System for comparing real-time data and modeling engine data to predict arc flash events

• US 7,729,808 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Analytics Corporation (PAC Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EDSA Micro Corporation (PAC Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nasle, Ali, Nasle, Adib
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick; Michael D
• Application Number:
  US11/771,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 700/292, 700/293, 702/85, 323/212, 324/600, 324/601, 703/2, 703/18, 706/14
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0254 based on a quantitative model, e.g. mathematical relationships between inputs and outputs; functions: observer, Kalman filter, residual calculation, Neural Networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/367 Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods

Abstract

A system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system is disclosed. The system includes a data acquisition component, an analytics server and a client terminal. The data acquisition component is communicatively connected to a sensor configured to acquire real-time data output from the electrical system. The analytics server is communicatively connected to the data acquisition component and is comprised of a virtual system modeling engine, an analytics engine and an arc flash simulation engine. The arc flash simulation engine is configured to utilize the virtual system model to forecast an aspect of the arc flash event.

Claims

1. A system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, comprising:

a data acquisition component communicatively connected to a sensor configured to acquire real-time data output from the electrical system;

an analytics server communicatively connected to the data acquisition component, comprising,

a virtual system modeling engine configured to generate predicted data output for the electrical system utilizing a virtual system model of the electrical system,

an analytics engine configured to monitor the real-time data output and the predicted data output of the electrical system, the analytics engine further configured to initiate a calibration and synchronization operation to update the virtual system model when a difference between the real-time data output and the predicted data output exceeds a threshold,

a decision engine configured to compare the real-time data output against the predicted data output to filter out and interpret indicia of electrical system health and performance; and

an arc flash simulation engine configured to utilize the virtual system model to forecast an aspect of the arc flash event; and

a client terminal communicatively connected to the analytics server and configured to communicate the forecasted aspect.

2. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the arc flash event is a direct current (DC) arc flash event.

3. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the arc flash event is an alternating current (AC) arc flash event.

4. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the arc flash simulation engine applies Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1584 standards to forecast the aspect.

5. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the arc flash simulation engine applies National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E standards to forecast the aspect.

6. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the forecasted aspect is an arc flash protection boundary around a component within the electrical system.

7. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 6, wherein the component is a protective device.

8. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 7, wherein the protective device is a switch.

9. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 7, wherein the protective device is a circuit breaker.

10. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 7, wherein the protective device is a fuse.

11. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 7, wherein the protective device is a relay.

12. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the forecasted aspect is a level of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn by personnel operating around components of the electrical system.

13. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the level of PPE is based on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E classification categories.

14. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 13, wherein the NFPA 70E classification categories is selected from a group consisting of Category 0, Category 1, Category 2, Category 3, and Category 4.

15. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 14, wherein Category 0 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 1.2 Cal/cm².

16. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 14, wherein Category 1 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 4 Cal/cm².

17. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 14, wherein Category 2 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 8 Cal/cm².

18. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 14, wherein Category 3 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 25 Cal/cm².

19. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 14, wherein Category 4 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 40 Cal/cm².

20. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the forecasted aspect is a quantity of incident energy released by the arc flash event.

21. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the quantity of incident energy released is measured as Cal/cm².

22. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the forecasted aspect is communicated by way of graphics on a display interfaced with the client terminal.

23. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the forecasted aspect is communicated by way of text on a display interfaced with the client terminal.

24. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the forecasted aspect is communicated by way of synthesized speech generated by the client terminal.

25. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the forecasted aspect is communicated by way of a paper report generated by a printing device interfaced with the client terminal.

26. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the forecasted aspect is communicated by way of labels generated by a printing device interfaced with the client terminal.

27. A method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, comprising:

updating a virtual system model of the electrical system in response to real-time data;

choosing a standard to supply equations used in the arc flash event calculations;

simulating the arc flash event using the virtual system model in accordance with the chosen standard;

calculating a quantity of arc energy released by the arc flash event using results from the simulation; and

communicating a report that forecasts an aspect of the arc flash event.

28. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, wherein the arc flash event is an alternating current arc flash event.

29. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, wherein the arc flash event is a direct current arc flash event.

30. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, wherein the standard applied is IEEE 1584.

31. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 30, wherein the calculation of the quantity of arc energy released includes:

determining bolted fault current values for the electrical system;

determining a system voltage level for the electrical system;

identifying an equipment classification for a protective device impacted by the arc flash event;

calculating a first arcing current value and a second arcing current value, wherein the second arcing current value is 15 percent (%) less than the first arcing current value;

performing a time-current curve analysis for the first arcing current value and the second arcing current value to respectively determine a first fault clearing time and a second fault clearing time for the protective device; and

calculating a first arcing energy quantity using the first arc current value and the first fault clearing time;

calculating a second arcing energy quantity using the second arc current value and the second fault clearing time; and

selecting a larger of the first arcing energy quantity and the second arcing energy quantity as the quantity of arc energy released by the protective device.

32. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, wherein the standard applied is NFPA 70E.

33. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 32, wherein the calculation of the quantity of arc energy released includes:

determining bolted fault current values for the electrical system;

determining a system voltage level for the electrical system;

identifying an equipment classification for a protective device impacted by the arc flash event;

performing a time-current curve analysis to determine fault clearing time for the protective device; and

calculating the quantity of arc energy released by the protective device.

34. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, wherein the forecasted aspect is an arc flash protection boundary around a component within the electrical system.

35. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 34, wherein the component is a protective device.

36. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 35, wherein the protective device is a switch.

37. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 35, wherein the protective device is a circuit breaker.

38. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 35, wherein the protective device is a fuse.

39. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 35, wherein the protective device is a relay.

40. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, wherein the forecasted aspect is a level of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn by personnel operating around components of the electrical system.

41. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 40, wherein the level of PPE is based on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E classification categories.

42. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 41, wherein the NFPA 70E classification categories is selected from a group consisting of Category 0, Category 1, Category 2, Category 3, and Category 4.

43. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 42, wherein Category 0 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 1.2 Cal/cm².

44. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 42, wherein Category 1 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 4 Cal/cm².

45. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 42, wherein Category 2 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 8 Cal/cm².

46. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 42, wherein Category 3 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 25 Cal/cm².

47. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 42, wherein Category 4 denotes that the PPE must withstand minimum incident energy of 40 Cal/cm².

48. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, wherein the report is communicated using graphics rendered on a terminal display.

49. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, wherein the report is communicated using text rendered on a terminal display.

50. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, wherein the report is communicated by way of synthesized speech generated by a client terminal.

51. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 27, further including:

creating arc flash labels displaying the forecasted aspect.