Design and Construction of an Automated Test Bench

for MCB Testing

W.G.M. Amaradasa

H.K.T.R. Karunarathna

Department of Electrical Engineering

University of Moratuwa
Katubedda, Sri Lanka
[email protected]

Department of Electrical Engineering

University of Moratuwa
Katubedda, Sri Lanka
[email protected]

H.K.J. Amarasinghe

W.M. Wijekoon

Department of Electrical Engineering

University of Moratuwa
Katubedda, Sri Lanka
[email protected]

Department of Electrical Engineering

University of Moratuwa
Katubedda, Sri Lanka
[email protected]

Abstract Testing of MCBs involves sending a preset

current through the MCB under test for a pre-defined
period of time. The operational state of the MCB should be
recorded for variable currents/times. The project is to
automate this process for household MCBs.
KeywordsMCB, Controllable Current Source, DC motor,
transformer

I.

The primary objective of this project is to test Instantaneous

Tripping Characteristics, Thermal Tripping Characteristics and
Temperature Rise Characteristics of household MCBs with
reliable automated process.
In addition to that, main target is to deliver a product that is
easy in designing and programming, lower cost, more accurate
and reliable and easy to maintain.
REQUIREMENTS

A. Test Conditions
MCB are tested according to IEC 60898-1 and IEC 609472 standards. All Household MCBs are tested according to the
IEC 60898-1 standard and MCBs for industrial application are
tested according to IEC 60947-2 standard. According to the
IEC 60898-1 standard MCB should test under the following
conditions.

MCBs designed for installation in an individual

enclosure are tested in the smallest of such enclosure
specified by the manufacturer.

Unless otherwise specified, the MCBs are wired with

the appropriate cable specified in Table 1 and are fixed
on a dull, black painted plywood board of about 20
mm thickness, the method of fixing complying with
any requirements relating to the means of mounting
recommended by the manufacturer.

If tolerance is not specified, tests are carried out at the

given values in the standard

During the tests MCB should be connected by single

core PVC insulated copper cables

Except Instantaneous tripping tests all other tests are

carried out with single phase current with all poles
connected in series.

The connection are in free air and spaced not less than
the distance between the terminals.

The minimum length of each temporary connection

from terminal to terminal is 1 m for cross sections up
to and including 10 mm2 and 2 m for cross section
larger than 10 mm2

INTRODUCTION

Most of the MCB Test are made with poor testing

equipment which has unstable current sources, due to that
resulting in unreliable test results and a limited capacities in the
tests which can be made.

II.

addition to that MCB should be protected against

undue external heating or cooling.

Mounted individually, vertically an in free air at an

ambient temperature between 20 oC and 25 oC. In

Table 1-Cross-sections of test copper cables

S/ mm2

Values of the rated current In

In6

1.5

6In13

2.5

13In20

20In25

S/ mm2

Values of the rated current In

25In32

10

32In50

16

50In63

25

63In80

35

80In100

50

100In125

According to the IEC 60898-1 standard test of temperature

rise should be done first before doing test of tripping
characteristics.
B. Tests
1) Test of Temperature Rise
a) Temperature Rise Limits
Temperature rise limits of the parts of MCB measured
under the given conditions shall not exceed the values given in
the Table 2.

1.45In

2.55In

B-3In
C-5In
D-10In
B-5In
C-10In
D-20In

Table 2-Temperature Rise Values

Parts
Terminals for external connection
External parts liable to be touched during
manual operation of the MCB, including
operating means of insulating material and
metallic means for coupling insulated
operating means of several poles
External metallic parts of operating means
Other external parts, including that face of the
MCB in direct contact with the mounting
surface

Temperature
Rise (K)
60
40

25
60

b) Test Procedure
A current equal to In at any convenient voltage is passed
simultaneously through all the poles of the MCB for a period
of time sufficient for the temperature-rise to reach the steadystate value. In practice, this condition is reached when the
variation of the temperature-rise does not exceed 1 K/h.
For four-pole circuit-breakers with three protected poles,
the test is first made by passing the specified current through
the three protected poles only. The test is then repeated by
passing the same current through the pole intended for the
connection of the neutral and the adjacent protected pole.
During the test the temperature-rises shall not exceed the
values shown in Table 2.
2) Test of Tripping Characteristics
Tripping characteristics of Type B,C,D MCBs should be
contain according to Table 3.
Test
a

Table 3-Time Current Operating Characteristics

Test
Initial
Limits
Results
Current Condition
1.13In
Cold
t1h
No tripping

Immediately
after Test a
Cold

t1h

Tripping
Tripping

Cold

1 s < t < 60 s
(for In32
A)
1 s < t < 120
s (for In >
32 A)
t 0.1 s

Cold

T 0.1 s

Tripping

No tripping

a) Test of Time Current Characteristics

A current is equal to 1.13 In that is conventional nontripping current is passed though the conventional
time, that is 1 hour though all poles from cold
conditions. The MCB shall not trip. Immediately
current is the steadily increased within 5 s to 1.45 In
that is conventional tripping current then MCB shall
trip within conventional time.
In next test, a current equal to 2.55 In is passed through
all poles starting from cold conditions. Then the
opening time shall not be less than 1 s and shall not be
more than 60 s for rated current up to and including 32
A and 120 s for rated currents greater than 32 A

b) Test of Instantaneous Tripping Characteristics

For Type B MCBs, a current equal to 3 In is passed
through all poles starting from cold conditions and
opening time shall not be less than 0.1 s. Then a
current equal to 5 In is passed through all poles from
cold conditions. MCB should trip in a time less than
0.1 s

