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Energy-Based Tripping and Its Affects on Selective

Coordination
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Introduction

Changes to the 2005 and 2008 National Electric Code (NEC) forced more
careful examination of overcurrent protective device (OCPD) selective
coordination, particularly at high fault current levels approaching system
maximum bolted three-phase values. This paper examines selective
coordination methods for circuit breakers, beyond the traditional plotting of
time-current curves (TCCs) alone, for high fault currents. Specifically, an
energy-based circuit breaker tripping system, which can provide improved
selectivity, series rated combinations, and favorable arc flash performance,
is presented and examined.

Background and History

The 2011 NEC includes six references to selective coordination, which have
driven more rigorous examination of OCPD performance and interaction
Articles 100, 517, 620, 700, 701, and 708 all mention coordination or
selective coordination. The general definition in Article 100 defines
selective coordination as, Localization of an overcurrent condition to restrict
outages to the circuit or equipment affected, accomplished by the choice of
overcurrent protective devices and their ratings or settings. Articles 700,
701, and 708 further emphasize the requirements for selective coordination
for particular systems when fed by an alternative source or sources. Article
517, for Health Care Facilities, extends the requirements of Article 700 to
apply to the Health Care Facility essential electrical systems (life safety,
critical care, and equipment branches). Article 620 requires selective
coordination for elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, moving walks,
wheelchair lifts, and stairway chair lifts where more than one driving
machine disconnecting means is supplied by a single feeder.
While the rationale for selective coordination is self-evident clearing and
isolating faults as quickly as possible without disturbing the unaffected
portions of the system the methods for determining OCPD to OCPD
selectivity are not as apparent. Industry standards which define device-todevice selectivity for their full operating ranges do not exist and no
consensus has been developed among protection engineers or inspecting
authorities for device-to-device selectivity thresholds. Discussions continue
over the practicable selectivity criteria years of engineers overlaying
time-current characteristics of OCPDs to determine selectivity complicated
by examining the current-limiting interactions of OCPDs at maximum
available fault currents it is against this background that various
alternative selective coordination criteria have been introduced.

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Comparison of Time-Current Curves

Time-current curves for OCPDs show how long it will take the device to
operate under overcurrent conditions. These curves are typically developed
by conducting interruption tests on sample devices at various overcurrent
levels overload and fault currents. The device curves account for
manufacturing tolerances and are plotted under specific conditions
standalone operation and at a given ambient temperature.
Figure 1:

Circuit Breaker Time-Current Curve Operating Zones

Overload
Zone

Fault Current
Zone

Time

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Understanding Time-Current
coordination

Current

Typical circuit breaker time-current curves can be divided into two distinct
protection zones overload and fault current as shown in Figure 1. (This
protection zone concept is not common in North America; however, it helps
to clarify the remaining discussion.) Circuit breakers respond to
overcurrents differently in the two protection zones. In the overload
protection zone, the circuit breaker has an inverse-time operating
characteristic, indicating the circuit breaker trip time decreases as the
overload current increases. In the fault protection zone, the circuit breaker
operates with no intentional delay in the case of thermal-magnetic trip circuit
breakers or with well-defined short-time segment delays in the case of
electronic circuit breaker trip units as shown Figure 2.

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Energy-Based Tripping and Its Affects on Selective Coordination

Short-Time Delays for Solid-State Trip Circuit Breakers

Time
Time

Figure 2:

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Current

Current

Comparing time-current characteristics of two or more OCPDs on a single

graph is the traditional method for determining selective coordination. The
relative position of individual device tolerance bands on a TCC can illustrate
the degree of coordination and it is common for the instantaneous trip
characteristics to overlap one another. Visually an engineer may conclude
that these circuit breakers do not selectively coordinate up to the maximum
available fault current when in fact they do, given more precise examination
of circuit breaker operation. While TCCs are required to verify the
coordination of circuit breaker tolerance bands in the overload protection
zone, new examination methods will be presented to verify total selectivity in
the fault protection zone even though on a TCC they do not appear to
selectively coordinate.

