Systems and methods for determining protective device clearing times used for providing real-time predictions about arc flash events

• US 7,840,396 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Power Analytics Corporation (PAC Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EDSA Micro Corporation (PAC Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nasle, Adib, Radibratovic, Branislav, Pan, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah; Kamini S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Calle; Angel J
• Application Number:
  US11/774,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20080004853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 703/13, 714/741
• US Class Current: 703/18
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric

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.

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, and

an arc flash simulation engine configured to utilize the virtual system model to determine a clearing time for a protective device on the electrical system, wherein, the arc flash simulation engine is further configured to utilize the protective device clearing time 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 determination of the protective device clearing time further includes identifying all controlling paths for the electrical system during the 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 determination of the protective device clearing time includes determining clearing times for all protective devices interfaced with the identified controlling paths.

4. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the protective device clearing time is equal to a fastest opening time determined for the protective devices on a slowest clearing identified controlling path.

5. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the protective device clearing time is utilized to determine a quantity of arc flash energy released by the arc flash event in calories per centimeter squared (Cal/cm²).

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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 the protective device.

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

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

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

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

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. The system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 14, wherein the quantity of incident energy released is measured as Cal/cm².

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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 spreadsheet tables on a display interfaced with the client terminal.

19. 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.

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 communicated by way of equipment labels generated by a printing device interfaced with the client terminal.

21. 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;

monitoring predicted data for the electrical system generated using the virtual system mode;

initiating a calibration and synchronization operation to update the virtual system model when a difference between the real-time data and the predicted data exceeds a threshold, and

simulating the arc flash event using the virtual system model, wherein, the simulation further includes,

identifying all controlling paths using a pre-determined alternating current (AC) root mean square (RMS) branch current value for the simulation, and

determining opening times for all protective devices on the controlling paths identified using a pre-determined branch current value of the simulation;

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 based on the quantity of arc energy released.

22. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the arc flash event is an alternating current arc flash event.

23. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the calculation of the quantity of arc energy released includes:

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;

calculating a first arcing energy quantity using the first arc current value and the fastest opening time determined for protective devices on the slowest clearing identified controlling path;

calculating a second arcing energy quantity using the second arc current value and the fastest opening time determined for protective devices on the slowest clearing identified controlling path; 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 arc flash event.

24. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the forecasted aspect is an arc flash protection boundary around a component within the electrical system.

25. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the protective device is a switch.

26. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the protective device is a circuit breaker.

27. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the protective device is a fuse.

28. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the protective device is a relay.

29. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the forecasted aspect is a level of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn by personnel operating around components of the electrical system.

30. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the report is communicated using graphics rendered on a terminal display.

31. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the report is communicated by way of spreadsheet tables displayed on a client terminal.

32. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the report is communicated by way of synthesized speech generated by a client terminal.

33. The method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, as recited in claim 21, further including:

creating arc flash labels displaying the forecasted aspect.