A
circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit.
Its basic function is to detect a fault condition and, by interrupting
continuity, to immediately discontinue electrical flow. Unlike a fuse,
which operates once and then must be replaced, a circuit breaker can be
reset (either manually or automatically) to resume normal operation.
Circuit breakers are made in varying sizes, from small devices that
protect an individual household appliance up to large switchgear designed to protect high voltage circuits feeding an entire city.
Types of circuit breakers
Vacuum Circuit Breaker (VCB)
Air Circuit Breaker (ACB)
Molded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB)
Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)
Front panel of a 1250 A air circuit breaker manufactured by ABB. This
low voltage power circuit breaker can be withdrawn from its housing for
servicing. Trip characteristics are configurable via DIP switches on the front panel.
Many different classifications of circuit breakers can be made, based
on their features such as voltage class, construction type,
interrupting type, and structural features.
Low voltage circuit breakers
Low voltage (less than 1000 V
AC) types are common in domestic, commercial and industrial application, and include:
- MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker)—rated current not more than 100 A.
Trip characteristics normally not adjustable. Thermal or
thermal-magnetic operation. Breakers illustrated above are in this
category.
- MCCB (Molded Case Circuit Breaker)—rated current up to 2500 A.
Thermal or thermal-magnetic operation. Trip current may be adjustable in
larger ratings.
- Low voltage power circuit breakers can be mounted in multi-tiers in low-voltage switchboards or switchgear cabinets.
The characteristics of Low Voltage circuit breakers are given by
international standards such as IEC 947. These circuit breakers are
often installed in draw-out enclosures that allow removal and
interchange without dismantling the switchgear.
Large low-voltage molded case and power circuit breakers may have
electric motor operators so they can trip (open) and close under remote
control. These may form part of an automatic transfer switch system for standby power.
Low-voltage circuit breakers are also made for direct-current (DC)
applications, such as DC for subway lines. Direct current requires
special breakers because the arc is continuous—unlike an AC arc, which
tends to go out on each half cycle. A direct current circuit breaker has
blow-out coils that generate a magnetic field that rapidly stretches
the arc. Small circuit breakers are either installed directly in
equipment, or are arranged in a breaker panel.
Photo of inside of a circuit breaker
The 10 ampere DIN rail-mounted thermal-magnetic miniature circuit breaker is the most common style in modern domestic consumer units and commercial electrical distribution boards throughout Europe. The design includes the following components:
- Actuator lever
- used to manually trip and reset the circuit breaker. Also indicates
the status of the circuit breaker (On or Off/tripped). Most breakers are
designed so they can still trip even if the lever is held or locked in
the "on" position. This is sometimes referred to as "free trip" or
"positive trip" operation.
- Actuator mechanism - forces the contacts together or apart.
- Contacts - Allow current when touching and break the current when moved apart.
- Terminals
- Bimetallic strip.
- Calibration screw - allows the manufacturer to precisely adjust the trip current of the device after assembly.
- Solenoid
- Arc divider/extinguisher
Magnetic circuit breakers
Magnetic circuit breakers use a solenoid (electromagnet) whose pulling force increases with the current.
Certain designs utilize electromagnetic forces in addition to those of
the solenoid. The circuit breaker contacts are held closed by a latch.
As the current in the solenoid increases beyond the rating of the
circuit breaker, the solenoid's pull releases the latch, which lets the
contacts open by spring action. Some magnetic breakers incorporate a
hydraulic time delay feature using a viscous fluid. A spring restrains
the core until the current exceeds the breaker rating. During an
overload, the speed of the solenoid motion is restricted by the fluid.
The delay permits brief current surges beyond normal running current for
motor starting, energizing equipment, etc. Short circuit currents
provide sufficient solenoid force to release the latch regardless of
core position thus bypassing the delay feature. Ambient temperature
affects the time delay but does not affect the current rating of a
magnetic breaker
Thermal magnetic circuit breakers
Thermal magnetic circuit breakers, which are the type found in most distribution boards,
incorporate both techniques with the electromagnet responding
instantaneously to large surges in current (short circuits) and the
bimetallic strip responding to less extreme but longer-term over-current
conditions. The thermal portion of the circuit breaker provides an
"inverse time" response feature, which provides faster or slower
response for larger or smaller over currents respectively.
Common trip breakers
Three pole common trip breaker for supplying a three-phase device. This breaker has a 2 A rating
When supplying a branch circuit with more than one live conductor,
each live conductor must be protected by a breaker pole. To ensure that
all live conductors are interrupted when any pole trips, a "common trip"
breaker must be used. These may either contain two or three tripping
mechanisms within one case, or for small breakers, may externally tie
the poles together via their operating handles. Two pole common trip
breakers are common on 120/240 volt systems where 240 volt loads
(including major appliances or further distribution boards) span the two live wires. Three-pole common trip breakers are typically used to supply three-phase electric power to large motors or further distribution boards.
Two and four pole breakers are used when there is a need to
disconnect multiple phase AC—or to disconnect the neutral wire to ensure
that no current flows through the neutral wire from other loads
connected to the same network when workers may touch the wires during
maintenance. Separate circuit breakers must never be used for live and
neutral, because if the neutral is disconnected while the live conductor
stays connected, a dangerous condition arises: the circuit appears
de-energized (appliances don't work), but wires remain live and RCDs
don't trip if someone touches the live wire (because RCDs need power to
trip). This is why only common trip breakers must be used when neutral
wire switching is needed
Medium-voltage circuit breakers
Medium-voltage circuit breakers rated between 1 and 72 kV may be
assembled into metal-enclosed switchgear line ups for indoor use, or may
be individual components installed outdoors in a substation.
Air-break circuit breakers replaced oil-filled units for indoor
applications, but are now themselves being replaced by vacuum circuit
breakers (up to about 35 kV). Like the high voltage circuit breakers
described below, these are also operated by current sensing protective relays operated through current transformers.
The characteristics of MV breakers are given by international standards
such as IEC 62271. Medium-voltage circuit breakers nearly always use
separate current sensors and protective relays, instead of relying on built-in thermal or magnetic overcurrent sensors.
Medium-voltage circuit breakers can be classified by the medium used to extinguish the arc:
- Vacuum circuit breakers—With rated current up to 3000 A, these
breakers interrupt the current by creating and extinguishing the arc in a
vacuum container. These are generally applied for voltages up to about
35,000 V,
which corresponds roughly to the medium-voltage range of power systems.
Vacuum circuit breakers tend to have longer life expectancies between
overhaul than do air circuit breakers.
- Air circuit breakers—Rated current up to 10,000 A. Trip
characteristics are often fully adjustable including configurable trip
thresholds and delays. Usually electronically controlled, though some
models are microprocessor
controlled via an integral electronic trip unit. Often used for main
power distribution in large industrial plant, where the breakers are
arranged in draw-out enclosures for ease of maintenance.
- SF6 circuit breakers extinguish the arc in a chamber filled with sulfur hexafluoride gas.
Medium-voltage circuit breakers may be connected into the circuit by
bolted connections to bus bars or wires, especially in outdoor
switchyards. Medium-voltage circuit breakers in switchgear line-ups are
often built with draw-out construction, allowing breaker removal without
disturbing power circuit connections, using a motor-operated or
hand-cranked mechanism to separate the breaker from its enclosure.