The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2225-5HN32-0HC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated 250 A continuous at 40 °C, with a maximum interrupting capacity of 187 kA at 240 V AC. That interrupting figure drops to 121 kA at 415 V and 4.5 kA at 690 V — so the voltage class of your distribution determines whether this breaker clears a bolted fault or lets it ride upstream. At 250 A it's sized for a main feeder or a large motor branch circuit in a 400 V industrial panel; the 48 W maximum power loss means the enclosure needs some ventilation if you're packing several of these side by side.
Selectivity and coordination — the derating curve matters
The breaker holds its full 250 A rating from 40 °C through 50 °C, then derates linearly to 213 A at 70 °C. That's the number a panel designer uses for continuous load calculations in a warm enclosure — not the 250 A nameplate. The line-protection design means it's set up for cable and busbar protection, not motor overload; pair it with a separate overload relay if the load is a motor.
Built-in auxiliaries and releases — what ships on the frame
That shunt trip lets a remote emergency-stop or PLC output trip the breaker without a handle operator — useful for safety circuits or remote disconnect. No undervoltage release, no ground-fault module, no communication module. The basic switch is order code 3VA2225-5HN32-0AA0, so if you're stocking spares for the internal mechanism, that's the number to cross-reference.