VACUUM CIRCUIT

BREAKER
WHAT IS A CIRCUIT
BREAKER
A circuit breaker is an
equipment that
breaks a circuit either
manually or
automatically under
all conditions at no
load, full load or
short circuit.
VACUUM CIRCUIT
BREAKERS
A Vacuum circuit breaker
is a circuit breaker in
which vacuum is used to
extinct the arc. VCB have
excellent interruption and
dielectric recovery
characteristics, and can
interrupt the high
frequency currents which
result from arc instability,
superimposed on the line
frequency current.
CONSTRUCTION OF
VCB
The main parts of a
typical
VCB are-
Fixed contact

Moving contact

Arc shield

Which are mounted

inside a vacuum
chamber.
CONSTRUCTION OF
VCB
The fixed contact is a permanent contact
provided in the VCB between the insulator
support and pole terminal.
The moving support is provided between the
insulator and metallic bellow.
The movable member is connected to the
control mechanism by stainless steel
bellows.
This enables the permanent sealing of the
vacuum chamber so as to eliminate the
possibility of leak.
CONSTRUCTION OF
VCB
A glass vessel or ceramic
vessel is used as the
outer insulating body.
The arc shield prevents
the deterioration of the
internal dielectric
strength by preventing
metallic vapors falling on
the inside surface of the
outer insulating cover.
PRINCIPLE OF
OPERATION
Two contacts called
electrode remains
closed under
normal operating
conditions. When
fault occurs on any
part of the system,
the trip coil of the
circuit breaker gets
energized and
contacts are
separated.
PRINCIPLE OF
OPERATION
When the contacts of the breaker are
opened in vacuum (10-7 to 10 -5 torr),
an arc is produced between the contacts
by the ionization of metal vapors of
contacts.
The arc is quickly extinguished because
the metallic vapors, electrons and ions
produced during arc condense quickly
on the surfaces of the circuit breaker
contacts, resulting in quick recovery of
dielectric strength.
WORKING
The circuit breaker are essential as isolator cannot be
used to open a circuit under normal conditions as it
has no provision to quench arc that is produced after
opening the line. It has to perform following function-
Full load current is to be carried continuously
Opening and closing the circuit on no load
Making and breaking the normal operating
current
Making and breaking the fault currents of
magnitude up to which it is designed for.
WORKING
Arc extinction is the main process of a
circuit breaker. We know that circuit
breakers work under the instructions
from relay.
When the trip coils from relay energize,
circuit breaker identifies fault occurred
and hence the contacts are pulled apart.
A high intensity current flows through
the contacts of the circuit breaker
before they are opened by the system.
WORKING
VCBs are capable of
interrupting currents
with a very high
(di/dt), typically in
the range of 150 -
1000A/s and
consequently the
high-frequency
current may be
interrupted during
one of the high
frequency
excursions through
zero. This is known
as virtual current
chopping.
ADVANTAGES OF VCB
They are compact, reliable and
have longer life.
There are no fire hazards.
They can interrupt any fault
current.
The outstanding feature of a
VCB is that it can break any
heavy

fault
current perfectly just before the
contacts reach the definite open
position.
ADVANTAGES OF VCB
Low inertia and
hence require
smaller power for
control operation.
No noise is produced
while operating.
Require less power
for control
operation.
It has higher
dielectric strength.
CONCLUSION

Thus, a circuit breaker is equipment that

breaks a circuit either manually or
automatically under all conditions at no load,
full load or short circuit.
Hence, we can say that Vacuum circuit
breaker is really the most reliable one with
low cost, no fire hazards, no gas generation,
low arc energy, little maintenance and low
inertia. So this is the most widely used circuit
breaker used for high voltage transmission.
THANK YOU