Systems, devices, and methods for detecting arcs

• US 7,110,864 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Restrepo, Carlos, Henson, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kasenge, Charles
• Application Number:
  US11/074,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 700/292, 700/293, 324/520, 324/522, 324/536, 324/613, 361/42
• US Class Current: 700/293
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/0015 Using arc detectors

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments comprise method, the method comprising a plurality of activities comprising: for each of a plurality of potential arcing events associated with an alternating current: sensing the potential arcing event; identifying an amplitude-duration pair associated with the potential arcing event; assessing the plurality of amplitude-duration pairs; and determining if the plurality of potential arcing events corresponds to an arcing condition.

Claims

1. A method, comprising a plurality of activities, comprising:

for each of a plurality of potential arcing events associated with an alternating current;

sensing the potential arcing event;

identifying an amplitude-duration pair associated with the potential arcing event;

for an amplitude-duration pair that fulfills a predetermined amplitude criterion and an associated predetermined duration criterion, assigning a score, the score one of a plurality of predetermined scores, each of the plurality of predetermined scores associated with an amplitude range of a plurality of amplitude ranges, the score selected based upon a determined range of the amplitude comprised by the amplitude duration pair;

assessing the scores for the plurality of amplitude-duration pairs; and

based on said assessed scores, determining if the plurality of potential arcing events corresponds to an arcing condition.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

digitizing a signal representing the alternating current.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring a sample associated with the alternating current.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an amplitude corresponding to the amplitude-duration pair.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a duration corresponding to the amplitude-duration pair.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

summing the plurality of selected scores.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing a decay of an amplitude associated with a potential arcing event.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discriminating an arcing condition.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discriminating a non-arcing condition.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if an arcing condition is hazardous.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

treating a high frequency condition as a non-arcing condition.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

treating an in-rush condition as a non-arcing conditions.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information associated with each of the plurality of potential arcing events.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information associated with the arcing condition.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a notification regarding the arcing condition.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interrupting a circuit.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the score is based upon a peak amplitude of the potential arcing event.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the potential arcing event begins when an amplitude of the alternating current exceeds a first predetermined amplitude.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the potential arcing event ends when an amplitude the alternating current exceeds a second predetermined amplitude.

20. A machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions for activities comprising:

for each of a plurality of potential arcing events associated with an alternating current;

sensing the potential arcing event;

identifying an amplitude-duration pair associated with the potential arcing event;

for an amplitude-duration pair that fulfills a predetermined amplitude criterion and an associated predetermined duration criterion, assigning a score, the score one of a plurality of predetermined scores, each of the plurality of predetermined scores associated with an amplitude range of a plurality of amplitude ranges, the score selected based upon a determined range of the amplitude comprised by the amplitude duration pair;

assessing the scores for the plurality of amplitude-duration pairs; and

based on said assessed scores, determining if the plurality of potential arcing events corresponds to an arcing condition.

21. A system comprising:

a sensor adapted to sense each potential arcing event of a plurality of potential arcing events associated with an alternating current; and

a processor adapted to;

identify an amplitude-duration pair associated with the potential arcing event;

for an amplitude-duration pair that fulfills a predetermined amplitude criterion and an associated predetennined duration criterion, assign a score, the score one of a plurality of predetermined scores, each of the plurality of predetermined scores associated with an amplitude range of a plurality of amplitude ranges, the score selected based upon a determined range of the amplitude comprised by the amplitude duration pair;

assess the scores for the plurality of amplitude-duration pairs;

based on said assessed scores, determine that the plurality of potential arcing events corresponds to an arcing condition; and

cause a circuit to be interrupted.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising a circuit breaker adapted to open a circuit in response to receiving a predetermined signal from said processor.