Authors :
Onah A. J; Ezema E. E
Volume/Issue :
Volume 5 - 2020, Issue 8 - August
Google Scholar :
http://bitly.ws/9nMw
Scribd :
https://bit.ly/2R1in8S
DOI :
10.38124/IJISRT20AUG735
Abstract :
The problem of circuit breaking becomes
complicated when voltages and currents in the range of
kilovolt and kiloampere are involved. Circuit breaker
(CB) is used in performing switching operations, and is a
switch that can open live circuits. Circuit breakers are
especially important in protective schemes where they
have to interrupt fault currents, and isolate faulty
section of the network. When the circuit breaker opens
under fault condition many thousands of amperes pass
through the contacts and the extinction of the arc and
hence effective opening of the contacts of the CB are
major engineering problems. When a circuit breaker
opens, a high-frequency voltage, superimposed on the
normal system voltage appears across the CB contacts.
This voltage is known as transient recovery voltage
(TRV) or restriking voltage, constituting a switching
surge. Restriking delays arc quenching, and so it is
detrimental to the circuit breaker as well as the entire
system, since fault clearing may be delayed. This paper
shows how resistance switching can be used to damp this
surge and enable the CB to open before the magnitude of
the voltage across the CB contacts reaches peak level, to
prevent possible restriking of the arc.
Keywords :
circuit breaker, arc, transient recovery voltage, restriking, resistance switching
The problem of circuit breaking becomes
complicated when voltages and currents in the range of
kilovolt and kiloampere are involved. Circuit breaker
(CB) is used in performing switching operations, and is a
switch that can open live circuits. Circuit breakers are
especially important in protective schemes where they
have to interrupt fault currents, and isolate faulty
section of the network. When the circuit breaker opens
under fault condition many thousands of amperes pass
through the contacts and the extinction of the arc and
hence effective opening of the contacts of the CB are
major engineering problems. When a circuit breaker
opens, a high-frequency voltage, superimposed on the
normal system voltage appears across the CB contacts.
This voltage is known as transient recovery voltage
(TRV) or restriking voltage, constituting a switching
surge. Restriking delays arc quenching, and so it is
detrimental to the circuit breaker as well as the entire
system, since fault clearing may be delayed. This paper
shows how resistance switching can be used to damp this
surge and enable the CB to open before the magnitude of
the voltage across the CB contacts reaches peak level, to
prevent possible restriking of the arc.
Keywords :
circuit breaker, arc, transient recovery voltage, restriking, resistance switching
