Opening time – It is the time interval from the energisation of the trip coil to the instant of

contact separation.

Arcing time – It is the time interval from the separation of contact to the extinction of the
arc.

Total break time – It is the sum of the opening time interval and the arcing time interval.

Make time – It is the time interval from the energisation of the solenoid to the instant of
making contact for current establishment during closing of circuit breaker.

Relay time – It is the time interval from the initiation of fault to the energisation of the trip
coil.

Symmetrical breaking capacity – The breaking capacity in symmetrical condition is known as

symmetrical breaking capacity which is generally expressed in terms of MVA and is
equal to the product of rated symmetrical breaking current (k A), rated service voltage
(kV) and a factor depending upon the number of phases (1 for single phase and √3 for
three phase).

Asymmetrical breaking capacity – The breaking capacity in asymmetrical condition is as

asymmetrical breaking capacity which is also expressed in terms of MVA and is equal to
the product of rated asymmetrical breaking current (kA), rated service voltage (kV) and
a factor depending upto the number of phases (1 for single phase and √3 for three
phase).

Making capacity – The making capacity is a term used in connection with the rating of a
switchgear to denote the capability of a switch, circuit breaker or similar apparatus to
make a circuit by closing under short circuit condition. Making capacity is approximately
equal to 2.55 times the symmetrical breaking capacity.

Short time rating – The short time rating of a circuit breaker is the highest permissible
value of the current which the fully closed circuit breaker can carry for a specified time
of about 1 to 3 seconds without excessive temperature rise and electrodynamic effects
capable of causing injury.
Rated service voltage – The rated service voltage of a circuit breaker is the r.m.s. value of
the operating voltage at which the circuit breaker shall be able to carry the normal
current continuously at normal frequency.

Rated operating sequence –

0 (open) – t – Co (close open) – T – Co
(t = 0.3 or 0.5 second, T = 3 minutes)

Why are circuit breakers designed to have a short time rating ?

Ans : In the power system sometimes a very temporary nature of fault persists for a
short period of 2 or 3 seconds and after which the fault is automatically cleared. To
maintain continuity of supply the breaker should not trip in such condition. Therefore,
breaker should be able to carry high current safely for some for some specified period
during running i.e. the circuit breakers should have a short time rating.

First pole to clear factor is the ratio of distance between faulty phase and healthy phase to the faulty phase.
The value should not come more than 1.5.

The most severe TRV is applied on the first pole of a circuit breaker that interrupts current (called the first-
pole-to-clear in a three-phase system).

The first-pole-to-clear-factor (kpp) is depending on the earthing system of the network. The
first-pole-to-clear-factor is used for calculating the transient recovery voltage for three-phase
faults. In general the following cases apply:- kpp =1.3 corresponds to three-phase faults
in systems with an earthed neutral.- kpp =1.5 corresponds to three-phase faults in isolated
systems or resonant earthed systems.- kpp =1.0 corresponds to special cases, e.g. two-phase
railway systems. A special case is when there is a three-phase fault without involving earth in a
system with earthed neutral. This case corresponds to kpp =1.5. This special case is however
not normally considered in the standards.

A transient recovery voltage (or TRV) for high-voltage circuit breakers is the voltage that appears across the
terminals after current interruption. It is a critical parameter for fault interruption by a high-voltage circuit
breaker, its characteristics (amplitude, rate of rise) can lead either to a successful current interruption or to a
failure (called reignition or restrike).
The TRV is dependent on the characteristics of the system connected on both terminals of the circuit-breaker,
and on the type of fault that this circuit breaker has to interrupt (single, double or three-phase faults, grounded
or ungrounded fault).