The Power of Reliability

Designing and Protecting Power Distribution Systems

 Design Objective

 What are the Main objectives in designing

Power Distribution Systems

Reliability and Cost Effectiveness

 Design Objective

 Top 2 Most Common Reliability Criteria

 Power Continuity
 Minimizing Downtime and Outages
 Safety
 Personnel
 Equipment

ROI

Reliability
 Remember

85+% of all Electrical issues begin

As

Phase to Ground Faults

 What is Arc Flash?

NFPA 70E says an arc flash

hazard is:

A dangerous condition
associated with the release
of energy caused by an
electric arc

A hazard beyond shock and electrocution.

 Arc Flash Hazard

 Electrical Arcing is caused by:

 Human Error
 Loose Connections
 Insulation Failure
 Poorly Maintained Equipment
 Voltage Spikes
 Delayed Short Circuit Interruption
 Animals
 Reliability Design Objective

Power Continuity and Safety

Solutions to Mitigate the Impact of an

Arc Flash Hazard

 Arc Flash Protection and Mitigation by Design

Objective

Reduce the Amount of Incident Energy

 Incident Energy
The amount of energy
impressed on a surface, a
certain distance from the
source, generated during an
arc event.

Incident energy is measured in

calories/cm2 or Joules/cm2.

(Ref: NFPA 70E 2003 ROC, IEEE 1584)

Arc Flash Protection and Mitigation for

Phase to Ground Arc Flash Hazards

Phase to Phase Arc Flash Hazards

 Arc Flash Protection and Mitigation by Design

 High Resistance Grounding

 Phase to ground faults are most likely and
HRG Systems limits the fault current so
that no arc flash hazard exists
 NFPA70E - “HRG is a technique available to
reduce the Arc Flash Hazard of the System”
 Arc Flash Mitigation
 For phase to phase faults where arcing is
initiated fast detection and tripping will
reduce the arc energy and thus reduce the
hazard risk category
 Reduce the Time of

Detection and Isolation

One of the Key’s to Mitigation

 Falcon – AFMD Relay

 I-GARD Falcon Arc Flash Relay Detects, Initiates

and Isolates providing Mitigation in 1
millisecond
 Reduction of Arc Flash energy by fast detection
and tripping of Main Breaker
 Minimizing total clearing time
 Reliability
 Ensures fastest possible reaction time with out
nuisance tripping
 Use shunt trip of circuit breaker to isolate
 Combines Optical light sensing and over-current
protection to achieve this
Falcon – Master Main Unit
 Falcon – AFMD Relay
 Main Master Unit
 Either 20 light only sensor inputs or 16 light sensor
inputs plus combination of Slave Units
 20 Light Sensor Inputs 1 – 16 plus L1 – L4 or
 16 Light Sensor Inputs 1 – 16
 Light Sensitivity Threshold Dial is located on front of the Master Unit
 L1 –L4 Interconnect Slave Units
 Total of 4 Communication Channels to interconnect
either Arc Light or Current CR Slave Units
 D1 – D4
 RJ45 Communication cable used to interconnect
either Arc or Current CR Slave Units to Main Master
 Transmits alarms, self diagnostics, communication and
provides power
 Falcon – AFMD Relay
 Main Master Unit
 Photoelectric cable used to transmit light and or
over current detection from Slave Units to Main
Master Unit < 100m
 L1 – L4
 Input Voltage
 85 – 264V AC
 80 – 350VDC
 Output Voltage – 12VDC
 4- Isolated Solid State outputs, 1msec, trip sequence
 6- isolated relay out put contacts, 8 – 10msec
 Continuous Self test diagnostics
 Alarm Messages displayed on the Front of Main Unit
 Falcon – AFMD Relay

 Configurable tripping sequence including

delay functions for selectivity and back up
protection – Flexibility
 Arc Light Slave Unit
 Total of 6 Modules per Communication Channel can
be interconnected via RJ45 and photoelectric Cable
<100m
 10 Light Sensor Inputs per Slave Unit 0 – 9
 Optical fibre cable connects light sensor directly to
Arc Slave Unit
 Light Sensitivity Threshold Dial located on front of
the Arc Slave Unit
 Falcon – AFMD Components

 Light sensor installed directly in the line-up

 Expandable to 256 optical sensor inputs
 Over Current Slave CR Unit:
 1A, 2A or 5A, sec CT
 Sensitivity Threshold Dial located on front of the
CR Slave Unit
 RJ45 and photoelectric cable used to interconnect
Current CR Slave Unit to Main Master <100m
 Each Arc or CR Slave Unit will have a
designated address that enables the Main
Master Unit to identify actual location within
the system
 Falcon – AFMD Components

 Application suitable for LV Switchboards, LV

switchgear, Metal-clad and Metal enclosed
Switchgear
 Falcon Arc - AFMD Unit

 10 light receivers/unit
 Threshold level of light
receiver can set by
potentiometer 30 – 50k lx
 Tripping can be tested from
TEST-button
 Indication LED flashes green
when functioning is normal
 LED is turned red when light
is detected
 Flashing red indicates no
longer light detection
 Falcon Current – AFMD Unit

 Can be used for single or 3

phase applications
 Current measurement can
be from 1A, 2A or 5A
current transformers
 Threshold Current level
can set from 50… 500% of
nominal current
 Tripping can be tested
from TEST-button
 Indication led flashes
green when functioning is
normal
 led is turned red when Burden < .223VA
over current is detected
 flashing red indicates no
longer over current
Light Sensor
Light Sensor
Falcon Main Unit
Slave Arc Light Sensor Module
Current CR Module
 FALCON – AFMD Relay
 Reduce the time = Reduces the damage
= Reduces Hazard cal/cm2
= Reduces Hazard Risk
 Summary

 NFPA70E addresses worker safety and work practices

 OSHA is citing NFPA70E
 NFPA70E will be referenced in work injury litigation
 Requirements for compliance:
Perform Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
Label electrical equipment designating the required
PPE
Train workers and update work practice procedures
Deploy products, solutions, and methods to limit
arc flash hazards whenever possible – “HRG”
Reduce PPE requirements by ARC Flash Protection
Falcon Arc Flash Detection/Mitigation Relay
Thank You