• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.307-311
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• 2016

Although there are existing Residual Current Protective Device (RCD) including detect electric leakage and elements such as short circuit and surge, the occurrence of incidents caused by electric faults, including fire, are still constant. The purpose of this study is to analyze the causes of accidents through the electric field distribution in the interpretation of the fault contact breaker. Simulation results by the arc fault has shown the convergence of temperature and electric field to the defect. Through their simulation results, the main cause of erosion phenomena in circuit breaker bar is the electric arc by concentration of electric field not due to dissolve by temperature.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.876-880
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• 2013

The major causes of electrical fire are classified to short circuit fault, overload fault, electric leakage and electric contact failure. The principal factor of the fire is electric arc or spark accompanied with such electric faults. Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELB) and Molded_case Circuit Breaker (MCCB), that is, Residual Current Protective Devices (RCDs) used on low voltage distribution lines cut off earth leakage and overload, but the RCD can not cut off electric arc or spark to be a major factor of electrical fire. As the RCDs which are applied in low voltage distribution panel are prescribed to rated breaking time about 30[ms] (KS C 4613), the RCDs can't perceive to the periodic electric arc or spark of more short wavelength level. To improve such problems, this paper studies on an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) using the distorted voltage wave in electric arc faults. The proposed voltage sensing type AFCI is an electrical fire prevention apparatus of new conception that operates a circuit breaker with sensing the instantaneous voltage drop of line voltage at electrical faults occurrence. The proposed AFCI is composed of control circuit topology using some semiconductor switching devices. Some experimental tests of the proposed AFCI confirm practicality and the validity of the analytical results.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1752-1758
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• 2018

In a low-voltage distribution system, the molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) is a widely used device to protect loads by interrupting over-current; however the hot gas generated from the arc discharge in the interrupting process depletes the dielectric recovery strength between electrodes and leads to re-ignition after current-zero. Even though the circuit breaker is ordinarily tripped and successfully interrupts the over-current, the re-ignition causes the over-current to flow to the load again, which carries over the failure interruption. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the dielectric recovery process and the dielectric recovery voltage of the MCCB. To determine these characteristics, a measuring system comprised of the experimental circuit and source is implemented to apply controllable recovery voltage and over-current. By changing the controllable recovery voltage, in this work, re-ignition is driven repeatedly to obtain the dielectric recovery voltage V-t curve, which is used to analyze the dielectric recovery strength of the MCCB. A measuring system and an evaluation technique for the dielectric recovery strength of the MCCB are described. By using this system and method, the measurement to find out the dielectric recovery characteristics after current-zero for ready-made products is done and it is confirmed that which internal structure of the MCCB affects the dielectric recovery characteristics.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.43-48
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to develop an earth leakage alarm circuit breaker, equipped with a leakage alarming function (JER-E2S, ETECKOREA Co., Korea), and to analyze its characteristics. The developed mechanism is exclusively used for single-phase and 220 V circuits, with a rated current of 32 A, 20 A, 20 A (for restrooms), 16 A, etc. It satisfies all characteristics of existing earth leakage circuit breakers (ELB). If a fire current, which is a resistive leakage current (Igr), flows through an electric line, the device detects the leakage current in real time and warns against the leakage through a blinking LED lamp. Since the developed device displays a tolerance to a capacitative leakage current (Igc) that inevitably occurs in LED lamps, communication devices, etc., it ensures a stable power supply. In addition, the earth leakage alarm circuit breaker protects against power failure due to a momentary ground fault. Therefore, it can supply power without the risk of the circuit breaker malfunctioning due to a momentary ground fault caused by water droplets, leaves, etc. Moreover, with a standby power of less than 0.1 W, the developed earth leakage alarm circuit breaker exhibits a power saving performance that is 3~8 times greater than that of other ELBs. Installation of approximately 10 earth leakage alarm circuit breakers in one apartment household, with an area of 120 ㎡, can save 2~5 kWh per month. Therefore, the developed earth leakage alarm breaker not only satisfies the characteristics of existing earth leakage breakers, but also exhibits outstanding power supply quality since it has the functions of electric fire prevention and malfunction prevention. Therefore, this device can innovatively contribute to electric fire prevention.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers A
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.143-151
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• 2000

