc
into arc splitters.
• The blow-out coil is not connected in the circuit
permanently.
• It comes in the circuit by the arc automatically
during the breaking process.
• The arc interruption is assisted by current zero in
case of ac air break circuit breakers.
• High resistance is obtained near current zero
 Air-break circuit breaker
• AC air-break circuit breakers are available in the
voltage range 400 to 12 kV.
• They are widely used in low and medium voltage
system.
• They are extensively used with electric furnaces,
with large motors requiring frequent starting, in a
place where chances of fire hazard exist, etc.
• Air-break circuit breakers are also used in dc
circuit up to 12 kV
SF6 Circuit Breakers
 SF6 Circuit Breakers
• Under normal conditions, SF6 is chemically inert and it does not
attack metals or glass.
• However, it decomposes to SF4, SF2, S2, F2, S and F at temperatures
of the order of 10000C.
• After arc extinction, the products of decomposition recombine in a
short time, within about 1 microsecond.
• In the presence of moisture, the decomposition products can attack
contacts, metal parts and rubber sealings in SF6 circuit breakers.
• Therefore, the gas in the breaker must be moisture-free.
• To absorb decomposition products, a mixture of soda line (NaOH +
CaO) and activated alumina can be placed in the arcing chamber.
 SF6 Circuit Breakers
• One major disadvantage of SF6 is its
condensation at low temperature.
• The temperature at which SF6 changes to liquid
depends on the pressure.
• At 15 atm. Pressure, the gas liquefies at a
temperature of about 100C.
• Hence, SF6 breakers are equipped with
thermostatically controlled heaters wherever
such low ambient temperatures are encountered.
 SF6 Circuit Breakers
• SF6 circuit breakers are manufactured in the voltage range
3.6 kV to 765 kV.
• However, they are preferred for voltages 132 kV and above.
• The dielectric strength of SF6 gas increases rapidly after final
current zero.
• SF6 circuit breakers can withstand severe RRRV and are
capable of breaking capacitive current without restriking.
• Problems of current chopping are minimised.
• Electrical clearances are very much reduced due to high
dielectric strength of SF6.
 Types of SF6 Circuit Breakers

• Double-pressure SF6 circuit breakers

• Puffer-type SF6 circuit breakers
 Double-pressure SF6 circuit breakers
• This is the early design of SF6 circuit breakers.
• Its operating principle is similar to that of air-blast
circuit breakers.
• In this type of a circuit breaker, the gas from a high-
pressure compartment is released to the low pressure
compartment to extinguish the arc.
• Because of its complicated design and construction,
and its need for various auxiliaries such as gas
compressors, filters and control devices, this type of
circuit breakers have become obsolete.
 Puffer-type SF6 circuit breakers
• This type of circuit breakers are also sometimes called single-
pressure or impulse type SF6 circuit breakers.
• In this type of breakers, gas is compressed by a moving cylinder
system and is released through a nozzle to quench the arc.
• This type is available in the voltage range 3.6 kV to 765 kV
• Figure (a) shows a puffer-type breaker in closed position.
• The moving cylinder and the moving contact are coupled together.
• When the contacts separate and the moving cylinder moves, the
trapped gas is compressed.
• The trapped gas is released through a nozzle and flows axially to
quench the arc as shown in Fig.(b).
Construction of Puffer –type SF6 CB
Puffer-type SF6 circuit breakers
 Puffer-type SF6 circuit breakers
• There are two types of tank designs.
• Live tank design and dead tank design. In live
tank design, interrupters are supported on
porcelain insulators.
• In the dead tank design, interrupters are placed
in SF6 filled-tank which is at earth potential.
• Live tank design is preferred for outdoor
substations.
 Puffer-type SF6 circuit breakers
• A number of interrupters (connected in series) on
insulating supports are employed for EHV systems up
to 765 kV.
• Two interrupters are used in a 420 kV system.
Breaking time of 2 to 3 cycles can be achieved.
• In the circuit breaker the steady pressure of the gas is
kept at 5 kg/cm2.
• The gas pressure in the interrupter compartment
increases rapidly to a level much above its steady
value to quench the arc.
 Advantages of SF6 CB
) Due to the superior arc quenching property of SF6, such circuit breakers
(i

have very short arcing time.

(ii) Since the dielectric strength of SF6 gas is 2 to 3 times that of air, such
breakers can interrupt much larger currents.
(iii) The SF6 circuit breaker gives noisels soperation due to its closed gas circuit
and no exhaust to atmosphere unlike the air blast circuit breaker.
(iv) The closed gas enclosure keeps the interior dry so that there is no moisture
problem.
(v) There is no risk of fire in such breakers because SF6 gas is non-
inflammable.
(vi) There are no carbon deposits so that tracking and insulation problems are
eliminated.
(vii) The SF6 breakers have low maintenance cost, light foundation
requirements and minimum auxiliary equipment.
(viii) Since SF6 breakers are totally enclosed and sealed from atmosphere, they
are particularly suitable where explosion hazard exists e.g., coal mines
Disadvantages
(i) SF6 breakers are costly due to the high cost of SF6.
(ii) Since SF6 gas has to be reconditioned after every
operation of the breaker, additional equipment is requriedfor this
purpose.
Applications.
• A typical SF6 circuit breaker consists of interrupter units each
capable of dealing with currents upto60 kA and
• voltages in the range of 50—80 kV. A number of units are
• connected in series according to the system voltage. SF6
• circuit breakers have been developed for voltages 115 kV
• to 230 kV, power ratings 10 MVA to 20 MVA and
• interrupting time less than 3 cycles.
 Vacuum Circuit Breakers
• In this breaker, vacuum is being used as the arc quenching
medium.
• Vacuum offers highest insulating strength, it has far superior
arc quenching properties than any other medium.
• When contacts of a breaker are opened in vacuum, the
interruption occurs at first current zero with dielectric
strength between the contacts building up at a rate thousands
of times that obtained with other circuit breakers.
 Vacuum Circuit Breakers
• When the breaker operates the moving contacts separates
from the fixed contacts and an arc is struck between the
contacts.

