A fuse unit consists of;
–​​ Metal fuse element or link
–​​ Set of contacts between which the fuse element is​​ fixed
–​​ Body
There are two categories of fuses in general
–​​ Low voltage fuse
–​​ High voltage fuse
Low voltage fuse
Low voltage fuse can be further subdivided into two classes:
–​​ Rewirable or semi enclosed type
–​​ Cartridge or totally enclosed type
Rewirable or semi enclosed type fuses
It consists of a porcelain base carrying the fixed contacts and a porcelain fuse carrier holding the fuse element.

Kit-kat Fuse

  • The fuse carrier can be taken out or inserted in the base without risk, even without opening the main switch.
  • The fuse wire can be replaced in the case of damage. It means the fuse base and the fuse holder need not to change in the case of fuse wire burnt.
  • The fuse wire may be of lead, tinned copper, aluminium or alloy of tin-lead.
  • Generally the fusing current is twice of the rated current.
  • When two or more fuse wires are used, the wires should be kept apart and a derating factor of 0.7 to 0.8 should be employed to​​ arrive at the total fuse rating.
The specifications are covered by IS : 2086-1963. Standard ratings are 6, 16, 32, 63 and 100 A.Fuse wire of lower rating can be used in higher rating fuse base and holder but not vise versa.Advantages
–​​ easy removal or replacement of fuse element​​ without any danger
–​​ negligible replacement cost
Disadvantages
Unreliable operation–​​ possibility of replacement with wrong size
–​​ due to deterioration, the fuse wire may operate at current​​ below rated capacity
–​​ As the fusing current is about 2 times of rated current the​​ apparatus may get damaged during fault condition before melting of the fuse wire
–​​ Low accuracy
–​​ Accurate calibration of the fuse wire is impossible as,​​ longer fuse operates earlier than one of shorter length.
–​​ Single phasing may occur in operation of motor when​​ fuses are used in motor circuit
Lack of discrimination
–​​ Due to unreliable operation, discrimination cannot be​​ always ensured.
Small time lag
–​​ Can blow with large transient currents which are​​ encountered during the starting of motors and switching on operation of transformers, capacitors etc.)
Low rupturing capacity
–​​ Rewirable fuses have low rupturing capacity. A fuse of​​ 16 A rating have a breaking capacity of 2 kA and those up to 200 A have 4 kA
Slow speed of operation
–​​ Arcing time is high because no special means are​​ there for arc extinction.
Risk of flame and fire
–​​ The spark may be converted into fire in case of​​ delay in arc extinction

Cartridge or totally enclosed type fuses

  • The fuse element is enclosed in an enclosed container and is provided with metal contacts on both sides. The fuses are further classified as

–​​ D​​ type

–​​ Link​​ type

D type cartridge fuse

  • This is a fuse comprising a fuse base, adaptor ring, cartridge and a fuse cap.
  • The cartridge is pushed in the fuse cap and the cap is screwed on the fuse base.
  • The standard ratings are 6, 16, 32, and 63 A.
  • The breaking or rupturing capacity is of the order of 4 kA for 2 and 4 A fuses and 16 kA for 6 to 63 A fuses.
  • These types of fuses do not have the drawbacks of the rewirable fuses.
  • These are reliable and discrimination and coordination are achieved to a reasonable extent.

Link type Cartridge fuses or HRC fuses

  • In that type of fuse, the fuse wire or element can carry short circuit heavy current for a known time period.
  • During this time if the fault is removed, then it does not blow off otherwise it blows off or melts.
  • The enclosure of​​ HRC fuse​​ is either of glass or some other chemical compound. This enclosure is fully air tight to avoid the effect of atmosphere on the fuse materials.
  • The ceramic enclosure having metal end cap at both heads, to which fusible wire is joined.
  • The space within the enclosure, surrounding the fuse wire or fuse element is completely packed with a filling powder.
  • This type of fuse is reliable and has inverse time characteristic, that means if the fault current is high then rupture time is less and if fault current is not so high then rupture time is long.
  • These are available in different ratings up to 1250 A.

HRC Fuses

Operation of HRC fuses

  • When the over rated current flows through the fuse element of high rupturing capacity fuse the element is melted and vaporized.
  • The filling powder is of such a quantity that the chemical reaction between the silver vapour and the filling powder forms high electrical resistance substances which very much help in quenching the arc.
Link type cartridge fuses are divided into two categories;
–​​ Knife blade type and
–​​ Bolted type

Knife Blade Type HRC Fuse:–​​ This kind is easily replaceable in the circuit–​​ For this purpose, special insulated fuse pullers are​​ used.

Bolted Type HRC Link Fuse:–​​ In this type, the conducting plates are bolted to​​ the base of the fuse.

Operating characteristics

Time current characteristics

Time current characteristics

  • In the above figure, curve for three Fuses of rating 60 A, 100 A and 200 A are given. Let select Fuse of rating 60 A for the sake of understanding.
  • See, if the current flowing through the Fuse element is around 300 A then the Fuse element will melt in .03 sec i.e. 30 ms while if the current is around 200 A then it will take 70 ms to melt.
  • Thus we see that the Fuse characteristic is Inverse Time.
  • Higher the current, lower will be the time to melt.

