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Thermal Analysis of Overload Protection Relays using Finite Element Method


Affiliations
1 Department of Power Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Romania
 

This paper describes a three-dimensional thermal model of the bimetal releaser from low voltage power circuit breakers. The model can be used to analyse the thermal behaviour of the bimetal strip during both steady-state and transient conditions. The steady-state thermal simulations have been done. The maximum temperature is obtained at the extreme of the movable end terminal of the bimetallic strip. The steady-state conditions are reached after approximate 600 seconds from the initial moment of warming. A similar time evolution can be noticed for trip and force characteristics. To validate the three-dimensional thermal model, some experimental tests both in steady-state and transient conditions have been done. It has been recorded the time evolution of the temperature rises, cooling, trip and force characteristics during transient conditions. There is a good correlation between experimental and simulation results. Hence, the maximum difference between the experimental and simulation values is less than 2.5°C.

Keywords

Thermal Analysis, Bimetallic Strip, Finite Element Method
User

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  • Thermal Analysis of Overload Protection Relays using Finite Element Method

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Authors

Adrian T. Plesca
Department of Power Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Romania

Abstract


This paper describes a three-dimensional thermal model of the bimetal releaser from low voltage power circuit breakers. The model can be used to analyse the thermal behaviour of the bimetal strip during both steady-state and transient conditions. The steady-state thermal simulations have been done. The maximum temperature is obtained at the extreme of the movable end terminal of the bimetallic strip. The steady-state conditions are reached after approximate 600 seconds from the initial moment of warming. A similar time evolution can be noticed for trip and force characteristics. To validate the three-dimensional thermal model, some experimental tests both in steady-state and transient conditions have been done. It has been recorded the time evolution of the temperature rises, cooling, trip and force characteristics during transient conditions. There is a good correlation between experimental and simulation results. Hence, the maximum difference between the experimental and simulation values is less than 2.5°C.

Keywords


Thermal Analysis, Bimetallic Strip, Finite Element Method

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.17485/ijst%2F2013%2Fv6i8%2F36355