Feature

Speed of Light Arc Detection...

The Fastest Solution
by John Hodson
First published in electrical line magazine.

lectrical arcing can be seriously damaging and

sometimes deadly. The phenomenon is certainly not
new, but it has garnered a lot of interest in North
America over the past few years primarily due to NFPA 70E
in the U.S. and CSA Z462 in Canada. As our understanding of the arc-flash phenomenon increases and we establish
ways to quantify and mitigate the effects of these events,
many companies have developed products and strategies
to assist in this endeavor. Some of these solutions include
risk matched PPE, dual setting protection, co-ordination
setting adjustment, zone selective interlocking, procedure
templates, training and education, qualification restrictions
and arc proofing designs for electrical equipment.

Electrical Hazards
Arc Flash and Blast

One of the major changes regarding how we now deal

with the arc-flash hazard is new methodology or calculations
to quantify the potential energy released in an electrical
system when an arcing event occurs. This calculation is at
best a liberal estimation in most viewpoints on the topic
and subject to much debate regarding accuracy and required
input criteria. Several different methods of calculation have
been developed, but typically the most widely accepted is
IEEE 1584, although this is a far cry from being accepted
universally. The most common unit of measurement is calorie/cm2 or the amount of energy developed on a one cm x
one cm area over 1 second at a given distance from the arc.
Typical values are 1 50 calories at 1/2 meter, but triple
digit results at much larger distances are possible based on
system protection settings and available short-circuit currents. One calorie of energy per cm2 is approximated by
holding your finger over a match flame for 1 second. The
onset of permanently damaging second degree burns can be
in evidence at levels as low as 1.2 calories/cm2 .
The arcing event energy is derived through complicated
formula and dependent on many variables, but in its most
simple form can be represented by the arc-flash triangle
shown in Figure 2. The three elements are identified as available short circuit current ISC, distance from the arc 1/D 2, and
the one we will be addressing in this article, the t or time the
arcing will be allowed to persist without intervention. This is
usually the most determining input to the equation and in
many ways the easiest to change. A reduction in arc burning
time can reduce calorie levels by 75 percent and more in
most cases when using existing isolation equipment. When
arc terminator or quencher type technology is considered,
the calorie levels can be reduced to below one to two calories
when properly and safely applied within design parameters.
Although a fairly new concept in North America, this type
of arc mitigation or reduction hardware has been in use for
many years across Europe and in other parts of the world.

Figure 1

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To best illustrate how arc detection by light works, we

must first understand the arc phenomenon itself. Most of
us have seen an arc flash either through a misadventure
in home wiring or more serious events in electrical power
systems. When neither is the case, lightning is an example
of arcing on a scale that only Mother Nature could envision
or establish. Air is a reasonable insulator when compared
to other media, but that is only as long as it stays in its
gaseous state. When air is broken down or modified by the
electrical field of two opposing voltage potentials, it becomes a superheated plasma which in general terms is now
a conductor. As long as sufficient potential is maintained to
keep the air in its plasma state, current determined by the
Isc of the electrical system will continue to flow, often with
catastrophic effect on equipment and personnel. The time
vs. energy or calorie curve shown in Figure 3 well identifies
the effect on equipment as the arc persists.

Electrical Hazards
Arc Flash Triangle
Shock: Contact with energized
electrical equipment

Short circuit fault current

from electrical energy source

Distance the worker

is from the arc
flash

Clearing time
of electrical fault

Figure 2

Progress of Pressure and Temperature under Arcing

T/P

I t, kA s
calories

Temperature [K]

ca. 13000 K

2105 Pa

Steel fire
(~1550C)

Pressure [Pa]
Copper fire
(~1100C)
Cable fire
(~600C)

Extensive damage to
equipment and injury to
personnel >500ms
10

20

30

100

200 ms

t
Total clearing time
with arc killer protection
1 + 2 = 3 ms

Total breaking (clearing) time

with arc protection
7 + (35 .. 80)ms

Figure 3

NETA WORLD Summer 2009

Oscillogram of a quenching test

10ms

voltage

current

VAMP 221-tripping signal

arc burning time approx. 2 ms
schwitch off by circuit breaker approx. 25 ms

Figure 4

The insulating air is turned into plasma within one

millisecond of its breakdown and at the speed of light,
or 300,000 ms, we have current flow and hence light as
we evidence during the homeowners wiring mistake and
Mother Natures awesome display. This light is of a specific
wavelength and intensity, but of most importance it is created within 0.001 second.
On this premise we develop a protection scheme based on
near instantaneous detection time after the arc has occurred.
The key component of this is the arc detector which is designed to detect and process the arc light at select points in
the electrical system where arcing is suspect to occur. This is
typically metal enclosed switchgear, indoor switchgear, cable
ducts, manholes, and transformers, but it certainly is not
limited to these locations. The detectors are typically based
on two types, which are point and loop of fiber. These very
specialized detectors are applied depending on requirements
and many times are used in a tandem or possibly redundant
situation and typically installed permanently. One company
has further refined the point sensor to include portable
personal sensor protection whereby personnel doing potentially dangerous tasks around energized switchgear would
be protected in the event of an arc flash.
Once the arc has been detected, speed of light on copper
communication and discrete nonprocessor type electronic
circuitry process the signal and operate an output or tripping relay. Hard-wired logic will establish the correct power
interrupting device to be operated which will interrupt the
flow of power to the fault. The most sophisticated of these
systems includes specially designed high speed output relays, power semiconductor outputs, breaker fail provision,
current supervision, zone selectivity, internal diagnostics,
programmable multiple contacts, supervised detectors, advanced displays and so on. In most cases by using three cycle
interrupting devices, the arcing time is reduced to well below
60 milliseconds. As indicated previously this will typically
reduce calorie levels to below 15 and hence a Hazard/Risk
Category 2 [HRC2] situation when referencing NFPA
70E or CSA Z462.
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When further reduction in energy is required or when

it is necessary to detect and clear within five milliseconds
or less independent of interrupting device operating times,
the arc quencher is another proven option. These devices
are rated up to 100,000 amperes at 1000 volts and 60,000
amperes at 17,500 volts and when applied within design
parameters can greatly reduce the effects of the blast and
temperature peak that occurs within the first half cycle of an
arcing event (refer to Figure 3, Progress of Temperature and
Pressure Under Arcing graph). The same sensing of the arc is
used, but in this case at the same time the isolating device is
operated an electronic signal operates the quenching device
which will operate in milliseconds to short the power system
conductors to each other. This instantaneously collapses the
voltage field which is maintaining the arc (ionization of
the air) and thus eliminating the arcing current (Figure 4).
At first view this may be an extreme measure, but for
many years this has been a tried and true utility industry
practice for remote substation isolation. It is important to
very carefully review all equipment and system parameters
prior to implementation. This technology, when correctly
installed, can reduce the effects of arc flash to negligible and
as well, in some opinions, eliminate the requirement for arc
resistant switchgear.
The foregoing is a brief overview description regarding
the detection of arcing events utilizing specialized optical
devices which are very precisely and carefully designed
to operate when exposed to high energy electrical arcs. It
should not be assumed that general purpose photo electronic
or photoelectric devices either alone or in conjunction with
other equipment would provide similar level of detection
or reliability. As the speed and accuracy of arc detection by
light is further realized, more and more protection schemes
will likely integrate this reliable and speed of light solution.
John Hodson has spent over 40 years in the electrical construction
and electrical engineering community. He most recently has worked in
the electrical safety field and is the Canadian technical advisor for VAMP
arc-flash relays with main office in Vassa, Finland.

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