Air Circuit Breakers

Air Circuit Breakers

Air circuit breakers are a type of electrical devices which are used to break any circuit to protect and control in case of some fault conditions like a short circuit, over-current etc. for higher currents of up to 10.000 A. In this article, you are going to find out how air circuit breakers work and how they are structured.

What are Air Circuit Breakers?

Air Circuit Breakers (ACB) are types of circuit breakers with ratings of 800 A up to 10.000 A and are used to provide overcurrent and short-circuit protection for the circuit they are connected to. ACBs are mostly used in low voltage applications below 690V. They could be operated manually or remotely depending on the application.

How are ACBs Structured?

Air circuit breakers have a structure of air insulated capsule or carcass. Breaking of the current or arc extinguishing is operated in an air insulated structure. In the past, oil circuit breakers were used in the market but due to the developments in its technology, durable, high-performing, new and improved air circuit breakers replaced oil type circuit breakers. It is easy to install and maintain them in low voltage panels.

An air circuit breaker is a circuit operation breaker that operates in the air as an arc extinguishing medium, at a given atmospheric pressure. There are several types of air circuit breakers and switching gears available in the market today that are durable, high-performing, easy to install and maintain. The air circuit breakers have completely replaced oil circuit breakers.

How do Air Circuit Breakers Work?

They work by using high-speed air blasts to extinguish the arc that is created when the circuit is interrupted. ACBs have a fixed or movable contact that is connected to the main circuit, and a movable contact that is connected to the tripping mechanism. When the circuit is closed, current flows through the contacts and the circuit is completed. If the current exceeds the rated value of the breaker, the tripping mechanism is activated, which causes the movable contact to open, interrupting the circuit.

The tripping mechanism of an ACB can be activated by a variety of factors, including overcurrent, undervoltage, short circuit, or ground fault. When the tripping mechanism is activated, it releases a high-speed air blast through the arc chute, which extinguishes the arc and interrupts the circuit. ACBs are widely used in electrical power systems because of their fast operation and high interrupting capacity. They are also relatively easy to maintain and repair, making them a reliable and cost-effective choice for many applications.

Why Should We Use ACBs?

There are several reasons why air circuit breakers (ACBs) are used:

• Fast operation: ACBs can operate faster than other types of circuit breakers, which makes them suitable for use in high-speed power systems.
• High interrupting capacity: ACBs have a high interrupting capacity, which means they can safely and effectively interrupt high levels of current during a fault condition.
• Reliability: ACBs are reliable and have a long lifespan, which makes them a cost-effective choice for many applications.
• Safety: ACBs provide a high level of safety by interrupting the circuit in the event of an overcurrent or fault condition.
• Ease of maintenance: ACBs are relatively easy to maintain and repair, which reduces downtime and maintenance costs.
• Flexibility: ACBs can be used in a variety of applications and environments, and can be customized to meet specific needs.

Overall, ACBs are a reliable and effective choice for interrupting electrical circuits during fault conditions and are widely used in electrical power systems for these reasons.

As an official distributor of Schneider Electric, Eaton, and LS Electric, VEKMAR supplies various ranges of ACBs in stock quantities. Reach out to us today and get a consultation from our experienced technical team for all your ACB requirements.