

While the Y-axis represents the tripping time of the circuit breaker on a logarithmic scale. The horizontal X-axis represents the multiples of the current flowing through the circuit breaker. The following figure shows a chart of a trip curve. Air Circuit Breaker (ACB): Construction, Operation, Types and Uses.Types of Circuit Breakers – Working and Applications.It is essential to select a circuit breaker that provides the necessary overcurrent protection. The different tripping curves classify the circuit breakers into categories where each category is used for specific types of loads. The tripping curve tells how fast a circuit breaker will trip at a specific current. This is where the tripping characteristics of the circuit breakers come into play. Therefore, the circuit breaker selected should not trip so fast that it creates a nuisance & it should not trip so late that it causes any damage. The circuit breaker should be able to tolerate the inrush current & it should provide some delay before tripping. Inrush current is the huge current draw during the starting of a motor that causes voltage dips in the main line. The overcurrent can happen under normal conditions such as the inrush current of a motor. But it should not trip so fast & unnecessary that it becomes a problem. The current flowing through the bimetallic strip heats up contact & trip the circuit breaker.Ĭircuit breakers are used for tripping the power supply as quickly as possible in case of overcurrent. It uses a bi-metallic contact that bends with a change in temperature. Thermal Tripping Unit: the thermal tripping unit is used for protection against overloading. A circuit breaker has two types of tripping unit i.e. The circuit breaker instantly cut off the power supply to reduce further damage. The fault currents generated due to these fault conditions can damage the electrical devices as well as cause fire in a building that can also pose danger to human life. It breaks the circuit in case of overloading & short circuit. Types of Circuit Breaker Based on Tripping CurvesĪ circuit breaker is an electrical device that provides protection against fault current.
