Objective:

 At the end of this unit student will know

 Operation of various types of circuit breakers
like
 Minimum Oil Circuit Breaker
 Air Blast CB
 Vacuum CB
 SF6 CB

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 2

 Circuit Breakers
 Definition: is a mechanical switching device
capable of making, carrying, and breaking
currents under normal & abnormal conditions

 Elements of CB
1. Main Contacts
2. Insulation between main contacts
3. Interruption chamber
4. Control supervisory and auxiliary devices
5. Insulation link between control unit & main
contact unit
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 3
 Main Contacts of CBs
 Two sets of contacts per phase
 Moving contact made up of copper rod
 Fixed contact made up of spring-loaded
copper segment to exert pressure on the
moving contacts to make good contact

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 4

 Classification of CBs
 Circuit breakers are classified on the basis of
medium used for arc extinction as follows:
1. Oil CBs
2. Air Blast CBs
3. Sulphur Hexa Fluoride (SF6) CBs
4. Vacuum CBs

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 5

 1. Oil Circuit Breakers
 Insulating oil is used as an arc quenching
medium.
 The contacts are opened under oil and an
arc is struck between them, heat of the arc
evaporates the surrounding oil and produce
hydrogen at high pressure.
 The oil is pushed away from the arc region
and the gas bubble occupies adjacent
portions of the contact.

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 6

 Arc Extinction in Oil CBs
 Arc extinction is facilitated mainly by two
processes:
 Firstly the hydrogen gas has high heat
conductivity and cools the arc, thus aiding
the deionisation of the medium between
the contacts.
 Secondly the gas sets up turbulence in the
oil and forces it into the space between
contacts thus eliminating the arcing
products from the arc path resulting in arc
extinction and interruption of current.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 7
 Oil Circuit Breakers
 Advantages:
1. Simplicity of construction
2. Reliability & Less cost
3. It absorbs the arc energy to decompose the oil into
gases, which have excellent cooling properties.
4. It acts as an insulator and permits smaller clearance
between live conductors and earthed components.
 Disadvantages :
1. Its inflammable and there is risk of fire
2. It may form an explosive mixture with air.
3. The arcing products remain in the oil and it reduces the
quality of oil after several operations.
This necessitates periodic checking and replacement of
oil. 8
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1
Types of Oil CBs
a) Bulk Oil CBs: which use a large quantity of
oil. Such circuit breakers are classified into:
i. Plain oil circuit breakers
ii. Arc control circuit breakers
 In the former type no means is available
for controlling the arc and the contacts are
exposed to the whole of the oil in the tank.
In the latter special arc control devices are
employed to get the beneficial action of
the arc as efficiently as possible.

b) Low Oil CBs: which use minimum amount of

oil. In such circuit breakers oil is used only for
arc extinction, the current conducting parts
are insulated by air or porcelain or organic
insulating material.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 9
 a. Bulk Oil CBs- i. Plain Oil CB
 In this circuit breaker the contacts are separated under the
whole of the oil in the tank.
 There is no special arc control system other than increasing
length caused by separation of contacts.
 Arc extinction occurs when a critical gap is reached between
the contacts.
 Under normal operating
conditions the fixed and moving
contacts remain closed and the
circuit breaker carries the normal
circuit current.
 When fault occurs, the moving
contacts are pulled down by
protective system and an arc is
struck which vaporizes the oil
mainly into hydrogen gas.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 10
 Bulk Oil CBs- Plain Oil CB
 The following processes facilitate the arc extinction:
 The hydrogen bubble generated around the arc cools the arc
and aids deionization of the medium between the contacts.
 The gas sets up turbulence in the oil and helps in eliminating
the arcing products from the arc path.
 As the arc lengthens due to the separating contacts, the
dielectric strength of the medium is increased.
 Disadvantages:
 There is no special control over the arc other than increase in
length by, separating the moving contacts.
 And for successful interruption long arc length is required.
They have long and inconsistent arcing times and they do not
permit high speed interruption.
 Due to these disadvantages its only used for low capacity
installations for low voltages not exceeding 11 kV.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 11
 Bulk Oil CBs- Arc Control Oil CB
 In case of plain oil circuit breakers artificial control of
arc is less therefore long arc length is necessary for arc
quenching. Its necessary that final arc extinction
should occur while the contact gap is still shorter.
 For this some arc control is incorporated and the
breakers are then called arc control circuit breakers.

