Search results for " Electrical safety"
showing 10 items of 12 documents
Currents Distribution During a Fault in an MV Network: Methods and Measurements
2016
When a single line to ground fault happens on the MV side of a HV/MV system, only a small portion of the fault current is injected into the ground by the ground-grid of the faulty substation. In fact the fault current is distributed between grounding electrodes and MV cables sheaths. In systems with isolated neutral or with resonant earthing this may be sufficient to provide safety from electric shock. Experimental measurements were performed on a real MV distribution network: a real single line to ground fault was made and fault currents were measured in the faulty substation and in four neighboring substations. In this paper the problem of fault current distribution is introduced, the tes…
Series arc faults in AC and DC electrical circuits. Characterization and detection methods
2013
This paper analyzes the problem of the arc faults in both AC and DC low voltage electrical circuits. The state-of-the-art of the arc fault detection methods is analyzed together with the UL 1699 and UL 1699B Standard requirements for protection devices against arc faults (AFCIs). An experimental characterization is carried out of the arc fault phenomenon, for both AC and DC systems, focusing the attention on series arcs. The experimental measurements are carried out on a proper test bench, which has been developed in order to reproduce significant arcing conditions, in accordance with the UL 1699 Standard requirements.
The Quest for Global Safety
2007
The authors present a systematic study on the factors that have influence on the establishment of the safety conditions ensuring the rise of Global Earthing Systems. Starting from the definition of Global Earthing System given by CENELEC Document HD 637 SI and from the results of the studies done on the last years on the interconnected earthing systems inside MV networks, the paper proposes some directions of deepening on the topic of Global Safety. Some of the themes whom the paper deals with are: the correct definition of proximity, interconnection and quasi-equipotentiality of the earth electrodes belonging to a Global Earthing System; the influence of the presence of HV/MV stations on h…
Arc Fault Detection Method Based on CZT Low-Frequency Harmonic Current Analysis
2017
This paper presents a method for the detection of series arc faults in electrical circuits, which has been developed starting from an experimental characterization of the arc fault phenomenon and an arcing current study in several test conditions. Starting from this, the authors have found that is it possible to suitably detect arc faults by means of a high-resolution low-frequency harmonic analysis of current signal, based on chirp zeta transform, and a proper set of indicators. The proposed method effectiveness is shown by means of experimental tests, which were carried in both arcing and nonarcing conditions and in the presence of different loads, chosen according to the UL 1699 standard…
Characterization of DC series arc faults in PV systems based on current low frequency spectral analysis
2021
Abstract This work presents an experimental study focused on the characterization of series arc faults in direct current (DC) photovoltaic (PV) systems. The aim of the study is to identify some relevant characteristics of arcing current, which can be obtained by means of low frequency spectral analysis of current signal. On field tests have been carried out on a real PV system, in accordance with some tests requirements of UL 1699B Standard for protection devices against PV DC arc faults. Arcing and non-arcing current signals are acquired and compared and the behavior of a set of indicators proposed by authors is analyzed. Different measurement equipment have been used, in order to study th…
Current and Voltage Behaviour During a Fault in a HV/MV System: Methods and Measurements
2015
When a single line to ground fault happens on the MV side of a HV/MV system, only a small portion of the fault current is injected into the ground by the ground-grid of the faulty substation. In fact the fault current is distributed between grounding electrodes and MV cables sheaths. In systems with isolated neutral or with resonant earthing this may be sufficient to provide safety from electric shock. Experimental measurements were performed on a real MV distribution network: a real single line to ground fault was made and fault currents were measured in the faulty substation and in four neighbouring substations. In this paper the problem of fault current distribution is introduced, the te…
Caratterizzazione e metodi di riconoscimento degli arc faults per applicazioni in sistemi di bassa tensione
2013
On the hazardous situations due to the presence of HV/MV substations in urban areas
2017
The paper focuses on the hazardous situations that can rise in urban areas in case of earth fault inside a High Voltage/Medium Voltage station. IEEE and IEC/EN Standards and technical documents are examined and discussed, in order to propose some practical guidelines for a safe integration of such installations in contexts characterized by the presence of low voltage systems and not trained persons.
ARC FAULT DETECTION EQUIPMENT AND METHOD USING LOW FREQUENCY HARMONIC CURRENT ANALYSIS
2012
An arc fault detection circuit includes a current sensing circuit coupled to a line conductor carrying a current. The current sensing circuit operates to sense current and output data indicative of the sensed current. A processing circuit implements a frequency transform algorithm to transform the output data to frequency data in a low frequency range and with a high spectral resolution where a minimum short time observation window is concerned. The processing circuit identifies an arc fault condition on the line conductor by identifying differences in said frequency data between at least two subsequent observation windows and identifying characteristics which exceed thresholds.
A set of indicators for arc faults detection based on low frequency harmonic analysis
2016
In this paper a novel set of indicators is presented for arc faults detection in electrical circuits. The indicators are defined starting from an experimental characterization of the arc fault phenomenon and the study of the arcing current in several test conditions, which were chosen in accordance with the UL 1699 Standard requirements. The proposed parameters are measured by means of a high resolution low frequency spectral analysis of the arcing current, which allows to achieve a good spectral resolution even with short observation windows.