Electric power distribution feeders are susceptible to faults caused by a variety of situations such as adverse weather conditions, tree contacts, equipment failure, accidents, etc. Distribution circuit faults result in a number of problems related to the reliability of service and customer power quality. In the distribution line, the permanent interruption of customer service resulting from a blown fuse or a recloser lockout was the only factor which was used to determine service reliability. On underground distribution line, the serving of cables by earth-moving equipment is a prevalent cause of faults and the most cable faults quickly develop into bolted current. we introduce th multi-circuit breaker coordination methods in the Underground Distribution Line.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.61 no.12
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• pp.1953-1958
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• 2012

The major causes of electrical fire are classified to short circuit fault, overload fault, electric leakage and electric contact failure. The occurrence factor of the fire is electric arc or spark accompanied with such electric faults, specially short circuit faults. Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELB) and Molded_case Circuit Breaker (MCCB), that is, Residual Current Protective Devices (RCDs) used on low voltage distribution lines cut off earth leakage and overload, but the RCD can not cut off electric arc or spark to be a major factor of electrical fire. As the RCDs which are applied in low voltage distribution panel are prescribed to rated breaking time about 30ms(KS C 4613), the RCDs can't perceive to the periodic electric arc or spark of more short wavelength level. To improve such problem, this paper proposes a prevention apparatus using the line voltage drop of neutral wire and some semiconductor switching devices. Some experimental tests of the proposed apparatus confirm the validity of the analytical results.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.8-11
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• 2002

Recently, the spark and the overheat due to in the failure of pressure contacts on connecting points and the momentary short circuit have been the major causes of electrical fire because these may cause the deposition and the graphite of insulating materials in electrical wiring system. Also, because in these cases the current is a surge one, the losses and faults of a communication, a home appliances, a computer and a measuring instrument may occur. Especially, in such cases, we are very difficult to detect the failure of pressure contacts on connecting points and the momentary short circuit. In this paper, we have developed an auxiliary control device, the electrical fire prevention control device(EFPCD), of an earth leakage breaker(ELB). And we can pre-vent the electrical fire caused by the spark and the overheat occurring in the failure of pressure contacts in connecting points and the momentary short circuit with the EFPCD.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2018

This study proves the causes of cylinder and piston jam by scratches which is the fatal problem of hydraulic breaker through the thermal analysis and thermal-structural coupled field analysis. The trouble from the scratch is a complex problem which can be caused by manufacturing process (this is an internal factor) and the users mistake or contamination in the hydraulic circuit (these are an external factor). Hence, it's not easy to investigate the causes, also hard to prevent the recurrence. In this reason, hydraulic breaker manufacturers are trying to improve the manufacturing process such as machining, heat treatment, grinding, cleaning, also to prevent the contamination in hydraulic circuit and to remove the remains. It's being managed thoroughly by manufacturers. This study shows the effect of the temperature rise by the frictional heat generated when the piston hits the tool on the hydraulic oil while the hydraulic breaker is operating, also the temperature distribution when it starts to affect main components of hydraulic breaker. The stress and the amount of deformation also could be found through thermal-structural coupled field analysis. It proved that the stress and deformation are proportionally increased according to the temperature rise in hit area, and it affects the cylinder and the viscosity of hydraulic oil inside the cylinder when it heats up beyond the certain temperature.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.777-781
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• 1997

One of the spring-link mechanisms, the air circuit breaker(ACB), was studied to improve the shock-proof characteristics of it. The low-cycle fatigue fracture phenomenon was occurred on the critical link, called h-link, of ACB for the repeated rapid closing and opening operations. To analyze the cause of failure, dynamic FE-analysis on the h-link part of ACB was accomplished with considered the velocity and acceleration of the links per time as boundary conditions, which were obtained by using ADAMS. Then, to reduce the maximum tensile stress on the h-link, three types of h-link were suggested and one of them was selected. Fmm this study, we suggested the process of analysis on the high-speed motion behavior part related low-cycle fatigue fractures.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.158-164
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• 2003

The air circuit breaker (ACB) with the spring-actuated mechanism was studied to improve the fatigue-proof characteristics of its link. The low-cycle fatigue fracture phenomenon occurred on the critical link, called h-link, of ACB from the repeated rapid closing and opening operations. To analyze the cause of failure, dynamic FE-analysis on the b-link part of ACB was performed considering tile velocity and acceleration of the links per time as boundary conditions, which were obtained by using ADAMS. Also, the S-N curve obtained by experiments was used to investigate requirement on the fatigue-proof characteristics. Then, to reduce the maximum tensile stress on the h-link, three types of h-link were examined and one of them was selected.