 There are two types of such breakers:

1. Self-blast oil circuit breakers – in which arc control
is provided by internal means i.e. arc itself
facilitates its own extinction efficiently.
2. Forced blast oil circuit breakers – in which arc
control is provided by mechanical means external
to the circuit breaker.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 12
 Bulk Oil CBs- ii. Self Blast Oil CB
 In this type of breakers, the gases produced during arching
are confined to a small volume by the use of an insulating
rigid pressure chamber or explosion pot surrounding the
contacts.
 The space available for the arc gases is restricted by the
chamber so a very high pressure is developed to force the
oil and gas through or around the arc to extinguish it.
 The magnitude of the pressure depends upon the value of
fault current to be interrupted.
 The arc itself generates the pressure so such breakers are
also called self-generated pressure oil circuit breakers.
 The pressure chamber is relatively cheap and gives
reduced final arc extinction gap length and arcing time as
against the plain oil breaker.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 13
 Bulk Oil CBs- Self Blast Oil CB

 Different types of explosion pots are:

a) Plain Explosion Pot
b) Cross Jet Explosion Pot
c) Self Compensated Explosion Pot
d) Oil Blast Explosion Pot

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 14

 Arc Control Oil CB- a) Plain Explosion Pot
 It is a rigid cylinder of insulating material
and encloses the fixed and moving
contacts. The moving contact is a
cylindrical rod passing through a
restricted opening called throat at the
bottom

 When fault occurs the contacts get

separated and an arc is struck between
them. The heat of the arc decomposes oil
into a gas at very high pressure in the pot.
This high pressure forces the oil and gas
through and around the arc to extinguish
it.

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 15

 Arc Control Oil CB- Plain Explosion Pot
 Limitations:
 It cannot be used for very low or very high fault
currents.
 With low fault currents, the pressure
developed is small, thereby increasing the
arcing time.
 With high fault currents, the gas is produced so
rapidly that the plot may burst due to high
pressure
 So this pot is used on moderate short circuit
currents only where rate of gas evolution is
moderate.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 16
Arc Control Oil CB-b) Cross Jet Explosion Pot
 Cross jet pot which is made of
insulating material and has
channels on one side that acts
as arc splitters.
 The arc splitters help in
increasing the arc length, thus
facilitating arc extinction.
 When fault occurs, the moving
contacts of the circuit breaker
begins to separate and arc is
struck in the top of the pot. The
gas generated by the arc exerts
pressure on the oil in the back
passage.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 17
Arc Control Oil CB-b) Cross Jet Explosion Pot
 When the moving contact
uncovers the arc splitter ducts,
fresh oil is forced across the arc
path. The arc is therefore driven
sideways into the arc splitters,
which increase the arc length,
causing arc extinction.
 The cross jet explosion pot is
used for interrupting heavy fault
currents. For low fault currents
the gas pressure is small and
consequently the pot does not
give a satisfactory operation.

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 18

 Arc Control Oil CB-
c) Self Compensated Explosion Pot
 This pot is a combination of plain
explosion pot and cross jet explosion
pot.
 So it can interrupt low as well as
heavy short circuit currents.

d) Oil Blast Explosion Pot Fixed Contact

 In this type of circuit breaker there is a 1 Intermediate

piston attached to a moving contact. Gas producing
Contact

Chamber
 When fault occurs the moving contact
2
moves and hence the piston associated
Hole
with it also moves producing pressure
inside the oil chamber.
 So the oil gets movement or turbulates Hollow moving
contact
and quenches the arc.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 19
 b. Low Oil or Minimum Oil CB
Operation
 Under normal operating
conditions, the moving
contacts remain engaged with
the upper fixed contact.
 When a fault occurs, the
moving contact is pulled down
by the tripping springs and an
arc is struck. The arc vaporizes
oil and produces gases under
high pressure.

