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Air
Circuit Breakers Have Many Uses
It
should be noted at the outset that you will not find air
circuit breakers inside every panel or in many
applications. These somewhat unique devices have
particular specifications and uses. It should also be
noted that you cannot change one type of device for
another without consultation with an expert. What this
means in practical terms is that you cannot switch out
air circuit breakers with other types (such as vacuum or
non-air) without first getting approval from a reputable
source.
Air
circuit breakers can be rated up to 10,000 amps. They
may also have particular trip characteristics which can
often be fully adjustable. This can include configurable
trip thresholds and delays.
For
the most part, air circuit breakers are electronically
controlled, but this is not always the case. There are
some units of air circuit breakers that controlled
through microprocessors via an integral electronic trip
unit. While there is certainly the possibility of
various types of uses for air circuit breakers, they are
often used for main power distribution in large
industrial plants. One of the many important reasons
they are often used in these applications is because the
air circuit breakers can be set up or arranged in
draw-out enclosures for ease of maintenance and improved
worker safety.
The
actual, individual mechanics of how the devices work are
determined by the manufacturer and their design team.
This is an important aspect when you are looking to
replace your devices. It is important that you
investigate the inside of the panel in order to learn
the exact model and type of device that you need. You
should never attempt to switch out one type of device
with another type or brand of device without first
checking compatibility issues. Switching out these types
of devices should be done with extreme care and should
be conducted by licensed personnel.
In
general, there are two methods used to make the devices
work when a fault is detected. One method will use
compressed air to blow out the arc, or the other method
is that the internal contacts swing very rapidly inside
the small, sealed chamber, which allows the displaced
oxygen to escape thus blowing out the arc.
It
is good to note that these devices can often be
retrofitted which is a good way to save money on these
devices. In essence, the old parts of the air circuit
breakers are replaced with new parts. This is basically
a rebuilding procedure of the air circuit breakers.
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