Fuses are safety devices used in electronics, hydraulics, and explosives to prevent injury or damage. Electrical fuses self-destruct during system overload, while hydraulic fuses maintain equalized pressure. Explosive fuses delay detonation for safe removal.
Fuse is a term with several meanings. In electronics, it prevents accidental overloads caused by electrical spikes. In hydraulics, the term is used for the device that prevents the fluid from unexpectedly losing pressure and is used to describe different types of valves. The word can also refer to a remote or delayed method of detonating explosives. In all three cases, the device is a safety mechanism that prevents injury to people or devices.
Electrical fuses are safety devices that self-destruct to prevent system overload. In most cases, they will let an electric current pass without interruption, but when a surge of power travels through the system, they will overload the internal mechanism and burn out. This creates a disruption in the current flow and prevents the rest of the electricity from flowing into the system.
These types of fuses come in many shapes and sizes, but have a similar overall design. They have one door that energy enters and one door that energy leaves. Each fuse governs one circuit, although a single circuit may fail in multiple different fused paths after passing through the main system. When power flows through the system, the devices cause no power gain or loss. When the system overloads, a single line in each fuse melts or breaks, similar to a blown light bulb.
Hydraulic fuses are a generic term for a class of valves that maintain equalized hydraulic pressure within a system. These valves often operate through unexpected pressure changes or siphoning effects caused by moving liquid. If a system maintains a standard pressure, a valve can be set to push against that pressure. Basically, it’s always trying to shut itself down, but as long as the pressure is constant, it can’t do it. If the pressure drops, the valve can close and collect the remaining fluid before it escapes.
Also, some valves work by suction. As water moves from one chamber to another, the valve is closed by the moving water. In essence, the mechanical action is fueled by the impeding process. This valve is then held closed by the pressure difference between the two chambers.
The last common type is used in explosives and fireworks. These fuses are methods of delaying an explosion long enough for a person to move a safe distance from the blast area. For example, if a person sets an explosive charge with a 30 second fuse, he will have 30 seconds to clear the area before the blast goes off. These devices are less common in modern times, as more sophisticated remote detonation methods are used, but are still used in some common construction and mining practices.
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