Prof Dr.

Muhammad
Kamran
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 1
AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
Arc Extinction

In the Air-Blast circuit-breaker the arc extinction
mechanisms is very similar to that which exists in
SF
6
C.B. but with of course, air being substitutes for
SF
6
.

Essentially a blast of high pressure air is directed
longitudinally along with the arc to obtain rapid
cooling of the arc and interruption.
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 2
AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
Arc Extinction

Dr. Muhammad Kamran 3
The design of the nozzle arrangement to produce
this desired condition is again very similar to SF
6
nozzle designs and both single and double flow
(or, blast) nozzle arrangement are used,
AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
Arc Extinction

There are basically two type of Air Blast circuit breakers

1. Atmospheric Head Air Blast Circuit Breaker
(AHABCB)

2. Pressurized Head Air Blast Circuit Breaker
(PHABC.B)
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 4
ATMOSPHERIC HEAD AIR BLAST
CIRCUIT BREAKER (AHABCB)
In the atmospheric head circuit breaker the contacts
are open upon the release of high pressure air is
blasted along the arc column and then out to the
atmosphere.
When current has been interrupted sequential isolator,
open which is connected in series with the circuit
breakers and establish isolation of the two circuits
(Supply and Load).
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ATMOSPHERIC HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(AHABCB)
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 6
ATMOSPHERIC HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(AHABCB)
Upon full isolation the high pressure air supply is shut
off and the contacts in the interrupted head are
allowed to close.
In brief the interrupted heads are used solely for
current interruption, while the isolator ensure isolation
of the circuits.

The Volume of compressed air used in this operation
is large.
Approximately 5000 cu-ft of free-air. The pressure
used may be 400 psi or greater.

Dr. Muhammad Kamran 7
ATMOSPHERIC HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(AHABCB)
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 8
Isolator used are called sequential isolators, because these
isolators operate in a sequence with circuit breaker.
There is always an automatic delay in the operation of the
circuit breaker and isolator.

Fig:2 Showing simplified diagram of Atmospheric head
A.B.C.B.
ATMOSPHERIC HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(AHABCB)
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PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT
BREAKER (PHABCB)
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 10
In the pressurized head circuit breaker high pressure air is
released in to the circuit breaker head to open contacts in a
similar manner to atmospheric head type.


However the high pressure air cannot escape from the
circuit breaker head because an exhaust value in the outlet
is closed.
PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(PHABCB)
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 11
Once the head is pressurized in this way the contacts
remain open and thereby circuit isolation is achieved.

A sequential isolator is not required

To reclose the circuit the exhaust value in the circuit
breaker head is opened allowing the compressed air in the
head to be released to atmosphere, air supply valve being
closed in this operation.
PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(PHABCB)
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A very much simplified diagram of pressurized head is
shown in fig:3).

PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(PHABCB)
Silencer
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1) Its operation is very NOISY.
2) Blast produced is Deafening.
3) A big unit is required for pressure
development.

The noise level can be reduced by using a silencer on
the top of the exhaust value.
PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(PHABCB)
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 14
CONSTRUCTION

The usual construction for air-blast circuit breaker is similar
to that for small oil volume and SF
6
circuit breakers in that a
number of interrupter heads are mounted on top of
porcelain insulating column, the rigid system voltage level
being achieved by connecting a number of interrupted
heads in series.
PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(PHABCB)
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 15
Auxiliary chambers

Quite often in addition to the main interrupting chamber
auxiliary chambers may be fitted for closing resistors or
opening resistor purposes.

A further addition to the interrupter head is the grading
capacitor housing

Such capacitors are used in multiple head units to ensure
that the interrupting duty of each head is approximately
same.

