Posted to News on 22nd Jul 2008, 11:42
High-precision circuit breakers cope with mains surges
Process continuity is vital in many engineering and process applications where non-critical electrical anomalies cannot be permitted to interrupt the process. The new ranges of high-precision hydraulic-magnetic circuit breakers available from Rowe Hankins are designed to ensure complete circuit protection confidence. The breakers address the need for assured protection with maximum uptime - even where mains power supply may be subject to exceptional, but transient, surges. The company is the UK distributor for Swiss-engineered Eaton Heinemann breakers and supplies devices from 0.01 to 1200A.
Rowe Hankins managing director Toni Hankins explains: "In engineering, many JIT-driven supply chains are extremely vulnerable to production interruption, placing added value operations down the chain in jeopardy. In process industries too, remote monitoring and control mean that organisations are now at greater risk. Many locations will be protected by UPS and backup generators. However, few operators realise the disruption that can arise when high in-rush currents, below the critical trip level, activate breakers or when wrongly specified breakers allow spikes through to damage the systems."
Hydraulic-magnetic breakers offer precise, specification-assured, nuisance-free tripping. They can operate continuously at 100 per cent of their rated current - and are very tolerant of extremes in environmental temperature. Tolerant of shock and vibration, they are unaffected by high in-rush currents and will only trip at their rated capacity. They can be specified with differing time delay curves to compensate for electrical anomalies. There are many options available to permit customisation to the application including integrated auxiliary switches, alarms, remote off indicators, illuminated rocker and DIN rail attachments.
The Eaton Heinemann breakers are available in a range of packages to suit different applications. These include single-pole and multi-pole units and large, standard and compact frame breakers. Environmental protection, from IP20 to IP65, makes them suitable for use in highly controlled equipment rooms through to harsh unpredictable industrial environments. The breakers cater for almost every need from high-power applications to breakers for instrumentation.
Equipment performance has been tested and approved by independent authorities including VDE, UL and CSA. As the exclusive UK distributor for Eaton Heinemann hydraulic-magnetic breakers for over 20 years, Rowe Hankins claims that it has unrivalled applications experience and can offer technical support to any engineer seeking selection advice. As a manufacturing distributor, Rowe Hankins can pre-assemble subsystems to improve OEM clients speed efficiency and productivity.
