SIVACON S8plus Arc fault protection

in low-voltage switchboards

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Testing under arc fault protection

Not required in IEC 61439-1/2

These is a voluntary tests either at the discretion of the manufacturer or the

subject of an agreement between the manufacturer and the user

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Arc fault in low-voltage
switchboards

Origin and impact

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Definition of arc fault

free burning short-circuit through air arising from a fault between live parts of different potential
and/or between live parts and other conductive parts within an assembly.

Serial arc faults Parallel arc faults

Origin LX -LX LX - Land LX -ON

Temperature Up to approx. 6 000° C Up to approx. 13 000°C (base points approx. 20 000°C)

Current In the range of the nominal Up to the level of short-circuit current
current

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Origin and effects of arc faults

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Effects of an arc fault as part of an arc fault test

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Causes of arc faults in low-voltage switchgear

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Impact of an arc flash
for assembly
and operator

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Downtime costs

8.000 – Costs on average for an

unplanned shutdown in Oil &
Gas or Automotive Industry.
€20,000/
min
Quelle: senseye.io The True Cost of Downtime 2022

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What does the IEC have to say?

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Standards - Technical Report

IEC/TR 61641
Enclosed low-voltage switchgear
and controlgear assemblies

Guide for testing under conditions of

arcing due to internal fault

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Arc fault zones according to standard

Arc tested zone

Part of a circuit or compartment where the ignition of
an arc is made and all selected criteria
for the assessment of the test(s) are fulfilled

Arc ignition protected zone Part of a circuit within an assembly where specific
measures are provided to ensure the initiation of an
arcing fault is a remote possibility

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Arc fault protection according to standard

Personnel protection

Assembly protection

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Limiting effects of an internal arcing to a defined area

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Test setup of an arc fault test

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Criteria according to IEC/TR 61641

Criteria

1 Doors and covers do not open Arcing class A Arcing class B Arcing class C Arcing
Personnel Personnel Personnel class I
2 No parts of the switchgear combination are
protection protection and protection and
thrown away assembly assembly
protection protection
3 No holes due to burnout of the arc fault on the
outer parts of the housing designated as freely
accessible
4 The indicators do not ignite
5 The protective conductor circuit for touchable
parts of the enclosure is still effective

6 The arc fault is limited to the defined area of

the switchgear and switchgear combination

7
After the fault has been rectified or after the
affected functional units have been
disconnected or removed in the defined area,
emergency operation of the remaining
switchgear combination is possible

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Preventive and passive
Protective measures

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Preventive measures to avoid arc faults
Proper planning in SIMARIS project/curves

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Terms and definitions

• Rated operating voltage Ue

• Design short-term resistance Icw

• Switching capacity of the incoming breakers, or outgoing breakers Icu

• Permissible short-circuit current under arcing conditions Ip arc

• Permissible arc duration tarc or test duration td

• Permissible conditional short-circuit current under arcing conditions Ipc arc

• Permissible short-circuit current under self-extinguishing arcing conditions Ips arc

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Measure to avoid electric arc faults
Uniform operating concept

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Measures to prevent and limit arc faults

Preventive protective measures

• Prevention of operator errors due to interlocks
• Insulation of live parts
• Main busbar, customer connection
• Use of shutters
• Withdrawable units, ACB 3WA
• Coding of withdrawable units

Reactive protective measures

• Arc-proof hinge and locking systems
• Protective measures on front ventilation openings
• Pressure relief dampers in the roof
• Arc Fault Barriers

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Test under arcing condition

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Thermal effects over time

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Active arc fault protection

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Arc Detection
Integration and testing according to IEC/TS 63107

Components
02 02 02 02 02 02
01 Basic unit AQ110 for
12 Sensor (IACD)

02 02 Optical Sensors (light)

05
03 Current transformer (in incomer)
04
04
Circuit breaker (incomer)
with voltage release 5 % ED
01
05 Arc quenching device (AQD)
02 03
Combined sensor
06 (Light and Pressure)

02 02 02 02 02 06

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Effects of pressure over time

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Design of AQD

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Limitation of active measures to pressure and temperature

IACD+AQD

IACD+AQD

IACD+ACB

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Test with activated arc quenching device

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Advantages of AQD

Reusable
Two full-load operations under
fault conditions
with simple reset mechanism

Testable

up to 100 test cycles

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Summary – Conclusion

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Summary – Conclusion

Arc fault as a worst-case Conversion of large amounts of energy in Effects: Flash of light, large current surge,
in an assembly the shortest possible time – considerable explosive pressure surge
potential of damage

Considerable downtime costs possible –

Definition by IEC 61439-2, IEC/TR 61641, Differentiation according to arc flash avoidance/limitation of the arc fault
IEC/TS 63107 categories (A, B, C, I) necessary

Active arc fault mitigation

Preventive, passive and with IACD+AQD Measures to reduce/minimize damage
active measures Active arc fault detection with IAMS and downtime costs

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Whitepaper
Arc fault prevention and protection

Download Whitepaper

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 Visit us at the Hannover fair

© Deutsche Messe AG
22/04/24 – 26/04/24 Hall 9

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 Contact
Siemens AG Siemens AG
Andreas Stoecker Martin Sichting
Product Manager SIVACON S8plus Promoter SIVACON S8plus
Suedstr. 74 Schützenstr. 4-10
04178 Leipzig 04103 Leipzig
GERMANY GERMANY

+49 (152) 28864828 +49 (152) 02385384

stoecker.andreas@siemens.com martin.sichting@siemens.com

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Contact / Disclaimer
Published by Siemens 2024

Smart Infrastructure
Electrification & Automation
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For the U.S. published by
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© Siemens 2024
Subject to changes and errors. The information given in this
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