S&C Fault Fiter ®�

Electronic Power Fuses

Indoor Distribution 4.16 kV through 25 kV

f Continuous current ratings

to 1200 A
f Interrupting ratings to
40,000 A RMS symmetrical
f Three families of TCCs for
every coordination need

Descriptive Bulletin 441-30

April 30, 2007
Supersedes Descriptive Bulletin 441-30 dated 3-31-03 ©2007
 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

GENERAL
S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses represent a material power fuses or current-limiting fuses and are
major advancement in circuit-interruption technology completely self-contained, so they don’t require remote
through integration of state-of-the-art electronics with relaying or an external source of control power.
an advanced-design high-current fuse. The electronic S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses are offered
componentry provides current-sensing, time-current in two mounting styles; Disconnect, and Disconnect
characteristics (TCCs), and control power for the fuse. with Uni-Rupter®. The Disconnect Style Mounting is
Unsurpassed high-speed interruption of fault currents rated 600 or 1200 amperes continuous and is avail-
to 40,000 amperes RMS symmetrical is provided by able in voltage ratings of 4.16 kV through 25 kV. The
the high-current fuse section. These advanced-design Disconnect with Uni-Rupter Style Mounting is available
electronic fuses are available in S&C Metal-Enclosed in voltage ­ ratings of 13.8 kV and 25 kV, and provides
Switchgear, S&C Pad-Mounted Gear, and S&C Metal- 400-ampere or 200-ampere continuous and single-pole
Enclosed Fuses, and are offered with continuous current live-switching ­ ratings for single-phase and three-phase
ratings to 1200 amperes. S&C Fault Fiter Electronic circuits at 13.8 kV and 25 kV, respectively.
Power Fuses fit in the same space as conventional solid-

APPLICATION
S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses are available protection of larger-size transformers—and include
with a selection of electronically derived TCCs, the unique shape required to coordinate with second-
providing unique performance characteristics ideally ary-side protective-device operating characteristics.
suited for a wide variety of applications—including Underground-subloop-curve-type TCCs are expressly
many for which no fully satisfactory protective device designed for application in pad-mounted gear to
has been previously available. As shown in Figure 1, provide protection for load-side cables and elbow
time-current characteristics are offered in three types: connectors, as well as current-limiting backup
inverse, time-delayed compound, and underground protection for transformers with “weak-link” fuses.
subloop. Families of curves within each type of TCC
Inverse-curve-type TCCs are ideal for service- permit selection of the best Fault Fiter for each
entrance and feeder protection in industrial, com- application.
mercial, institutional, and utility substations. Here are some examples of the superior
See Figure 2. Time-delayed compound-curve- protection and coordination provided by Fault Fiter in
type TCCs are specially designed for primary-side key applications.

Inverse Time-Delayed Compound Underground Subloop

Time

Time

Time

Current Current Current

Figure 1. S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuse time-current characteristic curves.


 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

Service-Entrance Protection and Coordination Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses equipped with
inverse-curve-type TCCs are also a better choice than
S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses equipped circuit breakers. In the past, circuit breakers have been
with inverse-curve-type TCCs are ideally suited for applied for service-entrance protection to provide the
service-entrance protection. They provide superior higher continuous-current capability required to serve
coordination with source-side overcurrent relays and multiple in-plant feeders. But, circuit breakers are
in-plant load-side feeder fuses. Fault Fiter provides an costly and often difficult or impossible to coordinate
important “buffer” to prevent in-plant problems on the with the serving utility’s overcurrent relays. A princi-
customer’s system from affecting service on the utility pal difficulty encountered in circuit breaker-to-circuit
system. Fault Fiter also provides unsurpassed protection breaker coordination results from the adjustments
for the switchgear bus against damage from high-current which must be made to published relay curves to allow
bus faults, as well as backup protection for the load- for overtravel and tolerances in relay response charac-
side feeder fuses. The unique capabilities provided by teristics, plus fault-interrupting time for the load-side
Fault Fiter make it a superior alternative to traditional circuit breaker. These adjustments create a coordinat-
protection schemes involving conventional power fuses ing time interval (CTI) that can result in extensive mis-
or circuit breakers. coordination between the serving utility and in-plant
Fault Fiter is a better choice than conventional circuit breakers.
power fuses because its 600- or 1200-ampere continu- With Fault Fiter, the CTI is substantially reduced
ous-current ratings and 40,000 ampere RMS symmetri- because Fault Fiter’s total clearing time is defined by its
cal interrupting rating are especially well suited to the total-clearing TCC and—unlike relay operating charac-
heavier duties of service-entrance applications. And teristic curves—requires no adjustment to reflect oper-
Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses equipped with ating time. As a consequence, Fault Fiter can be readily
inverse-curve-type TCCs provide substantially better coordinated with the serving utility’s overcurrent relays
coordination with load-side feeder fuses. As shown in while still maintaining complete coordination with
Figure 3, power fuses can sometimes be difficult to load-side feeder fuses. See Figure 4 on page 4. As such,
coordinate for high-current faults. But with the unique Fault Fiter is the first economically practical protective
shape of its inverse-curve-type TCC, Fault Fiter can be device to simultaneously satisfy the continuous-current,
coordinated with a broad selection of load-side power fault-interrupting, and source- and load-side coordina-
fuses over the full range of available fault currents. tion requirements of this application, thereby meeting
See Figure 4 on page 4.

