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1 Introduction

1.1 General

Circuit-breakers are required to control electrical power networks by energizing, carrying

loads and interrupting the network (or parts thereof) under manual or automatic supervision.

Every circuit-breaker has to fulfil the following fundamental requirements:

1. Conduct current with minimal losses (Z b = 0, where Z b is the impedance of the circuit-
breaker).
2. In the open position the circuit-breaker shall insulate against the overvoltages that occur
in the network, in other words: be an ideal insulator (Z b → ∞).
3. Switch (interrupt and close) without:
a) producing unacceptable overvoltages;
b) becoming unsuitable for further operation.

These fundamental requirements given above are valid for all circuit-breakers, not only those
used in connection with electrical power transmission and distribution.

The requirements for circuit-breakers in electrical power transmission networks are probably
the most severe regarding the currents to be interrupted and the voltages to be insulated, but
on the other hand the number of operations is limited.

The circuit-breaker will have to conduct nominal currents of 4 000 A continuous (for
generator circuit-breakers in nuclear power plants as much as 40 000 A) and short-circuit
currents up to 100 kA r.m.s. (200 kA peak ) and interrupt short-circuit currents from a few kA
r.m.s. to 100 kA r.m.s. at voltages up to 800 kV. The time for the interruption of these
currents is often limited to 2 to 3 cycles (max. 60 ms) in order to prevent instability in the
network.

Circuit-breakers are often located in open air substations, exposed to all kinds of weather
conditions (extreme cold, extreme heat, extreme humidity etc.).

Circuit-breakers must act instantaneously when they are called upon to perform any
switching operation, often after long periods without movement. As the circuit-breaker is the
last link in the chain of protective equipment, the reliability of the circuit-breaker is of the
highest importance for the overall high reliability of the electrical power network.

Circuit-breakers that are used until now are so-called "arc circuit-breakers" and their principle
of operation is basically the same: two conductors are forcefully pressed together in the
closed position and are rapidly separated to obtain the open position. When the conductors
separate, the current will maintain itself by means of an arc. Taking special measures
(“extinguishing”) prevents a further establishing of the current after interruption of the arc in
the first or second “natural current zero”.

After interruption of the current, the network imposes a transient voltage across the circuit-
breaker contact (the Transient Recovery Voltage or TRV). As the TRV withstand capability
across the contacts has its limits, it is common to place one or more contacts in series into
one or several series connected extinguishing chambers. One or more extinguishing
chambers can be mounted on a post insulator and form a breaking unit. For the highest
voltages, one or more breaking units will form a circuit-breaker pole and the three poles
together form the circuit-breaker.

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Smaller circuit-breakers are usually operated by one operating mechanism and the larger
circuit-breakers are often single pole operated. Depending on the design, breaking units may
be operated separately, possibly with more than one operating mechanism per pole.

In this document a description is given of the network stresses and their associated
problems, the interruption of short-circuit currents, the different circuit-breaker designs and
their performance, insulation properties, mechanical properties and testing of circuit-
breakers. This document does not pretend to be complete, more detailed information is given
in the references.

1.2 Standards and standardization bodies

The requirements a circuit-breaker has to fulfil are given in international standards as

produced by organizations such as IEC and IEEE. A brief organizational structure as well as
approval procedures of the two organizations are given below. The main difference between
the two organizations is, that the IEC consists of member countries, whereas the IEEE has
individual members.

Another organization frequently referred to is CIGRE. CIGRE provides the theoretical

background of the requirements listed in the IEC standards (see also 1.2.3).

1.2.1 IEC

IEC stands for International Electrotechnical Commission, an international organization

having its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Founded in 1906, the IEC is the world organization that prepares and publishes international
standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. The IEC was founded as a
result of a resolution passed at the International Electrical Congress held in St. Louis (USA)
in 1904. The membership consists of more than 50 participating countries, including all the
world's major trading nations and a growing number of industrializing countries.

There are two forms of active participation in the IEC’s work. Full membership gives countries
the possibility of fully participating in international standardization activities. Regular
members are National Committees each having equal voting rights. On becoming a member
of the IEC, each National Committee agrees to open access and balanced representation
from all private and public electrotechnical interests in its country. The whole organization of
the IEC is designed to ensure that the National Committees play a leading part in all
decision-making instances of the Commission. This enables the widest degree of consensus
on standardization work to be reached at an international level. It is up to the National
Committees to align their policies accordingly at the national level.

Associate membership allows for limited participation of countries with limited resources.
Associate members have observer status and can participate in all IEC meetings. They have
no voting rights.

In addition, a Pre-Associate "membership" status provides countries with support in forming a

national electrotechnical committee from the IEC Central Office or any neighboring full
member National Committee, with the aim of becoming Associate members, within five years.

The technical work of the IEC is carried out by Technical Committees (TCs) and
Subcommittees (SCs). The TCs and SCs prepare technical documents on specific subjects
within their respective scopes, which are then submitted to the National Committees for
voting with a view to their approval as international standards.

At present there are a total of 200 TCs and SCs.

