Title :
Factors related to speed and voltage capability of a new high-speed circuit breaker
Author :
Benard, D.J. ; Nolden, P.T. ; Mallonen, E.A.
Author_Institution :
Rockwell Sci. Center, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
Abstract :
A new concept for a current-limiting fast circuit breaker was investigated to determine design factors that either significantly limited or enhanced performance capability. Positive factors included location of the arcing contacts adjacent to the corners of a square-shaped magnetic core and application of hydrocarbon additives to the splitter plate structure to suppress arc retrogression. Case venting and use of silver alloy contact pads, as opposed to more refractory metals, were found to be deleterious. Clearing times as low as 0.6 ms were obtained in test circuits with an L/R time constant of 0.9 ms.
Keywords :
circuit breakers; circuit-breaking arcs; magnetic cores; 0.6 ms; L/R time constant; arc retrogression; arcing contacts; case venting; clearing times; contact pads; current-limiting device; design factors; high-speed circuit breaker; hydrocarbon additives; performance capability; splitter plate structure; square-shaped magnetic core; voltage capability; Circuit breakers; Circuit faults; Circuit testing; Contacts; Delay effects; Design automation; Fault currents; Ionization; Magnetic cores; Voltage;
Conference_Titel :
Electrical Contacts, 1999. Proceedings of the Forty-Fifth IEEE Holm Conference on
Conference_Location :
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5549-0
DOI :
10.1109/HOLM.1999.795936