Total Selective Coordination

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Total selective coordination can be defined by modifying 2011 NEC Article

100 language to include the entire operating ranges of the OCPDs up to the
maximum available fault currents. In the system shown in Figure 3, only the
loads affected by fault (If) shall be taken out of service by CB4, the circuit
breaker directly upstream of the fault. All other line-side circuit breakers
shall remain closed. This prevents the interruption of power to all equipment
where no fault occurred.

Energy-Based Tripping and Its Affects on Selective Coordination

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Figure 3:

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CB4 Operate to Clear Fault without Disturbing the Rest of the System Up to the Maximum Available Fault
Current (Total Selectivity)

Common definitions of selective coordination have been interpreted as

either 0.1 seconds, involving comparing time-current curves, or total
selectivity, which includes time-current curves but also requires comparing
OCPD behaviors and interaction for fault currents or short-circuit currents.
There are variations on how total selectivity is described [e.g., 0.01
seconds], but the intent is selectivity for the entire operating range of the
OCPDs up to the maximum fault current. While TCCs are excellent
analytical tools for determining selectivity among devices in the long-time
and short-time regions of the circuit breaker operating characteristics,
additional methods are required to determine total selectivity.
Selective coordination may be required in a variety of systems which are
discussed in NEC Articles 517, 620, 700, 701, & 708. Various adoptions,
clarifications, and enforcement practices exist in the US; as such,
interpretation of the NEC is out of the scope of this paper. Only circuits that
have already been determined to require total selective coordination shall
be discussed.

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Considerations Outside of Scope of

Paper
Ground Faults

Certain instances of the NEC, Article 517.17(B) for example, require

multiple levels of ground fault protection in health care facility installations.
While coordination among ground fault devices is desirable, only the
overload and fault protection zones of phase overcurrent devices is
considered to be in the scope of this paper. Fault conditions other than
overloads and short-circuits were not considered.

Arcing Faults

Arc flash analysis and mitigation are not considered in this paper. If the
duration of an arc flash event is limited, then the amount of incident energy
produced by the event will also be reduced. Protective devices should be
set as low as possible to limit incident energy to a minimum level while still
providing selective coordination. While circuit breaker settings can be
intentionally set to mitigate incident energy levels, which results in a system
that is not coordinated, selective coordination for the system was
determined to be of paramount importance for the purposes of this paper,
given that the NEC does not allow for any circumstances to sacrifice
coordination. The energy-based method described can provide high levels
of selectivity while lowering incident energy levels.

New Examination Methods for

Determining Selectivity
Consideration of Load-Side OCPD LetThrough and Dynamic Impedance

In order to understand the new examination methods, a mastery of

interpreting TCCs is first required. Once TCC fundamentals have been
mastered, further exploration of the TCC will reveal limitations in
determining selective coordination. A more precise examination of circuit
breaker operation is required to properly apply the new selective
coordination examination methods.

Review of Time-Current Curves and

Methodology for Plotting

TCCs show how a circuit breaker will respond to I2t in the overload region
and to peak current in the fault current regions, on a log-log graph. Ideally
an OCPD could be set precisely to trip at an exact value; however, due to
various limitations for OCPDs, tolerance bands must be plotted instead of
lines to show the values at which a device could possibly trip. These values
are conservative and can have a broad range of trip times for various
current levels for different types of circuit breakers. Historically, electronic
trip circuit breakers have been shown to have smaller tolerances than
thermal-magnetic trip circuit breakers as shown in Figure 4; CB1 and CB2
are electronic trip circuit breakers while CB3 and CB4 are thermal-magnetic
circuit breakers.

