What is Arc Flash?

By John C. Pfeiffer, P.E., president, Pfeiffer

Engineering Co., Inc., Louisville, Kentucky
Arc Flsh is the result of rpid relese of energy
due to n rcing fult !et"een phse !us !r nd
nother phse !us !r, neutrl or ground. #uring
n rc fult the ir is the conductor. Arc fults re
generlly li$ited to syste$s "here the !us voltge is
in e%cess of &'( volts. Lo"er voltge levels nor$lly
"ill not sustin n rc. An rc fult is si$ilr to the rc
o!tined during electric "elding nd the fult hs to
!e $nully strted !y so$ething creting the pth of
conduction or filure such s !rekdo"n in
insultion.
)he cuse of the short nor$lly !urns "y during
the initil flsh nd the rc fult is then sustined !y
the est!lish$ent of highly*conductive pls$. )he
pls$ "ill conduct s $uch energy s is vil!le
nd is only li$ited !y the i$pednce of the rc. )his
$ssive energy dischrge !urns the !us !rs,
vpori+ing the copper nd thus cusing n e%plosive
volu$etric increse, the rc !lst, conservtively
esti$ted, s n e%pnsion of ,(,((( to &. )his fiery
e%plosion devsttes everything in its pth, creting
dedly shrpnel s it dissiptes.
)he rc fult current is usully $uch less thn the
vil!le !olted fult current nd !elo" the rting of
circuit !rekers. -nless these devices hve !een
selected to hndle the rc fult condition, they "ill not
trip nd the full force of n rc flsh "ill occur. )he
electricl e.ution for energy is volts % current % ti$e.
)he trnsition fro$ rc fult to rc flsh tkes finite
ti$e, incresing in intensity s the pressure "ve
develops. )he chllenge is to sense the rc fult
current nd shut off the voltge in ti$ely $nner
!efore it develops into serious rc flsh condition.
Why the focus on Arc Flash?
In the erly &/0(1s pper 2)he 3ther Electricl 4+rd5 Electric Arc Blst Burns2 !y 6lph Lee
"s pu!lished in the IEEE )rnsctions on Industril Applictions. )he effect of this pper "s to
reli+e the need to protect people fro$ the h+rds of rc flsh. Four seprte industry stndrds
concern the prevention of rc flsh incidents5
374A '/ Code of Federl 6egultions 8CF69 Prt &/&( 7u!prt 7.
:FPA ;(*'((' :tionl Electricl Code.
:FPA ;(E*'((( 7tndrd for Electricl 7fety 6e.uire$ents for E$ployee <orkplces.
IEEE 7tndrd &=0,*'((' >uide for Perfor$ing Arc Flsh 4+rd Clcultions.
Co$plince "ith 374A involves dherence to si%*point pln5
A fcility $ust provide, nd !e !le to de$onstrte, sfety progr$ "ith defined
responsi!ilities.
Clcultions for the degree of rc flsh h+rd.
Correct personl protective e.uip$ent 8PPE9 for "orkers.
)rining for "orkers on the h+rds of rc flsh.
Approprite tools for sfe "orking.
<rning l!els on e.uip$ent. :ote tht the l!els re provided !y the e.uip$ent
o"ners, not the $nufcturers. It is e%pected tht the ne%t revision of the :tionl
Electric Code "ill re.uire tht the l!els contin the e.uip$ent1s flsh protection
!oundry, its incident energy level, nd the re.uired personl protective e.uip$ent
8PPE9.

Co$pnies "ill !e cited nd fined for not co$plying "ith these stndrds.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Ctegories of PPE s descri!ed in :FPA ;(E re5
Category Cal/cm
2
Clothing
( &.' -ntreted Cotton
& = Fl$e retrdnt 8F69 shirt nd F6 pnts
' 0 Cotton under"er F6 shirt nd F6 pnts
? '=
Cotton under"er F6 shirt, F6 pnts nd F6
coverlls
, ,(
Cotton under"er F6 shirt, F6 pnts nd dou!le
lyer s"itching cot nd pnts
Cl@c$' re the units of incident energy tht the PPE cn "ithstnd. :ote tht hrd ht "ith
full*fce shield nd the pproprite gloves re re.uired lso.
teps require! for a flash ha"ar! analysis
)o perfor$ n rc flsh h+rd nlysis, dt is collected !out the fcility1s po"er distri!ution
syste$. )he dt includes the rrnge$ent of co$ponents on one*line dr"ing "ith n$eplte
specifictions of every device. Also re.uired re detils of the lengths nd cross section re of
ll c!les. )he utility should !e contcted for infor$tion including the $ini$u$ nd $%i$u$
fult currents tht cn !e e%pected t the entrnce to the fcility. 3nce the dt hs !een
collected, short circuit nlysis follo"ed !y coordintion study should !e perfor$ed. )he
resultnt dt cn then !e fed into the e.utions descri!ed !y either :FPA ;(E*'((( or IEEE
7tndrd &=0,*'(('. )hese e.utions "ill produce the necessry flsh protection !oundry
distnces nd incident energy to deter$ine the $ini$u$ PPE re.uire$ent.
