Air Circuit Breaker

An air circuit breaker (ACB) is a type of circuit breaker that uses compressed air to extinguish the electric arc formed during the interruption of an electrical circuit. It is commonly used for protecting electrical circuits and equipment from over currents, short circuits, and other electrical faults.

Here are some key features and characteristics of air circuit breakers:

Arc Interruption: When an electrical fault occurs, an arc is formed due to the flow of current. The ACB utilizes compressed air to blow out or quench the arc, thereby interrupting the current flow. The compressed air helps in cooling and deionizing the arc, making it easy to extinguish.

Ratings: Air circuit breakers are available in various current ratings to suit different applications. They can handle high current levels, typically ranging from hundreds of amperes to several thousand amperes.

Tripping Mechanism: ACBs incorporate a tripping mechanism to detect overcurrents or faults in the electrical system. The tripping mechanism may be based on thermal, magnetic, or electronic principles, depending on the specific design and application requirements.

Protection Functions: Air circuit breakers provide various protection functions, such as overcurrent protection, short circuit protection, ground fault protection, and earth leakage protection. These functions help safeguard electrical equipment and prevent damage caused by electrical faults. There are three coils in ACB Overcurrent coil, overvoltage coil & shunt coil. These coils are operates as per there name. 

Settings and Adjustability: ACBs offer flexibility in terms of their settings and adjustable parameters. For example, they may have adjustable tripping thresholds, time delays, and other settings that can be tailored to meet specific requirements.

Durability: Air circuit breakers are known for their robust construction, making them suitable for demanding environments. They are designed to withstand high electrical and mechanical stresses, ensuring reliable operation over an extended period.

Maintenance: ACBs generally require regular maintenance to ensure proper functioning. This includes periodic inspection, cleaning, lubrication, and testing of the breaker mechanisms. The compressed air system also needs maintenance, such as monitoring air pressure and checking for leaks.

It's worth noting that while air circuit breakers have been widely used in the past, modern electrical systems often utilize other types of circuit breakers, such as vacuum circuit breakers or molded case circuit breakers, which offer additional advantages like compactness, better insulation, and higher interrupting ratings. 

Construction & Working of ACB:

An air circuit breaker consists of a set of contacts, an operating mechanism, and an arc-extinguishing chamber. The contacts are made of copper or other suitable materials to carry the current. The operating mechanism controls the opening and closing of the contacts, and the arc-extinguishing chamber helps extinguish the electric arc that forms when the contacts separate.

             The ACB is equipped with a trip unit, which is a protective device that detects abnormal electrical conditions such as overcurrent or short circuit faults. The trip unit monitors the current flowing through the circuit breaker and initiates the opening of the contacts when a fault is detected.

                  During normal operation, the contacts of the ACB are closed, allowing the current to flow through the circuit. The trip unit continuously monitors the current levels and remains in a standby mode.

                  If an overcurrent or short circuit fault occurs in the circuit, the current level exceeds the predetermined threshold set by the trip unit. The trip unit detects this abnormal condition and sends a signal to the operating mechanism.

                  Upon receiving the signal from the trip unit, the operating mechanism activates and initiates the opening of the contacts. The contacts start separating, creating an arc between them.

                The arc-extinguishing chamber plays a crucial role in extinguishing the electric arc. It contains a set of arc chutes or plates designed to create a longer path for the arc and facilitate its cooling and interruption. The arc chutes or plates utilize the principle of arc quenching, such as magnetic blowout or arc splitting, to extinguish the arc.

                 As the arc is extinguished, the contacts are fully separated, breaking the circuit and interrupting the flow of current. This prevents further damage to the circuit and connected equipment.

                After the fault is cleared, and the system is restored to a normal condition, the operating mechanism can be manually or automatically activated to close the contacts. Once the contacts are closed, the circuit is reestablished, and the ACB is ready for normal operation again.

There are some setting on ACB which is help to trip the MCB.

1. Continuous Amp(Ir) :

This setting is used to vary amp rating of breaker. You can adjust this setting by 20℅ to 100℅. This setting is used when your load is too low. 

when your load is 600 Amp then it is costly or difficult to change breaker. So you can use this setting to minimize breaker capacity. 

For Example:  1000 amp ACB who's this setting is set on 60℅ then this ACB will become 600 Amp breaker instead of 1000 Amp. 

2. Long Time Delay:

This setting is used to pass inrush current through ACB without tripping. 

