Book excerpt: This newly revised and updated reference presents sensible approaches to the design, selection, and usage of high-voltage circuit breakers-highlighting compliance issues concerning new and aging equipment to the evolving standards set forth by the American National Standards Institute and the International Electrotechnical Commission. This edition features the latest advances in mechanical and dielectric design and application from a simplified qualitative perspective. High Voltage Circuit Breakers: Design and Applications features new material on contact resistance, insulating film coatings, and fretting; temperature at the point of contact; short-time heating of copper; erosion and electromagnetic forces on contacts; closing speed and circuit breaker requirements; "weld" break and contact bounce; factors influencing dielectric strength; air, SF6, vacuum, and solid insulation; and dielectric loss and partial discharges, and includes updated chapters on capacitance switching; switching series and shunt reactors; temporary overvoltages; and the benefits of condition monitoring.