Required Data - Arc Flash Page 1 of 6

Required Data - Arc Flash

The data required for an arc flash calculation is in essence the same data required for a 3-phase fault analysis
minus the device short-circuit capability ratings (i.e. device duty evaluation) and plus the grounding and
connection types for all source and branches (i.e. Y-solidly grounding, Delta connections, resistor-grounded,
etc).

Bus Data
Required data for short-circuit calculation for buses include:

z Nominal kV (when the prefault voltage option is set to use nominal kV)
z %V (when the prefault voltage option is set to use bus voltage)
z Type (such as MCC, switchgear, etc.) and continuous and bracing ratings
z X-factor (IEEE 1584-2002)
z Electrode Configuration
z Height
z Width
z Depth
z Gap between conductors
z Working Distance
z Equipment Name (not actually required, but is displayed by the program on arc flash labels)
z Insulated Glove Class (required for some labels)
z Insulated Glove V-rating in Volts (required for some labels)
z Main Protective Device Isolation

Branch Data
Branch data is entered into the Branch editors (i.e., 3-Winding Transformer, 2-Winding Transformer,
Transmission Line, Cable, Reactor, and Impedance). Required data for short-circuit calculations for branches
include:

z Branch Z, R, X, Y, or X/R values and units, tolerance, and temperatures, if applicable

z Cable and transmission line length and unit
z Transformer rated kV and MVA

z Base kV and MVA of impedance branches

z Overload Heater Resistance (recommended to consider this resistance for Arc Flash calculations)
z Equipment Cable Impedance (recommended to consider this resistance for Arc Flash calculations)

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For determination of the incident energy you will also need:

z Transformer winding connections, grounding types, and grounding parameters to determine the K2
factor per IEEE 1584.

Power Grid Data

Required data for short-circuit calculations for utilities include:

z Nominal kV
z %V and Angle
z 3-Phase MVAsc and X/R

For determination of the incident energy you will also need:

z Grounding types and parameters to determine the K2 factor per IEEE 1584.

Synchronous Generator Data

Required data for short-circuit calculations for synchronous generators include:

z Rated MW, kV, and power factor

z Xd”, Xd’, and X/R

z Generator type (i.e. Salient Pole, Round Rotor)

z Data required for generator decrement curve

For determination of the incident energy you will also need:

z Grounding types and parameters to determine the K2 factor per IEEE 1584.

Inverter Data
Required data for short-circuit calculations for inverters include:

z Rated MW, kV, and power factor

z K factor in the Rating page

Synchronous Motor Data

Required data for short-circuit calculations for synchronous motor includes:

z Rated kW/hp and kV and the number of poles

z Xd”, Xd’ and X/R
z % LRC, Xd, and Tdo’ for IEC short-circuit calculation

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For determination of the incident energy you will also need:

z Grounding types and parameters to determine the K2 factor per IEEE 1584.

Induction Motor Data

Required data for short-circuit calculations for induction motors include:

z Rated kW/hp and kV

z X/R plus one of the following:

Xsc at ½ cycle and 1.5-4 cycle if ANSI Short-Circuit Z option is set to Xsc, or

%LRC if ANSI Short-Circuit Z option is set to Std MF

% LRC, and Td’ for IEC short-circuit calculations

For determination of the incident energy you will also need:

z Grounding types and parameters to determine the K2 factor per IEEE 1584.

Lumped Load Data

Required data for short-circuit calculations for lumped load includes:

z Rated MVA and kV

z % motor load

z % LRC, X/R, and Xsc for ½ cycle and 1.5-4 cycle

z X’ and Td’ for IEC short-circuit calculation

For determination of the incident energy you will also need:

z Grounding types and parameters to determine the K2 factor per IEEE 1584.

High Voltage Circuit Breaker Data

Required data for short-circuit calculations for high voltage circuit breakers include:

ANSI Standard Circuit Breaker:

z Max kV

z Cycle (not the contact parting time but the rated interrupting time)

IEC Standard Circuit Breaker:

z Rated kV

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z Min. Delay (minimum delay time in second)

ETAP needs to know the opening time of the circuit breakers only. The SC Duty parameters are required only
for device evaluation (please see Chapter Short-Circuit Required Data for device evaluation).

Low Voltage Circuit Breaker Data

Required data for short-circuit calculations for low voltage circuit breakers include:

ANSI Standard Circuit Breaker:

z Type (power, molded case, or insulated case). This information is needed based on IEEE 1584 2002
Table1 (Power Circuit Breaker Operating Times).

z Rated kV

IEC Standard Circuit Breaker:

z Type (power, molded case, or insulated case). This information is needed based on IEEE 1584 2002
Table1 (Power Circuit Breaker Operating Times).

z Rated kV

z Min. Delay (minimum delay time in second)

Trip Device

z Trip device type library parameters

z Device settings / TCC curves

Fuse Data
Required data for short-circuit calculations for fuses include:

z Fuse ID

z Fuse library data including Size and TCC curves

ANSI Standard Fuse:

z Fuse rated kV

IEC Standard Fuse:

z Fuse rated kV

Overload Heater/49
Required data for short-circuit (Clipping kA and Sequence-of-Operation) calculations for OLH/49 includes:

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z Resistance / Tolerance

z OLH library parameters

CT/PT Data
Required data for short-circuit (Clipping kA and Sequence-of-Operation) calculations for CT and PT includes:

z Bus or Branch or Source or Load Connections

z Rating (Ratio)

Relay/MVSST Data
Required data for short-circuit (Clipping kA and Sequence-of-Operation) calculations for Relay includes:

z CT/PT Connections / Assignments

z Interlocked Devices, Device ID, Action, Delay, Setting, Unit

z Relay/MVSST Library parameters including settings and TCC curves

Other Data
There are some study case related data, which must also be provided, and you can enter this data into the
Short-Circuit Study Case editor. The data includes:

z Standard (ANSI/IEC)

z XFMR tap option (transformer tap modeling method)

z Prefault voltage

z Machine X/R (machine X/R modeling method)

z Faulted buses

z Cable/OL heater (select this option to include cable and overload heater elements for Arc Flash)

Arc Flash Analysis

AC Arc Flash Mode
Bus Editor
Study Case Editor
Display Options
Running Arc Flash Analysis
Arc Flash Sequence of Operation
Calculation Methodology
Required Data
Alerts
Arc Flash Report

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Arc Flash Result Analyzer

Enclosure Editor
AC Arc Flash Calculator
DGUV-I 203-077 AF Calculator
Arc-Flash Auto Evaluation
Capacitor Energy Hazards Calculator
Bibliography

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