Flash ha"ar! analysis # a ne$ approach
3nce the dt is prepred nd flsh h+rd nlysis hs !een perfor$ed, $ost likely it "ill !e
discovered tht ctegory , PPE "ill !e re.uired in $ost plces. )his is $ost unfortunte s this
type of PPE is very un"ieldy nd could !e costly in ter$s of ti$e tken to perfor$ "ork nd the
potentil for $istkes. Prior to the ne" rc flsh regultions, coordintion studies "ere trgeted t
reli!ility "ith ll settings dAusted to"rds the high side. Co$plince "ith the ne" rc flsh
regultions $ens tht not only does the coordintion study need to !e $ore ccurte !ut it lso
needs to tke into ccount the fct tht the rc fult current is less thn the !olted fult current.
)he dt cn !e used to perfor$ sensitivity study to dAust !reker@fuse chrcteristics to lo"er
the PPE re.uire$ent. )o chieve this gol, the e%isting !rekers $y need to !e replced,
generlly !y $ore $odern counterprts. 3ld !rekers hve reltively slo" rection ti$es nd "ill
trip t too high current. )o li$it the flsh h+rd the !rekers re dAusted to trip erlier thn
!efore. It is e%pected tht the outco$e of this sensitivity study, "hen i$ple$ented, "ill result in
$ost ctegory , PPE re.uire$ents !eing decresed to ctegory & or '.
hort#Circuit tu!y
)he short*circuit study is !sed on revie" of one*line dr"ings. )he dr"ings $ust !e creted
if they do not e%ist, nd field*verified if they do. B%i$u$ vil!le fult current is clculted t
ech significnt point in syste$. Ech interrupting protective device is then nly+ed to deter$ine
"hether it is ppropritely designed nd si+ed to interrupt the circuit in the event of !olted type
of short circuit. :e%t, the ssocited e.uip$ent $ust !e revie"ed to insure tht the !us !r is
de.utely !rced to hndle the vil!le fult current. Finlly, the !olted fult currents re
converted into rc fult currents for dditionl nlysis.
Coor!ination tu!y
A coordintion study is the e%$intion of the electricl syste$ nd vil!le docu$enttion "ith
the gol of ensuring tht over*current protection devices re properly designed nd coordinted.
3ver*current protective devices re rted, selected nd dAusted so only the fult current crrying
device nerest the fult opens to isolte fulted circuit fro$ the syste$. )his per$its the rest of
the syste$ to re$in in opertion, providing $%i$u$ service continuity. )he study consists of
ti$e*current coordintion curves tht illustrte coordintion $ong the devices sho"n on the one*
line digr$. :ote tht protective devices re set or dAusted so tht pickup currents nd
operting ti$es re short !ut sufficient to override syste$ trnsient overlods such s inrush
currents e%perienced "hen energi+ing trnsfor$ers or strting $otors.
%he Pro&lems
:o" tht the h+rds ssocited "ith rc flsh hve !een !rought to our ttention, "e fce the
pro!le$ of trying to eli$inte or t lest reduce those h+rds. )he follo"ing discusses so$e of
these pro!le$s nd the su!tleties in i$ple$enting corrective ctions.
)here re severl pro!le$s in deling "ith Arc Flsh Anlysis5
&. Being overly conservtive in your short circuit nlysis $y result in the re.uired PPE
protection ctegory !eing set t level higher thn necessry.
Category ' PPE
)he !ove figure is person in full Ctegory , suit. )his suit "ill provide the necessry
protection, !ut it is cu$!erso$e to "ork in, it is hot, nd it provides poor visi!ility.
)he suits "ill $ke $ny tsks very difficult, if not i$possi!le, to perfor$. Becuse of their
restrictions to vision nd $ove$ent, they $y even $ke so$e tsks $ore dngerous. )here
re definitely ti$es "hen this type of protection is !oth necessry nd re.uired, !ut !eing overly
conservtive "ill result in e%cessive stress to "orkers nd unccept!le ti$e to $ke repirs or
dAust$ents.
