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What Are Pneumatic Circuit Breakers?

You may think of electricity when you think of a circuit, but similar circuits can be found in other types of systems. A circuit is any kind of loop that returns to its source. Sometimes, circuits may not technically be loops, but just branches from a single origin. Pneumatics use both circuits and circuit breakers for many of the same reasons those elements are used in electrical systems.

Pneumatics
- Pneumatic systems, rather than guiding the flow of electricity, guide the flow of pressurized air or liquid -- often oil. Instead of actuating things with electricity, pneumatic systems actuate things mechanically. The pressurized air or gas can turn turbines, flip switches or actuate hydraulic pistons, potentially lifting tremendous weight.
Pneumatic Circuitry
- As with electronics, pneumatic systems can incorporate switches -- even complex circuitry with all kinds of valves and manifolds. Some functions of pneumatics may require enormous forces like that of hydraulic cells in heavy equipment. Pneumatics lend themselves very well to actuating devices like switches and lock, even delicate or precision devices. The potential exists for pneumatic circuitry to be overwhelmed with too much pressure, causing severe damage. A pneumatic circuit breaker is a safety mechanism to prevent such damage.
Pneumatic Circuit Breaker
- A pneumatic circuit breaker either stops, diverts or releases pneumatic pressure if it reaches a level too high for its designed application. You might see a need for such a device in a system that uses both high and low pressure. For example, the source of pneumatic pressure may be a pump capable of generating 1,000 lb. per square inch of pressure to lift something; the pressure may also be used to operate simple switches, which may not need any more than one-hundredth of that pressure to operate. The pneumatic circuit breaker would then respond to a predetermined amount of pressure, protecting the lighter-duty circuitry from very high pressure, should a valve or regulator malfunction.
Pneumatic Actuated Circuit Breaker
- Not all pneumatic circuit breakers refer to mechanical systems, which actuate other mechanical systems. Pneumatics can be used to actuate an electric system, just as electric systems can be used to actuate pneumatic systems. For example, another kind of pneumatic circuit breaker would be one that senses pressure in a pneumatic system, which creates its pressure by an electric pump. If the pressure gets too high, then a pneumatic control would mechanically flip an electrical circuit breaker, shutting off the motor. It may work in reverse, too: an electrical circuit breaker could be used to shut down the function of a pneumatic system.

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