Protective Devices:

Characteristics, Principle of
Operation and Applications
(a) Fuses, (b) Breakers, (c)
Lightning Arresters
 Table of contents
01. 02.
Circuit
Fuses
Breaker

03.
Lightning
Arresters
 Fuses
01.
Fuses
Fuse was patented by Thomas Edison in
1890. An electrical fuse is a safety device that
operates to provide protection against the
overflow of current in an electrical circuit. An
important component of an electrical fuse is a
metal wire or strip that melts when excess
current flows through it. It helps to protect the
device by stopping or interrupting the current.
Construction
Fuses are generally installed in series in the circuits. A
fuse consists of a low resistance metal wire as fuse
element, a small cross-section compared to the circuit
conductors mounted between a pair of electrical
terminals. It is enclosed in a non-combustible tube
which is surrounded by a filler material which may be
sand or other material. The fuse element provides the
current path through the fuse. The enclosed fuse
casing may be made of glass, ceramics, plastic or
molded mica laminates.
 Fuse Element
Materials
The fuse element is made up of
materials having the following properties:
• low melting point

• low ohmic loss

• high conductivity

• free from deterioration due to

oxidation
• should be low cost
Metal Melting Point in °C
Tin 240
Lead 328
Zinc 419
Aluminum 665
Silver 980
Copper 1090
Metal such as tin, copper, silver, etc., are generally
used as fuse element which have the above
properties. For small currents up to 10A, tin or an
alloy of lead (37%) and tin (63%) is used as fuse
element. For larger currents, copper or silver is
used. Zinc is good for use when is there is a time-
lag is requited. It doesn’t melt very quickly with a
small overcurrent.
 Characteristics of Electrical Fuse
Fuses are rated by current, voltage, breaking capacity or if they are designed to
operate on AC or DC circuits.
Current Rating:
● A nominal current rating which a fuse can continuously carry without overheating
or melting. It is based on the temperature rise of the fuse element and its
environment.
● It is recommended to operate the fuse at not more than the 75% of the nominal
current rating.
Voltage Rating:
● The voltage rating of the fuse must be greater or equal to that of the circuit
voltage. It is because the fuse can safely interrupt an abnormal current. It relates
to the ability of the fuse to function and extinguish arcs when it opens.
 Characteristics of Electrical Fuse
Breaking Capacity:
● The breaking capacity is the maximum current that the fuse can safely break at
rated voltage. It is also known as the interrupting rating or short circuit rating.
Ambient Temperature:
● It is the temperature of the surrounding components such as fuse element, fuse
holders etc., where the fuse is installed. The time-current characteristics of fuses
are affected by ambient temperature. Higher the ambient temperature, the hotter
the fuse will operate and it shorter its life.
Melting Integral I2t Rating:
● It is the amount of energy required to melt the fuse element to interrupt the
current. It is the function of current squared and time. It is expressed as ampere
squared seconds (A2 Sec).
 Characteristics of Electrical Fuse
Fusing Current:
● It is the minimum amount of current at which the fusing element melts.

Temperature Derating:
● In order to prolong device life, a device is operated less than its rated maximum
power rating is called derating. It is recommended that when a fuse is operated in
an ambient temperature for 25°C, the fuse current rating should be derated.

Normal Operating Current:

● The current rating of a fuse is typically derated 25% for operation at 25ºC to avoid
nuisance blowing. For example, a fuse with a current rating of 10A is not usually
recommended for operation at more than 7.5A in a 25ºC temperature.
 Characteristics of Electrical Fuse
● The figure shows the time-current characteristics which
is one of the most important specifications of fuses. The
graph represents the relationship between the current and
melting time of the fuse element. It shows how fast a fuse
responds to different levels of over-current condition. All
fuses have an inverse time-current characteristic.

