Arc Flash Hazard Calculator

Released on: September 25, 2008, 1:49 pm

Press Release Author: ARCAD

Industry: Software

Press Release Summary: Arc-Flash-Analytic v 2.0 software tool has been developed
based on IEEE 1584 Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations as an easy to
use and comprehensive instrument for calculating arc incident energy, flash
protection boundary and risk category required by N.E.C and OSHA when work is to be
performed on or near the energized equipment.

Press Release Body: The IEEE 1584 empirically derived model was chosen for the
analyzing arc flash faults since the model is capable to accurately account for
variety of setup parameters: open and box equipment configurations, grounding of all
types and ungrounded, gap between conductors of 3 to 152 mm, bolted fault currents
in the range of 700A to 106kA, system voltages in the range of 208V to 15kV, and
working distances. Reference data listing most typical configurations and detailed
procedure for IEEE 1584 based arc flash calculations has been included in the
calculator.

The calculator takes equipment configuration, gap between electrodes, grounding
type, short circuit fault current value and system voltage on input, and determines
arcing fault current at potential point of fault. Next, the incident energy, flash
protection boundary and level of personnel protective equipment are determined based
on equipment configuration, arc duration and working distance.

For protective devices operating in the steep portion of their time-current curves,
a small change in current causes a big change in operating time. Incident energy is
linear with time, so arc current variation may have a big effect on incident energy.
The IEEE 1584 solution is to make two arc current and energy calculations: one using
the calculated expected arc current and one using a reduced arc current that is 15%
lower.

The calculator makes possible both calculations for each case considered. The IEEE
1584 procedure requires that an operating time be determined for both the expected
arc current and the reduced arc current. Incident energy is calculated for both sets
of arc currents and operating times and the larger incident energy is taken as the
model result. This solution was developed by comparing the results of arc current
calculations using the best available arc current equation with actual measured arc
current in the test database. The calculator predicts arcing fault current for a
given configuration and bolted fault short circuit current. It also predicts bolted
fault current required to cause 15% reduction of the predicted arcing current for
the given configuration.

Please visit ARCAD online at www.arcadvisor.com or contact us at arcadvisor@ieee.org
for more information.

Web Site: http://www.arcadvisor.com

Contact Details: Owner: Michael Furtak, B.Sc., C.E.T.
Website: http://www.arcadvisor.com
Email: arcadvisor@ieee.org
Phone: 647-219-3457
Fax: 270-573-9840

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