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Energy-Based Tripping and Its Affects on Selective Coordination

Figure 4:

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Time

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Solid-State (CB1 & CB2) and Thermal-Magnetic

(CB3 & CB4) Trip Characteristics

Current

The device curves shown on TCCs, produced by power system analysis

software, are taken from manufacturer published curves developed from lab
tests that show the tolerance bands of trip values when exposed to threephase bus faults in the overload zone and in the fault current zone. The
curves plotted by the software do not account for the current-limiting
capabilities that may be available in some circuit breaker trip units. An
engineer could conclude that two circuit breakers do not coordinate in the
fault current zone, albeit based on limited information contained in timecurrent curves, when in fact they do.
The current-limiting effects of circuit breakers can play a large role in the
response of other OCPDs to fault currents throughout an electrical system.
For the purposes of this discussion, only the current-limiting effects of two
circuit breakers and their interaction with each other will be considered.
Referring again to the system in Figure 3, we will only consider CB3 and
CB4. When the downstream circuit breaker, CB4, operates an arc will form
which introduces an element of impedance to the system that did not
previously exist. The amount of this impedance is based on environmental,
mechanical and electrical conditions, and can vary for different circuit
breakers. This is referred to as dynamic impedance. Dynamic impedance
can greatly reduce the amount of fault current detected by the upstream
circuit breaker, CB3. The time is also increased to trip for the amount of
current that is let-through by the downstream circuit breaker. The current
detected by CB3, for a fault on the load-side of CB4, is referred to as letthrough current. This current-limiting behavior is advantageous when
determining total selective coordination; it is a more accurate description of
circuit breaker interactions operating on fault level currents in their
instantaneous trip region. It is important to differentiate and not confuse this
dynamic impedance current-limitation from UL-defined current-limitation,
which is limiting I2t let-through to less than -cycle wave of the maximum
prospective fault current.
Overload trip times can range from seconds to hours but typical device TCC
characteristics are cut off at 1000 seconds. TCCs provide a visual indication
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Energy-Based Tripping and Its Affects on Selective Coordination

that coordination has been achieved for three-phase faults and though
these circuit breakers are subject to the same dynamic impedance
discussed earlier, for practical purposes the devices are said to coordinate if
it can be visually verified on a TCC. Because time differences in the
overload zone are seconds, not cycles, establishing overload zone
coordination with TCCs is not nearly as difficult.
Some circuit breakers can be equipped with trip units that have an
intentional time delay, when a fault is detected, to allow the downstream
circuit breaker to interrupt a fault. When these short-time functions are used,
it can be easily observed from a TCC that coordination has been achieved
when there is no overlap in the device bands for the short-time region of the
devices. Compare CB1 and CB2 in Figure 2.
The instantaneous regions of the device bands tend to show an overlap on
a TCC for many circuit breakers because the curves have been based on
the standalone characteristics for maximum three-phase bus fault values. If
dynamic impedance is considered for this region, then the fault current
observed at the upstream circuit breaker may not be high enough to cause
a trip before the downstream circuit breaker reaches its maximum trip time
for the manufacturers tolerances for instantaneous faults. Different
combinations of circuit breakers can be evaluated to show coordination at or
below certain fault values even though the TCC device bands overlap each
other in the instantaneous region.

Peak Current Let-Through

Considerations

TCC curves cannot accurately account for dynamic system impedance, so

another method will need to be used to determine if two circuit breakers
coordinate. As long as the let-through current of the downstream circuit
breaker is less than the minimum value at which the upstream circuit
breaker may trip the two circuit breakers selectively coordinate. Two
methods of calculating the level of selective coordination between a pair of
circuit breakers are discussed further. These methods are: (1) the peak
current point method and (2) the peak let-through curve method.
Some assumptions must be made in order to use these methods. If the
upstream circuit breaker has an adjustable instantaneous setting, it is
assumed that it is set at its highest value. If an electronic trip circuit breaker is
used, then it is assumed the long and short time functions being used are set
to coordinate throughout the long and short time region of both devices. Given
some circuit breakers are equipped with an instantaneous override, which
must also be taken into account. Lastly, the load-side circuit breaker current
let-through values, for circuit breakers not UL-defined as current-limiting, are
not typically published; instead circuit breaker manufacturers instead publish
tables listing line- and load-side circuit breaker combinations, and the
maximum fault current level to which those combinations are selective.