● The time required to blow out the fuse depends upon

the magnitude of excessive current. So, the greater the
current, the melting time taken by the fuse reduces (the
fuse will melt faster the more overcurrent is). Hence the
blow time of fuse is inversely proportional to the current
flowing through the fuse element.
Characteristics The figure shows the time-current
characteristics which is one of the most
of Electrical important specifications of fuses. The graph
Fuse represents the relationship between the current
Time-Current Characteristics:
and melting time of the fuse element. It shows
how fast a fuse responds to different levels of
over-current condition. All fuses have an
inverse time-current characteristic.

The time required to blow out the fuse depends

upon the magnitude of excessive current. So,
the greater the current, the melting time taken
by the fuse reduces (the fuse will melt faster
the more overcurrent is). Hence the blow time
of fuse is inversely proportional to the current
flowing through the fuse element.
 Working of Electrical fuse
• The working principle of the fuse depends on the heating effect of the current. The
fuses are connected in series with the circuit and voltage source. In the event of
short circuit or overload conditions, the amount of current in the circuit increases,
therefore the amount of heat increases and thus the fuse element melts. This is
because the fuse element has a low melting point. Now the fuse is blown out and
opens the circuit by preventing the device.

• The electrical fuse is designed to have a specific melting point only to withstand a
certain amount of continuous current. Different fuses have a different current rating.
If the magnitude of the current exceeds the normal current rating of the fuse, the
short circuit current generates the excessive heat and the fuse element melts which
breaks the circuit.

• It is a good protective device but there is a need to replace the blown fuse with a
good one because it is a one-time protection device.
 Why do we need a fuse?
• Fuses are safe.
• The low-cost protection device for power control and
current sensing.
• It provides optimum component protection by keeping
fault currents to a low value.
• The modern fuse has an extremely high interrupting
rating and can withstand very high fault currents without
rupturing (breaking).
• The coordination of protective devices prevents system
power outages caused by overcurrent conditions.
 Circuit
02. Breaker
Circuit Breaker
A circuit breaker is a switching device that
interrupts the abnormal or fault current. It is
a mechanical device that disturbs the flow of
high magnitude (fault) current and in
additions performs the function of a switch.
The circuit breaker is mainly designed for
closing or opening of an electrical circuit,
thus protects the electrical system from
damage.
Circuit breakers operate using one or both of two
principles. They are:
1). Thermal operation relies on the extra heat
produced by the high current warming a bimetal
strip, which bends to trip the operating contacts,

2). Magnetic operation is due to the magnetic field

set up by a coil carrying the current, which attracts
an iron part to trip the breaker when the current
becomes large enough.
 TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS
MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker)
rated current not more than 100 A.
Trip characteristics normally not
adjustable. Thermal or thermal-
magnetic operation. Breakers
illustrated above are in this category.
TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS
MCCB (Molded Case
Circuit Breaker)
rated current up to 1000
A. Thermal or thermal-
magnetic operation. Trip
current may be
adjustable.
 TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS
ACB (Air circuit
breaker)
rated current up to
4000 A .Thermal and
magnetic operation.
Trip current adjustable.
Note:
Miniature circuit breakers
have fixed ratings, but
molded case types can be
adjusted.
 Lightning
03. Arresters
Lightning Arresters
• Lightning Arresters are a device used to
protect from lightning strikes.
• These are known as Lightning
Arresters. An electric shock is nothing
but a temporary increase in voltage,
arc, spark, and surge current caused by
electricity.
 Characteristics of Lightning Arresters
It should not draw any current during normal
operating condition, i.e., it sparks-over voltage must
be above the normal or abnormal power frequency
that may occur in the system.