• The production of arc is due to the ionization of metal ions

and depends very much upon the material of contacts.

• The arc is quickly extinguished because the metallic vapours,

electrons and ions produced during arc are diffused in short
time and seized by the surfaces of moving and fixed members
and shields. .
 Vacuum Circuit Breakers
• One of its end is welded to the moving contact.
• Its other end is welded to the lower end flange.
• Its contacts have large disc-shaped faces.
• These faces contain spiral segments so that the arc current
produces axial magnetic field.
• This geometry helps the arc to move over the contact
surface.
• The movement of arc over the contact surface minimises
metal evaporation, and hence erosion of the contact due to
arc.
• Two metal end flanges are provided.
 Vacuum Circuit Breakers
• They support the fixed contact, outer insulating enclosure,
vapour condensing shield and the metallic bellows.
• The sealing technique is similar to that used in electronic valves
• The vacuum circuit breaker is very simple in construction
compared to other types of circuit breaker.
• The contact separation is about 1 cm which is adequate for
current interruption in vacuum.
• As the breaker is very compact, power required to close and
open its contacts is much less compared to other types of
breaker.
• It is capable of interrupting capactive and small inductive
current, without producing excessive transient overvoltages.
 Vacuum Circuit Breakers
• Vacuum circuit breakers have other advantages like
suitability for repeated operations, least maintenance, silent
operation, long life, high speed of dielectric recovery, less
weight of moving parts, etc..
• In a.c., when the current decreases, vapour emission
decreases.
• Near current zero, the rate of vapour emission tends to zero.
• Immediately after current zero, the remaining vapour
condenses and the dielectric strength increases rapidly.
• At current zero, cathode spots extinguish within 10-8 second.
• The rate of dielectric recovery is many times higher than that
obtained in other types of circuit breakers.
• Its typical value may be as high as 20 kV/μs.
 Advantages Vacuum circuit breakers
(i)They are compact, reliable and have longer life.
(ii)There are no fire hazards.
(iii)There is no generation of gas during and after operation.
(iv)They can interrupt any fault current. The out standing feature
of a VCB is that it can break any heavy fault current perfectly
Just before the contacts reach the definite open position.
(v) They require little maintenance and are quiet in operation.
(vi)They can successfully with standlightning surges.
(vii)They have lower energy.
(viii)They have l ow inertia and hence requires maller powerfor
Control mechanism.
 Applications
• Vacuum CB are employed for outdoor installations
from 22KV to 66KV.
• For voltage upto 36KV,
• VCB with single interrupter is becoming extremely
popular for metal enclosed switchgear, arc furnace
installations , auxiliary switchgear in generating
stations and other industrial applications.
 Circuit Breaker Ratings
• A circuit breaker is required to perform the following three
duties:
• It must be capable of opening the faulty circuit and breaking
the fault current.

• It must be capable of being closed on to a fault.

• Must be capable of carrying fault current for a short time while

another breaker is clearing the fault.
 RATING OF CIRCUIT BREAKER
Major Duties of CB,
• To open the contacts to clear the CB,
• To close the contacts onto a fault,
• To carry fault current for a short time while another circuit
breaker is clearing fault.

Important Ratings of CB,

• Breaking Capacity,
• Making Capacity,
• Short-time Capacity.
 Breaking Capacity
Types:
• Symmetrical Breaking Capacity,
• Asymmetrical Breaking Capacity,

Symmetrical Breaking Capacity:

It is the RMS value of the ac component of the fault current that the
Circuit breaker is capable of breaking under specified conditions of
Recovery voltage.
Asymmetrical Breaking Capacity:
It is the RMS value of the total current comprising of both ac and dc
components of the fault current that the
circuitbreakercanbreakunder
Specified conditions of recovery voltage.
Testing of circuit breaker
 Necessary of Testing of circuit
breaker:-
Why "Testing of Circuit Breaker" is Necessary?
A Circuit Breaker should be capable of carrying, making, and
breaking under normal and abnormal conditions. In any power
system circuit breaker has to withstand power frequency over
voltages and transient over voltages due to switching and
lightning.
The performance of a circuit breaker under normal and
abnormal
conditions can be verified by performing different type of tests
on circuit breakers. The main purpose of testing of circuit
breakers is to confirm if circuit breaker is able to work on
particular voltage and current ratings or not.