2. 6elying upon .uick nlysis $ethods cn e%pose you to une%pected li!ilities. )here re
nu$!er of shortcuts !eing offered !y individuls nd co$pnies tht cn hve
disstrous results. Be sure tht your $ethods "ill stnd up to nlysis nd peer revie".
Cure*ll solutions re !eing pro$oted, such s the instlltion of current*li$iting fuses.
Pfeiffer Engineering is fir$ !eliever in the use of fuses, prticulrly current*li$iting
types, !ut s "ill !e sho"n !elo", they re not l"ys the ns"er. )hey re definitely not
.uick fi% solution.
3. Being overly conservtive "hen perfor$ing short circuit nlysis results in the
$isppliction of circuit protection e.uip$ent, "hich in turn hs the conse.uence of
clculted Arc Flsh levels !eing higher thn they ctully re.
4. )he clculted !olted fult or short circuit current is "orst*cse clcultion tht
ssu$es very lo" short circuit i$pednce. It is short circuit connection !sed upon t"o
conductors !eing !olted together to for$ the short. In relity, $ost short circuits re less
thn idel resulting in fult currents tht re less thn the lculted !olted short circuit
condition.
=. 3n the other hnd, the Arc Fult should !e $ore predict!le occurrence. )he rc fult
clcultions ssu$e tht there is physicl gp !et"een conductors tht "s !ridged !y
so$ething resulting in the for$tion of n rc. 3nce the rc is for$ed nd pls$ is
produced, the rc current should closely ppro%i$te the clculted fult levels. )he Arc
Fult clcultions re n ppro%i$tion !sed upon reserch nd testing si$ilr to the
short circuit nlysis $ethods. )hey re not e%ct nd therefore one needs to !e creful
"hen using the results.
olution
)he solution is to first perfor$, s ccurtely s prcticl, short circuit nlysis. )he gol for
$ost people perfor$ing short circuit nlysis hs l"ys !een to error to"rd the conservtive.
For e%$ple, "hen c!le length "s needed, it is the prctice to l"ys use the shortest
prcticl vlue, "hich "ould result in higher clculted short circuit current vlues. <hen the
pu!lic utility is contcted, it is the prctice to only sk for the "orse cse short circuit vlue.
)he overll result is tht the short circuit vlues re l"ys clculted on the high side. <hen
doing short circuit nlysis for si+ing the interrupting cp!ility of protection e.uip$ent, this is
the !est prctice. But, it is not the !est prctice "hen evluting e.uip$ent for Arc Fults nd
est!lishing PPE re.uire$ents. )his is e%tre$ely significnt, nd .uite non*intuitive, sitution.
Arc Fult current 8Ifc9 is derived fro$ the vil!le !olted short circuit or fult current 8Isc9 nd is
l"ys su!stntilly less thn its corresponding short circuit current. )he IEEE hs est!lished
for$ul for clculting 8esti$ting9 the Ifc nd they provide spredsheet. )he follo"ing re
e%$ple results fro$ using their for$ul5
(olte! Fault Current Arc Fault Current
) '*+ ,
&( kA C D.=D kA
'( kA C &&.0= kA
?( kA C &D.;D kA
,( kA C '&.,? kA
<ht is no" i$portnt is to o!tin5
1. )he e%pected $%i$u$ 8"orse cse9 !olted short circuit current.
'. )he $ini$u$ nd $%i$u$ voltge to the fcility.
?. )he $ini$u$ e%pected short circuit current.
Also needed re definitions of the operting $odes of the fcility such s5
1. <ht re the $ini$u$ nd $%i$u$ $otor lods e%pected during nor$l opertion nd
off*hour opertion.
2. Erition in the sources of supply to the plnt, such s lternte feeders or co*genertion.
)he dt fro$ the pu!lic utility nd the deter$intion of the fcility1s $odes of opertion should
!e converted into the $%i$u$ nd $ini$u$ Arc Fult current t vrious loctions in the plnt.
)hese results re pplied to protective device coordintion studies, "here the protective devices
re evluted, nd dAusted, if necessry, llo"ing the proper PPE ctegories to !e deter$ined.
)he follo"ing coordintion curve illustrtes the point5
)he figure !ove sho"s the coordintion curve for the secondry of &((( kEA ,0( E
trnsfor$er. )he curve sho"s t"o types of secondry protection, fuse nd circuit !reker,
ech selected !sed upon the :tionl Electricl Code re.uire$ents. )he fuse is KLP*C &D((A
nd the circuit !reker is <estinghouse 4:# !reker "ith #igitrip.