Any transient abnormal voltage above the breakdown

value must cause it to break down as quickly as
possible so that it may provide a conducting path to
ground.
 Characteristics of Lightning Arresters
● When the breakdown has taken place, it should be
capable of carrying the resulting discharge current without
getting damaged itself and without the voltage across it
exceeding the breakdown value.
● The power frequency current following the breakdown
must be interrupted as soon as the transient voltage has
fallen below the breakdown value.
Working Principle of Lightning Arresters:
Location of Lightning Arrester
•The surge diverters or lightning arresters
are located very close to the equipment
to be protected because of the following
reasons,

•The lightning surges occurring near the

terminals of the equipment may enter
the circuit before the lightning arrester
operates.
Location of Lightning Arrester
For each operation of the lightning
arrester, the voltage wave corresponding
to the sparkover voltage may be
reflected towards the equipment, so that
the voltage across the terminals of
equipment rises to the sum of incident
voltage and the reflected voltage which
will be many times greater than the
equipment's rated voltage value.
There are many types of
lightning arrester which
are used to protect the
power system. The choices
of the lightning arrester
depend on the factor like,
voltage and frequency of
the line, cost, weather
condition and reliability.
Types of Lightning Arrester
Road Gap Arrester
• The design of this Arrester is straightforward
and simple. This type of Arrester has an air gap
between the ends of the 2 rods. The air gap
setting of this Arrester is set in such a way that
it breaks before any damage is done to it.
When the line has a high voltage. So that there
is a spark in the distance and the current of
excess goes down to the ground. So, the
equipment is protected from damage.
Types of Lightning Arrester
Horn Gap Arrester
• These Arresters are made of horn-shaped pieces
of metal. Which is separated by a medium of very
low air. And each line is arranged in such a way
that it stays closed between the earth.
• Thus, the distance between the two electrodes is
such that it does not earth between the line and
earth in normal conditions but if the voltage
increases it will break the distance and hence the
earthing path. Will find.
Types of Lightning Arrester
Expulsion Type Lightning Arrester:

• Arresters of this type have an improvement in

the distance of the rod in which it shuts off the
frequency of power. This air raster uses a tube
made of fiber which is very effective,
separating the spark gap and the interrupted
spark gap inside the fiber tube.
Types of Lightning Arrester
Auto valve Arrester
• This type of arrester consists of several flat
discs of mesh material that are mounted on
top of one and separated by thin mica rings.
Disk content is not homogeneous and admin
content has also been added. So, the glow
discharge occurs in the capillaries of the
material and the voltage drops to about 350
volts per unit. The disk is configured in such a
way that normal voltage does not cause
discharge.
Types of Lightning Arrester
Pellet-Type Arresters
• The designing of these arresters can be done with
glass tubes that are filled with lead pellets. These
are finished from an inside of lead peroxide coated
through the lead oxide.
• Lead oxide within the lead peroxide is not
powerfully conductive. Once the lead oxide is
heated up, it turns into lead peroxide and provides
the place to flow the current. Whenever the flow
of current is transmitted, then the lead peroxide
will be changed reverse to lead oxide. This kind of
arrester is not broadly used.
Advantages of Lightning Arrester:
The benefits of Lightning Arrester are as follows:

Damage caused by lightning can be minimized.

Easy to use.

Provides protection of equipment outside

the substation.

Damage to the overhead line can be avoided.

Outlet surgeries can be avoided.

Electromagnetic interference.
Disadvantages of Lightning Arrester:
The Disadvantages of
Lightning Arrester are
as follows:

Prevents excessive
space in the line.

Installation costs are

higher.
 References
Electrical Fuse : Construction, Characteristics and its Working (codrey.com)
Fuses | Characteristics, Applications & Types of Fuses | Electricalvoice
EI Lecture No.13.pdf (philadelphia.edu.jo)
What is Circuit Breaker? Working Principle & Types of Circuit Breakers -
Circuit Globe
Lightning Arrester : Working Principle, Types and Differences (elprocus.com)
What Is Lightning Arresters? | Working Principle of Lightning Arresters |
Types of Lightning Arresters (electricalgang.com)
What is a Lightning Arrester? Definition, Working & Location of Lightning
Arrester - Circuit Globe
Lightning Arrester - Ratings, Characteristics & Selection of Location
(electricaldeck.com)