Switching Arc Energy Limitation Approach for LV Circuit Breakers

Dariusz Smugala and Michal Bonk
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Dariusz Smugala: Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24 Str., 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Michal Bonk: Department of Electrical and Power Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatics, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Str., 30-059 Cracow, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 20, 1-16

Abstract: This paper presents an experimentally verified approach to deriving switching arc energy limitations for low-voltage (LV) circuit breakers (CBs). Air-insulated contactors equipped with additional vacuum-insulated (VI) arcing contacts were tested for AC and DC current interruption efficiency, respectively. In the study, the contact arrangements of reed relay VI contact switches of low current breaking capacity combined with air-insulated contactors were examined. Tests were performed on selected LV CBs inductively loaded for LV power network rated voltages. A comparative analysis of the arc energy resulting from various arc time durations recorded during the switching-off operation was performed. Using a variety of either basic CB air-insulated contact systems or combined contact systems, a practical assessment of the proposed idea for enhancing the arc quenching efficiency was undertaken. As a result of the implementation of the proposed idea, the arc burning duration time was indicated as being hundreds of times shorter. In most cases, a complete arc reduction was achieved. Moreover, the resulting arc energy dissipation during the breaking operation was substantially minimized. Consequently, a significant increase in the total current breaking capacity of the tested CBs was achieved.

Keywords: circuit breakers; current interrupters; arc energy; arcing time; arc quenching; arc limitation; breaking capacity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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