Breaker Coordination

Main Components
Discrimination Back-up Protection

Discrimination
Ideally only C1 should operate for all overloads up to its rated overload breaking capacity

Supply C2 C1

Load

Back-up Protection
Ideally C2 should operate if C1 fails to operate within operating time or if short circuit current exceeds rated overload breaking capacity of C1

Supply C2 C1

Load

Some Important Parameters

Icu, rated ultimate short circuit breaking capacity Ics, rated service short circuit breaking capacity SCPD, short circuit protection device Is, selectivity limit current IB, take over current

Design Method
Use the characteristic curves of the breakers to decide operating conditions Use practical tests to verify or decide the set points of breakers

Some practical considerations

IS should not be too low this can cause loss of discrimination ICU of C1 should not be smaller that IB of the association

Some Examples

A Pre arching characteristic of fuse B Operating characteristic of fuse C Operating characteristic of the non current limiting circuit breaker

Since the instantaneous release cannon be stopped once started a practical test must be done to determine selectivity in the shaded area

C1 Non current limiting circuit breaker C2 Current limiting circuit breaker

C1,C2 Non current limiting circuit breakers