1 000

Service-Entrance
Feeder Power Fuse
Power Fuse

100

Utility
Circuit Breaker

10
TIME IN SECONDS

CTI
1

.1

Region of
Miscoordination

.01
10

100

1 000

10 000

100 000

CURRENT IN AMPERES

Figure 2. Typical installation of S&C Metal-Enclosed Switchgear with Figure 3. Miscoordination of service-entrance power fuse and feeder
Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses. fuse for high-current faults.


 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

Application—Continued
today’s demand for maximum protection with mini- main-secondary circuit breakers. Fault Fiter’s time-
mum interruption of service. Refer to S&C Information delayed compound-curve-type TCCs provide specialized
Bulletin 441-450 for additional details. features designed especially for coordination with
secondary-side equipment and superior protection
Feeder Protection of larger-size transformers installed in high-load
industrial, commercial, and institutional applications.
Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses with inverse-curve As shown in Figure 6, the unique shape of the time-
TCCs are also well suited for protection of in-plant delayed compound-curve-type TCC provides maximum
feeders involving relatively high continuous load protection for the transformer in accordance with the
currents—such as are common on circuits feeding through-fault protection curve and, at the same time,
multiple downstream transformers. Fault Fiter has maintains coordination with the main-secondary circuit
the high continuous current rating to handle such breaker. Refer to S&C Information Bulletin 441-470 for
loads, and a selection of inverse-curve-type TCCs that additional details.
can be coordinated with a broad selection of load-
side transformer fuses. In addition, feeder protection
provided by Fault Fiter can readily be coordinated with
Undergrounded-Subloop Protection
service-entrance protection, as illustrated in Figure 5. Pad-mounted transformers installed on underground-
Refer to S&C Information Bulletin 441-460 for additional distribution systems usually incorporate “weak-link”
details. fuses for protection against internal faults. Because
of the limited interrupting capability of such fuses,
Transformer Protection and concern for the momentary and fault-closing
capabilities of the elbow connectors typically used on
Primary-side transformer protection has traditionally underground loops, transformers on systems with higher
been difficult to address due to conflicting protection fault currents are sometimes equipped with expensive
and coordination criteria: the primary-side protective internal backup current-limiting fuses. S&C Fault Fiter
device is required to operate as quickly as possible in Electronic Power Fuses installed in pad-mounted gear
the event of a transformer fault but still coordinate feeding the loop, and equipped with the underground-
with secondary-side protective equipment such as

1 000 1 000

Fault Fiter
Feeder Fuse Feeder Fuse
Transformer
Primary Fuse

100 Fault Fiter 100 Fault Fiter

Service-Entrance Fuse Service-Entrance Fuse

Utility Utility
Circuit Breaker Circuit Breaker
10 10
TIME IN SECONDS

TIME IN SECONDS

CTI CTI

E E E
F F F
E
F

.1 .1

.01 .01
10

100

1 000

10 000

100 000

10

100

1 000

10 000

100 000

CURRENT IN AMPERES CURRENT IN AMPERES

Figure 4. S&C Fault Fiter with inverse-curve-type TCC applied for Figure 5. S&C Fault Fiter with inverse-curve-type TCC applied for
service-entrance protection and coordination. in-plant feeder protection.


