SET 1

1.A.
Circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect
an electrical circuit from damage caused by overcurrent or overload or short circuit. Its basic
function is to interrupt current flow after protective relaysdetect a fault. Unlike a fuse, which
operates once and then must be replaced, a circuit breaker can be reset (either manually or
automatically) to resume normal operation. Circuit breakers are made in varying sizes, from
small devices that protect an individual household appliance up to large switchgear designed
to protect high voltage circuits feeding an entire city. The generic function of a circuit
breaker, RCD or a fuse, as an automatic means of removing power from a faulty system is
often abbreviated to ADS (Automatic Disconnection of Supply).

1.B

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2.

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3A

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3B
- STATIC RELAYS ARE SUPERIOR TO ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RELAYS IN THE
FOLLOWING ASPECTS:
1.THE MOVING PARTS AND THE CONTACTS ARE LARGELY ELIMINATED. THE ONLY
MOVING ELEMENT IN A STATIC RELAY IS THE FINAL TRIPPING CONTACT.
2.C.T.S AND P.T.S EMPLOYED ARE OF LESSER VA RATING AS STATIC RELAYS
REQUIRE A VERY LITTLE VOLT-AMPERE FOR THEIR OPERATION.
3.MORE PRECISE AND HIGH SPEED OPERATION
- THE CONSTRAINT IN STATIC RELAY IS LIMITED FUNCTION/FEATURES.
IN THE LAST DECADE, SOME MICROPROCESSORS WERE INTRODUCED IN THIS
RELAY TO ACHIEVE THE FUNCTIONS LIKE:
1.
2.
3.
4.

FUSE FAILURE FEATURES

SELF CHECK FEATURE
DEAD POLE DETECTION AND
CARRIER AIDED PROTECTION FEATURES

ADVANTAGES OF SOLID STATE RELAY

STATIC RELAY BURDEN IS LESS THAN ELECTROMAGNETIC TYPE OF

RELAYS. HENCE ERROR IS LESS.

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LOW WEIGHT
REQUIRED LESS SPACE WHICH RESULTS IN PANEL SPACE SAVING.
ARC LESS SWITCHING
NO ACOUSTICAL NOISE.
MULTI-FUNCTION INTEGRATION.
FAST RESPONSE.
LONG LIFE (HIGH RELIABILITY): MORE THAN 109 OPERATIONS
HIGH RANGE OF SETTING COMPARED TO ELECTROMECHANICAL RELAY
MORE ACCURATE COMPARED TO ELECTROMECHANICAL RELAY
LOW ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE.
LESS POWER CONSUMPTION.
SHOCK AND VIBRATION RESISTANT
NO CONTACT BOUNCE
MICROPROCESSOR COMPATIBLE.
ISOLATION OF VOLTAGE

LIMITATIONS OF STATIC RELAYS

AUXILIARY VOLTAGE REQUIREMENT FOR RELAY OPERATION.

STATIC RELAYS ARE SENSITIVE TO VOLTAGE TRANSIENTS WHICH ARE

CAUSED BY OPERATION OF BREAKER AND ISOLATOR IN THE PRIMARY

CIRCUIT OF CTS AND PTS.
SERIOUS OVER VOLTAGE IS ALSO CAUSED BY BREAKING OF CONTROL

CIRCUIT, RELAY CONTACTS ETC. SUCH VOLTAGE SPIKES OF SMALL

DURATION CAN DAMAGE THE SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS AND ALSO
CAUSE MAL OPERATION OF RELAYS.
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF STATIC RELAYS: THE CHARACTERISTICS

OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ARE AFFECTED BY AMBIENT

TEMPERATURE.
HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED ISOLATION AND FILTER CIRCUITS ARE REQUIRED

TO BE BUILT INTO THE RELAY DESIGN TO TAKE CARE OF

ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE AND TRANSIENT SWITCHING
DISTURBANCES IN THE POWER SYSTEM.
HIGHLY RELIABLE POWER SUPPLY CIRCUITS ARE REQUIRED.

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4.A

EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS LIKE HUMIDITY, HIGH

AMBIENT TEMPERATURE, DUST ACCUMULATION ON PCB LEADING TO
TRACKING.
THE COMPONENT FAILURE.
NON AVAILABILITY OF FAULT DATA.
CHARACTERISTIC VARIATIONS WITH PASSAGE OF TIME.

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4B

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5A

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5B

6A

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6B

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7A

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7B

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8A

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8B
-THE BASIC IMPULSE INSULATION LEVELS REFERS TO THE ABILITY OF ELECTRIC
EQUIPMENT SUCH AS TRANSFORMERS TO WITHSTAND LIGHTNING SURGES.
WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES A TRANSMISSION LINE, A TRAVELING WAVE IS
CREATED. THIS TRAVELING WAVE TRAVELS ALONG THE LINE AND DAMAGES
THE TRANSFORMER WINDING.
SURGE ARRESTERS MOUNTED ON THE LINE CAN MITIGATE THE SURGE,
HOWEVER, THEY CANNOT TOTALLY ELIMINATE IT. VOLTAGE SURGES CAN ALSO
BE CREATED BY THE SWITCHING OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND SWITCHES.
THE BIL OR THE BASIC IMPULSE INSULATION LEVEL INDICATES THE ABILITY OF
THE TRANSFORMER TO WITHSTAND THESE HEAVY SURGES. TRANSFORMERS
WITH A RATING OF 600 VOLTS AND BELOW ARE DESIGNED TO HAVE A BIL OF 10
KV.

-INSULATION LEVELS ARE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND SURGE VOLTAGES, RATHER

THAN ONLY NORMAL OPERATING VOLTAGES. SINCE THE INSULATION LINES AND

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EQUIPMENT IS PROTECTED BY SURGE ARRESTERS DRAINING THE SURGES
RAPIDLY BEFORE THE INSULATION IS DAMAGED, THE ARRESTER MUST OPERATE
BELOW THE MINIMUM INSULATION LEVEL THAT MUST WITHSTAND THE SURGES.