Peak Current Point Method

The peak current point method calculations are based on peak currents so the
minimum instantaneous trip level of the upstream circuit breaker must
calculated for peak fault conditions. Many instantaneous trip settings are based
on RMS values; therefore, the continuous rating must increased by a factor of
1.4142. For example, a thermal-magnetic circuit breaker rated at 250A may
have a maximum setting of 10 times the continuous current rating of the circuit
breaker. UL 489 requires a minimum tolerance for this circuit breaker of 80%.
The peak minimum instantaneous trip for this circuit breaker would be:
250A x 10 x 0.8 x 1.4142 = 2,828A
Other considerations and adjustments must be taken into account for more
complex circuit breaker functions and testing conditions such as power
factor and X/R ratio. This information can be obtained from UL 489
interrupting tests.

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If the peak let-through current of the downstream circuit breaker is less than
the peak minimum instantaneous trip level of the upstream circuit breaker,
then the selective coordination level is the lesser of the upstream and
downstream circuit breaker interrupting ratings (in RMS). If the peak letthrough current of the downstream circuit breaker is greater than the peak
minimum instantaneous trip level of the upstream circuit breaker, then the
selective coordination level is the minimum instantaneous trip level of the
upstream circuit breaker (in RMS). This method uses data readily available
to circuit breaker manufacturers (and, for UL-classified current-limiting
circuit breakers, the data is published), but it yields conservatively low
selectivity results.
Peak Let-Through Curve Method

Figure 5:

The other peak current comparison method is the peak let-through curve
method, which also involves converting the minimum instantaneous trip
level of the upstream circuit breaker from RMS to peak current, as
described in the peak current point method. The value can be plotted as a
horizontal line on the same graph as the peak let-through curve of the
downstream circuit breaker which can be obtained from data test points.
The intersection point of these two lines indicates the level of selective
coordination.

Peak Let-Through Current Curve Selectivity-for a Line-Side Circuit Breaker with a 20 kA Instantaneous
Override

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Energy-Based Tripping and Its Affects on Selective Coordination

As shown on the peak let-through curve of the particular circuit breaker in

Figure 5 the actual selective coordination level is much higher than it would
have been assumed to be when a non-current-limiting circuit breaker would
have been used. The dynamic impedance introduced by the current-limiting
circuit breaker forces the fault current to be greater than 40kA to allow the
let-through current to reach the minimum instantaneous trip of the upstream
circuit breaker at 20kA.

Energy-Based Trip System

An energy-based tripping system, while it relies on load-side circuit breaker

current limitation, is able to discriminate between load-side faults and loadside let-throughs of other circuit breakers. This method employs two trip
systems working in conjunction a conventional circuit breaker trip and a
specially designed primary trip system. The primary trip system will not trip
during the first half-cycle of a fault regardless of the fault current level. This
delay is accomplished by using various methods. One method uses a
weight and spring system to block the electro-magnetic forces that would
otherwise be used to immediately trip the circuit breaker. Another uses an
electronic unit to determine the duration of the fault and then trips
accordingly if the fault has existed too long. The delay allows the power
contacts to pop, or open, due to magnetic repulsion and then reclose. This
develops impedance which limits the peak let-through current and energy to
line-side OCPDs. In typical trip units, this reclosing action is prevented,
because it can erode the circuit breaker power contacts over time. For this
reason a supplemental trip system is used to monitor the energy let-through
and trip the circuit breaker if necessary. Tripping due to let-through energy
is called REFLEX tripping because the circuit breaker is protecting itself by
reacting to energy levels that can damage it.
Two different methods can be used to measure I2t values. One method
uses a pressure trip system that is connected to the arc chamber through
exhaust valves shown in Figure 6. When the contacts pop, the arc created
generates heat as the current passes through the air. The heat erodes the
ablative material inside the arc chamber in a controlled manner, which
releases gases and creates pressure. The pressure trip system detects an
increase in pressure and can be calibrated to trip at certain pressure levels,
which can be correlated to I2t.
Figure 6:

Mechanical Pressure Trip System

Breaking Units

Flap Valves

Fault on Phase 1
Pressure P1 >> Pressure P2 and P3

Piston

Another method to measure the energy let-through is by electronic means,

by which the sensor continually monitors the level of energy let-through
during a fault. If a certain level of energy is exceeded, the trip unit is
activated to prevent the contacts from reclosing.