Sometimes motors are taking large amount of current to start. At that time if current goes above capacity of ACB then this setting allow time to pass the extra capacity current. You can adjust this setting from 2.2 Sec to 27 Sec

For Example:   1000 Amp capacity ACB is trip when current goes above 1000 Amp but if you set this setting on 7 sec then ACB will allow 7 sec to pass that extra current through ACB. After 7 sec if current decrease then ACB will not trip and current is increased then ACB is trip. 

3. Short Time Pickup:

This setting is used to trip ACB during short circuit. You can set the value of short circuit current in times ( from 1.5 time to 10 times). 

For Example: when you set this setting on 3 that means 3 time of 1000. When short circuit happen in line & current will increase upto 3000 Amp then ACB will not trip. But when short circuit current goes upto or above 3001 Amp then ACB will trip. 

4. Short Time Delay:

This setting used to provide time delay to trip ACB after short circuit happen. You can set this setting from 0.05 sec to 0.18 sec. 

For Example: when you set this setting on 0.5 sec then ACB will trip after 0.5 sec of short circuit. 

5. Instantaneous Pickup:

Instantaneous pickup setting is used to trip the circuit breaker with no intentional delay at any current between 2 and 40 times the breaker’s continuous ampere setting (Ir).

For Example: when you set this setting on  6 times then ACB will trip at 6000 Amp current flow instantly. There is a no time delay for this setting. 

6. Ground Faulty Pickup:

There are three types of ground fault as per time delay which are 0.1, 0.2 & 0.4.

This setting is used to trip ACB when ground fault occurs. ACB is trip on what amount current is grounded. 

For Example: when you set this setting on  0.4 and 20℅ then ACB will trip in 4 sec when 20℅ of current is ground. 

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Circuit Breaker

 

Breaker is static device which make & break the power supply. It is used as protective device. 

Unlike fuses, which must be replaced when they open, a circuit breaker can be reset once the overcurrent condition has been corrected. Pushing the handle to the “OFF” position then back to the “ON” position restores the circuit. If a circuit reopens upon reset to the “ON” position, the circuit should be checked by a qualified electrician.

In the following illustration, an AC motor is connected through a circuit breaker to a voltage source. When the circuit breaker is closed, a complete path for current exists between the voltage source and the motor allowing the motor to run. Opening the circuit breaker breaks the path of current flow and the motor stops. The circuit breaker automatically opens when it senses a fault. After the fault has been cleared, the breaker can be closed, allowing the motor to operate.

Below CBs are low capacity Breakers:    (6 Amp to 400 Amp) 

1. Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)

MCB or Miniature Circuit Breaker is an automatically operated electromechanical device used for the protection of the circuit from overloading or short circuit. It breaks or opens the circuit when the current flowing through it exceeds its rated limit. MCB is used for the protection of low voltage circuit 240/415 v AC having a wide range of current ratings below 125V.

MCB doesn’t trip (switch off) instantly, instead there is a time delay between fault occurrence & the breaking of contacts. Generally, they are designed to have a time delay of less than 2.5 millisecond for short circuit & 2 sec to 2 min for overloading. It is to make sure the CB does not trip every time with a momentary surge or starting of inductive load due to high inrush current from such loads such as electrical motors.

MCB does not have adjustable trip characteristics. While the breaking mechanism could be either thermal or thermal-magnetic in operation. The thermal breaking mechanism is used in case of overloading while the magnetic breaking mechanism is used in case of short circuit.

MCB is enclosed in an insulating casing. The fixed & moving contacts made of copper or silver alloy connects with the two terminal for current supply. There is an arc chute consisting of multiple conducting plates called arc splitters that dissipate the arc energy. While the operating mechanism as discussed earlier is of two types i.e. thermal & magnetic.

The thermal tripping mechanism consists of a bimetallic strip (made from two different metals having different thermal expansion) usually made from steel & brass is used for breaking the circuit in case of overloading. When the current above-rated limit starts flowing through the metallic strip, it heats up & starts expanding due to which it bents & triggers the latch to separate the contacts.

The magnetic tripping mechanism consists of a coil or solenoid that produces a magnetic field when current flows through it. In case of a short circuit or very high current, the solenoid produces a strong magnetic field to pull the lever & separate the contacts.

2. Molded Case Circuit Breaker ( MCCB) 

Molded Case Circuit breaker is an electromechanical circuit breaker having very high current ratings up to 2500 Amps. It is used in applications where the current ratings exceed the range of MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker). It offers a thermal-magnetic tripping mechanism where the thermal mechanism is used for overloading & magnetic is used for short circuit conditions. It can interrupt current around 10k – 200k amps.

The best & most prominent part of MCCB is that its trip characteristics are adjustable in any current rating. MCB does not have such a feature. MCCB is suitable for applications where normal current is above 100 amps. They are installed in industries.

