Basic forms of high voltage circuit breaker

Here are some basic forms of high voltage circuit breakers:

  1. Air Blast Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker uses compressed air to extinguish the arc that forms when the contacts separate. The air blast is generated by a compressor and is directed at the arc to cool it and prevent reignition.
  2. Oil Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker uses oil to extinguish the arc. The oil is pumped into the breaker and flows over the contacts, cooling and quenching the arc.
  3. Vacuum Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker uses a vacuum to extinguish the arc. The vacuum is created by a pump and is maintained at a pressure of around 10^-3 Torr. The vacuum prevents the arc from reigniting.
  4. SF6 (Sulfur Hexafluoride) Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker uses SF6 gas to extinguish the arc. The SF6 gas is a potent insulator and is used to prevent the arc from reigniting.
  5. Puffer Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker uses a combination of air and SF6 gas to extinguish the arc. The breaker uses a puffer mechanism to inject SF6 gas into the arc path, which helps to cool and quench the arc.
  6. Hybrid Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker combines two or more of the above technologies to achieve high voltage and high current interruption capabilities.
  7. Thyristor-Controlled Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker uses thyristors (also known as silicon-controlled rectifiers) to control the flow of current and interrupt the circuit. Thyristors are used to switch the current on and off, and to limit the current during fault conditions.
  8. Gaseous Insulated Line (GIL) Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker uses a GIL system, which is a type of high-voltage transmission line that uses a gas-insulated cable to transmit power. The breaker is used to interrupt the current in the GIL system.
  9. High-Temperature Superconductor (HTS) Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker uses HTS materials to interrupt the current. HTS materials have zero electrical resistance at very low temperatures, making them ideal for high-voltage applications.
  10. Magnetic Circuit Breaker: This type of breaker uses a magnetic field to interrupt the current. The magnetic field is generated by a coil and is used to induce an eddy current in the conductor, which causes the conductor to heat up and melt, interrupting the current.

These are some of the basic forms of high voltage circuit breakers. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of breaker depends on the specific application and requirements.