1-Fuse:
The fuse is the oldest device used to protect electrical circuits and
equipments against overload and short circuits. The fuse can have many
forms and shapes depending on its application. Its rating can start from few
mA to several kA.
Type of Fuses:
In general, fuses may be classified into:
1- Low voltages fuses
2- High voltage fuses
1. Low voltages fuses
Depending on the fuse current rating, the fuses can be one of the following
types for low voltage applications:
1. Semi - enclosed Fuse (Rewirable)
2. Cartridge Fuse.
3. High Rupturing Capacity(H.R.C) or High Breaking Capacity(H.B.C)
Fuses.
1-The Semi-enclosed Fuse
This type is made from two sections, the base and the carrier. Both of them
are made from porcelain insulator. The fuse carrier is also of porcelain and
holds the fuse element (copper wire) between its terminals. The fuse carrier
can be inserted in or taken out of the base when desired. When a fault
occurs, the fuse element is blown out and the circuit is interrupted. The
simple wire fuse (Fig.1) is connected between two terminals in a porcelain
carrier.
Fig. (1) Semi enclosed (rewirable) Fuse
Disadvantage:
The fusing current for this type of fuse may vary considerably. Circulating air
can cool the wire, thereby increasing the fusing current. Air will also oxidize
the wire in time, and this will cause a reduction of the fusing required, or
accuracy in the value of the fusing current is necessary, then the wire fuse is
most unreliable.
[Link] Cartridge Fuse
Some of the disadvantages of the Semi - enclosed fuse are overcome if the
wire is enclosed in a cartridge - type container . The cartridge may vary in
length to match the fuse rating of the circuit to be protected so that the
wrong size of fuse cannot be fitted . The fuse wire does not deteriorate and
is more reliable in operation ( Fig.2)
3 High Breaking Capacity(H.B.C) Fuses.
High Breaking Capacity (H.B.C) Fuse: For large currents and where the
energy level is high, the high-breaking- capacity (h.b.c.) fuse is used.
This is a cartridge-type fuse in which a silver fuse element is connected
between two end-contacts of a ceramic tube filled with a special quartz
powder. When the fuse blows there is a fusion of the silver vapor
produced with the filling powder, so that globules of high-resistance
material are formed in the path of the arc, causing it to be extinguished.
This type of fuse is very reliable in performance and can be used when
discrimination is required. It does Bot deteriorate and has a high speed
of operation (Fig. 3).
(Fig. 3) (H.B.C) Fuses.
Fusing factor:
Fusing factor is the smallest current that will cause the fuse element to melt.
It is the ratio of minimum fusing current to the current rating of the fuse
element This may varying between 1.25 and 2.5 times the current rating,
Short circuit Current
When short circuit occurs between live conductors the short circuit current
could flow is known as the " prospective short circuit current " (PSCC), and
the fuse installed to protect against such current must be able break this
current ,The total amount of energy let-through into the conductors carrying
this current is I2 t1.
Fig.2 Short circuit current
High voltage fuse: The low-voltage fuses discussed so far have low normal
current rating and breaking capacity. Therefore, they cannot be successfully
used on modern high voltage circuits. Intensive research by the manufacturers
and supply engineers has led to the development of high voltage fuses. Some
of the high voltage fuses are:
1- Discharged cartridge type (with high capacity) fuse:
This quality is characterized by its ability to withstand high separation joints
without being torn or exploding. These divisions are similar in their
composition to cartridge plungers used in low pressure systems except that
they carry high voltages up to 33 kV. The fuse component of the HRC is cut
in the helix form which evades the effect of the corona at the upper voltages.
It includes two fused elements namely low resistance and high resistance, and
that are located parallel by each other. The low-resistance wires take the usual
current which is blown-out as well as decreases the short-circuit current
throughout the fault state.
2-Liquid Type HRC Fuse:
This type of fuse is packed with carbon tetrachloride also preserved at both
the tops of the caps. Once the error occurs when the flowing current surpasses
away from the allowable limit, and the element of the fuse is blown-out. The
fluid of the fuse performs as an arc extinguishing standard for the HRC fuse
types. They may be used to protect the transformer as well as the support
protection to the breaker circuit.
3-Expulsion Fuses:
These fuses are filled with chemicals like boric acid that produce gases on
heating. These gases extinguish the are and are expelled from the ends of the
fuse. The fuse element is made of copper, tin or silver.