Fuses

FUSES
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Fuse
Electrical Fuse
A fuse is a part of the circuit which consists of conductor which melts easily and
breaks the connection when electric current exceeds the predetermined value.
An electrical fuse is a weakest part of an electrical circuit which breaks
when more than predetermined current flows through it.
Fuse Wire
The function of fuse wire is to carry the normal current without excessive heating but
more than normal current when pass through fuse wire, it rapidly heats up and melts.
Current rating of fuse: It is maximum value of current due to which fuse does not
get melted.
Minimum fusing current: It is minimum (rms) value of current due to which fuse
melts. Minimum fusing current of a round wire is given by
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I = kd3/2
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THAPAR UNIVERSITY, PATIALA 3
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Fuse
Fuse Wire Rating
The melting point and specific resistance of different metals used for fuse
wire
METAL MELTING POINT SPECIFIC RESISTANCE
Aluminium 2400F 2.86 μ Ω - cm
Tin 4630F 11.3 μ Ω - cm
Lead 6240F 21.0 μ Ω - cm
Zinc 7870F 6.1 μ Ω - cm
Silver 18300F 1.64 μ Ω - cm
Copper 20000F 1.72 μ Ω - cm
NO. OF STRANDS INCREASE IN RATING
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2 1.66I
3 2.25I
4 2.75I
7 4I
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Fuse
Prospective Current in fuse: Before melting, the fuse element has to carry the short circuit
current through it. The prospective current is defined as the value of current which would
flow through the fuse immediately after a short circuit occurs in the network.
Melting time of fuse or pre arcing time of fuse: This is the time taken by an fuse wire to
be broken by melting. It is counted from the instant, the over current starts to flow
through fuse, to the instant when fuse wire is just broken by melting.
Arcing time of fuse: After breaking of fuse wire there will be an arcing between both
melted tips of the wire which will be extinguished at the current zero. The time accounted
from the instant of arc initiated to the instant of arc being extinguished is known as arcing
time of fuse.
Operating time of fuse: When ever over rated current starts to flow through a fuse wire, it
takes a time to be melted and disconnected, and just after that the arcing stars between
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the melted tips of the fuse wire, which is finally extinguished. The operating time of fuse is
the time gap between the instant when the over rated current just starts to flow through
the fuse and the instant when the arc in fuse finally extinguished. That means operating
time of fuse = melting time + arcing time of fuse.
Fuse
Current Carrying Capacity of Fuse Wire depends upon numbers of factors like, what
material used for it, what are the dimension of it, i.e. diameter and length, size and shape
of terminals used to connect it, and the surrounding.
Lead – tin Alloy Fuse Wire or Eutectic Alloy Fuse Wire

For small value of current interruption lead – tin alloy fuse wire has been used in past. The most
preferred lead – tin alloy for fuse wire containing 37% lead and 63% tin. This alloy fuse wire is also
known as known as Eutectic Alloy Fuse Wire. This type of alloy has some specific characteristics due to
which this is preferred as fuse wire.
1. It has the high hardness and has less tendency to spread over.
2. The alloy metal is quite homogeneous.
3. If the fusing characteristics of eutectic alloy and other composition of alloys is studied there is only
one arrest point in eutectic alloy as compared to two other types of alloys.
Approximate fusing currents of lead – tin alloy fuse wire in air
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Fuse
DIAMETER OF FUSING CURRENT MAXIMUM SAFE

