MAGNETIC CONTACTOR

&

CIRCUIT BREAKER

SUBMITTED BY: DEET 1-3

Cabanglan, Ronnel D.

Ignacio, Alnikko I.

Quimo, John Carlo A.

SUBMITTED TO:

Mr. Raymond Alfonso

CONTENTS

CIRCUIT BREAKER
 DEFINITION

 HISTORY

 USES/ FUNCTION

 HOW TO USE

 DIFFERENT TYPES

 OPERATING PRINCIPLES

MAGNETIC CONTACTOR
 DEFINITION

 HISTORY

 USES/ FUNCTION

 HOW TO USE

 DIFFERENT TYPES

 OPERATING PRINCIPLES
 CIRCUIT BREAKER

DEFINITION

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 has to 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. 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 has to 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.

HISTORY

Thomas Edison developed the idea for a circuit breaker in 1879,

sketched different concepts in his scientific journals and patented the
idea the same year. A circuit breaker disconnects an electrical circuitry
by opening a contact when the circulating electrical current reaches
levels considered unsafe for the system. Circuit breakers equip every
electrical system today, more than 120 years after being invented.
EARLY OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER

•Designed by L.L. Elden in 1898

•Installed at the Boston Electric Light Company L Street
Plant (later Boston Edison)

•Open tank with upward motion operation

•Mounted on a panel

USES OF CIRCUIT BREAKER

Circuit breaker also known as the automatically
operated electrical switch that functions when a fault
detected by interrupting the current flow. There are various
sizes of circuit breaker which are from small devices up to
large switchgear that used to protect low current circuit until
high voltage circuit.

TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKER

Oil Circuit Breaker

Oil circuit breaker is such type of

circuit breaker which used oil as a dielectric or
insulating medium for arc extinction. In oil
circuit breaker the contacts of the breaker are
made to separate within an insulating oil. When
the fault occurs in the system the contacts of
the circuit breaker are open under the insulating
oil, and an arc is developed between them and
the heat of the arc is evaporated in the
surrounding oil.
Air Circuit Breaker

Air Circuit Breaker (ACB) is an electrical device used to provide

Overcurrent and short-circuit protection for electric circuits over 800
Amps to 10K Amps. These are usually used in low voltage applications
below 450V. We can find these systems in Distribution Panels (below
450V). Here in this article, we will discuss the working of Air Circuit
Breaker. Air circuit breaker is circuit operation breaker that operates in
the air as an arc extinguishing medium, at a given atmospheric pressure.
There are several types of Air circuit breakers and switching gears
available in the market today that is durable, high-performing, easy to
install and maintain. The air circuit breakers have completely replaced oil
circuit breakers.

Cross-Blast Circuit Breaker

Arc blast is directed at right angles to the arc. The schematic

representation of the cross principle of cross blast air circuit breaker is
given in the figure below. A moving contact arm is operated in close
spaces to draw an arc which is forced by a transverse blast of air into the
splitter plates, thereby lightening it to the point when it cannot restrike
after zero current.

Axial Blast Circuit Breaker

In the air blast circuit breaker, the flow of air is longitudinal

along the arc. Air blast circuit breaker may be a single blast or double
blast. Breaking employing double blast arrangement is sometimes called
radial blast circuit breakers as the air blast flows radially into the nozzle
or space between the contacts.
SF6 CIRCUIT BREAKER

A circuit breaker in which SF6 under pressure gas is used to

extinguish the arc is called SF6 circuit breaker. SF6 (sulphur
hexafluoride) gas has excellent dielectric, arc quenching, chemical
and other physical properties which have proved its superiority over
other arc quenching mediums such as oil or air.

VACUUM CIRCUIT BREAKER

A breaker which used vacuum as an arc extinction medium

is called a vacuum circuit breaker. In this circuit breaker, the fixed
and moving contact is enclosed in a permanently sealed vacuum
interrupter. The arc is extinct as the contacts are separated in
high vacuum. It is mainly used for medium voltage ranging from
11 KV to 33 KV.

DC CIRCUIT BREAKER

DC circuit breakers automatically shut off the power when a circuit is

threatened of becoming overloaded. This protects the electrical circuit and
all devices using the power from damage. The breaker detects a fault and
immediately interrupts the continuity in the electric flow.
OPERATING PRINCIPLE OF CIRCUIT BREAKER

Circuit breaker essentially consists of fixed and moving contacts. These contacts are touching
each other and carrying the current under normal conditions when the circuit is closed. When the circuit
breaker is closed, the current carrying contacts, called the electrodes, engaged each other under the
pressure of a spring.