MCCB can have fixed or interchangeable trip unit. The trip unit is responsible for breaking the contacts upon meeting the fault condition

3. Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)

ELCB is a type of circuit breaker that breaks its circuit upon sensing of leakage current. Leakage current occurs due to insulation failure of the wiring & it can flow through a person’s body & cause electrical shock. Thus they are used for protection against electrical shock. They do not offer protection against overloading or short circuit. Therefore, they must be used in series with an MCB.

There are two types of ELCB;

• Voltage ELCB
• Current ELCB (aka RCCB)

Both types of ELCB detect the leakage current but their sensitivity & the level of protection they offer are different. Voltage ELCB was invented before current ELCB. Voltage ELCB is inferior to current ELCB. Therefore, to avoid confusion, the voltage ELCB is renamed ELCB while the current ELCB is renamed as RCCB.

Voltage ELCB

Voltage ELCB operates on voltage level between earth & the body of the equipment. Such ELCB has an extra terminal for earth connection which is directly connected to the load or equipment’s body. If the load’s body comes in contact with the live wire, it may cause electrical shock upon touching it.

A relay is connected in series with the earthed wire. This relay senses voltage difference between the body & earth. It trips the circuit breaker off if there is a substantial amount of current flow through the earth wire due to the potential difference.

However, ELCB cannot sense the current leakage if a person comes in contact with a live wire. Therefore, ELCB cannot offer protection for other types of leakage current.

4. Residual Current Circuit Breaker ( RCCB) 

Current ELCB is generally known as RCD or RCCB. Residual Current Device (RCD) or Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB) is a type of ELCB that breaks the circuit in case of leakage current. It helps in protection against electrical shock or downed line.

The current leakage occurs when the current flows in an unintended path. In normal conditions, the current flows into the load through a hot or live wire & flows out of the load through the neutral wire.  The current leaks if the current flows out through the ground wire or through a person’s body connected with the ground.

RCCB works on the principle of Kirchhoff’s current law, according to which the amount of current entering the circuit must be equal to the amount of current leaving the circuit. It continuously monitors the current in the hot wire & neutral wire. The difference between these two currents is called residual current. When there is an imbalance in the circuit, the residual current will trip the circuit breaker.

The live & neutral wire goes through a zero-sequence current transformer (it is used for sensing an imbalance of current between the two wires). The live & neutral wire is used for current going into & out of the circuit respectively. Since the amount of current is same in both wires, their flux cancels each other. when the imbalance occurs due to any ground fault, the resultant flux induces a voltage in the current transformer which is connected with a relay that breaks the circuit.

Below CBs are high capacity Breakers:    (800 Amp to 10000 Amp) 

1. Air Circuit Breaker (ACB)

2. Air Blast Circuit Breaker

3. Oil circuit Breaker

4. Sulphur Hexa Fluoride CB (SF6 CB) 

5. Vacuum Circuit Breaker (VCB) 

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Facility Management?

What is Facility Management?

Facility management refers to the discipline and practice of coordinating and overseeing the physical assets, infrastructure, and services of an organization or facility. It involves the effective and efficient management of buildings, equipment, systems, and resources to support the organization's core operations and ensure a safe, functional, and productive environment for its occupants.

 

The role of facility management encompasses a wide range of activities and responsibilities, including:

 

1.Maintenance and Operations: Managing the day-to-day operations of the facility, including maintenance, repairs, cleaning, and security. This involves ensuring that all equipment and systems are functioning properly and that the facility is clean, safe, and comfortable for its occupants.

 

2.Space Planning and Utilization: Optimizing the use of available space within the facility to meet the organization's needs. This includes space allocation, layout design, furniture arrangement, and office move.

 

3.Health and Safety: Implementing and maintaining health and safety policies and procedures to minimize risks and ensure compliance with applicable regulations. This involves conducting regular inspections, addressing hazards, and providing training and awareness programs.

 

4.Environmental Sustainability: Promoting sustainable practices and initiatives within the facility to minimize environmental impact. This includes energy conservation, waste management, water efficiency, and the use of eco-friendly materials.

 

5.Asset Management: Managing the lifecycle of physical assets, such as equipment, machinery, and infrastructure. This involves planning for their acquisition, maintenance, replacement, and disposal to ensure optimal performance and cost-effectiveness.

 

6.Vendor and Contract Management: Engaging and overseeing external service providers and contractors to deliver various facility-related services, such as cleaning, security, landscaping, and maintenance. This includes vendor selection, contract negotiation, and performance monitoring.

 

7. Technology Integration: Utilizing technology solutions to enhance facility operations and management. This may include implementing computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), building automation systems, and other software applications for efficient tracking, reporting, and analysis.

