Circuit Protection definition
Circuit protection devices include products used to protect electrical circuits from damage caused by hazards such as static discharge (such as Transient Voltage Suppression diodes and gas discharge tubes) as well as products designed to reduce the risk of fire caused by electrical overload or circuit failure, such as fuses and circuit breakers. Related Circuit Protection Accessories designed for use with such products are also included, such as fuse holders, fuse pullers, and mounting bases for circuit breakers.
What is Circuit Protection
Circuit protection is the purposeful installation of a weak link in an electrical circuit to prevent a short circuit, excessive current or high temperature in a conductor. To protect the electrical circuit, there are a wide range of circuit protection devices in the marketplace, including electronic fuses, thyristors, gas discharge tubes (GTD), diode arrays, ESD protection, RCCB (Residual-Current Circuit Breaker), circuit breakers, etc.
Types of Circuit Protection Devices
There are various different circuit protection types, such as: Circuit Breaker, RCCB (Residual-Current Circuit Breaker), Inrush Current Limiter, Fuse, Gas Discharge Tube (GTD), PolySwitch, Lightning Arrester, Metal Oxide Varistor, Spark Gap, etc. Please keep reading, if you would like to get more detailed information about them.
Circuit Breaker
A circuit breaker is a type of switch that protects against damage caused by a power surge or a short circuit. High-quality circuit breakers protect everything from power tools and appliances to medical equipment and networking systems. The circuit breaker is a necessary item in today's world and one of your home's most vital safety features. When a building's electrical wiring has too much electricity running through it, these basic devices shut the power until the problem is fixed. Household power would be impracticable without circuit breakers due to the risk of fires and other havoc caused by simple wiring issues and device failures. AFCIs (arc fault circuit interrupter circuit breakers), Standard breakers (single-pole circuit breakers, double-pole circuit breakers) and GFCIs (ground fault circuit interrupter circuit breakers) are the 3 types of circuit breakers.
Fuse
A fuse is an electrical safety device that protects an electrical circuit against overcurrent in electrical and electronics engineering. A fuse is made out of a thin wire that melts easily. If the fuse's current is too high, the wire warms up until it melts and the circuit is broken. Fuse comes in a variety of fuse types: BS88 HBC (High Breaking Capacity Fuses), BS1361/1362 cartridge fuses and BS3036 rewirable fuses.
RCCB
The RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker) are the electrical safest device to protect equipment by promptly breaking an electrical circuit when current is unbalanced. There are two similar electrical safety devices with RCCB: RCD (Residual-Current Device) and GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter).
Inrush Current Limiter(ICL)
An inrush current limiter(ICL) is a thermistor made of transition metal oxide material sintered at extremely high temperatures. They have various benefits over their competitors, including the ability to provide a single-part solution. This eliminates the requirement for a resistor, relay, and timer, making the system more cost-effective and simpler.
Because they don't have any moving components or need logic control, inrush current limiters are also more dependable. In terms of power usage, they are more cost-effective in continuous operation. Finally, they can be mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) or in-line in power distribution and control boxes.
Gas Discharge Tube (GDT)
A GDT (gas discharge tube) is a glass-enclosed, sealed device that traps an inert gas mixture between two electrodes. The higher voltage ionizes the gas, allowing it to conduct electricity and redirect the excess voltage to ground when a voltage larger than the GDT's rating is exceeded.