During the normal operating condition, the arms of the circuit breaker can be opened or closed for
a switching and maintenance of the system. To open the circuit breaker, only a pressure is required to be
applied to a trigger.

Whenever a fault occurs on any part of the system, the trip coil of the breaker gets energized and the
moving contacts are getting apart from each other by some mechanism, thus opening the circuit.
 MAGNETIC CONTACTOR

DEFINITION

Magnetic contactors are a form of electrical relay found on

most electrically powered motors. They act as a go-between
for direct power sources, and high-load electrical motors in
order to homogenize or balance out changes in electrical
frequency which may come from a power supply as well as to
act as a safeguard. It should be noted that though they are
similar in design, magnetic contactors are not circuit breakers.
They do not sever the connection between appliance, and
power source during a short circuit. They are detachable from
a motor so that an operator may work with that motor;
disassemble or maintain it, without the possibility of live current
still passing through the device .

USES/FUNCTION OF MAGNETIC CONTACTOR

The magnetic field is generated by the electromagnet in the
magnetic contractor when the electricity starts flowing in the
magnetic contractor. The magnetic field created is a strong
magnetic field that pulls the iron core of the magnetic contractor in
the coil and as a result, an electric arc is generated. The electricity
is passed into the magnetic contractor in this manner. To stop the
functionality of the magnetic contractor it is simply pulled off from
the device it is attached with. When there is no electrical current in
the magnetic contractor, the connection of the core with the coil is
also disconnected and the circuit connection is broken.
TYPES OF MAGNETIC CONTACTOR

SC and SW Contactor
The SC series is a range of long service-life and high-
performance contactors. SC-03 to SC-N3 smallframe contactors
provide snap-on fitting of numerous optional units, such as
auxiliary contact blocks, coil surge suppressors, and operation
counters.

Field modifications are quick and easy.

Type SC-N6 and above contactors come with an IC-controlled

SUPER MAGNET coil, which operates from both AC and DC
sources, to prevent burnt coils and contact chattering by voltage
fluctuation.

SB Contactor
We developed the SB series DC contactors from our SC series AC
contactors. Applications include opening and closing DC circuits and
controlling DC motors. They permit switching of DC loads up to
550V DC, 360A. There are two main contact arrangements available:
the 2NO type and the 2NO + 1NC type, which has one NC contact
for dynamic brake circuits. Type SB-5N and above contactors come
with an IC-controlled SUPER MAGNET coil for improved
operational stability.

FC AND FW Contactor

The FC series contactors are compact and economical

contactors designed for use in appliances with relatively low
switching frequencies. Typical applications include air c
industrial washing machines, heaters, compressors, driers, and
fans. Contactors pick up 75% of the rated voltage. FC-0 is
available with tab and printed board terminals, as we lifting
screw terminals.
SS Contactor

The SS series contactors employ a semiconductor that

can withstand both high voltage and large overcurrent when
making and breaking load circuits. The completely contactless
design gives high performance, including long service life and
noise- free operation. Applications include frequent making and
breaking for motors, heaters, and similar circuits.

Operating Principle
When current passes through the electromagnet, a magnetic field is produced, which attracts
the moving core of the contactor. The electromagnet coil draws more current initially, until
its inductance increases when the metal core enters the coil. The moving contact is propelled
by the moving core; the force developed by the electromagnet holds the moving and fixed
contacts together. When the contactor coil is de-energized, gravity or a spring returns the
electromagnet core to its initial position and opens the contacts. For contactors energized
with alternating current, a small part of the core is surrounded with a shading coil, which
slightly delays the magnetic flux in the core. The effect is to average out the alternating pull
of the magnetic field and so prevent the core from buzzing at twice line frequency.

Because arcing and consequent damage occurs just as the contacts are opening or closing,
contactors are designed to open and close very rapidly; there is often an internal tipping
point mechanism to ensure rapid action. Rapid closing can, however, lead to increase contact
bounce which causes additional unwanted open-close cycles. One solution is to have
bifurcated contacts to minimize contact bounce; two contacts designed to close
simultaneously, but bounce at different times so the circuit will not be briefly disconnected
and cause an arc.A slight variant has multiple contacts designed to engage in rapid
succession. The last to make contact and first to break will experience the greatest contact
wear and will form a high-resistance connection that would cause excessive heating inside
the contactor. However, in doing so, it will protect the primary contact from arcing, so a low
contact resistance will be established a millisecond later. This technique is only effective if
the conctactors disengage in reverse order that they engaged. Otherwise the damaging
effect of arcing will be split evenly across both contactors

Another technique for improving the life of contactors is contact wipe; the contacts move
past each other after initial contact in order to wipe off any contamination.