Rick Gardner ARC RESISTANT

STANDARDS &
Swgr Marketing Manager
PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
Arc Resistant Standards

Introduction – Today’s Topics

Evolution of Arc Resistant Switchgear Standards

Industry Recognition of Arc Flash Hazards

Current Standards and How They Apply

Characteristics of Arc Resistant Switchgear Designs

Switchgear Arc Testing

Applying Arc Protection Relays to Mitigate Arc Flash Hazard
Arc Resistant Standards

Introduction

Industry Trend – Improve Safety in the Workplace

Safety First through proper:

System Planning

Procedures

Tools

Products
Arc Resistant Standards

Common Causes of Arc Faults In Switchgear

Loss of insulating properties due to overheating

Dust, contamination, moisture

Voids in insulation

Human Error

Intrusion
Arc Resistant Standards

Characteristics of Arc Resistant Switchgear Designs

Typical pressure vs. time relationship for switchgear internal arc fault.
Arc Resistant Standards

Conventional Switchgear with Arc Fault in Air

Conventional Switchgear Test

Arc Resistant Standards

Evolution of Arc Resistant Switchgear Standards

Interest in Europe – uninsulated bus was common

Annex AA to IEC 298 was approved in 1981

EEMAC G14-1 was published in 1987 in Canada

Type A – arc resistant construction at the front only

Type B - arc resistant construction at the front, back, and sides

Type C - arc resistant construction at the front, back, and sides, and
between compartments

IEEE C37.20.7-2001 includes

Type 1 – similar to Type A above

Type 2 – similar to Type B above

Annex A addresses suffix “C”

Type 1C – Type 1, but also with arc resistance designs or features
between adjacent compartments

Type 2C - Type 2, but also with arc resistance designs or features
between adjacent compartments
Arc Resistant Standards

Industry Recognition of Arc Flash Hazards

OSHA 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910, Subpart S

NFPA 70E-2004, “Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace”

IEEE 1584-2002, “Guide for Arc Flash Hazard Analysis”

IEEE C37.20.7-2001, IEEE Guide for Testing Medium-Voltage Metal-
Enclosed Switchgear for Internal Arcing Faults
Arc Resistant Standards

Current Requirements and How They Apply

OSHA 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910, Subpart S

Safe practices to prevent electrical shock or burns must be implemented

Mandates that exposed workers must be qualified

Requires provisions for the appropriate personnel protective equipment
(PPE)

NFPA 70E-2004, “Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace”

Details steps to comply with the OSHA requirements

Worker training

Appropriate, safe tools

Safety program

Arc flash hazard calculations

PPE

Equipment warning labels
Arc Resistant Standards

Principle factors to determine arc flash hazard:

Available short circuit current

Duration of the arc (clearing time)

Distance from arc to personnel

Arc gap

Magnitude of arc flash hazard determined by:

NFPA 70E-2004 (3Ø, arc-in-a-box)

IEEE Standard 1584-2002 (3Ø, arc-in-a-box)

Reducing clearing time (t) lowers the Incident Energy (E) thus
lowering flash hazard
Arc Resistant Standards

Current Requirements and How They Apply

IEEE 1584-2002, “Guide for Arc Flash Hazard Analysis”

Provides means to calculate the incident energy resulting from an arc flash

Incident energy – “the amount of energy impressed on a surface, a certain
distance from the source, generated during an electrical arc event” (NFPA
70E)

Incident energy – dependent on operating configuration, voltage, length of
arc, arcing current, protective device settings, time to clear fault, and
distance to workers

Incident energy – determines the flash protection boundary and the
appropriate PPE

Flash protection boundary – area where incident energy is equal to or
greater than 1.2 calories/cm2 (potential second degree burns)

Highest current does not necessarily result in highest incident energy level
– lower current for longer durations may cause higher incident energy
level

Appropriate PPE is essential – overly conservative requirements can cause
unsafe conditions, restricting worker movement, vision, hearing, comfort
level
Arc Resistant Standards
Arc flash hazard versus faster clearing time

Arc Flash Tests

35 ms clearing time, 2.5 cal/cm
, PPE Risk

Category 1

100 ms clearing time, 6.8 cal/cm
, PPE Risk

Category 2

500 ms clearing time, 34 cal/cm
, PPE Risk

Category 4
Arc Resistant Standards

Evolution of Arc Resistant Switchgear Standards

Testing is performed with covers and doors properly secured

Therefore, arc resistance rating is based on door and covers being
properly secured

Testing is performed at the prescribed voltage and current levels

Specified flammable cotton indicators are positioned to detect the
escape of hazardous gases, plasma, etc.

Pass/Fail Criteria

Door, covers, etc. do not open. Bowing or other distortion is permitted
except on those which are to be used to mount relays, meters, etc.