WIRE IN INCH IN A CURRENT IN A
0.02 3 2
0.022 3.5 2.3
0.024 4 2.6
0.028 5 3.3
0.032 6 4.1
0.036 7 4.8
0.048 10 7
0.064 16 11
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Type of Fuses
 Low voltage fuses.
 Semi-enclosed or Rewire able type.
 Totally enclosed or Cartridge type.
o D-type.
o Link type Cartridge or High
Rupturing Capacity (HRC)
 High voltage fuses.
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Semi-enclosed or Rewireable type
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Limitations of Semi-enclosed
or Rewireable type
• Unreliable Operations.
• Lack of Discrimination.
• Small time lag.
• Low rupturing capacity.
• No current limiting feature.
• Slow speed of operations.
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• Risk of external flame or fire.
D-type fuses
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High Rupturing Capacity (HRC) fuses
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 The contact pins are made of solid copper with silver-coated surfaces. This ensures highly durable,
corrosion-free contacting with low transfer resistance and a fuse with a low level of power
dissipation (power loss).
 The bright red indicator makes it easier to find and replace fuses that have tripped and cuts
downtime after plant malfunctions. The indicator is triggered when the indicator wire melts.
 Grip lugs are an integral component of the cover plates. The de-energized grip lugs are also made
of metal, which makes them mechanically robust and unbreakable even at low temperatures.
 The fuse element is the core component of a fuse. It governs the switching characteristics and is
responsible for the temperature rise. It is manufactured with a high level of precision from a pure
copper strip. A uniform thickness of the strip, good conductivity, with combination alarm
compliance with the characteristics and low power dissipation (power loss). The number of limiters
in series is based on the magnitude of the recovered voltage (line supply voltage) and/or the rated
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voltage of the fuse.
 The insulator prevents hot gases and liquid metal from escaping when the fuse trips and must be
able to withstand very high temperatures, rapid temperature fluctuations, and high internal
pressures. It is made of Al2O3 ceramic, which are subject to high thermal stress.
• The solder is used in full-range fuses. It is selected in line with the fuse element material and
must be available in the right quantity in the right place. An internal connection is needed for
the solder to react with the fuse element. Lead and cadmium-based solders were used.
• Together with the ceramic body, the cover plates form a pressurized enclosure for the arc.
• The silica sand filling is essential for current-limiting tripping. Fuses are filled with crystal
silica sand with a high level of chemical and mineralogical purity. Fire-drying is used to
separate it from crystal water. A set grain size distribution and optimum compaction, which
are subject to strict controls, are essential for ensuring that the fuse functions reliably.
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Characteristics of HRC fuses
I2 t Characteristics (cut-off characteristics): This characteristics determines how much maximum energy
will flow from the fuse to the appliance under protection. Such characteristics is obtained from the graph
which plots ampere squared-second and pre arcing ampere squared- seconds against fusing current (in
ampere). Cut off characteristic can be explained with the help of this I2t characteristics.
Fast operation rate: The HRC link fuse interrupts short circuit current much before it attains the
maximum value. This is not possible in case of circuit breaker. Both thermal and magnetic stresses on
equipment under protection is reduced.
Time –Current characteristics: Its inverse time- current characteristic makes the fuse useful for overload
protection.
Non- Deteriorating characteristics: Non deterioration is the property of preservation of fuse
characteristics throughout their useful life. This property is very much essential for a particular fuse
which is present among HRC fuses. Generally in rewirable fuse deterioration takes place in the form of
reduction of sectional contact area and oxidation of fuse element. In case of HRC link fuse such thing can
be stopped with the help of hermetic sealing of silver within the fuse body by special cementing and
soldering of end caps. Non- deterioration characteristic of HRC fuse is maintained upto 20 years of their
manufacture.
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Rupturing capacity: Rupturing capacity of fuse is expressed in terms of (MVA) and is equal to the
product of service voltage in (kV) and rms value of prospective current it can handle in (kA). HRC link fuse
have high rupturing capacity so it can be used for high voltagedistribution system. Fuses essentially do
not carry current equal to their rupturing capacity.
Advantages of HRC fuses
HRC fuses have some advantages and they are elaborated as follows:
♣ Simple and easy installation.
♣ No maintenance required.
♣ High breaking / rupturing capacity.
♣ No deterioration with time, quick operation
♣ Inverse time current curve, suitable for overload protection.
♣ It can clear small as well as large fault currents.
♣ They provide reliable discrimination.
♣ Cheap, cost is less.
HRC fuse suffer from a few disadvantages which are:

♣ Replacement of the fuse after every operation.
♣ Arc sometimes cause overheating of the contacts of the fuse.
But the advantages are much more, so HRC fuse is widely used in several
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applications.
Applications
 Motor circuits
 Mains and feeders
 Branch circuits
 Lighting, heating and general loads
 Transformers and control panels
 Circuit breaker backup
 Bus duct
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 Load centers
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Miniature Circuit Breakers
• Circuit breakers are made in varying

sizes, from small devices that protect
an individual household appliance up
to large switchgear designed to
protect high voltage circuits feeding
an entire city.
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The MCB ( miniature circuit breaker ) is an automatic switch
which operates when excess current passes through it. The MCB
can be closed again, because the device does not damage itself
during normal operation. The contacts of a circuit breaker are
closed against spring pressure, and held closed by a latch
arrangement. A small movement of the latch will release the
contacts, which open quickly under spring pressure to break the
circuit. This operation can be compared to that of a mouse trap.
The circuit breaker is so arranged that normal currents will not
affect the trip lever, whereas excessive currents will move it, to
operate the breaker. There are two basic methods by which
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overcurrents can operate the trip lever.