For Type C MCBs, a current equal to 5 In is passed

through all poles starting from cold conditions and
opening time shall not be less than 0.1 s. Then a
current equal to 10 In is passed through all poles from
cold conditions. MCB should trip in a time less than
0.1 s

For Type D MCBs, a current equal to 10 In is passed

through all poles starting from cold conditions and
opening time shall not be less than 0.1 s. Then a
current equal to 20 In is passed through all poles from
cold conditions. MCB should trip in a time less than
0.1 s

III.

SYSTEM DESIGN

Brief introduction to design and put the designed system.

A. Controllable Current Source

Current through the MCBs needs to be controlled for
testing the instantaneous and thermal tripping characteristics.
For this there are two options available:
1.

Power electronic based controllable current device

2.

Variable autotransformer
transformer

with

the

step-down

Advantages of using power electronic based controllable

current device rather than variable autotransformer with the
step-down transformer are:
1.

Smooth current controlling capability

2.

Easier controlling

Disadvantages are:

which are switched using contactors. Maximum continuous

current of one winding is 48 A and the other winding offers
higher current values above 48 A. The winding for current
values below 48 A has a turns ratio of 5:1. The other secondary
winding has a turns ratio of 169:1. Current carrying capacity of
the cable that is being used in this winding is the limiting factor
that governs the maximum current.
Transformer switching may result in inrush currents in
primary winding. This can affect to the secondary winding as
well for a few cycles. This effect can be controlled by closing
the contactor switch at the peak of the input voltage waveform.
2) Variable Auto Transformer
Input voltage of the variable autotransformer is 230 V. This
is mainly used to control the current of the secondary side by
controlling the secondary winding voltage in the range of 0
230 V by changing the tap position of the autotransformer.

1.

Harmonics being added to the output current

waveform

Maximum continuous current through primary and

secondary windings of the variable autotransformer is 10 A.

2.

Device should be able to withstand a minimum

current of 630 A

3.

Very expensive

3) DC Wormed Gear Motor

Function of the dc wormed gear motor is to control the tap
position of the variable autotransformer.

Due to these reasons variable autotransformer with the

step-down transformer is being used as the controllable current
device.
Supply is connected to the variable autotransformer and the
step-down transformer consecutively. DC wormed gear motor
is connected to the variable autotransformer to control the tap
position. Fig. 1 shows the controllable current device.

The tap position of the variable autotransformer is changed

in a rotary movement. Therefore this is controlled by
controlling the rotation angle of the shaft of the dc motor.
4) PWM Controlled DC Chopper Driver
B. Current Sensing
Current that goes through the MCB should be measured in
order to control it. Methods that are used at present are using:
1.

Resistors

2.

Current transformers

3.

Hall effect sensors

4.

Rogowski coil

Using resistors may cause temperature rise due to heat.

Rogowski coil is the latest technology that is being used for
current sensing. Therefore Hall-Effect sensors and current
transformers are being used for current sensing purpose.
Figure 1: controllable current device

1) Step Down Transfomer

Main function of the step down transformer is to step down
the voltage to a low value in order to step up the current to the
current that is required for testing purposes.
MCBs that are tested are of type C. For a 63 A MCB the
maximum current that should be provided for testing purposes
is 630 A to test instantaneous tripping characteristics and a
continuous current of
63 A to test thermal tripping
characteristics.
Secondary winding current is changed by adjusting the
primary winding current of the step-down transformer with the
use of variable autotransformer.
The step-down transformer can deliver a rated power of 2.3
kVA. Therefore the maximum current through the primary
winding is 10 A. Secondary side consists of two windings

C. Main Control System

1) Microcontroller
Introduction to this and mention the task of this. I will write
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I will write about this
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[1]

TABLE I.
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[4]
[5]
[6]

G. Eason, B. Noble, and I.N. Sneddon, On certain integrals of

Lipschitz-Hankel type involving products of Bessel functions, Phil.
Trans. Roy. Soc. London, vol. A247, pp. 529-551, April 1955.
(references)
J. Clerk Maxwell, A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, 3rd ed., vol.
2. Oxford: Clarendon, 1892, pp.68-73.
I.S. Jacobs and C.P. Bean, Fine particles, thin films and exchange
anisotropy, in Magnetism, vol. III, G.T. Rado and H. Suhl, Eds. New
York: Academic, 1963, pp. 271-350.
K. Elissa, Title of paper if known, unpublished.
R. Nicole, Title of paper with only first word capitalized, J. Name
Stand. Abbrev., in press.
Y. Yorozu, M. Hirano, K. Oka, and Y. Tagawa, Electron spectroscopy
studies on magneto-optical media and plastic substrate interface, IEEE
Transl. J. Magn. Japan, vol. 2, pp. 740-741, August 1987 [Digests 9th
Annual Conf. Magnetics Japan, p. 301, 1982].

[7]

M. Young, The Technical Writers Handbook. Mill Valley, CA:

University Science, 1989.