All trnsfor$ers li$it the $ount of fult current tht cn pss through the trnsfor$er. )his is
function of the trnsfor$er1s i$pednce. )he coordintion curve sho"s line for the Isc, the
$%i$u$ short circuit current tht cn pss through this trnsfor$er 8'(,;,& $ps9. )he Isc
vlue used ssu$es tht there ctully is sufficient current vil!le t the pri$ry to provide
'(,;,& $ps on the secondry.
Bsed upon the IEEE for$ul, the clculted Arc Fult current Ifc is &','?( $ps. -sing these
t"o currents nd the coordintion curve one cn esti$te the ti$e the circuit !reker nd the
fuse "ill tke to cler the fult.
Bolted Fult Condition5
Fuse clers in (.'' seconds
Circuit Breker clers in (.(' seconds
Arc Fult Condition
Fuse clers in &.0( seconds
Circuit Breker clers in (.(' seconds
Fro$ these current levels nd clering ti$es the PPE ctegory cn !e deter$ined.
E$! 8B%i$u$ in cu!ic !o% incident energy9
Fuse ;, cl@c$' Ctegory , PPE
Circuit Breker (.0 cl@c$' Ctegory ( PPE
Clerly, in this e%$ple the circuit !reker outperfor$s the current*li$iting fuse resulting in
$ini$l 2"orker friendly2 PPE re.uire$ent.
In the !ove e%$ple !oth the Arc Fult current nd the Bolted Fult current re less thn the
current*li$iting point for the fuse, "hich is ppro%i$tely '0,((( $ps. )hus, there is no current*
li$it effect fro$ using the fuse. Current*li$iting fuses often do provide dditionl protection nd
they re very good devices !ut they $ust !e pplied properly. In this e%$ple, the circuit !reker
provides the !est protection.
7tudying this e%$ple further, let us ssu$e tht the fuse nd the circuit !reker re t the $in
of fcility nd the fcility is served !y $uch lrger trnsfor$er "here the "orse*cse !olted
short circuit current s reported !y the utility is D(,((( $ps. -nder this condition the rc fult
current "ould !e ?(,?(( $ps. In this cse, the fuse "ould open in &@, cycle nd "ould li$it the
fult current.
)he E$! "ould e.ul &.&= cl@c$', "hich flls under ctegory ( PPE.
In the ne%t e%$ple "e hve fuse nd circuit !reker protecting &'= 4p $otor. )he fuse is
LL7*6K '(( A nd the circuit !reker is <estinghouse 4K# "ith #igitrip. )here re three Arc
Fult currents nly+ed.
Point -
Arc Fult Current ?&(( A$ps
Bolted Fult Current ,'(( A$ps
Point 2
Arc Fult Current ''(( A$ps
Bolted Fult Current '0(( A$ps
Point .
Arc Fult Current &0(( A$ps
Bolted Fult Current ''(( A$ps
6esults5
Point -
Circuit Breker clers in .(' seconds &.,' cl@c$' PPE Ct. &
Fuse clers in .(' seconds &.,' cl@c$' PPE Ct. &
Point 2
Circuit Breker clers in .(' seconds &.,' cl@c$' PPE Ct. &
Fuse clers in .& seconds ;.; cl@c$' PPE Ct. '
Point .
Circuit Breker clers in .(' seconds &.,' cl@c$' PPE Ct. &
Fuse clers in &.(seconds ;0.0 cl@c$' PPE Ct. ,
At n Arc Fult current of ,((( $ps the fuse "ill !egin to current li$it nd "ill open the circuit in
F cycle reducing the PPE ctegory to (.
)he three points nly+ed sho" tht reltively s$ll chnge in clculted !olted fult current
hs $Aor effect on the clculted rc fult current. )his sitution could esily led to the
$isppliction of circuit protection e.uip$ent or inpproprite dAust$ent of s$e. It should lso
!e noted tht s the clculted rc fult current is reduced, the clering ti$e increses, resulting
in the incident energy level incresing nd thus, the PPE re.uire$ent increses.
In relity, the rc current is pri$rily effected !y fcility operting conditions, i.e. $otor
contri!ution nd chnges in the fult current co$ing fro$ the utility. )he e%$ples illustrte tht
the ccurcy re.uired "hen clculting short currents hs to !e i$proved over trditionl
$ethods. Both reli!ility nd rc fult conditions $ust no" !e considered "hen perfor$ing
coordintion studies.