 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

subloop-curve-type TCC, provide a much more effective The underground-subloop-curve-type TCC coordi-
and economical solution. Fault Fiter provides current- nates with weak-link fuses and accommodates the con-
limiting protection for individual transformers feeding tinuous current and the inrush current associated with
the loop (without any need for backup current-limiting energizing the entire loop. Refer to S&C Information
fuses installed in the transformer), plus unsurpassed Bulletin 441-480 for additional details.
backup protection for elbow connectors—whether the Many other applications can be addressed using
fault is inside the transformer or on the downstream Fault Fiter’s unique capabilities. Contact your local S&C
cable. And, as shown in Figure 7, Fault Fiter also Sales Office for details
provides complete protection for the load-side cable in
accordance with the cable short-circuit characteristic
curve.

1 000 1 000

Fault Fiter
Transformer Fault Fiter
Primary Fuse Underground
Subloop Fuse
Transformer
100 100
Through-Fault
Protection Curves Typical Cable Short-Circuit
“Weak-Line” Characteristic
Fuse Curve

Transformer
10 Main Secondary 10
TIME IN SECONDS

TIME IN SECONDS
Circuit Breaker

Three Phase

Phase To Ground

Elbow
3-Second
E Current
Withstand
F

E
F
.1 .1

Elbow
10-Cycle
Current
Withstand

.01 .01
10

100

1 000

10 000

100 000

10

100

1 000

10 000

100 000
CURRENT IN AMPERES CURRENT IN AMPERES

Figure 6. S&C Fault Fiter with time-delayed compound-curve-type TCC Figure 7. S&C Fault Fiter with underground-subloop-curve-type TCC
applied for transformer protection. applied for backup protection of elbow connectors and “weak-link”
transformers.

S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses

. . . In S&C Metal-Enclosed Switchgear . . . In S&C Pad-Mounted Gear . . . In S&C Metal-Enclosed Fuses


 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

CONSTRUCTION
S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses consist of The Control Module
four components: mounting, holder, control module,
and interrupting module. See Figure 8. The mounting The S&C Fault Fiter Control Module employs one
incorporates heavy-duty construction to provide sure or more integral toroidal current transformers (CTs)
guidance for the holder during opening and closing which provide line-current sensing and control power
operations, and to resist the substantial magnetic for the electronic circuitry. See Figure 9. The CTs also
forces resulting from high-current faults. The control provide the energy to operate the interrupting module
module provides the current sensing and time-current in the event of a fault. Electrical output from the CTs
characteristics for the fuse, as well as the energy to is processed by the electronics located inside the
initiate operation of the interrupting module in the factory-sealed cast-aluminum control-module housing,
event of a fault. The interrupting module carries load which serves both as a path for continuous current
current continuously and operates to interrupt a fault and as a Faraday cage to shield the sensing circuits
after receiving a trip signal from the control module. against interference from external electric fields. When
Following a fault-clearing operation, the interrupting a fault occurs, the electronics within the control
module is replaced. The control module is unaffected module initiate a “trip” signal in accordance with its
by the fuse operation and is reused. electronically derived time-current characteristics. The
signal to “trip” is delivered to the interrupting module
through a low-resistance gold-plated contact.

Mounting

Aluminum Electronic Louvered

Current transformer housing circuitry sliding contact
Holder

Interrupting module

Control module

Main-current Gold-plated “trip-signal” Threaded

path contact (not visible) connection

Figure 8. S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuse (600-ampere Figure 9. Cross-sectional view of control module.
Disconnect Style Mounting shown).


 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

The interrupting module and control module are The circuit-interrupting section—which is electri-
mechanically attached to one another by means of a cally in parallel with the main-current section—con-
threaded connection. Trouble-free, operator-indepen- sists of helically wound copper-ribbon fusible ele-
dent electrical connection of the control module and ments embedded in highly refined silica sand. Unlike
the interrupting module is assured by means of a lou- conventional power fuses or current-limiting fuses, the
vered ring-type sliding contact of the type widely used fusible elements in the Fault Fiter Interrupting Module
in circuit breakers and elbow connectors. Complete do not carry load current and do not determine the
electrical coupling is automatically achieved when the time-current characteristics of the fuse (TCCs are pro-
two modules are joined at the threaded connection. vided by the control module). Consequently, the S&C
Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuse is not subject to the
The Interrupting Module protection vagaries that can be introduced to conven-
tional current-limiting fuses, for example, when the
The S&C Fault Fiter Interrupting Module includes current-limiting fusible elements are subjected to load
a specially designed main-current section centrally cycling or repeated current surges that may alter the
positioned within the interrupting module. See Figure time-current characteristics of the element. In addition,
10. The main-current section carries load current under Fault Fiter’s fusible-element design has been optimized
normal operating conditions and is rapidly opened—in through the use of special, patented features (related
the event of a fault—by the action of a gas-generating to the current-carrying cross-section of the element)
power cartridge and associated insulating piston. After that provide unmatched high-speed circuit-interrupt-
the main-current section is opened, fault current is ing performance without producing voltage surges
shunted into the circuit-interrupting section and the that could damage surge arresters, transformers, or
coaxially wound fusible elements. other equipment.

