Chapter 4: Protective

Measures in Electrical
Installations

What is protection?
The meaning of the word protection as
used in the electrical industry, is no
different to that everyday used.
Electrical system need the following:
To be protected against mechanical damage,
the effects of the environment and electrical
overcurrents
To be installed in such a fashion that persons
and/or livestock are protected from dangers
that such an electrical installation may create.

Protection against mechanical

damage
Serious electrical overcurrent left
uninterrupted for too long can cause
distortion of conductors and degradation of
insulation; both of these effects are
considered to be mechanical damage.
However let us considering ways of
preventing mechanical damage caused by
physical impact and the like.

Cable construction
Comprise of one or more conductors each covered
with insulating material
This insulation provide direct shock by direct contact
and prevent the passage of leakage currents between
conductors.
Clearly, insulation is very important and itself should
be protected from damage. This may achieved by
covering the insulated conductors with a protective
sheathing during manufacture, of by enclosing them
in conduit or trunking at the installation stage.
type of sheathing chosen and/or installation method
depend on the environment in which the cable is
installed

Protection against corrosion

Mechanical damage to cable sheath and
metalwork of wiring system can occur through
corrosion, and hence care must be taken to
choose corrosion-resistant materials and
avoid contact between dissimilar metals in
damp situation.

Protection against thermal effects

This basically requires common-sense
decisions regarding the placing of fixed
equipment, such that surrounding materials
are not at risk from damage by heat.

Polyvinyl chloride
PVC is a thermopastic polymer used widely
for cable insulation, conduit and trunking.
All PVC are degraded or reduced in quality by
heat and light

Protection against ingress of solid objects

and liquid
In order to protect equipment from damage by
foreign bodies or liquid, and also to prevent
person from coming into contact with live or
moving parts, such equipment is housed
inside an enclosure.
The degree of protection offered such an
enclosure is indicated by an index of
protection (IP) code. For example IP56 is
dustproof and waterproof.

Protection against electric shock

There are two ways of receiving an electric
shock: by direct contact and by indirect
contact.

Protection against direct contact

This is contact of person or livestock with live
parts which may result in electric shock
IEE regulations recommend five ways of
minimizing this danger
By covering the live parts with insulation which can
only be removed by destruction, e.g. cable
insulation
By placing the live part behind barrier io inside an
enclosed providing protection to at least IP2X or
IPXXXB.
By placing obstacles to prevent unintentional
approach to or contact with live parts. This method
must be only used where skilled person are
working.

By placing out of arms reach: for example, the

high level of the bare conductors of traveling
cranes.
By using RCD. Whilst not permitted as the sole
means of protection, this is considered to reduce
the risk associated with direct contact

Protection against indirect contact

This is the contact of persons or livestock with
exposed conductive parts made live by a
fault.
IEE regulations suggest five ways of
protecting against indirect contact.
Earth equipotential bonding and automatic
disconnection supply
use of class 2 equipment
Non-conducting location
Earth free local equipotential bonding
Electrical separation

Types of protection devices

Consumer unit contains devices for the
protection of the final circuits against:
Overload
Short-circuit
Earth fault

Overload and short circuit are an overcurrent

where there is a current greater than the rated
current of a circuit.
All of these three condition need to be protected
against in order to avoid damages to circuit
conductors, person and equipments.

Overload
Overload are overcurrents occurring in healthy
circuits.
They may be caused for example by faulty appliances
or by surges due to motors starting.
There are many reasons for overloading of healthy
wiring, including:
An electric motor undertaking mechanical duty in excess of
the design parameters
Faulty running of machinery caused by bearing failure or
uneven loading
A motor starting current
Loss of a phase from a three phase load
Excess loading added to a socket outlet circuit
An underestimate of the maximum demand of an installation

Overload often rise gradually and at the early stages

may not be apparent when testing is carried out.

Overload protective devices

Rewireable fuse
HBC fuse
HBC fuse will be fitted by the supply authority
in sealed meter heads

Circuit breakers

Overcurrent/fault current
Fault current is invariably caused by some failure in the
installation. This may be because:

Cable insulation has been damage by heat or abrasion

Water has entered into a badly protected connection
A motor has burned out
A metal tool has fallen across bus-bars

The consequences of a fault may be a fire or explosion

The initial surge of fault current is usually measured in
thousands of amps (kA) and is only limited by the
impedance of the supply up to the fault position. This is
known as Prospective Fault Current (pfc).
The purpose of fault current protection is to disconnect
the supply speedily and to restrict damage and danger
as far as possible.

