MINIATURE CIRCUIT

BREAKERS .
SUBMITTED TO :

MR. SHAKEEL IQBAL

SUBMITTED BY :

VAISHNAVI SINGH
MAHAK RAITANI

KAJAL KUKI PATWARI

CIRCUIT BREAKERS
A circuit breaker is an automatically-operated
electricalswitchdesigned to protect
anelectrical circuitfrom damage caused due
to excess passage of current.
Its basic function is to detect a fault and, by
interrupting continuity, to immediately
discontinue electrical flow.

Unlike afuse, 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
various sizes, from small
devices used to protect an
individual household
appliance up to
largeswitchgear designed to
protect high voltage circuits
to supply an entire city.

A FUSE

A CIRCUIT
BREAKER

TYPES OF CIRCUIT
BREAKERS
Types of Circuit breakers as follows: MV (medium voltage circuit breakers) :
MVs are operated by current sensing
protectiverelays operated throughcurrent
transformers.
They are further divided into:
1.Air Circuit Breaker (ACB)
2.Vaccum Circuit Breaker (VCB)
3.Oil Circuit Breaker
4.SF6 Circuit Breaker

 LV (low voltage circuit breakers) :

Low voltage (less than 1000 VAC) types are
common in domestic, commercial and
industrial application, and include:
1.Air Circuit Breaker (ACB)
2.Moulded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB)
3.Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)
4.Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)
5.Motor Protection Circuit Breaker
(MPCB)

 HV (high voltage circuit breaker) :

High-voltage breakers are nearly
alwayssolenoid-operated, with current
sensingprotective relaysoperated
throughcurrent transformers. They include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Bulk oil
Minimum oil
Air blast
Vacuum
SF6

THREE POLE COMMON TRIP BREAKER FOR SUPPLYING A

THREE-PHASE DEVICE. THIS BREAKER HAS A 2 A RATING

MINIATURE CIRCUIT
BREAKERS
MCB means Miniature Circuit Breaker which
are small capacity ( low voltage ) breakers and
these too are moulded . So MCB is a breaker
but moulded (sealed). The breaker is the term
used to a unit which breaks (opens) the circuit
above its rated flow of current. It has the
characteristic and ability to self operate and
isolate (break) the circuit if there is a fault
down the line.

Miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) are fitted

in newer consumer units in place of fuses.
They have the advantage that they can be
manually reset without having to replace wire
as in the case of the traditional fuse.
The MCBs have either a button or lever that
can be flicked to reset it.
The MCB tripping is an indication either
that the circuit has been overloaded or that a
short circuit has occurred somewhere in the
system

Before resetting the MCB

it is important to identify
what has caused it to trip.
First switching off the
main switch on the
consumer unit is very
important.
Reset the MCB by either
pushing the button or by
flicking the lever.
Finally flick the main
switch of the consumer
unit
If the
MCB
back
on.immediately resets itself once
power is restored, a fault is still occurring..

WHY ARE MCBs

IMPORTANT??
The miniature circuit breaker is an absolutely
essential device in the modern world, and one of
the most important safety mechanisms in your
home. Whenever electrical wiring in a building
has too much current flowing through it, these
simple machines cut the power until somebody
can fix the problem. Without circuit breakers (or
the alternative,fuses), household electricity
would be impractical because of the potential for
fires and other mayhem resulting from simple
wiring problems and equipment failures.

A MINIATURE
CIRCUIT BREAKER

HOW DO MCBS WORK??

The basic idea behind a circuit breaker is to

create a switch that will automatically turn
itself off if too much current flows through it.
The most common way to accomplish this is to
use an electromagnet.
When too much current flows through the
electromagnet, it generates enough magnetic
force to trip the circuit breaker and cut the
power.

MINIATURE CIRCUIT
BREAKER
1. Cable terminals
2. Bi-metal thermo
element
3. Contacts
4. Arc chamber
5. Solenoid
6. Operating handle - used
to manually trip and
reset the circuit breaker.
7. Din rail mounting.

CONSTRUCTION
BREAKER DESIGN: BASIC

The basic circuit

breaker consists of a
simpleswitch,
connected to either a
bimetallic strip or
anelectromagnet.
The diagram shows a
typical electromagnet
design.

 The hot wire in the

circuit connects to the
two ends of the switch.
When the switch is
flipped to the on
position, electricity can
flow from the bottom
terminal, through the
electromagnet, up to the
moving contact, across
to the stationary
contact and out to the
upper terminal.

The electricitymagnetizesthe
electromagnet . Increasing current boosts the
electromagnet's magnetic force, and
decreasing current lowers the magnetism.
When the current jumps to unsafe levels, the
electromagnet is strong enough to pull down
a metal lever connected to the switch
linkage. The entire linkage shifts, tilting the
moving contact away from the stationary
contact to break the circuit. The electricity
shuts off.

BREAKER DESIGN:
ADVANCED
One of the newer
circuit breaker devices
is theground fault
circuit interrupter,
orGFCI. These
sophisticated breakers
are designed to protect
people from electrical
shock, rather than
prevent damage to a
building's wiring

4-OUTLET GFCI
POWER BOX

APPLICATIONS
Miniature circuit breakers are designed for
use in residential and light industrial
settings.
They are electrical devices that regulate the
flow of electricity in order to protect people
and equipment from the effects of power
surges or overloads.
The breakers operate in one of three
positions: on, off, or tripped. In the tripped
mode, the breaker interrupts the flow of
electricity in order to protect the system.