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    MCB - Miniature Circuit Breaker Construction

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    sandystays
    The document provides information on the construction and operation of miniature circuit breakers (MCBs). It discusses the key components of MCBs including the thermal and magnetic trip units for overload and short circuit protection. The thermal trip unit uses a bimetal element to open contacts during overloads, while the magnetic trip unit uses an electromagnet and armature to quickly open contacts during short circuits. It also describes how arc runners and chutes dissipate arc energy during contact opening. Breaker time-current curves are explained to show tripping characteristics under different fault conditions.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    MCB - Miniature Circuit Breaker Construction

    Uploaded by

    sandystays
    255 views7 pages
    The document provides information on the construction and operation of miniature circuit breakers (MCBs). It discusses the key components of MCBs including the thermal and magnetic trip units for overload and short circuit protection. The thermal trip unit uses a bimetal element to open contacts during overloads, while the magnetic trip unit uses an electromagnet and armature to quickly open contacts during short circuits. It also describes how arc runners and chutes dissipate arc energy during contact opening. Breaker time-current curves are explained to show tripping characteristics under different fault conditions.

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    MCB - Miniature Circuit Breaker Construction

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    The document provides information on the construction and operation of miniature circuit breakers (MCBs). It discusses the key components of MCBs including the thermal and magnetic trip units for overload and short circuit protection. The thermal trip unit uses a bimetal element to open contacts during overloads, while the magnetic trip unit uses an electromagnet and armature to quickly open contacts during short circuits. It also describes how arc runners and chutes dissipate arc energy during contact opening. Breaker time-current curves are explained to show tripping characteristics under different fault conditions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    255 views7 pages

    MCB - Miniature Circuit Breaker Construction

    Uploaded by

    sandystays
    The document provides information on the construction and operation of miniature circuit breakers (MCBs). It discusses the key components of MCBs including the thermal and magnetic trip units for overload and short circuit protection. The thermal trip unit uses a bimetal element to open contacts during overloads, while the magnetic trip unit uses an electromagnet and armature to quickly open contacts during short circuits. It also describes how arc runners and chutes dissipate arc energy during contact opening. Breaker time-current curves are explained to show tripping characteristics under different fault conditions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
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    MCBMiniatureCircuitBreaker
    Construction
    MCB Miniature Circuit breaker Construction (ABB)

    IntroductiontoMCB
    The miniature circuit breaker (MCB) plays an important role in providing overcurrent protection and a disconnect
    means in electrical networks. Recent advancements in circuit breaker technology has increased breaker performance
    and protection.
    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:
    1. Overload and
    2. Short Circuit.

    MCBConstructionDetails
    MCB Miniature circuit breaker construction details

    Thermal/Magnetictripunits
    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 breakers trip mechanism to open the
    breakers contacts.

    Current Flow

    MCB Current flow during operation (All


    highlighted components are energized during

    operation)

    Overloadprotection
    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 breakers contacts. The time required for the bimetal to bend and trip the
    breaker varies inversely with the current. Because of this, the tripping time becomes quicker as current increases in
    magnitude. Overload protection is applicable to any installation, conductor, or component which can be subjected
    to low-magnitude but longtime over-currents.

    Low-magnitude, long-time over-currents can be dangerous because they reduce the life of the electrical installation,
    conductor, and components and if left unchecked could result in fire.

    MCB Overload protection

    Magnetictripunits(shortcircuitprotection)
    The Magnetic trip unit protects against a short circuit. The magnetic trip unit is comprised of an electromagnet

    and an armature.

    MCB Magnetic trip units

    Componentsofamagnetictripunit
    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.

    MCB Components of a magnetic trip unit

    Arcrunners/Arcchutes
    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.
    Each 25V segment does not have a high enough energy level to maintain an arc and all energy is naturally
    dissipated.

    MCB Arc runners / Arc chutes

    Breakercurves
    Thermal Trip Unit (region one)
    The first sloping region of the breaker curve is a graphical representation of the tripping characteristics of the
    thermal trip unit.
    This portion of the curve is sloped due to the nature of the thermal trip unit. The trip unit bends to trip the
    breakers trip bar in conjunction with a rise in amperage (temperature) over time. As the current on the
    circuit increases, the temperature rises, the faster the thermal element will trip.
    Example using the curve below:
    If you had a 10A breaker and the circuit was producing 30 amps of current, the breaker would trip between 2
    seconds and 1 minute. In this example you would find the circuit current on the bottom of the graph (Multiples of
    rated current). The first line is 10 amps (10 amp breaker x a multiple of one), the second line is 20 amps (10 amp
    breaker x multiple of 2), and the third line is 30 amps (10amp breaker x multiple of 3). Next you would trace the
    vertical 30A line up until it intersects the red portion of the breaker thermal curve.
    If you follow the horizontal lines, on both sides of the red curve, to the left you will see that the breaker
    can trip as fast as 2 seconds and no slower than 1 minute.

    Magnetic Trip Unit (region two)


    This region of the breaker curve is the instantaneous trip unit. MCB miniture circuit breakers instantaneous trip
    unit interrupts a short circuit in 2.3 to 2.5 milliseconds. Because of this the curve has no slope and is graphically
    represented as a vertical straight line.
    Example using the curve above:

    If you had a 10 amp breaker the magnetic trip element would interrupt a short circuit between 10 and 30 amps
    (10 amp breaker x multiple of 2 and 3) in 2.3 to 2.5 milliseconds.

    Breaker Contacts (region three)


    This region of the curve is the time required for the contacts of the breaker to begin to separate. The contacts will
    open in less than .5 milliseconds and is graphically represented by the bottom vertical portion of the curve.

    MCB Miniature curcuit breaker curves

    Reference: ABB Application guide | Miniature circuit breakers

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