Circuit Breakers are widely used in various commercial sectors. Circuit Breakers are automated electrical switches that are designed to protect electrical circuits from damages caused by excessive current flow due to overload or short circuit. It is, therefore important for factory owners to wisely choose the best circuit breaker for their industrial units.
Circuit breakers are classified into three wide categories (as here below) depending on their arc quenching capacities:
- ACB (Air Circuit Breaker): Both fixed and moving contacts of ACB are placed in open air with closed package that enable arc quenching through air, whenever the circuit breaker opens.
- VCB (Vacuum Circuit Breaker): Tightly packed vacuum, between the male and female contacts, restricts the formation of free electrons and efficiently quenches the arc, whenever the circuit breaker interrupts.
- SF6 (Sulfur Hex Fluoride Circuit Breaker): Sulfur Hex Fluoride Gas absorbs free electrons that are used as an arc quenching medium, while the Di-Electric property of this inert gas provides better arc quenching capabilities.
We have closely analyzed these three major types of circuit breakers to enable you to decide for an appropriate circuit breaker depending on your requirement and budget.
Description | ACB | VCB | SF6 |
Applicable Voltage Range | Low Voltage Range up to 690 Volts 50Hz/60 Hz | Medium Voltage Range from 11kV (kiloVolt) to 33 kV | High Voltage Range above 11kV to 1010 kV |
Arc Quenching Medium | Air | Vacuum | SF6 Gas |
Electrical Rating (Amps or A) | 630A to 6300A | 630A to 4000A | 1000A to 6300A |
Medium Pressure | Enough pressure is maintained via open air for arc quenching | 10^-2 to 10^-6 Torr vacuum camper is used for maintaining the Vacuum pressure | 2 – 2.5 BAR SF6 gas maintains the pressure |
Refilling Costs | No Refilling Cost, as air is available for free | No Refilling Costs and they stay intact for longer duration | Massive Refilling Cost to refill Sulfur Hex Fluoride Gas when pressure goes down. |
Application | Mostly indoor applications | Largely for indoor applications | Primarily outdoor applications, but also for indoor applications |
Maintenance | Needs Frequent maintenance | Rarely Needs any maintenance | Needs Periodic maintenance |
Arc Development | High | Low | Medium |
Arc Chute (a device used for reducing Arc Development) | Must Need an Arc Chute | Not Required | Not Required |
Arc Development Possibility | Quite High | Very Less, as there is no means for creating an arc | Medium to High |
Current Transformer Placement | Inside/Outside | Outside | Outside |
Spring Charge Motor Integration | Installed in over 1600 variants | Pre-Installed | Pre-Installed |
Protection Relays | Majorly internal placement | Externally Placed | Externally Placed |
Preferred Usage | Low Tension MCC and PCC | High voltage induction Motor | High Tension PCC and Generator Terminal |
Cost (INR/Amps) | Around INR 115 /Amps | Around INR 125 /Amps | Around INR 175 /Amps |
Short circuit Breaking Capabilities | Very Less | Extremely High | Medium to High |
Installation | Less Difficult | Moderately Difficult | Extremely Complicated |
From the above comparison it is quite clear that VCB is the sensible choice for your factory as it stays longer and requires minimal maintenance, thus ensures higher Return on Investments (ROI).
When it comes to choosing the best VCB Panel in India, few companies can come close to Eaton. Eaton products are used in more than 195 countries worldwide. VCB’s from Eaton ensures various operational efficiencies, including, higher reliability, longer service life, and lesser maintenance.
If you are looking for a reliable place to buy Eaton VCB’s, Singh ISOTech should be your first choice. The company has been supplying top-notch electrical equipment to mid and large size enterprises for the last 30 years. Singh ISOTech, a proud partner of Business Network International (BNI), is known as one of the best electrical contractors in Delhi and NCR region and offers high-quality products at 25% less cost than it is normally available with other providers.