Short circuit - definition
Short circuit - definition
Short circuit is a condition in electrical circuit, in which there is an uncontrolled connection between points of different electrical potential with a very low impedance between them. This connection results in a current flow that far exceeds the permissible operating standards for the circuit in question. Short circuits can occur in both direct current (DC), and alternating current (AC), and most often leads to overloading, overheating of components and serious damage to plant or equipment.
Under normal conditions, current flow is limited by the load and system components, such as resistors, coils, receivers or cables with a certain resistance. In the event of a short circuit, these elements are suddenly bypassed, resulting in a rapid increase in current. Such a phenomenon may be the result of damaged insulation, constructional errors, mechanical damage to the cables, faulty connection or external influences - e.g. moisture, conductive foreign bodies or atmospheric phenomena.
A short circuit is one of the most dangerous fault conditions in electrical and electronic systems. To prevent its effects, various protective measures are used, such as fuses, circuit Breakers, protective relays or short-circuit detection systems. The response time of these protections is crucial in limiting the consequences of a short circuit, such as fires, insulation damage or permanent equipment damage.
A short-circuit may be single-phase, two-phase, three-phase or between a phase and earth, depending on the network configuration and fault location. In high-voltage systems, the analysis of short-circuit currents is essential for the design of transmission networks and the selection of protections, and their values are accurately simulated and calculated in accordance with technical standards. In electronic systems, short-circuits are often diagnosed by analysing voltage drops and sudden changes in system behaviour.
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