Lesson 2

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Dong Nai Technology University

Lesson 2: ELECTRICAL & PROTECTIVE DEVICES

Reading passage 1:
A circuit breaker (CB) is an automatically operated electrical switch, which is designed to
protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit. Unlike a fuse,
which has to be replaced when it blows, a circuit breaker can be reset, then switched on after
the fault in the circuit has been cleared. Circuit breakers have current ratings from a few
amperes to thousands of amperes. Notice that the breaker has a toggle, which can be used
manually, like a switch. The difference is that an internal mechanism can also open the switch
if the current is too high. Miniature circuit breakers (most common type for 240V circuits) are
classified by the method used to cause the mechanism to trip open. The methods are: thermal,
magnetic, thermal-magnetic, electronic. There are many different technologies used in circuit
breakers and they do not always fall into distinct categories. The following types are common
in domestic, commercial and light industrial applications for low voltage (less than 1000 V)
use.

 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.

 MCCB (Moulded Case Circuit Breaker) rated current up to 1000 A. Thermal


or thermal-magnetic operation. Trip current may be adjustable.

 Air Circuit Breaker Rated current up to 10,000 A. Trip characteristics often


fully adjustable including configurable trip thresholds and delays. Usually
electronically controlled—some models are microprocessor controlled. Often
used for main power distribution in large industrial plant, where the breakers
are arranged in draw-out enclosures for ease of maintenance.

 Vacuum Circuit Breaker with rated current up to 3000 A, these breakers


interrupt the arc in a vacuum bottle. These can also be applied at up to 35,000
V. Vacuum breakers tend to have longer life expectancies between overhaul
than do air circuit breakers.

True/ False:

1. The circuit breakers are like the fuses. .................


2. The operation of MCB is electronic. .................
3. The trip current of MCB cannot be adjustable. .................
4. Air circuit breaker rates current up to 10,000 mA .................

Reading passage 2:

In electronics and electrical engineering a fuse, short for 'fusible link', is a type of over -
current protection device. It has as its critical component a metal wire or strip that will melt
when heated by a prescribed (design) current, opening the circuit of which it is a part, thereby
protecting the circuit from an over-current condition.

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Dong Nai Technology University
Structure of circuit breaker

1. Actuator lever

2. Actuator mechanism

3. Contacts

4. Terminals

5. Bimetallic strip

6. Calibration screw

7. Solenoid

8. Arc divider / extinguisher

Breakers for protections against earth faults too small to trip an over-current device:

 RCD—Residual Current Device (formerly known as a Residual Current


Circuit Breaker) - detects current imbalance. Does NOT provide over-current
protection.
 RCBO—Residual Current Breaker with Over-current protection - combines
the functions of an RCD and an MCB in one package. In the United States and
Canada, panel-mounted devices that combine ground (earth) fault detection
and over-current protection are called Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
breakers; a wall mounted outlet device providing ground fault detection only is
called a GFCI.
 ELCB—Earth leakage circuit breaker. This detected earth current directly
rather than detecting imbalance. They are no longer seen in new installations
for various reasons.

Fill in the gaps in the following sentences by using information from


passage 2 :

1. Solenoid is a loop of wire, often wrapped around a metallic core, which produces a
magnetic field when an electrical current is passed through it.

2. Actuator lever used to manually trip and reset the circuit breaker. Also indicates the
status of the circuit breaker (On or Off/tripped).

3. Actuator mechanism forces the contacts together or apart.

4. Contacts Allow current to flow when touching and break the flow of current when moved
apart.

5. Calibration screw allows the manufacturer to precisely adjust the trip current of
the device after assembly.

6. Bimetallic strip is used to convert a temperature change into mechanical displacement.

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Dong Nai Technology University
Match A – B by using information from passage 1 and 2:

Devices (A) Function (B)

1. RCD A. Detect earth current 2


2. ELCB B. Detect current imbalance 1
3. CB C. Fault and over-current protection 4
4. RCBO D. Overload or short circuit protection 3

Reading passage 3:
Most sensors are electrical or electronic, although other types exist. A sensor is a type of
transducer. Sensors are either direct indicating (e.g. a mercury thermometer or electrical
meter) or are paired with an indicator (perhaps indirectly through an analog to digital
converter, a computer and a display) so that the value sensed becomes human readable. Aside
from other applications, sensors are heavily used in medicine, industry and robotics.
A contactor is an electrical device used for controlling power flow. A contactor is activated
by a control input which is a lower voltage / current than that which the contactor is
switching. Contactors come in many forms with varying capacities and features.
Inverters are used in a wide range of
applications, from small power supplies for a
computer to large industrial applications to
transport bulk power. An inverter can have
one or two switched-mode power supplies
(SMPS). Simple inverters consist of an
oscillator driving a transistor that is used to
interrupt the incoming direct current to create
a square wave. This is then fed through a
transformer to produce the required output
voltage. Advanced inverters have started using
Scheme of a simple Analog Inverter more advanced forms of transistors or similar
devices such as thyristors.

An encoder is a device used to encode a signal (such as a bit-stream) or data into a form that
is acceptable for transmission or storage. This is usually done by means of a programmed
algorithm, especially if any part is digital, while most analogue encoding is done with analog
circuitry.
Fluid power is the technology that deals with the generation, control, and transmission of
pressurized fluids. As the term fluid refers both to gases and liquids fluid power is also
subdivided into the categories of hydraulics and pneumatics. The differences being that with
hydraulics the medium used is a liquid (ie mineral oil or water) and for pneumatics, it is a gas
(ie air or another inert gas).

Reading comprehensive:

1. What is sensor? Discuss about the applications of sensor.


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Dong Nai Technology University
2. What is contactor? Discuss about the applications of contactor.
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3. What is inverter?
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4. What is an encoder?
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5. What is the difference between hydraulic and pneumatic?


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Grammar:

Article : A / An

We use A in front of consonant sounds ( a form, a cat ) and An in front of vowel sounds ( an
hour, an atom, an electron ).

Eg : Electricity is a form of energy.


An atom has a center

Passive voice:

When the subject is the agent or actor of the verb, the verb is said to be in the active voice.
When the subject is the patient, target of the action, it is said to be in the passive voice.

Eg: Fuses or circuit breakers can be used to protect a circuit.

Prepositions: up, of, with, into…etc


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