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Preparation of documents in a TC or SC is mostly done by Working Groups (WGs) containing

experts on the specific subject. All the work that is done at the TC, SC and WG level is
voluntary. Approximately 300 000 people are involved in the technical work carried out by the
IEC.

Standards for switchgear are the responsibility of Technical Committee 17 (TC 17) with title:
Switchgear and controlgear. TC 17 has 4 subcommittees (SCs) with the following titles:

• SC 17A: High-voltage switchgear and controlgear;

• SC 17B: Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear;
• SC 17C: High-voltage enclosed switchgear and controlgear;
• SC 17D: Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies.

IEC 62271-100, the major circuit-breaker standard, falls under the responsibility of SC 17A.

Apart from the apparatus committees such as TC 17, there are a number of "horizontal" TCs
and SCs, that provide the apparatus committees with properties that are common to all
equipment, e.g. definitions, rated voltages, rated currents, insulation coordination, etc.

1.2.2 IEEE

IEEE stands for The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., an organization
consisting of approximately 330 000 individual members in 150 countries.

Through its members, the IEEE is a catalyst for technological innovation and a leading
authority in technical areas ranging from computer engineering, biomedical technology and
telecommunications, to electric power, aerospace and consumer electronics, among others.
The IEEE is a not-for-profit association. Through its technical publishing, conferences and
consensus-based standards activities, the IEEE.

• produces 30 percent of the world's published literature in electrical engineering,

computers and control technology;
• holds annually more than 300 major conferences and
• has more than 800 active standards with 700 under development.

The IEEE consists of 36 so-called societies each covering a specific field in electrical and/or
electronic engineering. One of these societies is the Power Engineering Society (PES) and
this society is subdivided into committees. The committee dealing with switchgear is the
Switchgear Committee. The Switchgear Committee consists of the following subcommittees:

• Education, Recognition and Planning (ERP);

• High Voltage Circuit Breakers (HVCB);
• High Voltage Fuses;
• High Voltage Switches (HVS);
• Low Voltage Switchgear Devices (LVS);
• Reclosers and Sectionalizers (RODE);
• Switchgear Assemblies.

The subcommittee dealing with circuit-breakers is the High Voltage Circuit Breaker
Subcommittee.

The approval procedure for IEEE standards follows a different procedure compared to IEC: A
draft is first balloted in HVCB and, after approval, in the Switchgear Committee. After

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approval the draft is considered by the IEEE Standards Board. When the draft has received a
final approval from the Standards Board, the document is published as an IEEE standard.

The Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) may decide to approve the IEEE standard for
submittal to ANSI, after which the IEEE document becomes an American National Standard
and receives an ANSI/IEEE designation. For switchgear this designation will be a number in
the C37 series.

There are no "horizontal" committees in the IEEE organization.

1.2.3 CIGRE

CIGRE stands for Conseil International des Grands Réseaux Electriques (International
Council on Large Electric Systems). It is a permanent non-governmental and non profit-
making International Association based in France. It was founded in 1921 and aims to:

• Facilitate and develop the exchange of engineering knowledge and information, between
engineering personnel and technical specialists in all countries as regards generation and
high voltage transmission of electricity.
• Add value to the knowledge and information exchanged by synthesizing state-of-the-art
and world practices.
• Make managers, decision-makers and regulators aware of the synthesis of CIGRE's work,
in the area of electric power.

More specifically, issues related to the planning and operation of power systems, as well as
the design, construction, maintenance and disposal of HV equipment and plants are at the
core of CIGRE's Mission. Problems related to protection of electrical systems, to telecontrol
and telecommunication equipment, are also part of CIGRE's area of concern.

CIGRE shall be recognized as the leading worldwide Organization on Electric Power

Systems, covering their technical, economic, environmental, organizational and regulatory
aspects.

1.2.3.1 Work

Technical work is being carried out within 16 Study Committees (SCs). The task of these
Committees is to initiate and coordinate studies contributing to technical advance in their
particular area.

Moreover, they must take part in the organization of Plenary Sessions and select the
Preferential Subjects to be discussed during these sessions. Membership of these Study
Committees consists of well-known experts, who are nominated by the Governing Bodies of
CIGRE for a period of 6 years. Their term of office may be renewed for two-year periods if
need be. Working Groups which include other experts are formed whose task is to delve
further into a particular topic.

1.2.3.2 Organization

Governing bodies consist of:

• The Administrative Council – approximately 50 members with decision-making power.

• The Executive Committee - 13 members, an advisory body making recommendations to
the Council
• The Technical Committee comprising the Chairmen of the 16 SCs. This body is
responsible for the technical direction and work of the Association.

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A Central Office (CO), located in Paris, coordinates day-to-day administrative matters.

CIGRE is represented through a National Committee (NC) in approximately 50 countries.

These National Committees play an important role locally as intermediary between members
and the Central Office for all administrative processes related to the running of the
organization.

1.2.3.3 Study Committee A3

Circuit-breakers fall under the responsibility of SC A3: High Voltage Equipment.

The mission of SC A3 is: “To facilitate and promote the progress of engineering and the
international exchange of information and knowledge in the field of high voltage equipment.
To add value to this information and knowledge by means of synthesizing state-of-the-art
practices and developing recommendations.”

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