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Energy-Based Tripping and Its Affects on Selective Coordination

Figure 7:

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Energy-Based Selective Coordination Diagram

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Figure 7 shows how energy-based selectivity works. A fault on a branch
circuit (A) will eventually rise to a level that will pop the contacts of the
branch and main circuit breaker. Due to the relative sizes and designs of the
circuit breakers, the branch circuit breaker contacts will separate more than
those of the main. The greater the distance the arc must travel, the more
impedance it introduces into the system, which in turn also generates more
heat. When enough heat and pressure is built up, the supplemental trip
system in the branch circuit breaker is activated. For electronic versions of
these trip units, the total energy reaches a certain level and the trip system
is activated. Once the trip system is activated the branch circuit breaker
contact is open and prevented from reclosing, clearing the fault. The main
circuit breaker did not reach a sufficient level of energy to trip and remains
closed; however, the contact separation in the main provides additional
impedance that reduces stresses in other parts of the electrical system and
allows an upstream circuit breaker to assist in clearing a fault downstream
and remain closed, providing continuous service to other branch circuits.
Because both circuit breakers are working together to clear the fault a series
rating can also be achieved for circuit breakers with a supplemental trip unit.
The energy that these circuit breakers will let-through during interruption is
typically more consistent than standard circuit breakers, because the actual
trip is activated by a more consistent and measureable quantity the loadside energy, rather than a peak current. Since the energy let-through is
more predictable, coordinating these circuit breakers with others that trip
based on the same principle is easier. The energy-based tripping circuit
breakers can also selectively coordinate to higher fault current levels with
load-side standard circuit breakers, due to the current-limiting capabilities of
standard circuit breakers discussed earlier.
The energy-based method with its load-side energy consistency, allows the
line-side circuit breaker to effectively distinguish between load-side faults
and let-throughs of load-side breakers operating on faults further
downstream. The intentional delay that allows the reflex tripping to see loadside energy does not reduce overall clearing time, resulting in higher levels
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Energy-Based Tripping and Its Affects on Selective Coordination

As a rule of thumb, line-side breakers should be selected that are 2 times

the current rating of the downstream device to achieve coordination. If fault
coordination can be verified using one of the methods discussed in this
paper and overload coordination can be visually confirmed by a TCC, then
the devices will achieve total selectivity. This simple rule and the use of the
supplemental trip units discussed not only greatly simplifies coordination
studies and system design, but also reduces the stress and possible
damage experienced during a fault in the system. These benefits can be
cascaded over several levels of a power system to provide even greater
protection and coordination.

Summary

To achieve total selective coordination, as required by some authorities

having jurisdiction enforcing the specific NEC articles, additional criteria
beyond traditional circuit breaker time-current curves must be applied. This
paper discussed methods used to accomplish total selectivity at high fault
current levels - methods that recognize circuit breaker current-limiting
capabilities, even for circuit breakers not defined as current-limiting by UL.
Most importantly, an energy-based tripping method was described, which
provides consistency by using load-side energy and achieves high levels of
fault selectivity. In addition, energy-based tripping is easy to apply (the
results are compiled in look-up tables and on-line tools) and does not
introduce additional fault clearing times or increase system arc flash
incident energy levels.

References

1. Short-Circuit Selective Coordination by Gavin Button and Mike Tobin,

Schneider Electric internal, September 24, 2008
2. A New Approach to Low-Voltage Circuit Breaker Short-Circuit Selective
Coordination by Ed Larsen, IEEE ICPS08XP21
3. Energy-based discrimination for LV protective devices by Marc Serpinet
and Robert Morel, Schneider Electric Cahier Technique ECT167

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of selective coordination without necessarily unleashing higher levels of

fault energy, including arc flash incident energy.

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