Interrupting Characteristics of 25.8kV Gas Circuit Breaker Using Thermal-Expansion Principle

열팽창분사원리를 이용한 25,8kV급 가스차단기의 차단특성

Recently, Gas Circuit Breakers are rapidly replacing Vacuum Circuit Breakers in the medium voltage switchgear. This is due to the improved performance of - GCB in interrupting capability, price, weight, size etc., while the countermeasure to suppress the switching surges of VCB has not been satisfactory. Intensive research works on the GCB have been conducted in the world widely since 1980. Nowadays it is well known that the thermal expansion type GCB can provide- better performance than puffer type in the distribution power system. KERI has conducted researches in the GCB rated at 25.8kV 25kA with Jinkwang Co. using the thermal expantion principle since 1993. In this paper, the calculated results of electric and magnetic fields for the model GCB are presented and analyzed. The effect of permanent magnet used to improve the interruption capabilty at the low current level is also investigated. The design parameters for the interrupter inspected through the short-circuit tests conducted at high power laboratory of KERI.