• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.75-81
• /
• 2013

In this paper, protection coordination between residual current devices and surge protective devices in low-voltage consumer's distribution systems are presented. In the case that a surge protrctive device(SPD) is located on the load side of an residual current device(RCD), when the surge is injected from the source side of the RCD, most of injected surge currents are split into the RCD and the protection coordination between the SPD and RCD is improper, three of 6 specimens experience unintended operation due to test impulse currents. Also when the surges is injected from the load side, a lot of the surge currents is split into the SPD, but a half of test specimens causes nuisance trip. Coordination between SPD and RCD is not valid. When installing SPD, it is important to select SPD after due consideration of the protection voltage level of metal oxide varistor embedded in RCD. It is expected that the results obtained from this work could be useful to improve the protection effects of SPD in low-voltage distribution systems.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.198-207
• /
• 2008

The conventional Residual Current Protective Devices(RCD, or earth leakage circuit breaker, ELB) operates depending on the total leakage current which is the vector-sum of resistive and capacitive components of a leakage current. However, the electric disaster such as electric shock or fire is mainly caused by the resistive component. Therefore, in this view point, the RCD is more realistic when it operates by the resistive component of the leakage current. In this paper, a new algorithm for measuring the resistive leakage current from the total leakage current is suggested, and is realized to an actual circuit. According to the suggested algorithm, the resistive component of the leakage current can be found by integrating the total leakage current over only a half cycle of the line voltage, and it is realized by using analog switches and resettable integrators. It is confirmed through experiments that the suggested algorithm detects, within maximum average error of 6.74%, the resistive leakage current from the total leakage current, and the RCD employing the suggested algorithm brakes the circuit within the regular interrupt time(30msec).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 1999

In this paper. we studied cut off characteristics and fire hazard of residual current protective devices(RCD or ELB) for low voltage. The operative time of RCD with grounding resistance was analyzed by using RCD operating tester. The surface structure and composition of insulator were analyzed by using scanning electron microscope(SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy(EDX). The surface of phenol resin showed network structure and void. The spectra shown in EDX analysis are composed not only of the corresponding elements but also of several new spectra, as CK. OK$\alpha$. MgK, SiK. and CaK, which were absent in original material.

• Fire Science and Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2003

Recently, the occurrences of electrical fire have been suppressed by a residual current protective devices(RCD), a molded case circuit breaker(MCCB) and a fuse in case of an earth leakage, a short circuit and an over current. But it is impossible for the RCD to break the circuit in the case of the conductor fractures, the failure of pressure contacts on connecting points and the momentary short circuit of low voltage wiring. Therefore, it is require to study the constructive problem of the RCD. In this paper, we have tested the operation characteristics of the RCD according to the R load and R-L load in the conductor fractures, the failure of pressure contacts on connecting points and the momentary short circuit of low voltage wiring.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.100-106
• /
• 2013

In this paper, in order to analyze lightning impulse response characteristics in combined installations of SPDs and RCDs, surge protection coordination between SPDs and RCDs are experimentally investigated by using the combination wave generator. Six different types of single-phase residual current operated circuit-breakers with integral overcurrent protection for household and similar uses(RCBOs) being present on the domestic market are tested according to KS C IEC 61009-1 standard. As a result, when a class I SPD is located on the source side of an RCBO, all kinds of specimens are able to provide the proper coordination between the SPD and RCBOs without nuisance tripping, unintended operation or damage due to test impulse currents. However, in the case that the class II SPD is located on the load side of RCBOs, a lot of L-N mode injected currents is split into the RCBO, and a few RCBOs are damaged. Coordination between SPDs and RCDs is not valid and a role of SPDs is of no use. When combining SPDs with RCDs, it is necessary to select SPDs and RCDs in consideration of the protection voltage level of metal oxide varistor embedded in RCDs.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
• /
• 2012.07a
• /
• pp.617-618
• /
• 2012

Recently as the inactive response characteristics of the existing RCD(Residual Current protective Device) used on low voltage power distribution system, so control of overload and electric short circuit faults, major causes of electrical fires, are not enough. Therefore, this paper is proposed a prevention apparatus using neutral line voltage and semiconductor switching devices for the prevention of electrical disasters in low voltage power distribution system caused by overload or electric short circuit faults. The proposed prevention apparatus confirms the excellent characteristics in response velocity and accuracy in comparison with the conventional circuit breaker(RCD) through various operation performance analysis.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
• /
• v.64 no.1
• /
• pp.182-187
• /
• 2015

In the three-phase power system, when any one-phase or two-phases is open-phase, the unbalanced current flows and the single-phase power supplies to three-phase loads. Specially, motor coil and transformer coil receive over-current. As a result, great damage as well as electrical fire can occur to the power system. In order to improve these problems, this paper proposes that an open-phase detection device is designed by a new algorithm using electric potential difference between the resultant voltage of neutral point and ground, and a control circuit topology of open-phase protector is composed of highly efficient semiconductor devices. It improves response speed and reliability. The control algorithm circuit also operates the cut-off of a conventional residual current protective device (RCD) which flows an enforced leakage current to ground wire at open-phase accident. Furthermore, time delay circuit is added to prevent the incapable operation of open-phase protector about instantaneous open-phase not open-phase fault. The time delay circuit improves more reliability.

• Fire Science and Engineering
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.57-63
• /
• 2004

We investigated heat properties of connection terminal in residual current protective devices(RCD) according to contact pressure for low voltage appliance. And we analyzed voltage and current waveform and oxide propagation when the poor-contact happened between terminal and wire. When contact pressure between terminal and connection wire was not applied, the heat was generated and an oxide was formed on the surface of the wire. The temperature of the insulation surrounding terminal was ascended sharply by poor-contact, micro-sparks and continuous arc sound happened in interior terminal. When the poor-contact by vibration occurred inner conductor of terminal and wire, an oxide was propagated on contact surface and the temperature was increased at 869℃. Thus, we found that the risk of electrical disaster is high in terminal and connection wire parts.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.22-26
• /
• 2016

"Always-on" small ventilators are likely to experience thermal decomposition of insulating material due to thermal, electrical, mechanical and environmental influences, and lose insulating properties by the process of oxidation and physiochemical reaction. This increases the risk of electrical fire because of layer short, short circuit, overload and Plastics are usually used to make ventilator and ventilator enclosures since they make less noise and are cheaper. Although more preferred than iron, plastic, a combustible material, has a higher risk of fire. In this study, several experiments were carried out to find out how RCD(Residual Current Protective Device) and Thermal fuses, which are electric motor protection devices, work and what needs to be done to reduce the risk of fire.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
• /
• 2014.07a
• /
• pp.5-6
• /
• 2014

According to 2013 fire statistical yearbook in the National Emergency Management Agency, the main cause of an electrical fire are classified to short circuit fault, overload fault, electric leakage, partial disconnection, and joint/contact badness. The occurrence factor of fire is electric arc or spark accompanied with electrical faults. Residual Current Protective Devices(RCDs) of high sensitivity type used at single phase (220V) cut off earth leakage and overload but the RCDs can not cut off electric arc or spark to be a main cause of electrical fire. To be improved on such problem, this thesis is proposed to a auxiliary control device for RCD cut off electric arc or spark.