Distribution fuses of nearest future

Low investment costs and reliable operation, particularly as a short-circuit protection make distribution fuses indispensable in distribution systems. To keep pace with modern system requirements, distribution fuses need to be improved to be competitive with other overcurrent protections. Improvements are required to overcome the following problems. HRC fuses: drastic reduction of the rated power losses, cut-off currents, operating I²t and overvoltages; and creation of new more economical versions of full-range fuses. Gas-expulsion fuses: design of the gas-expulsion distribution fuses able to interrupt unlimitedly small overcurrents; and creation of sparkless gas-expulsion distribution fuses. The state of fuse technology and investigations make possible implementation of these improvements without paying too great a price. The author discusses the problems mentioned and gives some results of the investigations which could be useful by detailed solving of those problems