Arc Extinction In Circuit Breaker

Principle of arc extinction in circuit breaker.

Arc extinction in circuit breaker.

Hence the current is. The arc resistance increases as the length of arc increases i e. Arc extinction when the current carrying contacts of the circuit breaker are moved apart an arc is formed which insist for a short period after the separation of contacts. There are two methods of extinguishing the arc in circuit breaker.

In doing so the contacts are pulled apart and the air blast moves away the. The main designing criteria of a circuit breaker is to provide appropriate technology of arc quenching in circuit breaker to fulfill quick and safe current interruption. This is the main drawback of this method of arc extinction and so its use is restricted to dc circuit breakers and air break type ac circuit breakers of relatively low capacities of the. Principle of arc extinction.

In circuit breaker with plain break arc in oil arc in chutes or narrow slots nearly all the heat loss due to conduction. There are two methods of extinguishing the arc in circuit breakers. 1 high resistance method. When opening air is required compressed air is admitted to the arc extinction chamber.

Principles and methods of arc extinction are discussed here. These are high resistance methods and low resistance or zero resistance method. Methods of arc extinction in circuit breaker. Heat loss from an arc in circuit breaker is takes place through conduction convection as well as radiation.

The air blast needs an additional compressed air system which supplies air to the air receiver. In air blast circuit breaker or in breaker where a gas flow is present between the electrical contacts the heat loss of arc plasma occurs due to convection process. It pushes away the moving contacts. Method of arc extinction.

Therefore while designing the circuit breaker provision of mechanical strength to withstand such sudden release of large quantities of energy must be made. In high resistance method the arc resistance is made to increase gradually with the time so that the current force in between the two contacts is insufficient to maintain the arc. As the separation between the contacts of breaker increases the arcing resistance also increases. The arcing resistance increases with decrease in the cross sectional area of the arc.