The voltage is graded across the heads by these
capacitors and is not left to stray capacitance effect.
PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(PHABCB)
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 16
Auxiliary chambers

These auxiliary chambers hence required for

1) Closing resistors
2) Opening resistors
3) Grading capacitors

More complex interrupting heads involved when both
tripping and closing resistors are required and the size
of the head then start to become quite large.
PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(PHABCB)
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Auxiliary chambers

PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(PHABCB)
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Auxiliary chambers

PRESSURIZED HEAD AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
(PHABCB)
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Auxiliary chambers

TRIPPING AND CLOSING RESISTORS
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Pre-insertion resistor is connected in order to avoid over-
voltage due to switching. First of all switch (1) is closed
and then after some time switch (2) is closed and after
some time then switch (1) is made open.
R = Usually 400-600 Ohms
TRIPPING AND CLOSING RESISTORS
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Opening resistors.

TRIPPING AND CLOSING RESISTORS
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Opening resistors.

Here R is known as tripping or opening resistor. First
of all switch. (1) is opened then after some time
switch (2) is opened.
Due to this resistance, oscillations are damped, due to
LC of transformer followed by current chopping
TRIPPING AND CLOSING RESISTORS
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 23
Opening resistors.

Second purpose of this resistance is that when opening the
contact of the main interrupter the arc produced is
comparatively small.

Tripping and closing resistors can have a wide range of
values depending upon the particular circuit conditions.


TRIPPING AND CLOSING RESISTORS
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Ancillary Equipment

Perhaps the main difficulty encounter in air blast circuit
breakers is the release and storage of air

At the higher voltage this becomes a serious problem
because of the length of the blast tubes to the circuit-
breaker head and the pressure required.
TRIPPING AND CLOSING RESISTORS
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 25
Ancillary (Auxiliary) Equipment

Air compression and storage plant is also complex
and extensive.

A further disadvantage of the air-blast breaker is the
Noise emitted when operating. This disadvantage has
now been largely over-come by the use of silencers on
the air exhaust vents of the interrupter heads.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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Oil circuit breaker may be classified in to two types:

a.Bulk- Oil
b.Minimum- Oil (Small Oil Volume)

Bulk- Oil Volume circuit breaker are similar to the
Dead-tank SF
6
circuit breakers and small-Oil volume
circuit breakers equivalent or similar to live tank SF
6

circuit breakers.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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In Bulk Oil circuit breakers oil not only acts as the arc
quenching medium but also act as the major insulation
or dielectric between the contacts and earth.

a.Arc interrupting medium
b.Dielectric ( earth insulation)

Because Oil is used for both arc quenching and
insulation large volume of oil necessary. 50,000 liters
is required for a 275-KV circuit breaker.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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In the Minimum Oil circuit breaker the arc quenching
medium is Oil but the insulent (dielectric) between the
contacts and earth is porcelain.

Consequently in this type of oil circuit breakers only
the minimum amount of oil is used.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

The contacts in this type of circuit breakers are
enclosed in a long steel tank filled with oil. There are
basically three-different, mechanism through which the
quenching of an arc take place;

1) Plain Break

2) Explosion Pot

3) Cross-jet pot.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

In the plain break, circuit breakers, the arc is drawn
freely in oil.
Arc extinction takes place due to hydrogen which is
produced by Oil decomposition due to the arc,
efficiently transferring heat from the arc to the oil.
This process is further aided by the pressure of the
hydrogen causing a high voltage gradient in the arc
column.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 34
BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

The interruption capacity of the plain breaker oil circuit
breakers is very limited due to the slow process of arc
extinction.
Consequently such circuit breakers are only used at
low voltage and low short Circuit levels typically 11-KV,
75-MVA.
Because of the limited interrupting capacity of the
plain break oil circuit breakers methods were sought
for aiding the arc extinction process. The result was
"Explosion Pot" or Explosion arc extinction chamber.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 35
BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

With the explosion pot instead of arc being allowed to
freely burn in oil, the arc is confined to a chamber
surrounding the contacts. When an arc is drawn in this
chamber the hydrogen produced by decomposition of
the oil builds up to high pressure because of its
containment.

After a certain amount of contact travel the outlet from
the chamber is uncovered by opening contacts and
the hydrogen explodes outward giving a Blast of gas
through the throat of the chamber.

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 36
BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

This action together with the pressure on the arc and
the length of arc at this time, given greater interrupting
abilities than the plain breaker oil circuit breakers.