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 20

 b. Low Oil or Minimum Oil CB
Operation
 This action constrains the oil to
pass through a central hole in the
moving contact and results in
forcing series of oil through the
respective passages of the
turbulator.
 The process of turbulation is
orderly one, in which the sections
of arc are successively quenched
by the effect of separate streams
of oil ,moving across each section
in turn and bearing away its
gases.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 21
 Low Oil or Minimum Oil CB
 Advantages
 It requires lesser quantity of oil
 It requires smaller space
 There is reduced risk of fire
 Maintenance problems are reduced
 Disadvantages
 Due to smaller quantity of oil, the degree of
carbonization is increased
 There is a difficulty of removing the gases from the
contact space in time
 The dielectric strength of oil deteriorates rapidly due
to high degree of carbonization.

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 22

 Low Oil or Minimum Oil CB
 Other drawbacks of Oil CBs:
 Fire risk due to inflammable oil
 Deterioration of the oil
 Necessitating periodic replacement of , and
 Difficulty of reaching the contacts for maintenance
purposes

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 23

 2. Air Blast CB
 In this type of CB, compressed
air at a pressure of 20–30
kg/cm2 is employed as an arc
quenching medium.
 Are suitable for operating
voltages of 132kV and above.
 At present, SF6 CBs are
preferred for 132kV and above.
Vacuum CBs are preferred for
11-33kV range. Therefore, the
air blast CBs are becoming
obsolete.

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 24

 Air Blast CB
 Advantages:
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

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 25

 Air Blast CB
 Disadvantages:
1. An air compressor plant has to be installed and
maintained.
2. Upon arc interruption the breaker produces a high level
noise when air is discharged to 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.
 Mitigation:
 Switching resistors and equalizing capacitors are generally
connected across arc interrupters.
 Switching resistors reduces transient over voltages and
help arc interruption.
 Capacitors equalizes voltage across the breaks.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 26
 Types of Air Blast CB

a) Cross – Blast Circuit Breaker

b) Axial – Blast Circuit Breaker
c) Radial – Blast Circuit Breaker

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 27

 a. Cross – Blast Circuit Breaker
 An air blast is directed at right angles to the arc.
 The cross-blast lengthens and forces the arc into a suitable chute
for arc extinction.
 When the moving contact is withdrawn, an arc is struck between
the fixed and moving contacts. the high pressure cross-blast
forces into a chute consisting of an arc splitters and baffles.
 The splitters serve to increase the length of the arc and baffles
give improved cooling.
 The result is that arc is extinguished and flow of current is
interrupted.

Fixed
Moving Contact
Contact Air
Flow
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 28
 b. Axial – Blast Circuit Breaker
 In this air-blast is directed along the
arc path
 The air reservoir is connected to the Fixed
arcing chamber through an air valve. ARC Contact

This valve remains closed under

normal conditions but opens
automatically by tripping impulse Air Air
when a fault occurs on the system.
 When a fault occurs, the tripping
impulse causes the opening of the air Moving
valve which connects the circuit Contact

breaker reservoir to the arcing

chamber.
Opening

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 29

 b. Axial – Blast Circuit Breaker
 The high pressure air entering the
arcing chamber pushes away the
moving contact against spring
Fixed
pressure. The moving contact is ARC Contact
separated and an arc is struck.
 At the same time, high pressure air
blast flows along the arc and takes Air Air
away the ionized gases along with it.
Consequently, the arc is extinguished
and current flow is interrupted.
Moving
Contact

Opening

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 30

 c. Radial – Blast Circuit Breaker
Air
 In this air-blast is directed
radially
Fixed
 Also known as double blast Contact

type axial blast CB

Air
Blast

Moving
Contact

Air

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 31

 3. SF6 Circuit Breaker
 In this Sulphur Hexa Fluoride ( SF6 ) gas
is used as the arc quenching medium.
 The basic requirement in arc extinction
is not primarily the dielectric strength,
but high rate of recovery of dielectric
strength
 The SF6 gas is an electronegative gas
and has a strong tendency to absorb
free electrons. The conducting free
electrons in the arc are rapidly captured
by the gas to form relatively immobile
negative ions.
 This loss of conducting electrons in the
arc quickly builds up enough insulation
strength to extinguish the arc.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 32
 SF6 Circuit Breaker
 The SF6 circuit breakers are very effective for high power
and high voltage service.
 Types of SF6 CBs:
a) Double Pressure or Radial Flow CB
b) Puffer type CB
 Construction Types:
 Live Tank: interrupters are supported on porcelain
insulators
 Dead Tank: interrupters are placed in SF6 filled tank
which is at earth potential (preferred for outdoor
substations)