Power cartridge Insulating piston Main-current section Silica sand Fusible elements

“Trip” signal to
power cartridge
Circult-interrupting section

Figure 10. Cross-sectional view of interrupting module.


 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

OPERATION
Modes of Operation
There are two fundamental modes of operation for
Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses: the inverse-time
mode, and the instantaneous mode that provides
current-limiting protection for system equipment and
conductors. A. Fault Detection
The inverse-time mode is employed in the inverse- Electronic circuitry inside the control module responds
and time-delayed compound-curve time-current char- to fault current and sends a pulse of energy (derived from
acteristics, illustrated on page 2. This operating mode
the fault current) to activate the power cartridge in the
incorporates special electronic counters to provide
the appropriate delayed response dependent upon interrupting module.
fault-current magnitude. An advantage of electroni-
cally derived TCCs over conventional power fuse TCCs
is the flexibility to tailor the TCC to meet the special
coordination requirements of specific applications.
The instantaneous mode employed in the
underground-subloop time-current characteris- B. Current Transfer
tic (illustrated on page 2) is designed to provide The power cartridge drives an insulating piston which
“instantaneous” response whenever the rate-of-rise severs the main-current path at the points shown. The
of line current exceeds a threshold value determined resultant arcing at these points is quickly extinguished by
by electronics within the control module. The rate-
the ablative action of the arc-extinguishing materials of the
of-rise criterion permits Fault Fiter to respond to
piston and liner. Current is transferred from the axial main-
prospective faults more quickly than conventional
current-limiting fuses—and before the current current path to the circuit-interrupting fusible elements
magnitude reaches even a small fraction of the within 480 microseconds of fault initiation.
prospective peak current.
In addition to early response made possible by
rate-of-rise current sensing, Fault Fiter’s energy-limit-
ing performance in the instantaneous mode is further C. Fusible-Element Melting
enhanced by the unique, specialized fusible elements
The fusible elements simultaneously melt in multiple
included in the Fault Fiter Interrupting Module. Fault
Fiter fusible elements do not carry load current and, as
locations, creating multiple series arcs that promote an
a consequence, have been optimally sized to minimize initial rapid increase in arc voltage. In the instantaneous
energy let-through to the fault. The energy let-through mode of operation provided by the underground-subloop
characteristics of Fault Fiter’s fusible elements, more- time-current characteristic, the increase in arc voltage
over, are unaffected by load current. Current-limiting provides efficient limitation of current to a small fraction of
fuses, in contrast, exhibit increasing let-through i2t the prospective peak current. Unique, patented features of
characteristics as the fuse ampere rating increases. the fusible elements provide back emf “voltage control” to
S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses with under- prevent excessive voltage buildup that could damage surge
ground-subloop time-current characteristics respond arresters or other equipment.
more quickly to high-current faults than conventional Fusible-element melting characteristics are similar in
current-limiting fuses, and promote more efficient cur-
the inverse-time mode of operation, except that operation of
rent-limiting action due to the special performance
characteristics of the interrupting module. A step-by-
the interrupting module and fusible-element melting occurs
step operating sequence for the Fault Fiter Interrupting after the appropriate time delay dictated by the inverse-
Module is illustrated on the following page. or time-delayed compound curve TCC.

D. Circuit Interruption
Fault current is driven to zero in a controlled fashion
as the fusible elements burn back and the arc energy is
absorbed by the surrounding sand. The integral indicator
pin—driven by the action of the insulating piston—pierces
the end of the interrupting module to provide visual indica-
tion that the Fault Fiter has operated.


