FAQs

Vacuum circuit breaker VD4

1) Is it possible to check whether air has entered a vacuum interrupter?

Yes, by testing the circuit-breaker at AC test voltage. If there is air in an interrupter chamber, fl ashover
occurs between the contacts. This kind of AC voltage test is frequently performed prior to
commissioning of a switchgear installation. It prevents systems from being put into service with circuit-
breakers in which an interrupter has previously been damaged.

2) Is there a pressure display for the vacuum in the interrupter?

No, permanent display is not technically possible. Display of the vacuum is however not in any case
required, due to the especial safety of the vacuum system and the high manufacturing quality. This is
generally recognized, with the result that the need for a display will disappear.

3) Are hazardous x-rays created during switching with ABB Calor Emag vacuum interrupters?
No hazardous x-rays are created on switching. When extremely high voltages are applied, charge
carriers in the electrical field are accelerated, and can cause radiation when they impact on the
electrodes. This is why vacuum interrupters have to be subjected to type testing at the Physikalisch-
Technische Bundesanstalt (Germany).

4) How does the circuit-breaker operate when air has entered an interrupter chamber?
If an earth fault occurs in one phase of a solidly earthed system, on switching with a circuit-breaker in
which air has entered one of the interrupters, a sustained arc arises in that interrupter chamber. On
breaking in an unearthed or inductively earthed system, the flow of current is interrupted, as the other
two interrupters switch off properly. At 12 kV, the punctured interrupter withstands the phase to phase
voltage, with the result that no arc through generally occurs. At 24 and 36 kV, flashover between the
contacts can occur and a current reflecting the system conditions flows across the contact gap.
5) Do circuit-breakers explode when arcing persists?
No, the breakers do not explode. The sustained arc causes a temperature rise in the interrupter
chamber, whose speed depends on the current involved. If the upstream breaker is not tripped, the
chamber material melts and, depending on the current arcing occurs in the circuit-breaker
compartment, but only after a short circuit persisting for several seconds.

6) Can a vacuum circuit-breaker cope with an evolving fault?

An evolving fault occurs when a short circuit current suddenly appears during the interruption of a low
current. It is known that minimum oil circuit-breakers explode during this relatively rare occurrence.
Vacuum circuit-breakers are the only circuit-breakers which perfectly master evolving faults, because
they need no flow of quenching medium to quench an arc. Put in extreme terms, vacuum circuit-
breakers could even interrupt a short circuit current when the breaker has already reached its "off"
position.

7) Why are there no vacuum circuit-breakers for higher voltages?

It can be seen that with a contact gap of up to approx. 7 mm, the vacuum interrupter has a higher
dielectric strength than the SF6 breaker (5 bar). In this range - and this is the medium voltage range -
the vacuum circuit-breaker thus has considerable advantages over the SF6 circuit-breaker. At approx.
14 mm - corresponding to the distance between contacts in a 36 kV vacuum circuit-breaker - the
measured dielectric strength is slightly higher than the rated lightning impulse withstand voltage of the
36 kV breaker. For higher system voltages, therefore, one would have to connect two or more vacuum
interrupters in series. Unfortunately that is not always very economical.

8) Can the VD4 circuit-breaker also be used to switch furnace transformers?

Switching of furnace transformers is first and foremost a problem of operating frequency. It is
unquestioned that vacuum circuit-breakers have outstanding capabilities in this regard. They can
therefore be used as furnace circuit-breakers. The servicing instructions given in the instruction
manuals must however be observed. In addition, the installation of surge arrestors is recommended.