This standard applies to all low-voltage power-circuit breakers that are intended for use in field circuits of apparatus such as generators, motors, synchronous condensers, or exciters and embodying contacts for establishing field discharge circuits. In performing their function of interrupting field circuits of rotating electric machinery, field discharge circuit breakers are subject to the following conditions not met within the interruption of ordinary direct-current power circuits. In… read more alternating-current machine field circuits, in addition to the problems usually encountered in switching highly inductive directcurrent circuits, there is superimposed upon the voltage generated by the exciter, a voltage induced in the field windings by the transient current in the machine armature under alternating-current short-circuit conditions. These result in large pulsating currents in the field circuit as illustrated in Fig .Due to the large amount of magnetic energy stored in the machine field circuit, the interruption of the circuit results in an unusually high transient voltage under alternating-current short-circuit conditions, unless special means are provided for dissipating the energy.A discharge resistor must be connected across the terminals of the machine field by the discharge contacts of the circuit breaker just prior to disconnecting the field from its excitation source in order to provide for dissipation of the stored energy of the machine field and to minimize the transient voltage. The voltage across the field discharge circuit breaker main contacts following interruption of the excitation source current is illustrated in Fig .In addition to the above conditions, there is the usual direct-current short-circuit condition wherein the field circuit may become short-circuited. To cope with these unique conditions, this standard for field discharge breakers has been developed to establish the rating structure and test requirements not encountered in other ANSI Standards which apply to other low-voltage circuit breakers. The dielectric test values given in Table 7A, ANSI C37.16-1979 , Preferred Ratings, Related Requirements, and Application Recommendations for Low-Voltage Power Circuit Breakers and AC Power Circuit Protectors, reflect the change in dielectric test requirements in ANSI C50.13-1977 Requirements for Cylindrical Rotor Synchronous Generators. read less
This standard covers the following types, preferred ratings, and testing requirements of enclosed dc power circuit breakers: a) Stationary or drawout type of one- or two-pole functional construction b) Having rated maximum voltages of up to 3200 V c) Manually operated or power operated d) With or without overcurrent trip devices NOTE--In this standard, the use of the term "circuit breaker" is considered to mean "enclosed dc power circuit breaker."
This standard covers the following types and preferred ratings for enclosed low-voltage ac power circuit breakers: a) Stationary or drawout type of two-, three-, or four-pole construction with one or more rated maximum voltages of 1058 V, 730 V, 635 V (600 V for units incorporating fuses), 508 V, or 254 V for application on systems having nominal voltages of 1000 V, 690 V, 600 V, 480 V, or 240 V respectively b) Unfused or fused type c) Manually operated or power operated, with or without a trip… read more system d) Fused drawout assemblies consisting of current-limiting fuses in a drawout assembly intended to be connected in series with a low-voltage ac power circuit breaker to form a nonintegrally fused circuit breaker; In this standard, the term circuit breaker shall mean enclosed low-voltage ac power circuit breaker, either fused or unfused. The term unfused circuit breaker shall mean a circuit breaker without either integrally or nonintegrally mounted fuses, and the term fused circuit breaker shall mean a circuit breaker incorporating current-limiting fuses, whether integrally mounted or nonintegrally mounted. read less
This standard covers the following types of enclosed low-voltage dc power circuit breakers: a) Stationary or draw-out type of one- or two-pole construction; b) Having one or more rated maximum voltages of 3200 V, 1600 V, 1000 V, 800 V, 325 V, or 300 V for applications on systems having nominal voltages of 3000 V, 1500 V, 850 V, 750 V, 275 V, or 250 V; c) Manually-operated or power-operated; d) With or without overcurrent trip devices
This application guide applies to ac high voltage circuit breakers rated in accordance with the methods given in American National Standard Rating Structure for A C High-Voltage Circuit Breakers, C37.04-1964(R1969) and listed in American National Standard Preferred Ratings and Related Required Capabilities for A C High-Voltage Circuit Breakers, C37.06-1971. Circuit breakers rated and manufactured to meet other standards, or used in switchgear assemblies, should be applied in accordance with… read more application procedures adapted to their specific ratings or applications. read less
