A Novel Approach for Arc-Flash Detection and Mitigation: At the Speed of Light and Sound

Abstract

Arc flash (AF) protection is very important for all power and process industries to maintain the safety of personnel at the workplace. As the amount of incident AF energy is a function of time, every millisecond counts in the race toward reducing the amount of incident energy to which an individual might be subjected. Since the introduction of the first AF detection technology, the ability to dynamically process not only light but also other signatures has become technologically and economically feasible - enabling faster operating times (less than 4 ms). This paper proposes a novel technology which utilizes a unique signature of the light and sound pressure signals during AF within metal-clad switchgear/cabling compartments. The detection of light and sound by means of a modern and newly developed sensor technology provides fast, secure, and cost-effective protection against AF, even for low/load-current arcing events. Furthermore, the extensive laboratory testing is presented considering various scenarios, e.g., the distance from the arc, sensor's exposure to the arc, directions between the arc and sensor head, and arcing current. The testing results are analyzed and discussed in detail.