I2t characteristics

  • Laboratory tests are conducted on each fuse design to determine the amount of energy required to melt the fusing element. This energy is described as nominal melting I2t and is expressed as“Ampere Squared Seconds” (A2​​ sec.).
  • A pulse of current is applied to the fuse, and a time measurement is taken for melting to occur. If melting does not occur within a short duration of about 8 milliseconds (0.008 seconds) or less, the level of pulse current is increased. This test procedure is repeated until melting of the fuse element is confined to within about 8 milliseconds.
  • All of the heat energy (I2t) is used, to cause melting. Once the measurements of current (I) and time (t) are determined, it is a simple matter to calculate melting I2t. When the melting phase reaches completion, an electrical arc occurs immediately prior to the “opening” of the fuse element.

Clearing I2t = Melting I2t + arcing I2t

  • This term is normally used in short circuit conditions and the values are used to perform co-ordination studies in electrical networks.
  • I2t parameters are provided by charts in manufacturer data sheets for each fuse family. For coordination of fuse operation with upstream or downstream devices, both melting I2t and clearing I2t are specified.
  • The melting I2t, is proportional to the amount of energy required to begin melting the fuse element. The clearing I2t is proportional to the total energy let through by the fuse when clearing a fault.
  • The I2t rating of the fuse is proportional to the energy it lets through, it is a measure of the thermal damage and magnetic forces that will be produced by a fault.

Cut-off current characteristics

  • The ability of HRC fuse to limit the short circuit current is known as cut-off as illustrated in fig below.
  • Due to this cut-off property the short circuit current does not attain the prospective current.
  • Hence the circuit is not subjected to electrodynamic stresses corresponding to peak prospective current. Because of this property of HRC fuse the operating time is as low as one fourth of a cycle.
  • On occurrence of fault, large current flows through the fuse and the energy produced melts and vaporizes the fuse element before the fault current reaches the peak. The chemical reaction between the fuse element vapour and filling powder results into high resistance material which helps in extinguishing the arc

Fast operation

  • The HRC fuse interrupts the short circuit current long before it attains the max value. The short circuit current is interrupted within the first quarter of a cycle.

Non deteriorating characteristics

  • This property of HRC fuse is achieved by sealing of the silver element within the fuse body with the help of special cementing and the soldering of the end caps.

Low temperature operation

  • To prevent overheating of associated contacts this property is very essential.

Arc voltage

  • The magnitude of voltages induced due to interruption of inductive circuits depends upon the magnitude of short circuit and the circuit constants. HRC fuses are designed within safe limits of these over voltages.

Rupturing capacity

  • It is the product of service voltage in kV and the rms value of the prospective current in kA it can handle. It is expressed in MVA.

Low cost

  • Because of the cut off characteristics of the HRC fuse, for the given rupturing capacity the actual current to be interrupted by an HRC fuse is much less in comparison to other interrupting devices hence it is less expensive in comparison to other interrupting devices.

Discrimination

  • Discrimination means the breaking of the faulty section of the line to an extent restricted to minimum, healthy sections of the circuits remaining in operation.

Advantages and disadvantages of HRC link fuses

Advantages

  • Cheaper compared to the other types of circuit interrupters of same breaking capacity
  • Simple and easy installation
  • No maintenance is required
  • High breaking capacity
  • Consistence in performance
  • Quick and sure
  • Do not deteriorate with time
  • Inverse time characteristics; which makes them suitable for overload protection
  • Capable of clearing high as well as low current
  • Reliable
  • Low fusing factor
  • Low thermal and dynamic stresses on equipment to be protected

Disadvantages

  • Time consuming for replacement for each operation
  • Interlocking is not possible
  • It causes overheating of adjacent contacts

Drop out fuse

  • The melting of fuse causes the fuse element to drop under gravity about its lower support which creates visible isolation.
  • Such fuses are employed for protection of outdoor transformers.
  • On blowing off fuse the complete tube can be lifted from the hinge by means of a special insulator rod and brought down for replacement of fuse element.
  • After replacing the element the tube is placed in the hinge and the device is closed in a way similar to closing of isolators.

High voltage HRC fuses

Cartridge type HV HRC fuse

  • This is similar in general construction to the low voltage type except that some special design features are incorporated. In some designs the element is wound in the shape of helix so as to avoid corona affect at higher voltages.
  • In some design two fuse elements in parallel are employed; one of low resistance carries the normal current, the other is of high resistance (tungsten wire) and, after the low resistance has blown off, reduces the short circuit current and finally breaks the circuit.
  • HV cartridge fuses are used up to 33 kV, with rupturing capacity of about 8760 A at that voltage (500 MVA 3 phase). Ratings of the order of 200 A at 6.6 kV and 11 kV, and 50 A at 33 kV are also available.

Liquid type HV HRC fuse

  • In liquid fuse carbon tetra chloride is used for arc extinction.
  • Liquid type HRC fuse consists of a carbon tetra chloride filled glass tube sealed at both ends with brass caps.
  • One end of the fuse element is sealed with the cap and the other end is held by a strong phosphor bronze spring fixed at the other end of the tube.
  • On the occurrence of fault the fuse element melts and the springs pulls it into the carbon tetra chloride solution, thereby extinguishing the arc.