Short circuit rating

Under short circuit condition there will be
considerable current surge
For standard 100A supply the pfc may be
as high as 16000A (1kA). Much depend on
the supply authority network and distance
from the substation.
More usually figure will be less than 5kA

Circuit breaker
The use of circuit breaker is more reliable compared to fuse.
Disadvantage of fuse compared to circuit breaker are:
Fuse has delay operation
Fuse has to be replace every time its operate

To overcome this problems, circuit breaker is used. Circuit breaker

can operate automatically when over current occurs and it can be
adjusted to operate at certain over current limit easily.
Circuit breaker did not to be replaced every time its operate.
Circuit breaker usually rated between 15A to 200A protection
current.
Protection relay will be used if the circuit breaker has rated current
more than 200A.
Circuit breaker can be in form of oil circuit breaker, gas circuit
breaker, air circuit breaker and vacuum circuit breaker.

Oil-filled circuit breaker

This circuit breaker usually used for over
current protection rate from 40VA to
2500MVA and usually installed in substation
and factory.
Mineral oil used to extinguish arc when circuit
breaker operated
Contact immersed in oil to suppress the arc
This circuit breaker function as over current
protection and isolation switch at the same
time.

115 kV oil CB

41kV oil CB

Gas circuit breaker (SF6)

Size of this circuit breaker is larger compared to other
circuit breaker.
It can handle 35000MVA to 50000MVA.
This device usually used in generation station and
substation
arc is extinguish by releasing electronegative gas
(sulfur hexafluoride) to breaker contact when break
contact occur.
Advantage time duration for arcing is short, so
breaker contact doesnt need to be change regularly
Operation is simpler, not poisonous, reliable and easy
to operate (less force need), did not require large
space
Disadvantage - expensive

400 kV Sulfur hexafluoride

(SF6 )live tank CB

Air blast circuit breaker

Smaller size 400VA to 25MVA
Arc produce from this breaker is more
compare to gas circuit breaker, because of
this breaker contact need to be replaced
regularly
Air blast circuit breaker is more expensive
than oil circuit breaker, but its operate faster,
less arc, less maintenance and less possibility
to create fire.
Arc produce while opening contact or make
contact will be blow out by compress air

Vacuum circuit breaker

With rated current up to 3000 A, these
breakers interrupt the current by creating and
extinguishing the arc in a vacuum container.
These can only be practically applied for
voltages up to about 35,000 V, which
corresponds roughly to the medium-voltage
range of power systems.
Vacuum circuit breakers tend to have longer
life expectancies between overhaul than do
air circuit breakers.

Air circuit breaker

Rated current up to 10,000 A. Trip
characteristics often fully adjustable including
configurable trip thresholds and delays.
Usually electronically controlled, though 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.

Front panel of a 1250 A air circuit breaker manufactured by ABB. This

low voltage power circuit breaker can be withdrawn from its housing for
servicing. Trip characteristics are configurable via DIP switches on the
front panel.

MCCB (Moulded Case Circuit Breaker)

rated current up to 1000 A.
Thermal or thermal-magnetic operation.
Trip current may be adjustable.

Miniature circuit breaker (MCB)

Small suitable to replace fuse in distribution
box
rated current not more than 100 A. Trip
characteristics normally not adjustable
Advantage compare to fuse
Less time need to install
Easy to check whether circuit is ON state or OFF
easy while doing maintenance works.
Long-lasting, can be reused after break contactUnlike a fuse, which operates once and then has
to be replaced
Did not affect by ambient temperature

MCB operation
Thermal operated
use a bimetallic strip, which heats and bends with
increased current, and is similarly arranged to
release the latch. This type is commonly used with
motor control circuits. Thermal breakers often have
a compensation element to reduce the effect of
ambient temperature on the device rating.

Magneto-hydraulic operated
Electromagnet

Advantage circuit breaker

Operate more efficient and faster
Can use even after operate (need minor
repair)
Easily can recognize whether the circuit
breaker is operated or not
Delay time can be adjust

Disadvantage of circuit breaker

Expensive

Residual Current Device