Characterization of series arcs in LVdc microgrids
This paper provides an empirical study on series arc behavior in low voltage dc microgrids. The response of an R-L-C dc microgrid abstraction towards series arcs is studied experimentally for varying grid inductance, dc voltages, load capacitances and load currents. In order to account for the stochastic nature of arcs, experiments are repeated multiple times under similar conditions to gain statistical significance. Thereby, insight on percentage occurrence and burn time of initiated series arcs is provided. Load side voltage response is studied to gain insight on the expected peak drop and fall time. This empirical evidence was judged to be a necessary requirement in developing a novel series arc extinguishing method from load side power electronic devices.
Real time selective detection of experimentally generated DC series arcs
Localization of series arc faults in dc microgrids is an important requirement to guarantee operational safety and uninterrupted power to end users. In the previous EPE-ECCE proceeding, a theoretical proof was provided for the selective series arc detection using a novel algorithm. In the current paper, the concept is validated by showcasing real time localized detection when series arc is initiated between point of common coupling and one of the parallel loads. Experiments are repeated several times to gain statistical significance to account for the stochastic nature of the arcing phenomenon.
Maximizing Protection by Minimizing Arcing Times in Medium-Voltage Systems
Arcing faults in the forest product industries are real risks that often lead to severe injuries and fires. From an economic point of view, the consequences due to direct and indirect costs can be extremely high as well. There are various opportunities to prevent arcing faults, but faults cannot be totally eliminated. This is why several approaches to mitigate the consequences of arcing faults have been introduced, particularly in the last decade. Several manufacturers have started to produce arc-flash protection relays based on optical detection of light energy from an arc event. In most applications, the light information is confirmed by overcurrent information before a trip command is initiated to an upstream current-breaking device. The tripping of a circuit breaker, for instance, occurs in only a few milliseconds. In most cases, this seems to be the state-of-the-art technology leading to very reasonable incident energy levels. However, it is essential to be able to minimize not only the thermal impact but also the pressure wave. This paper investigates technology aimed at maximizing the protection for the pressure wave.