%he /is0
In study of ?? plnts "ith ,0/' !usses or s"itch points under D(( volts, the $edin incident
energy "s only '.& cl@c$', ho"ever $ny !usses hd .uite high incident energy levels&5
',G of !usses over 0 cl@ c$' PPE '
&'G of !usses over ,( cl@ c$' PPE ,
=G of !usses over 0= cl@ c$' #edly * no protection
&G of !usses over '(= cl@ c$' #edly * no protection
6isks to personnel include'5
Burns
#$ging sound levels
4igh pressure * ;'( l!s@ft' erdru$s rupture, &;'0 to '&D( l!s@ft' lung d$ge
Conclusions
&. Arc Fult Anlysis is in ctully 6isk Bnge$ent. )here re !siclly three choices5
Be very conservtive nd re.uire PPE , in $ost cses resulting in higher $intennce
cost.
#o nothing nd suffer the conse.uences 8py lter9.H Perfor$ the necessry nlysis nd
$ke dAust$ents to reduce the rc fult conditions resulting in reduced PPE
re.uire$ents.
'. A reduction in !olted fult current nd thus reduction in rc fult current cn ctully result in
"orse sitution. In the $otor e%$ple !ove n rc fult current reduction fro$ ,((( $ps to
&0(( $ps resulted in n increse in rc fult energy fro$ (.D cl@c$' to ;0.0 cl@c$'. E%ctly
the opposite one "ould e%pect !efore doing the $th. In ter$s of the !ove e%$ple
coordintion curves, this occurs !ecuse the rc fult current $oves fro$ the instntneous
portion t the !otto$ of the coordintion curve to point higher up, incurring the ti$e dely
!efore the device trips.
?. 3verly conservtive short circuit nlysis "ill result in !olted short circuit nu$!ers tht $y
"ell result in the $isppliction of circuit protection e.uip$ent.
,. It is very i$portnt to o!tin the $ini$u$ vil!le short circuit current s "ell s the
$%i$u$ short circuit current fro$ the electric utility. Eoltge fluctutions in the plnt supply
should !e considered "hen developing the short circuit clcultions. )he rc fult clcultions
need to !e evluted t $ore thn Aust the "orse cse nd the $ini$u$ cse conditions. In the
e%$ple !ove, reduction in the rc fult current ctully resulted in "orse conditions. )his
represents su!tle, !ut e%tre$ely significnt, chnge in the $ethodology of short circuit nlysis.
=. Aprt fro$ the fines, no$inl co$plince "ith the regultions "ill cuse "orkers to hve to
"er cu$!erso$e PPE. )his "ill result in little or no high voltge $intennce !eing perfor$ed,
eventully co$pro$ising sfety, e.uip$ent opertion, nd ulti$tely productivity. Arc flsh is
risk $nge$ent issue.
D. 4ve registered professionl engineering fir$ perfor$ the clcultions for rc flsh h+rds
for the devices in your fcility nd hve the$ reco$$end ny necessry plns tht "hen
e%ecuted "ould result in the lo"est ctegory of PPE !eing re.uired.
1ote2
7hort circuit nlysis is !sed upon nu$!er of ssu$ptionsI ny or ll $y chnge over ti$eI
1. Avil!le short circuit current fro$ the utility $y vry, prticulrly in res "here there
hs !een significnt e%pnsion of, or chnge to, the electricl syste$s.
2. )he nu$!er of $otors running t the ti$e of fult ffects the $ount of short circuit
current nd rc fult current vil!le 8$otor contri!ution9.
?. )he fcility voltge often vries s function of ti$e of dy. )he utility is often $ore
loded during the dy.
7i$ilrly, the rc fult $y lso !e ffected !y vritions in ny of the follo"ing5
1. )he vil!le short circuit current.
2. #irt !uildup in the e.uip$ent tht $y ffect the conductive pth.
3. Boisture 8hu$idity9.
4. Circuit supply voltge.
5. A$ount of $otor contri!ution during fult
3efinitions
Bolted Fult * 7hort circuit current resulting fro$ conductors t different potentils !eco$ing
solidly connected together.
Arc Fult * 7hort circuit current resulting fro$ conductors t different potentils $king less
thn solid contct. )his results in reltively high resistnt connection "ith respect to !olted
fult.
Author
John C. Pfeiffer, P.E., president, Pfeiffer Engineering Co., Inc., Louisville, Kentucky
&
2A 7u$$ry of Arc*flsh 4+rd Clcultions2 #.6. #on J 6.A. 7"eigrt
'
2Arcing Flsh@Blst 6evie" "ith 7fety 7uggestions for #esign nd Bintennce2 )i$ Crnko J
7teve #yrnes