High-Voltage Fuses - Next Generation with Improved Performance

Abstract

Within distribution networks, high-voltage (HV) fuses have been used for decades as an economical and most reliable protecting device standardized by IEC60282-1[1]both in functionality and dimensions. They fulfil both the disconnection and the consumer protection tasks. Hereby, the pure switching task is usually limited to switching the operating current and is taken over by medium-voltage switch and control. In the event of a fault occurring either on the grid or in one of the components, failure currents may arise which exceed the breaking capacity of the switching device so that it does not properly cut off those currents. This is where the “high-voltage high-breaking- capacity fuses” – or HV fuses for short – step in. In parallel to the technical aspects of improved protection, the “Think Green” philosophy should also be taken more and more into consideration with these products.This contribution will show that with an improved generation of HV fuses, both requirements can be fulfilled satisfactorily.