Presentation on “Operation of circuit

breakers and Relay circuits”

By team
 Operation of circuit breaker

• Operation includs electrical

and mechanical characteristics
• Instrument transformers are
used.
• Mechanical circuit may vary
with different circuits.
Important step in circuit breaking.....

• The" art of circuit

breaking is nothing but
art of arc quenching".

• What is Arc quenching ?

Arc quenching techniques:

• Compression
• Elongation of arc
• Intensive cooling
• Replace the ionised
gas with fresh air
SULPHUR HEXAFLUORIDE(SF6) CIRCUIT BREAKER

 A circuit breaker in which

SF6 under
pressure gas is used to
extinguish the arc is called
SF6 circuit breaker.
Operating principle

• Current interruption in a high-

voltage circuit breaker is
obtained by separating two
contacts in a medium.
• SF6 gas is electronegative thus
contacts of the breaker are
opened in a high-pressure flow
of sulphur hexafluoride gas and
an arc is struck between them.
• The gas captures the conducting
free electrons in the arc to form
relatively immobile negative
ions.
Advantages and dis advantages

Advantagesgas
• SF6 gas has excellent insulating, arc extinguishing, non-
inflammable.
• Current chopping can be minimized.
• No reduction of dielectric strength.
• Not affected by atmospheric conditions.
• Disadvantages:
• By-products produced are hazardous.
MCB

• MCBs or Miniature Circuit Breakers are electromechanical

devices which protect an electrical circuit from an
overcurrent.
• An MCB functions by interrupting the continuity of
electrical flow through the circuit once a fault is
detected.
• MCB is a switch which automatically turns off when the
current flowing through it passes the maximum allowable
limit.
Operation of MCB

• Principle:Whenever
continuous overcurrent
flows through MCB, the
bimetallic strip is heated
and deflects by bending.
• This deflection of
bimetallic strip releases a
mechanical latch
• There are two contacts one is fixed and the
other moveable.
• When the current exceeds the predefined
limit a solenoid forces the moveable
contact to open and the MCB turns off
thereby stopping the current to flow in the
circuit.
• In order to restart the flow of current the
MCB is manually turned on. This mechanism
is used to protect from the faults arising
due to over current or over load.
• To protect against fault arising due to over
heating or increase in temperature a bi-
metallic strip is used.
 Reasons why MCB trips

• Circuit overload Advantages:

• Simple maintenance.
• Short circuit • Modular constitution.
• Easy to be used by non-expert
• Ground Fault Surges people.
Drawbacks:
• Limited features
• Costly when compared with
fuse.
Safety measures of Circuit Breakers:-

• Identify Your Tripped Circuit Breaker

• Test Your Circuit Breaker
• Switch Off All of Your Appliances
• Check Your Wiring
• Have Your Circuit Breaker Tested for the Necessary
Voltage
What is Relay?

• A Relay is electormagnetic swtich . Its used in application to turn

ON and OFF .a circuit by a low power signal .
• Main parts in relay:
• - electromagnet
• - movable armature
• - switch point contact
• -spring
How does it works?

• There are two circuits

• CONTROL and LOAD circuits.
• When the control switch is truned on
current starts flowingThrough a coil it
genrates magnetic fild that attracts the
armature and load circuit is closed.
• This is called normally open (NO),relay
contact is open when the relay is not
energized.
 Relays can be used to control
several circuits by one signal.
 PST-singal pole single throw.
 SPDT-single pole double throw.
 DPST-double pole single throw.
DPDT-double pole double throw.
 SPST- these have two terminal
which can be connected or
disconnected including two
terminals of coil.
 SPDT-the common terminal
connects to either of two others
including two for coil.
 DPST-these have two pairs of
terminal including two for coil.
 DPDT-these have two rows
change over terminals and two
for coil.
Advantages

 Relays can switch AC and DC,

transistors can only switch
DC.
 Relays can switch high
voltages, transistors cannot.
 Relays are a better choice for
switching large
currents (> 5A)
Limitations:-

 Relays are bulkier than transistors for switching

small currents.
 Relays cannot switch rapidly (except reed
relays), transistors can switch many times per
second.
 Relays use more power due to the current
flowing through their coil.
Applications...

• It is used for amplifying a digital signal, switching a large amount

of power with a small operating power.

• Switching to a standby power supply.

• controlling a high voltage circuit with a low voltage signal , as in

some types of audio amplifiers.
Applications

Railway signaling
12v dc timer switch

switches
Display components