That no parts are ejected into the vertical plane defined by the accessibility
type

There are no openings caused by direct contact with an arc

That no indicators ignite as a result of escaping gases or particles

That all grounding connections remain effective
Arc Resistant Standards

Arc Resistant Testing

Conventional Switchgear Test SafeGear Test

Arc Resistant Standards

Characteristics of Arc Resistant Switchgear Designs

Robust construction to direct gases to exhaust chambers

Vent flaps designed to open under pressure and safely expel gases

Special ventilation

Under normal conditions, open to allow air to flow

Under arc fault conditions, slams shut to prevent exit of gases

Double wall construction with 3/16” air gap is very effective in resisting
burn through

Closed door racking and operation of circuit breakers, PT’s, CPT fuses
Product Details – Air Insulated Switchgear

Arc resistant gear

Enhanced safety for personnel
and equipment

Flap/vent system to relieve
pressure

Patented collection chamber

Gases are safely expelled out
the roof

More than 25 years experience in
arc resistant switchgear

Design allows for flexibility in
configurations and promotes
superior safety performance
Air Insulated Switchgear Differentiators - Features

Galvalume sheet metal frame

construction

Modular construction

Isolated low voltage compartment

AMVAC magnetically actuated
breaker
 Air Insulated Switchgear Differentiators - Safety

Pioneer of arc resistant
switchgear

Closed door racking

Remote breaker racking

Automatic secondary disconnects

REA Arc mitigation relays

VisiVolt voltage indicator
Arc Resistant Standards

Characteristics of Arc Resistant Switchgear Designs

Vertical clearance above switchgear is required to ensure that gases
are dispersed properly

Where vertical clearance is not available, a roof-mounted plenum is
used to exhaust arc gases outside the building
Roof -mounted plenum vents exhaust
gases outside the building.

Separate low voltage control

compartment modul es are critical to
ensuring the integrity of the control
bus under arc fault conditions.

Two-high circuit breaker

configuration

Exhaust plenum mounted on roof of two-high switchgear in PDC building.

 Product Details – Air Insulated Switchgear

AMVAC Circuit Breaker Technology

Operating mechanism rated for 100,000 no-load operations.

Mechanism has 7 moving parts.

Virtually maintenance free (just minor lubrication in several points).

No charging time - operates like a MCC contactor.

Permanent magnet for close force and latch.

Full operation for up to 60 seconds after loss of control power.

Interchangeable with ADVAC Breakers
The REA Features

REA 101 Arc Protection Relay

Fast trip time (< 2.5 ms)

Unique fiber optic sensor technology with
self supervision

Current supervision for secure and reliable
arc detection

Easy to configure via front mounted dip
REA 101 REA 101 switches
Trip Trip
3 3

Trip 1 Trip 2

Suitable for existing LV / MV switchgear
Light I installations or new applications
I >
>
REA 103 REA 105
Minimize potential risk of injury or death
Trip 1 Trip 2
while increasing reliability

Includes standard 12 year warranty
Target applications and methods with the REA

New Equipment

Utilities

Industrial

Power Plants

Existing Installations

Medium Voltage Switchgear

Vacuum

Air Magnetic

Low Voltage Motor control
Centers
REA to upgrade existing Gear

What ABB has to offer:

Service Group can offer Arc Flash Calculation

We can design and install the REA system for customers

We can design and train customer to install the REA system

Customers can and have installed systems themselves

The REA has been tested with GE Magnablast
switchgear. If your customer needs other units tested,
let us know and we will investigate doing that too!

We have installations in Low Voltage gear too!
SafeGear & The REA Together

SafeGear offers the most complete personnel and

equipment protection for your switchgear when the unit
is in normal operation

The REA is designed to complement SafeGear and
works when the equipment is opened (and energized)
for maintenance, testing or service

The REA is like an Airbag – It does not eliminate the
need for PPE (Seatbelts) but it does reduce the energy
and in many cases, may reduce the PPE required (do
your arc flash calculation and see the results!)
Medium Voltage Road Show

ABB’s Medium Voltage
Road Show has visited
more than 12,000
customers and traveled
over 200,000 miles since
its inception six years ago

The Road Show has been
a hit with customers, and
has played a key role in
generating orders across
the US

Products featured include:

SafeGear & Advance switchgear

ADVAC & AMVAC vacuum circuit breaker

Outdoor distribution overhead switches

Control power and instrument transformers

Distribution automation protection and control relays

OVR outdoor vacuum single and three phase reclosers and
control units

Motor operated VersaRupter load break switch

LV & MV roll in replacement circuit breakers

PowerRich System

Is-limiter current limiting device

Padmount switching equipment type ME with one power
fuse and one current limiting fuse