Future-Proof Your Power System with Low-Voltage Switchgear by A&T
Low-voltage switchgear in the UK is extensively compartmentalised to improve its safety, dependability, and serviceability. For instance, this prevents maintenance personnel from inadvertently coming into contact with nearby circuit breakers or the main bus. The compartmentalisation could lessen the likelihood that an arcing defect will spread to adjacent switchgear components and decrease some of the harm that could result from it.
Copper buses that are plated in silver or tin carry power via the low-voltage switchgear enclosure. The breaker stabs, which extend horizontally into the breaker cells of a switchgear section, are connected to the line sides of the feeder breakers by finger clusters and vertical sections (also known as 'risers') of the copper bus. Adjacent switchgear sections are electrically connected by a horizontal (main) bus.
To provide lug landings for terminating load cables, "runbacks" extend horizontally back from the load side of each feeder breaker, into the bus compartment (without attaching to the main or vertical bus), and into the cable compartment. Usually, a sufficient air gap is used to provide insulation or dielectric strength between the three bus phases.
Low-voltage switchgear uses low-voltage power circuit breakers (LV-PCB) with built-in trip units to guard against overload and short circuits. Usually, these draw-out, low-voltage circuit breakers are installed through the door. "Through-the-door" refers to the ability to reach the circuit breaker's faceplate and breaker-mounted controls without having to open the switchgear.
"Draw-out" refers to the circuit breaker's ability to be entirely removed from the switchgear for servicing and to be readily placed into test and disconnect positions without opening the switchgear. Low-voltage circuit breakers use main contacts that split openly to interrupt overload and short-circuit problems. In contrast to medium-voltage circuit breakers, which usually use vacuum interrupters, these circuit breakers are often referred to as air circuit breakers (ACBs).
Low-voltage power circuit breakers can postpone tripping for a predetermined period (up to 30 cycles) due to their short-time current withstand rating. Therefore, to allow downstream circuit breakers to clear the problem first, an LV-PCB can be configured to delay tripping.
Therefore, a power distribution system's dependability can be significantly increased by using low-voltage switchgear in the UK with power circuit breakers. Because the fault would be separated downstream, a well-coordinated system can also improve worker safety by lowering the possibility that a worker will have to interact with upstream equipment, which usually poses a greater risk of arc flash.
Contact A&T Enclosures, a trustworthy supplier of low voltage switchgear to learn more.