Arc Extinction In Circuit Breaker

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.

Arc extinction in circuit breaker.

Principle of arc extinction. The arc resistance increases as the length of arc increases i e. 1 high resistance method. Hence the current is.

In circuit breaker with plain break arc in oil arc in chutes or narrow slots nearly all the heat loss due to conduction. 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. When opening air is required compressed air is admitted to the arc extinction chamber.

Therefore while designing the circuit breaker provision of mechanical strength to withstand such sudden release of large quantities of energy must be made. As the separation between the contacts of breaker increases the arcing resistance also increases. There are two methods of extinguishing the arc in circuit breakers. The arcing resistance increases with decrease in the cross sectional area of the arc.

It pushes away the moving contacts. Methods of arc extinction in circuit breaker. 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. There are two methods of extinguishing the arc in circuit breaker.

This arc is dangerous on account of the energy generated in it in the form of heat which may result in explosive force. 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. The air blast needs an additional compressed air system which supplies air to the air receiver. Method of arc extinction.

These are high resistance methods and low resistance or zero resistance method. In this method the arc resistance is increases gradually so that current is reduced to such a value that heat is insufficient to maintain the arc. Cross section of the arc. In doing so the contacts are pulled apart and the air blast moves away the.