What are the three different types of circuit breakers?

The three main types of circuit breakers are: Thermal Circuit Breakers: These breakers operate based on the principle of thermal expansion. When an overcurrent flows through the circuit, the heating effect causes a bimetallic strip within the breaker to bend and trip the mechanism, opening the circuit. Thermal circuit breakers are commonly used in low-voltage applications and are relatively simple in design. Magnetic Circuit Breakers: Magnetic circuit breakers rely on the principle of electromagnetic induction to trip the circuit in response to overcurrents. When the current exceeds a certain threshold, it generates a magnetic field that attracts an armature within the breaker, causing it to trip and open the circuit. Magnetic circuit breakers are often used in higher current applications and offer fast response times. Hydraulic-Magnetic Circuit Breakers: These breakers combine elements of both thermal and magnetic circuit breakers. They use a hydraulic mechanism to provide the time delay characteristic of thermal breakers, while also incorporating a magnetic trip element for fast response to short-circuit currents. Hydraulic-magnetic circuit breakers are versatile and can be used in a wide range of applications, offering both thermal and magnetic trip characteristics.