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 33

 a. Double pressure SF6 CB
 This is the early design of SF6 CB.
 Its operating principle is similar to that of air blast CB
 In this the gas from high pressure compartment is released to
the low pressure compartment to extinguish the arc.
 Because of its complicated design, construction, and its need
for various auxiliaries such as gas compressors, filters and
control devices, this type of CBs have become obsolete.

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 34

 b. Puffer type SF6 CB
 Also known as single pressure or impulse type SF6 CBs.
 In this the gas is compressed by moving cylinder system and
is released through a nozzle to extinguish the arc.
 In this 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 released through a nozzle and flows axially.

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 35

 SF6 CB

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 36

 SF6 CB: Advantages
 Advantages over oil and air circuit breakers:
1. Due to superior arc quenching property of SF6 , such breakers
have very short arcing time
2. Dielectric strength of SF6 gas is 2 to 3 times that of air, such
breakers can interrupt much larger currents.
3. Gives noiseless operation due to its closed gas circuit
4. Closed gas enclosure keeps the interior dry so that there is no
moisture problem
5. There is no risk of fire as SF6 is non inflammable
6. There are no carbon deposits
7. Low maintenance cost, light foundation requirements and
minimum auxiliary equipment
8. SF6 breakers are totally enclosed and sealed from atmosphere,
they are particularly suitable where explosion hazard exists

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 37

 SF6 CB: Disadvantages
1. SF6 breakers are costly due to high cost of SF6
2. SF6 gas has to be reconditioned after every
operation of the breaker, additional equipment is
required for this purpose

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 38

 4. Vacuum CB
 Vacuum (10 -7 to 10 -5 torr),
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.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 39
 Vacuum CB
Construction: It consists of fixed
contact, moving contact and arc
shield mounted inside a vacuum
chamber.
 The movable member is connected to
the control mechanism by stainless
steel bellows .This enables the
permanent sealing of the vacuum
chamber so as to eliminate the
possibility of leak .
 A glass vessel or ceramic vessel is
used as the outer insulating body. The
arc shield prevents the deterioration
of the internal dielectric strength by
preventing metallic vapours falling on
the inside surface of the outer
insulating cover.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 40
 Vacuum CB
Principle: When the contacts of the breaker
are opened in vacuum, an arc is produced
between the contacts by the ionization of
metal vapours of contacts.
 The arc is quickly extinguished because the
metallic vapours, electrons, and ions
produced during arc condense quickly on
the surfaces of the circuit breaker contacts,
resulting in quick recovery of dielectric
strength.
 As soon as the arc is produced in vacuum, it
is quickly extinguished due to the fast rate
of recovery of dielectric strength in
vacuum.
 The arc extinction in a vacuum breaker
occurs with a short contact separation.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 41
 Vacuum CB
Note: arc formed in vacuum is different from those
formed in other mediums.
 The cathode surface is not perfectly smooth but
have many small micro projections.
 Due to their small area of cross-section they will
suffer explosive evaporation by resistive heating and
supply sufficient quantity of vapour for the arc
formation

Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 42

 Vacuum CB
Advantages:
1. They are compact, reliable and have longer life.
2. There are no fire hazards
3. There is no generation of gas during and after operation
4. They can interrupt any fault current. The outstanding feature of a
VCB is that it can break any heavy fault current perfectly just
before the contacts reach the definite open position.
5. They require little maintenance and are quiet in operation
6. Can withstand lightning surges
7. Low arc energy
8. Low inertia and hence require smaller power for control
mechanism.
Applications:
For outdoor applications ranging from 11 kV to 33 kV. Suitable for
majority of applications in rural area.
Aditya Group of Engineering Colleges_EEE_SGP_Unit_1 43