Vacuum and Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker: An Overview
An essential part of the electrical system that safeguards against overloading and short circuits is the circuit breaker. Circuit breaker comes in a variety of varieties, such as air breakers, oil breakers, and vacuum breaks. Vacuum circuit breakers and their connection to Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers (ELCB) will be covered in this blog.
How do vacuum circuit breakers work?
Vacuum is used as an arc-quenching medium in vacuum circuit breakers or VCBs for short. VCBs do not employ any other medium to put out the arc created during the disruption of the circuit, in contrast to air or oil circuit breakers. The key benefits of using VCBs in medium voltage applications are their excellent dependability, small size, and little maintenance requirements.
A vacuum interrupter, which is a sealed chamber with contacts composed of copper or tungsten, is a component of VCBs. A current passes through the contacts when they are closed, and when they are opened, the ionization of the medium between the contacts causes an arc to be produced. The vacuum interrupter can put out an arc in a matter of milliseconds and has high dielectric strength.
An earth leakage circuit breaker is what?
An earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB) is a safety tool that guards against electric shock to persons and machinery. It operates by identifying the leakage current that travels from the live conductor to the earth, which may happen as a result of an insulation problem or a broken device. The ELCB triggers and disconnects the circuit from the power supply when the leakage current reaches a certain threshold, preventing electric shock or fire.
ELCBs are often utilized in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. Both voltage-operated ELCBs and current-operated ELCBs are two of their several sorts. While current-operated ELCBs depend on the current flowing through the live and neutral wires, voltage-operated ELCBs work on the concept of electromagnetic induction.
Vacuum Circuit Breaker and Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker Relationship
Both VCBs and ELCBs are necessary parts of the electrical system, and they cooperate to guarantee the stability and safety of the system. While ELCBs are used to detect and interrupt the circuit during leakage current, VCBs are used to interrupt the circuit during overcurrent or short-circuit. A Vacuum Circuit Breaker with Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (VCBELCB) is a device that combines a vacuum circuit breaker (VCB) with an earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB).
In low-voltage applications, where there is a high risk of electric shock or fire, VCBELCBs are frequently utilized. They give the system more protection by combining the benefits of VCBs and ELCBs. Vacuum interrupters, current transformers, and voltage transformers are the components of VCBELCBs, which are used to detect and shut down circuits when there is an overcurrent or leakage current.
Conclusion
Vacuum circuit breaker and earth leakage Circuit breakers are crucial parts of the electrical system that work together to maintain the system’s dependability and safety. While ELCBs are used to detect and interrupt the circuit during leakage current, VCBs are used to interrupt the circuit during overcurrent or short-circuit.