A major disadvantage with the explosion pot circuit
breakers is that at low currents the hydrogen produced
in the arcing chamber does not build up to a sufficient
pressure to clear the arc quickly. Hydrogen gas
production depends upon the magnitude of the current
being interrupted.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 37
BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

This leads to a long arc clearance time which results
in severe contamination of the oil. Oil carbonization
will quickly deteriorate the insulating property of the oil
which in turn leads to a deterioration of arc interruption
capability.
The difficulties in the design of explosion arcing
chambers may be briefly explained here. If the throat
to the chamber is not large enough, severe pressures
can be built up in the chamber under fault current
interruption conditions. While if the throat to the
chamber is too large interruption of small current will
be difficult.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 38
BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

To overcome the difficulties with the explosion pot
arcing chambers, side vents were introduced into the
chamber.

This type of arcing chamber is known as the Cross-Jet
arcing chamber due to the manner in which oil
directed across the arc path.

As the main contact open hydrogen due to the arc is
generated in the vicinity of the fixed contact, and
pressure is built up in the upper part of the chamber,
Fig2(a).
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

When the moving contact opens further a side vent is
opened Fig.2 (b), and arc tends to be driven into this
vent, by oil and gas pressures produced in the upper
chamber. Upon further movement of the moving
contact otherside vents are opened and the arc
column is also driven into these vents, Fig.2 (c)

Under these conditions the arc loses energy to the
cold walls of the arcing chamber and further energy is
removed by the turbulence of oil and gas across the
arc path.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 41
BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

The result is that the arc is rapidly interrupted. For all
but the lowest currents, the arc is extinguished within
the arcing chamber Fig(d).

Although a great improvement on the explosion arcing
chamber, the cross-jet design still suffer from the
problem of high current giving excessive pressure and
low currents giving long arcing times.

A typical x-tic for the arc duration against current for a
cross-jet pot is shown in fig: 3 below.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

The arc take three-time as long, to be extinguished at
low current, as it does at high current. This explains
one reason why test specifications call for tests to be
carried out at current ratings well below the circuit
rated maximum.

In the larger power and higher voltage type of bulk-oil
circuit breakers, two, breakers per phase are
insufficient for duty required and up to six breakers per
phase may be used.

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

The grading resistors also have a damping effect upon
the transient recovery voltage. In operation the
damping resistors are brought into effect according to
the sequence of drawings shown in Fig: 5 below.

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

A final feature of note when receiving the beneficial
effect of grading resistor is the manner in which they
reduce the interruption duty of the circuit breakers.
This feature best appreciated by the current and
voltage record shown in Fig: 6.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 48
BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

In effect circuit interruption is carried out in two stages.

(1) interruption of the greater part of the main
circuit current.
(2) the interruption of the resistor current.

One advantage that the bulk-oil circuit breaker has
over the small oil volume circuit breakers is the facility
for placing C. T on the bushing into the tank at very
little additional cost.
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 50
BULK OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS

MINIMUM OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
In the minimum oil circuit breakers the arc extinction
chamber is usually an extended cross-jet pot type.
Usually however additional oil pump is used to obtain a
greater movement of oil across the arc.

At Low voltage 33 KV, the usual construction is single
column, with the single interrupter, head being mounted
directly on a hollow support insulator through which
passes the operating shaft.

For higher voltage the interrupter heads are connected
in series to ful fill the required duty and mounted on the
top of the porcelain support pillar.
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MINIMUM OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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MINIMUM OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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MINIMUM OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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MINIMUM OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
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MINIMUM OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
By this arrangement rated system voltage of up to 1050
KV can be achieved. Making and breaking resistors
may easily incorporated in small oil volume circuit
breaker.

The resistor units are coupled in parallel with each
interrupter unit and resistor units consists of oil
container housing a number of ceramic resistor units
and a contacts operating mechanism.
Dr. Muhammad Kamran 56
MINIMUM OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
Typically values of the making and breaking resistor
are;

Making resistor, high value, 5 K to 20 K per pole.
Making resistor, low value, 500 per pole.
Breaking resistors,10 K to 30 K per pole.
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