ABSTRACT Federal regulations have recognized that arc flash hazards are a critical source of potential injury. As a consequence, in order to work on some electrical equipment, the energy source must be completely shut-down. However, power distribution systems in mission critical facilities such as hospitals and data centers must sometimes remain energized while being maintained. In recent years the Arc Flash Hazard Analysis has emerged as a power system tool that informs the qualified technician of the incident energy at the equipment to be maintained and recommends the proper protective equipment to wear. Due to codes, standards and historically acceptable design methods, the Arc Flash Hazard is often higher and more dangerous than necessary. This dissertation presents detailed methodology and proposes alternative strategies to be implemented at the design stage of 600 volt facility power distribution systems which will decrease the Arc Flash Hazard Exposure when compared to widely used code acceptable design strategies. Software models have been developed for different locations throughout a power system. These software model simulations will analyze the Arc Flash Hazard in a system designed with typical mainstream code acceptable methods. The model will be changed to show implementation of arc flash mitigation techniques at the system design level. The computer simulations after the mitigation techniques will show significant lowering of the Arc Flash Hazard Exposure.

The theses is focused on efficient use of numerical methods in development of low-voltage switching devices, namely to create a physically correct and reliable numerical model of the temperature field to find an application in the design of the current path of a device for various operating conditions. The creation of this numerical model requires not only correct inclusion of all modes of heat transfer - conduction, convection and radiation, but also correct solution of problematic transient resistance - both electrical and thermal in electrical contacts at different stages of usage. Therefore an essential part of the theses forms a thorough experimental analysis of the necessary material properties and dependencies which forms input data for the numerical model that is based on the finite volume method. The last part of the theses deals with debugging and verification of numerical model to correspond with experimentally obtained data. The result of the theses is the numerical model which is able to solve correctly both steady and various transient states of swiching devices.

This master‘s thesis deals with the thermal overload trip unit in automatically operated electrical switching devices. The first part of this thesis serves as a basis for a design of thermostatic bimetal element in electrical switching device. The thesis presents important parameters and calculation principles needed for the design of bimetal element. The thesis further describes the operating principle of thermal trip unit and its possible design solutions. The main part is devoted to analytical calculation and measurement of specific thermostatic bimetal type contained in thermal trip unit of molded case circuit breaker. It is measurement of force and deflection, depending on temperature change. In the next part a numerical model of the bimetallic strip was created and its deflection was simulated. The analytical results are compared with the measured and simulated results at the end of the thesis.

The heat generated in a circuit breaker can be transmitted in two ways: Either through metal parts of current path to conductors outside of device or through plastic parts or air of chassis. The accuracy of the simulation depends on the accuracy of the 3D model and all his parts and it also depends on precise definition of materials with precise definition of electrical and thermal parameters. Electrical circuit breaker has various source of the heat which results in raising temperature of the device above the level of environment. Heat sources are: 1) Joule’s loss of the circuit breaker current path. 2) Heat loss in a bimetal, which is used for thermal release. 3) Resistivity of contacts. This thesis deals with static state of thermal analysis so the sources do not include transient heat source for switching OFF and switching ON. Electrical circuit breakers are made in smaller and smaller forms however their electrical parameters are not decreasing with size. There is logical conclusion that there is more heat on the same unit size which makes thermal analysis of circuit breaker one of the most important part of development.

This master’s thesis is focused on calculation, simulation and experimental verification of electrodynamic forces acting upon movable contact piece of MCCB and experimental current carrying path. A short description of low voltage circuit breakers is briefly discussed in first chapter. Second chapter is focused upon contact system analysis of particular MCCB with thermomagnetic trigger. A hardness of contact materials is briefly described. A detailed analytical calculations were used to determine electrodynamic forces in MCCB. A FEM simulation in ANSYS Maxwell was carried out for comparison with analytical results. An experimental apparatus was designed and built for verification of constriction repulsion force, so called Holm’s force. A series of measurements is subsequently performed on proposed apparatus and results are compared with results from previous chapters.