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Arc Flash Protection for Motor Control

This document discusses arc flash protection in three main points: 1) Personal protective equipment (PPE) can protect users from heat and flying objects during an arc flash, but may not protect against toxic gases, pressure shock, or high sound levels. PPE also does not protect the switchgear itself. 2) Arc resistant switchgear is tested according to international standards to ensure doors remain closed and there is no fragmentation or projection of parts during an arc flash. 3) Dual sensing arc flash protection systems use both light and current sensors to detect arcs and trip circuit breakers within 1-7 milliseconds, much faster than conventional overcurrent protection alone.

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60 views10 pages

Arc Flash Protection for Motor Control

This document discusses arc flash protection in three main points: 1) Personal protective equipment (PPE) can protect users from heat and flying objects during an arc flash, but may not protect against toxic gases, pressure shock, or high sound levels. PPE also does not protect the switchgear itself. 2) Arc resistant switchgear is tested according to international standards to ensure doors remain closed and there is no fragmentation or projection of parts during an arc flash. 3) Dual sensing arc flash protection systems use both light and current sensors to detect arcs and trip circuit breakers within 1-7 milliseconds, much faster than conventional overcurrent protection alone.

Uploaded by

ija38649
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Introduction to Arc Flash

Protection

What is arc protection


What is arc flash protection - PPE
Arc flash protection can be understood in many ways

Does this protect user in case of arc flash hazard? Yes, maybe, no.
Use of PPE gives protection against heat and flying objects but PPE may not
give protection against toxic gases, pressure shock, high sound pressure, falling
or slipping, etc...
Does PPE protect switchgear against damages? No

Schneider Electric - End User Business Group – Cities Business - Energy Division – Vamp Ltd – 09/2014 20
What is arc flash protection –
Arc resistant switchgear
International standards, like IEC 62271-200, gives test specification
and acceptance criteria for an arc resistant switchgear
IAC 1 class switchgear is qualified if following criteria are fulfilled :
• Correctly secured doors, covers do not open. Deformations are accepted (with
restrictions).
It is admitted that the switchgear does not comply anymore with its IP code
• No fragmentation of the enclosure. No projection of parts above 60g.
• Arcing does not cause holes in the accessible sides upto a height of 2 m
• Indicators don't ignite due to the effect of hot gases
• All earthing connections are still effective

Schneider Electric - End User Business Group – Cities Business - Energy Division – Vamp Ltd – 09/2014 21
What is arc flash protection –
International standards

Schneider Electric - End User Business Group – Cities Business - Energy Division – Vamp Ltd – 09/2014 22
What is arc flash protection –
International standards (MV)

Two out of two -> not light only


Schneider Electric - End User Business Group – Cities Business - Energy Division – Vamp Ltd – 09/2014 23
What is arc flash protection –
“Other measures” (IEC62271-200)
Arc flash protection recognizes simultaneous over current and arc
flash and initiates trip command for CB in order to isolate fault from
the supply

Conventional O/C protection


Trip Command
Current 1
• Current value is measured over one or
few cycles > 40 ms

• Typical operation time more than 40 ms

Arc flash protection


• Regocnizes o/c and arc flash light Current Trip Command
&
• Typical operation time 2 ... 7 ms Light

7 ms
2 ms

Schneider Electric - End User Business Group – Cities Business - Energy Division – Vamp Ltd – 09/2014 24
Dual sensing principle: Light & Current

Operation based on I > (I0>)

• Light & Current & Trip


L>
• Light only
L>
Trip

Light & Current based principle preferred


• Because of the light condition, the current condition can be set
very sensitively  Early detection, detection of earth faults
• Light only condition may be applied when no external light sources
are present and low cost is essential, e.g. wind power plant
• Detection time ca. 1ms

Schneider Electric - End User Business Group – Cities Business - Energy Division – Vamp Ltd – 09/2014 25
Tripping based on dual sensing

• Optical sensors
CB
• Arc light
Trip
• Location (address)

• Current measurement (CT’s of the


Relay
normal protection system)
• General overcurrent information

Schneider Electric - End User Business Group – Cities Business - Energy Division – Vamp Ltd – 09/2014 26
Tripping time and arcing time

Relay trip time: 1ms...1 cycle

Typical arcing time

= Relay trip time + CB operation time

e.g. 7ms + 50ms = 57ms


CB time

Schneider Electric - End User Business Group – Cities Business - Energy Division – Vamp Ltd – 09/2014 27
Tripping time and arcing time

Arcing time
= Relay trip time + CB operation time

Light and overcurrent based protection

CB time

Fast conventional overcurrent protection

Relay time CB time

Schneider Electric - End User Business Group – Cities Business - Energy Division – Vamp Ltd – 09/2014 28

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