What is a Circuit Breaker?
A circuit breaker is an electrical circuit that protects the system from normal and abnormal conditions. There are many types of circuit breakers used in the electrical system. they are categorised based on voltages and construction etc.
Circuit breakers play an important role in the electrical system. In this article, we discuss 4 types of circuit breakers and try to find out which circuit is best.
Oil Circuit Breaker (O.C.B)
An oil Circuit breaker is a type of breaker in which Oil is used as a medium to provide insulation.
- The Medium in the oil Circuit Breaker is Oil.
- The Size of the Bulk Oil Circuit breaker is Large.
- The Operation of an Oil Circuit Breaker is Simple.
- There is no need for external energy to distinguish the Arc.
- An oil circuit breaker is slow in operation.
- The Mechanism of opening and closing the contacts is complex.
- The oil is dirty from repeated usage so we need to change or filter the oil.
- If leakage occurs The oil needs to be refilled.
- The Dielectric strength is reduced due to extended switching operations.
- The Striking Voltage is not much affected by the O.C.B.
- The Current chopping is not affected by the O.C.B
- The chance of Oil leakage is Possible in the oil circuit breaker
- We need to maintain the Level of Oil
- We need skilful labour to keep the OCB
- The contacts are more burned out In OCB
- The Weight is Heavy with OCB.
- The Lifetime is High
- OCB has a High Rupturing Capacity.
- OCB is Suitable for manual and automatic operations.
- The Gasses that are produced in the OCB have Good cooling properties
- The Operating cost is high for O.C.B
- The Tank Size is large.
- OCB Is not suitable for outdoor purposes
- The Oil price is high.
Air Circuit Breaker (A.C.B)
An Air Circuit breaker is a type of circuit breaker in which Air is used as an insulating medium.
- The Medium in the Air Circuit Breaker is Air.
- The Size of the Air Circuit breaker is small.
- The Operation of the Air Circuit Breaker is Simple
- There is no need for external energy to distinguish the Arc
- An air circuit breaker is Fast in operation
- The Mechanism of opening and closing the contacts is complex.
- The Air is not dirty from repeating usage so we do not need to change the Air.
- Air Is Naturally available so there is no problem with refilling.
- The Dielectric strength is not affected due to extended switching operations in the Air Circuit Breaker.
- The Striking Voltage is more affected in the A.C.B.
- The Current chopping is affected in the O.C.B
- The chance of Air leakage is Possible in the air circuit breaker.
- We need to maintain the Pressure of the Air.
- We need skilful labour to keep the A.C.B.
- The contacts are less burned out In A.C.B
- The Weight is light of A.C.B.
- The Lifetime is High
- ACB has a High Rupturing Capacity.
- ACB is Suitable for manual and automatic operations.
- The Operating cost is low for A.C.B
- The Tank Size is small.
Gas Circuit Breaker
A gas Circuit breaker is a type of circuit breaker in which Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6) gas is used as an insulating material to distinguish the arc
- We used SF6 Gas as an insulating material in the Gas Circuit breaker.
- A gas circuit breaker needs 10 to 15 times less space as compared to a conventional circuit breaker.
- Gas circuit breaker manufactured in less time.
- G.C.B. is safe from pollution.
- They are mechanically strong and safe from the external environment.
- The efficiency of the Gas Circuit breaker is good.
- a gas circuit breaker is safe from Fire.
- The running cost is low compared to another circuit breaker for the same rating.
- The Faults Retention Is Low.
- The maintenance is also low in the G.C.b.
- They are suitable for both outdoor and indoor places.
- A gas circuit breaker is not bound to any position horizontal or vertical.
- GCB is used at any height.
- The Appearance is good.
- GCB needs less time planning to commission.
- GCB is suitable for employees.
- The Gas contains high insulating properties.
- The initial cost is high compared to others.
- The internal faults are complex in the Gas circuit breaker.
- They need continuous maintenance.
- we need the gas stock to provide the availability of the gas.
vacuum circuit breaker
A vacuum circuit breaker is a type of circuit breaker in which a vacuum is used as an insulating medium.
- The medium used in the vacuum circuit breaker is Vacuum.
- The recovery time of dielectric strength is high.
- The weight of moving parts is low.
- The price is suitable for consumers.
- The Efficiency is high.
- A vacuum circuit breaker is free from the solution; we need an auxiliary system to refill the gas or oil.
- there is no chance of a blast in the interrupter.
- they are suitable for repeated work.
- the lifetime is extended.
- they need less maintenance.
- the contact resistance is not changed during the Working of VCB.
- They are limited to 36 kV
- they need high technology to produce vacuum interpreters.
- if the Vacuum fails the vacuum is lost and the breaker is of no further use.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the choice between oil vs. air circuit breakers and gas vs. vacuum circuit breakers depends on factors such as voltage levels, interrupting capacity, maintenance requirements, safety considerations, environmental impact, and specific application requirements.
While oil and gas circuit breakers offer high interrupting capabilities, they come with maintenance challenges and environmental concerns. Air and vacuum circuit breakers, on the other hand, provide reliable performance, lower maintenance needs, and better environmental sustainability. they make them preferable choices in many modern electrical systems.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
What is an oil circuit breaker (OCB)?
An oil Circuit breaker is a type of breaker in which Oil is used as a medium to provide insulation.
How does an oil circuit breaker work?
When a fault occurs, the arc produced ionizes the oil, which in turn increases its conductivity. This leads to a rapid increase in pressure inside the circuit breaker, causing a blast effect that extinguishes the arc.What are the advantages of using oil circuit breakers?
High interrupting capacity and effective arc extinction.
What are the common causes of failures in oil circuit breakers?
common causes of failures are
- Insufficient oil levels,
- contaminated oil,
- insulation breakdown,
- mechanical wear,
- improper maintenance practices
What is an air circuit breaker (ACB)?
An Air Circuit breaker is a type of circuit breaker in which Air is used as an insulating medium.
How does an air circuit breaker differ from an oil circuit breaker?
Air circuit breakers use compressed air instead of oil for arc extinction.
What are the different types of air circuit breakers?
Common types include
- plain-break air circuit breakers,
- magnetic blowout air circuit breakers,
- and air blast circuit breakers.
What is a gas circuit breaker (GCB)?
A gas Circuit breaker is a type of circuit breaker in which Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6) gas is used as an insulating material to distinguish the arc.
What gases are commonly used in gas circuit breakers?
SF6 gas is widely used in gas circuit breakers due to its excellent dielectric properties, high arc extinction capability, and chemical stability.
How does a gas circuit breaker extinguish the arc?
SF6 gas is injected into the arc chamber during a fault, creating a high-density plasma that rapidly cools and extinguishes the arc.
What is a vacuum circuit breaker (VCB)?
A vacuum circuit breaker is a type of circuit breaker in which a vacuum is used as an insulating medium.
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