 

Effective facility management requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving knowledge and skills in areas such as engineering, architecture, project management, finance, and interpersonal communication. The goal is to optimize the facility's performance, reduce operating costs, enhance occupant satisfaction, and support the organization's overall objectives.

Facility Management is an organizational function which integrates people, place and process within the built environment with the purpose of improving the quality of life of people and the productivity of the core business.

This combination of job responsibilities supports the operations of each organization to create an environment where the systems work together seamlessly, from the parking lot to the executive suite. Facility managers are the people who make sure we have the safest and best experience possible, by coordinating the processes that make the built environment succeed.

How Facility Management work?

Facility management involves the coordination and management of various aspects of a building or facility to ensure its smooth operation, maintenance, and functionality. It encompasses a wide range of services and activities aimed at optimizing the physical environment and supporting the people and processes within the facility.

Here are some key elements and processes involved in facility management:

• Planning and Strategy: Facility management starts with establishing goals and objectives for the facility. This includes developing strategies, budgets, and long-term plans to achieve operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.

 

• Maintenance and Repairs: Regular maintenance and repairs are crucial to keeping the facility in optimal condition. This involves scheduling and performing routine inspections, addressing maintenance issues, and coordinating repairs or replacements of equipment, systems, and infrastructure.

• Space Management: Facility managers are responsible for effective space utilization within the facility. This includes planning and allocating space for different functions, departments, and personnel. They may also oversee office layout, furniture arrangement, and optimizing space usage. 

• Health and Safety: Ensuring a safe and healthy environment for occupants is a key responsibility of facility management. This involves compliance with safety regulations, conducting risk assessments, implementing emergency response plans, and maintaining appropriate safety measures such as fire prevention systems, security protocols, and building access controls. 

• Energy and Sustainability: Facility managers are increasingly focused on energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives. They may analyze energy consumption, implement conservation measures, explore renewable energy options, and oversee waste management and recycling programs to minimize the facility's environmental impact. 

• Vendor and Supplier Management: Facility managers often engage and manage contracts with external vendors and service providers. This includes selecting and monitoring contractors for maintenance, repairs, cleaning, security, and other facility-related services. 

• Budgeting and Financial Management: Facility managers are responsible for budget planning, financial forecasting, and cost control. They need to track expenses, allocate funds for maintenance and repairs, and identify opportunities for cost savings without compromising the facility's performance. 

• Technology and Systems: Facility management increasingly relies on technology and integrated systems for efficient operations. This may include computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), facility management software, energy management systems, building automation systems, and IoT (Internet of Things) devices for monitoring and controlling various facility parameters. 

These are just some of the core aspects of facility management. The specific tasks and responsibilities may vary depending on the type of facility (e.g., office building, hospital, educational institution) and the organization's objectives and priorities.

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Technical Team

Technical Facility Management

The role of Technical team in Facility Management services is as per below:

• Ensuring all Electrical & Mechanical equipment/system is working under normal condition. 
• Attending breakdowns & complaints related to E&M system. 
• Vendor management. 
• Providing building maintenance general services,
• Managing and optimizing all costs related to technical building operation,
• Ensuring the performance of all mandatory actions related to the building operation.

Equipment/ Systems which are need to be handle by Technical Team:

• Electrical equipment ( LT panel, APFC panel, Breaker, UPS & other electrical equipment) 
• heating, ventilation, air conditioning equipment, ( All types of AC) 
• plumbing and Carpentry work,
• fire and Life Safety equipment ( FAS, CCTV, PA, FM200, WLD) 
• mechanical and industrial equipment. 

Role & Responsibilities of Technical services:

