Table of Contents
List of Diffrent Types of Circuit Breakers Used in Thermal Power Plants
The most common types of circuit breakers used in thermal power plants are given below.
- Air blast circuit breaker
- Oil circuit breakers
- Gas circuit breakers
- Minimum Oil Circuit Breaker
- Vacuum Circuit Breaker
- SF6 (Sulfur Hexafluoride) Circuit Breakers
We will discuss about these 6 types of circuit breakers used in thermal power plants.
1. Air blast circuit breaker:
Air blast circuit breaker is the most common type of circuit breaker used in thermal power plants. These breakers use compressed air to quench the arc that occurs when the breaker opens, making them the most efficient and effective type of circuit breaker.
Compressed air circuit breakers are suitable for thermal power plants because they can handle large amounts of current and are less likely to fail than other types of circuit breakers. The wire size used in air circuit breakers depends on the voltage and current of the circuit.
2. Oil circuit breakers:
As the name suggests, oil circuit breakers use oil to quench the arc. When the breaker opens, the oil quickly evaporates, creating a gap between the contacts and no current can flow.
Oil circuit breakers have several advantages over other types of circuit breakers. The advantage is that it can be used for very high voltage applications. Another advantage is that they are less likely to be damaged by the high currents that can occur in thermal power plants.
Oil circuit breaker mainly has two types of him. Stand-alone type and external type.
3. Gas circuit breakers:
Gas circuit breakers are usually used in thermal power plants to protect high voltage equipment from over current damage. It is also used to protect against over voltage conditions.
The Gas Interrupt Circuit Breaker is designed to interrupt electrical current by creating a plasma arc between two electrodes in a gas-filled chamber. When an arc occurs, the current is interrupted and the circuit breaker trips.
4. Minimum Oil Circuit Breaker:
Minimum Oil Circuit Breaker is a safety device used in thermal power plants to protect circuit breakers from overheating damage. When the circuit breaker oil temperature reaches its minimum value, the MOCB opens the circuit and cuts off the flow of current.
MOCBs are typically used in conjunction with thermal relays or temperature gauges. A thermal relay is a device that monitors the oil temperature of a circuit breaker.
When the oil temperature in the switch reaches a certain value, a thermal relay activates the switch and opens the circuit. This protects the circuit breaker from thermal damage from current flow.
MOCBs are typically used in conjunction with thermal relays or temperature gauges. A thermal relay is a device that monitors the oil temperature of a circuit breaker.
When the oil temperature in the switch reaches a certain value, a thermal relay activates the switch and opens the circuit. This protects the circuit breaker from thermal damage from current flow.
5. Vacuum Circuit Breaker (VCB):
A vacuum circuit breaker (VCB) is a device that breaks a circuit by creating a vacuum in the space between two conductors.
The function of the VCB is based on the arc principle. When an arc forms between two conductors, it is quickly extinguished by the vacuum. Because the vacuum prevents the arc from continuing to burn.
VCBs are used in high voltage applications such as thermal power plants where conventional circuit breakers cannot withstand high voltages. They come in a variety of sizes and ratings and are typically used for voltages from 11kV to 33kV.
VCBs are used in thermal power plants to protect equipment such as generators, transformers and switchgear. It is also used in industrial applications such as electric arc furnaces, welders and X-ray equipment.
6. SF6 (Sulfur Hexafluoride) Circuit Breakers:
SF6 is an inert gas. That is, it is non-reactive and does not interact with other chemicals. This is ideal for use in circuit breakers as it does not corrode or react with circuit breaker components.
SF6 is also a very good insulator and can be used to isolate the electrical components of a circuit breaker from each other. For this reason, SF6 circuit breakers are used in very high voltage applications such as thermal power plants. They withstand the high temperatures encountered during system operation.
SF6 circuit breakers are used in a variety of applications including air and water cooled power plants, industrial plants and buildings. SF6 circuit breakers are also used on some locomotives.