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A breaker is a device designed to isolate a circuit during an overcurrent event without the
use of a fusible element. A breaker is a resettable protective device that protects against
two types of overcurrent situations:
Overload and Short Circuit.
Current Limiting Breakers use an electromechanical (Thermal /Magnetic) trip unit to open
the breaker contacts during a overcurrent event. The thermal trip unit is temperature
sensitive and the magnetic trip unit is current sensitive. Both units act independently
and mechanically with the breaker’s trip mechanism to open the breaker’s contacts.
Overload protection
The thermal trip unit protects against a continuous overload. The thermal unit is comprised
of a bimetal element located behind the circuit breaker trip bar and is part of the breakers
current carrying path.
When there is an overload, the increased current flow heats the bimetal causing it to bend.
As the bimetal bends it pulls the trip bar which opens the breaker’s contacts. The time
required for the bimetal to bend and trip the breaker varies inversely with the current.
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Because of this, the tripping time becomes quicker as current increases in magnitude.
Overcurrent protection is applicable to any installation, conductor, or component which can
be subjected to low- magnitude but long time over-currents.

The Magnetic trip unit protects against a short circuit. The magnetic trip unit is
comprised of an electromagnet and an armature.
When there is a short circuit, a high magnitude of current passes through the coils
creating a magnetic field that attracts the movable armature towards the fixed armature.
The hammer trip is pushed against the movable contact and the contacts are opened.
The opening of the breakers contacts during a short circuit is complete in 0.5 milli-
seconds.
The arc runner and arc chute limit and dissipate the arc energy during the interruption
of an overload or short circuit event.
During an overload or short circuit event, the contacts of the breaker separate and an
electrical arc is formed between the contacts through air. The arc is moved into the arch
chute by “running” the arc down the interior of the breaker along the arc runner. When
the arc reaches the arc chute it is broken into small segmented arcs. The segmented
arcs split the overall energy level into segments less than 25V.
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PARTS OF MINIATURE CIRCUIT BREAKERS
C60N NC100 / NC125
terminal terminal
bimetral strip fixed contact
strip braid Moving

contact
moving strip braid
contact
A magnetic
trip
magnetic trip
strip braid
bimetal strip
load side
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load side
terminal terminal

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Functions of an MCB
• To carry full rated current safely without tripping, or overheating.
• To detect sustained overloads and short circuits and thereby protect the installation.
• To tolerate harmless or momentary overloads.
• A secondary function of the MCB is that it can be used as a switch for the circuit.
Consequently an MCB offers control, protection and isolation.
Advantages of an MCB
• Automatically trips out under fault conditions.
• Cannot manually be held “on” under fault conditions.
• Enables supply to be restored immediately after fault is cleared.
• Enables faulty circuit to be easily identified.
• May be used as a switch to control the circuit.
• Does not age in service.
• Gives accurate protection and is tamper proof.
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• Can be mounted in attractive assemblies.
• Domestic pattern is of uniform size regardless of current rating.
• Tolerates transient overloads.
• May be used as an isolator.
COMPARISION BETWEEN MCB AND FUSE
MCB FUSE
• MCB trips off in case of excessive load. •Fuse melts/fuses in case of excessive
•MCB is to be just put-on after load.
correcting the fault in wiring •Fuse needs to be replaced with a new
•Since we do not change the MCB, there one.
is no risk of putting on the MCB/switch •There is a risk of putting on the switch
even if the fault is not correctly in case; due to ignorance higher
repaired. capacity fuse-wire is positioned.
•Compact, small equipment. •It has Porcelain base and top.
•Works on Bi-metal expansion or •Works on melting/fusing due to high
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induced magnetism. temperature.
•Relatively costlier than fuse. •Relatively cheaper than MCB.

Discrimination between Overcurrent
Protective Devices
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Fuses

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Fuses

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FUSES

NO. OF STRANDS INCREASE IN RATING

Lead – tin Alloy Fuse Wire or Eutectic Alloy Fuse Wire

DIAMETER OF FUSING CURRENT MAXIMUM SAFE

 High voltage fuses.

HRC fuse suffer from a few disadvantages which are:

• Circuit breakers are made in varying

Wednesday, March 21,

Wednesday, March 21,

bimetral strip fixed contact

strip braid Moving

Wednesday, March 21,

Wednesday, March 21,

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