 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuse Operating Sequence

Power cartridge

Fusible elements

Insulating piston

Main current path

Fusible elements

Indicator pin


 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

FUSE MOUNTINGS
Mounting Styles 200-ampere single-pole live switching of circuits rated
25 kV. Uni-Rupter offers the ultimate in live-switching
Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses are available in simplicity: a firm, steady opening pull on the fuse with
Disconnect Style and Disconnect with Uni-Rupter a hookstick is all that’s required. Since circuit interrup-
Style. tion is internal to Uni-Rupter, there’s no external arc or
The Disconnect Style Mounting is available in ratings flame. Uni-Rupter is self-resetting; a swift, unhesitating
of 4.16 kV through 25 kV, 600 or 1200 amperes continu- stroke with a hookstick is all that’s needed to move the
ous, 40,000 amperes RMS symmetrical interrupting. It fuse back to the closed position. The Disconnect Style
is designed for use in conjunction with an interrupter with Uni-Rupter Mounting provides a one-time duty-
switch and, therefore, is not equipped for live-switching cycle fault-closing capability of 14,000 amperes rms
duty. symmetrical.
The Disconnect with Uni-Rupter Style Mounting A blown-fuse indicator pin, common to both styles,
provides 400-ampere single-pole live switching of sin- provides ready indication of a blown-fuse condition.
gle-phase or three-phase circuits rated 13.8 kV, and See Uni-Rupter Style Mounting below.

Uni-Rupter

Blown-fuse indicator
(shown in blown-fuse
position)

Disconnect with Uni-Rupter Style Disconnect Style (600-ampere) Disconnect Style (1200-ampere)

RATINGS
Rating Catalog Number
Style kV Amperes, RMS Mounting
Holder
Nom. Max BIL Cont. Load Dropping Interr., Sym. (less Holder)

Disconnect with 13.8 17.0 95 400 400a 14 000 99402 99412

Uni-Rupter 25 29 125 200 200a 14 000 99403 99413
4.16 5.5 60 600 — 40 000 99100 99110
4.16 5.5 60 1200 — 40 000 99150 99110d
13.8 17.0 95 600 — 40 000 99102 99112
Disconnect
13.8 17.0 95 1200 — 40 000 99152 99112d
25 29 150 600 — 40 000 99103 99113
25 29 150 1200 — 40 000 99153 99113d

 The Disconnect with Uni-Rupter Style Mounting has a one-time duty- of times (once or twice), when operated vigorously through its full travel
cycle fault-closing capability of 22,400 amperes rms asymmetrical, and a without hesitation at any point, with the Uni-Rupter remaining operable
two-time duty-cycle fault-closing capability of 13,000 amperes rms asym- and able to carry and interrupt the rated continuous and load-dropping
metrical. The duty-cycle fault-closing capability defines the level of avail- current specified above.
able fault current into which the fuse can be closed the specified number
 Two holders are required.

10
 S & C E L E C T R I C C O M P A N Y

FUSE HANDLING
Installing (or Removing) Fault Fiter See Figure 11. This handling tool is particularly useful
for fuse handling when the mounting is located at waist
S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses rated 4.16 kV height or higher.
and 13.8 kV are easily handled using a universal pole
equipped either with the S&C Grappler or the S&C Fault Fiter Electronic Power Fuses rated 25 kV
Extra-Large Clamp. The specific handling-tool selection should be opened and closed using Grappler, and the
depends on the operation to be performed. fuse should be removed from the mounting by hand
after the mounting has been de-energized and properly
The S&C Grappler, Catalog Number 4423, is ideally grounded in accordance with local operating proce-
suited for opening and closing Fault Fiter, as well as for dures.
installing or removing the fuse. The S&C Extra-Large
Clamp, Catalog Number 4424, may be used in lieu of For more information on S&C Fault Fiter Electronic
the S&C Grappler for installing or removing Fault Fiter. Power Fuses, refer to your nearest S&C Sales Office.

Grappler

Extra-Large Clamp

Figure 11. Installing (or removing) Fault Fiter using the S&C Grappler or S&C Extra-Large Clamp.

11
 S&C ELECTRIC COMPANY
Specialists in Electric Power Switching and Protection

Offices Worldwide
www.sandc.com • Telephone: (773) 338-1000 • Fax: (773) 338-3657
Printed in U.S.A.