Electric power systems in industrial plants and commercial and institutional buildings are designed to serve loads in a safe and reliable manner. One of the major considerations in the design of a power system is adequate control of short circuits or faults as they are commonly called. Uncontrolled short-circuits can cause service outage with accompanying production downtime and associated inconvenience, interruption of essential facilities or vital services, extensive equipment damage,… read more personnel injury or fatality, and possible fire damage. Short-circuits are caused by faults in the insulation of a circuit, and in many cases an arc ensues at the point of the fault. Such an arc may be destructive and may constitute a fire hazard. Prolonged duration of arcs, in addition to the heat released, may result in transient overvoltages that may endanger the insulation of equipment in other parts of the system. Clearly, the fault must be quickly removed from the power system, and this is the job of the circuit protective devices—the circuit breakers and fusible switches. A short-circuit current generates heat that is proportional to the square of the current magnitude, I2R. The large amount of heat generated by a short-circuit current may damage the insulation of rotating machinery and apparatus that is connected into the faulted system, including cables, transformers, switches, and circuit breakers. The most immediate danger involved in the heat generated by short-circuit currents is permanent destruction of insulation. This may be followed by actual fusion of the conducting circuit, with resultant additional arcing faults. The heat that is generated by high short-circuit currents tends not only to impair insulating materials to the point of permanent destruction, but also exerts harmful effects upon the contact members in interrupting devices. The small area common between two contact members that are in engagement depends mainly upon the hardness of the contact material and upon the amount of pressure by which they are kept in engagement. Owing to the concentration of the flow of current at the points of contact engagement, the temperatures of these points reached at the times of peak current are very high. As a result of these high spot temperatures, the material of which the contact members are made may soften. If, however, the contact material is caused to melt by excessive I2R losses, there is an imminent danger of welding the contacts together rendering it impossible to separate the contact members when the switch or circuit breaker is called upon to open the circuit. Since it requires very little time to establish thermal equilibrium at the small points of contact engagement, the temperature at these points depends more upon the peak current than upon the rms current. If the peak current is sufficient to cause the contact material to melt, resolidification may occur immediately upon decrease of the current from its peak value. Other important effects of short-circuit currents are the strong electromagnetic forces of attraction and repulsion to which the conductors are subjected when short-circuit currents are present. These forces are proportional to the square of the current and may subject any rotating machinery, transmission, and switching equipment to severe mechanical stresses and strains. The strong electromagnetic forces that high short-circuit currents exert upon equipment can cause deformation in rotational machines, transformer windings, and equipment bus bars, which may fail at a future time. read less
This standard covers the following types and preferred ratings for enclosed low-voltage ac power circuit breakers: a) Stationary-mounted or drawout-mounted type of two-, three-, or four-pole construction with one or more rated maximum voltages of 1058 V, 730 V, 635 V (600 V for units incorporating fuses), 508 V, or 254 V for application on systems having nominal voltages of 1000 V, 690 V, 600 V, 480 V, or 240 V respectively b) Unfused or fused type c) Manually operated or power operated, with… read more or without a trip system d) Fused drawout-mounted assemblies consisting of current-limiting fuses in a drawout-mounted assembly intended to be connected in series with a low-voltage ac power circuit breaker to form a nonintegrally fused circuit breaker In this standard, the term circuit breaker shall mean enclosed low-voltage ac power circuit breaker, either fused or unfused. The term unfused circuit breaker shall mean a circuit breaker without either integrally or nonintegrally mounted fuses, and the term fused circuit breaker shall mean a circuit breaker incorporating current-limiting fuses, whether integrally mounted or nonintegrally mounted. read less