HowtoselectMCB/MCCB(Part:1)

Introduction:
MCBorMCCBarewidelyusedinelectricaldistributionsystemforON/OFFElectricalsupply
and it also gives over current and short circuit protection. Selection of MCB or MCCB involved
technical,Mechanicalparameters.Someparametersareimportantbutsomeparametersareconfusing
andmisleadtowrongselectionofMCCB.SomeparametersaredirectlyaffectedoncostofMCCB.
Specification/NamePlateDetailsofMCB/MCCB:
FollowingspecificationsarerequiredtoselectappropriateMCBorMCCB.
(A)CurrentRelated:
FrameSize(Inm):Amp
Ratedcurrent(In/Ie):Amp
Ultimateshortcircuitbreakingcapacity(Icu):KA
Ratedshortcircuitbreakingcapacity(Ics):%ofIcu
(B)VoltageRelated:
Ratedvoltage(Ue):Volt
RatedInsulationvoltage(Ui):Volt
Ratedimpulsewithstandvoltage(Uimp):KV
NosofPole:SP,DP,TP,TPN,FP
(C)ApplicationType:
UtilizationCategory/Characteristic:B,CorDcurve
(D)Accessories:
RotaryHandle:Extended/Direct
AlarmContact:
ShuntTrip:
UndervoltageTrip:
Mechanicalinterlocking:
Manual/Autooperation
MotorizedOperation:
(E)ProtectionType:
Protection:Overcurrent/Shortcircuit
TripMechanism:Thermal/Magnetic/Solid/Microprocessor

 TripMechanismadjustment:Fixed/Adjustable
(F)Others:
Frequency;
Referencetemperature:(ifdifferentfrom30C)
Pollutiondegree:
Suitabilityforisolation:
TypeofMountingarrangement
ElectricalLifeCycles:
MechanicalLifeCycles:
Dimension:mm
Weight:Kg
ReferenceStandard:IEC:609471/2,IS:139471/2
(A)CurrentRelated:
(1)FrameSize(Inm):
BreakerFrameSizeindicatesthebasicframeworkofthePlasticshellofMCCBthatcanhold
thebiggestratedcurrent.
ItisthemaximumcurrentvalueforwhichtheMCCBisdesigned(upperlimitoftheadjustable
tripcurrentrange)anditalsodeterminesthephysicaldimensionsofthedevice.
TherearevarietiescurrentratingsMCCBforthesameseriesframeSize.
Forexample,DX100FrameSizeMCCBforratedcurrentof16A,20A,25A,32A,40A,50A,
63A,80A,100A.
SameDX225FrameSizeMCCBforratedcurrentof100A,125A,160A,180A,200A,225A.
InaboveDX100andDX225hastwoTypeofframeSizeforratedcurrentof100A,butthe
shapeandsizeofbreakingcapacityofcircuitbreakersisnotthesame.
(2)RatedCurrent(In/Ie):
Itisthecurrentvalueabovewhichoverloadprotectionistripped.
ForMCBitisfixedwhileinMCCBtheratedcurrentisanadjustablerangeinsteadofafixed
value.
StandardratingofMCBis1A,2A,3A,4A,6A,10A,13A,16A,20A,25A,32A,40A,50A,
63A,100AforMCB.

(B)VoltageRelated:
(3)Ultimateshortcircuitbreakingcapacity(Icu):
Breakingcapacitycanbedefinedasthemaximumleveloffaultcurrentwhichcanbesafely
cleared.
It is the highest fault current that the MCCB can trip without being damaged
permanently.
TheMCCBwillbereusableafterinterruptingafault,aslongasitdoesntexceedthisvalue.
ItisindicateoperationreliabilityofMCCB
Thisparametermayincreaseordecreasethecost,soitshouldbeproperlydecided.Breaking
capacityshouldbehigherthanthepossiblefaultlevel.Fordomesticapplicationfaultlevelmay
be10kA.
(4)Operatingshortcircuitbreakingcapacity(Ics):
ItisexpressedasapercentageratioofIcuandtellsyouthemaximumshortcircuitcurrentifa
circuitbreakercanbreakthreetimesandstillresumenormalservice.
Thehigherthelcs,themorereliablethecircuitbreaker
ItisthemaximumpossiblefaultcurrentthattheMCCBcanclear.Ifthefaultcurrentexceeds
thisvalue,theMCCBwillbeunabletotripandanotherprotectionmechanismmustoperate.
IfafaultabovetheIcsbutbelowtheIcuoccurs,theMCCBcaninterruptitsuccessfullybutwill
needareplacementduetothedamagesuffered.
TheMaindifferencebetweenUltimateShortCircuit(Icu)andServiceBreakingCapacity(Ics)
thatIcu(UltimateBrakingCapacity)meansCircuitbreakercanremovethefaultandremain
usablebutIcs(ServiceBrakingCapacity)meansCircuitbreakercanremovethefault,butit
maynotbeusableafterwards.
Forexample,ifacircuitbreakerhasanIcsof25,000AmperesandanIcuof40,000Amperes:
Anyfaultbelow25kAwillbeclearedwithnoproblem.
Afaultbetween25kAand40kAwillcausepermanentdamagewhencleared.
Anycurrentexceeding40kAcantbeclearedbythisbreaker.
(5)Ratedworkingvoltage(Ue):
ItisthecontinuousoperationvoltageforwhichtheMCCBisdesigned.
Thisvalueistypicallyequivalentorclosetoastandardsystemvoltage.
Inthreephaseitisusually400Vor415V.Forsinglephaseitis230Vor240V.
(6)RatedInsulationvoltage(Ui):
ItisthemaximumvoltagethattheMCCBcanresistaccordingtolaboratorytests.
Itishigherthantheratedworkingvoltage,inordertoprovideamarginofsafetyduringfield

operation.
(7)Ratedimpulsewithstandsvoltage(Uimp):
Itisthevalueoftransientpeakvoltagethecircuitbreakercanwithstandfromswitchingsurges
orlightingstrikesimposedonthesupply.
Thisvaluecharacterizestheabilityofthedevicetowithstandtransientovervoltagessuchas
lightning(standardimpulse1.2/50s).
Uimp=8kVmeansTestedat8kVpeakwith1.2/50simpulsewave.
(8)NumberofPoles:
NoofPoleforMCCBdependsonSinglePhase&ThreePhasePowerControlling/Protection
SinglePole(SP)MCB:
AsinglepoleMCBprovidesswitchingandprotectionforonesinglephaseofacircuit.
Used:forSinglePhasecircuit
DoublePole(DP)MCB:
AtwoPoleMCBprovidesswitchingandprotectionbothforaphaseandtheneutral.
Used:forSinglePhasecircuit
TriplePole(TP)MCB:
Atriple/threephaseMCBprovidesswitchingandprotectiononlytothreephasesofthecircuit
andnottotheneutral.
Used:forThreePhasecircuit
3PolewithNeutral(TPN(3P+N)MCB):
ATPNMCB,hasswitchingandprotectiontoallthreephasesofcircuitandadditionallyNeutral
isalsopartoftheMCBasaseparatepole.However,Neutralpoleiswithoutanyprotectionand
canonlybeswitched.
Used:forThreePhasecircuitwithNeutral
4Pole(4P)MCB:
A4poleMCBissimilartoTPNbutadditionallyitalsohasprotectivereleasefortheneutral
pole.ThisMCBshouldbeusedincaseswherethereispossibilityofhighneutralcurrentflow
throughthecircuitasincasesofanunbalancedcircuit.
Used:forThreePhasecircuitwithNeutral