Besides conducting and interrupting operating currents, the

CB is designed to break fault currents, e.g. short-circuit currents,

that can be 5 to 20 times the value of the rated current,
within about 50 milliseconds. There are big challenges
for the CB designers, some circuit breakers must be able to
break currents up to 100 kA and others to handle voltages
up to 1150 kV.

Main and arcing contacts

It is usual that SF6 circuit breakers have two contact
systems, the main contact system and the arcing contact
system. The main contacts conducts the normal operating
currents and the arcing contacts are used to take the load
off the main contacts when the CB opens and closes. This
will protect the main contacts from getting burned.
The arc created when the arcing contact system separates is
extinguished at one of the next zero crossings of current.
The convective and radiative heat from the arc causes a
sudden rise in pressure in the heating volume between the
arcing contact system and the piston . It is from here that
hot gas is blasted to extinguish the arc at the zero crossing.

Solutions to handle the arc

Although the arcing contacts are made to withstand the
heat from the arc they are exposed to high stress. To handle
this, there are different solutions:
Synchronized / controlled functionality
Multiple breaks per phase to divide the high voltage
CB Closed position
Current flows through the
main contacts

Opening of the main

contacts
The moving part goes down
thus separating the main
contacts. There is no arc
striking as the current keeps
flowing from the upper
terminal to the moving parts
through the arcing contacts.
During the downstroke, the
moving part exerts a pressure
on the gas housed in the
lower chamber; the pressure
increase generated in the
lower chamber opens the
connection valve of the upper
chamber. The compressed
gas flows from the lower
to the upper chamber thus
equalising the pressures.

Opening of the arcing

contacts
The current keeps flowing
due to the arc generated
between the fixed and moving
contacts. The gas can not leak
from the nozzle as the hole is
blocked by the fixed contact
or from the inside of the
moving contact because of
the arc clogging effect.

CB in open position

The arc is quenched; the lower

chamber reaches its minimum
volume and its maximum
pressure level, kept by the valve
locked by the supersonic wave.
As the self-generated pressure
of the dead volume decreases,
due to the outflow of the gas
through the moving contact,
the valve re-opens. From
now on, a new jet of fresh
gas flows in and makes the
temperature of the contacts
fall. At the same time, the
gas flows through the nozzle,
free from the fixed arcing
contact. The cleaning of
the arcing chamber by means
of fresh gas makes the device
suitable for another reclosing
and the interruption up to the
maximum breaking capacity.
Pictures showing a schematic of the opening function for an SF 6 autopuffer
Circuit Breaker