• To ensure overall maintenance and management of the site including infrastructure, common assets and services and equipment s like DG system, HVAC system, elevators and escalators, BMS, HT and LT panels, APFC panels, server rooms, data center, UPS and VFD (variable-frequency drive), pumping system, WTP,STP, fire alarms, hydrant systems, switch yard, digital application etc.
• To ensure the people management at site - selection, site induction, attendance, discipline, leave, registers.
• To ensure that AMC schedules, renewals are followed. All maintenance is carried out as per schedule and service reports are kept properly.
• To plan, forecast and execute, all the PPM / shutdown schedules in co-ordination with site team.
• To maintain documents on monthly, quarterly, half yearly, yearly basis for planned preventive maintenance of equipment s as per the audit standards.
• To identify, suggest and implement avenues for cost control, savings - maintenance, operational and energy.
• All material and equipment maintained as per 5S and Kaizen principles.
• To report all incidents within 24 hours of occurrence along with incident report to reporting manager / client.
• To ensure timely closure of any breakdowns and report to the concern.
• To ensure effective implementation of best safe work practices to maintain a high awareness of safety among all site staff.
• To lead a team of housekeeping / guest relations/ helpdesk and other site personnel and allocate shifts (wherever applicable).
• To ensure the cleaning, disinfection, sanitization as per the schedule to maintain highest hygiene standards at the premises.
• To take periodic rounds of the building for the inspection and modification of systems/procedures and note any shortcomings and plan to fix the same immediately.
• To ensure the adherence of the SOP s related to any emergency scenario (e.g. COVID19).
• To prepare and execute duty roster for all site staff.
• To prepare annual budget for the support services at site.
• To provide recommendations for the disposal, conversion or upgrade of the equipment.
• To ensure monthly bills are submitted to client as per SLA / agreement and timely collection of payment.
• To ensure all client complaints / queries are addressed within the TAT.
• To maintain periodic reports and documents as per site requirements.
• To ensure invoices being raised in coordination with the operations and commercial team within the stipulated time period. Vendor invoices need to be certified as expected by the client.
• To maintain professional relationship within vendor team and vendors deployed on site to obtain cooperation and synergy of delivery module.
• To carry out vendor performance evaluation on monthly basis and maintain score card for SLA tracking and necessary action for improvement.
• To monitor and control attrition / absenteeism of vendor staffs and make necessary arrangements to manage shortfall.
• To coordinate with vendors, checking and submitting invoices for timely pay-out.
• To coordinate for timely pay-out of vendor staff salaries.
• To organize and coordinate formal monthly meetings with the client and vendors.
• To maintain and submit attendance and overtime details as per SOP.
• To maintain statutory registers at site like muster roll, overtime register, register of fines and deductions etc.
• To liaison with statutory authorities and municipal departments for permission, licenses etc.
• To prepare and analyses various site reports like DSR, MMR, QBR etc and identify loopholes to avert crisis.
• To maintain and update database, feedback, MMR from vendors, statutory / technical compliances are met by vendors as per deliverables.
• To ensure site profitability.
• To maintain and keep records of Petty cash.
• To ensure adherence to company and client policies and SOPs.

To understand how below systems are work, click on it.

    1) Electrical System

    2) HVAC System

    3) Fire & Safety System

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Electrical System

 

Each organization is required electric supply 24X7 to run their company. In industry, it used for machinery & in IT companies, used for PC, server & other support systems. Due to that electrical energy is most important for any company or organization. 

Electric Power is the main source of our daily life activity and use of Electric Power is increasing every day in the world. Electricity is being generated through various sources i.e. thermal, hydro, nuclear, solar etc. but its transmission, distribution and utilization is almost everywhere in the world. 

There is a technical team in facility management to handle this electrical system. In this team Facility Manager, Assistant Facility Manger, Technical Executive, Supervisor & Electrician (MST) are working for continuous power supply. 

When you join any site in facility management then you need to understand the Single Line Diagram of the building.

Single-line diagrams use standard symbols for the different nodes of power systems. The power source is displayed at the top of the diagram so that the power path can easily be followed downstream from node to node and redundant power paths can be visualized side-by-side. 

• It is used to analyze a building's electrical system,

• Building maintenance staff and electricians rely on one-line diagrams to show them the way around the electrical system,

• Inaccuracy in this documentation and failure to update one-line diagrams on a regular basis as electrical systems invariably grow over time often results in increased down time when system failures occur,

• Facility supervisors may use the info found in single-line diagrams to greatly enhance the performance of service activities, 

• The single line diagram offers several benefits to the facility it outlines, especially identification of possible problem places, improved safety conformity, and enhanced staff safety.

 

The one-line diagram provides the following information:

 

• Manufacturers type designations, and ratings of devices.

• Ratios of current and power transformers, taps to be used in multi-ratio transformers, and connections of double-ratio transformers.

• Rating connections of wye and delta power transformer windings 

• Circuit breaker ratings in volts and amperes. 

• The interrupting rating, type, and number of trip coils on circuit breakers.

• Switch and fuse ratings in volts and amperes.

• Function of relays.

• The sizes, type, and number of incoming and outgoing cables.

• The voltage, phase, and frequency of incoming and outgoing circuits. The available short circuit and ground currents of the power company system, and type of ground used.

• Metered points and type of metering.

• The amount of the load on all feeders.

 

In above SLD there are lots of equipment's which is used to carry power from one end to another end.

 

1) Transformer

2) Breaker

3) Diesel Generator (DG)

4) APFC Panel

5) UPS

6) ATS

7) Mega Switch

8) Isolation Transformer

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