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Arc Flash Hazard

Calculations – What does it


all mean?
Robert E. Fuhr, P.E.
PowerStudies, Inc.
Why are Arc Flash Hazard
Studies Needed?
 To Increase Electrical Safety at your
facility!
 Required by National Electric Code (NEC)
and OSHA
 To Protect You!
OSHA Requirements
 Standard 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S, 1910 to
1910.336
 Must identify all hazards above 50 Volts
 Must put safeguards in place for these
hazards
 Must train employees on safe work
practices
 OSHA has officially adopted NFPA 70E
 Employers must provide workers with
appropriate PPE as per the OSHA 29
1910.132 (h)(1) PPE payment
requirement, i.e., (PPE) used to comply
with this part, shall be provided by the
employer at no cost to employees.
Paragraph (h) became effective February
13, 2008, and employers must implement
the PPE payment requirements no later
than May 15, 2008
Key References in NEC ® -2008
 110.16 Flash Protection. Switchboards,
panel boards, industrial control panels,
and motor control centers in other than
dwelling occupancies, that are likely to
require examination, adjustment,
servicing, or maintenance while
energized, shall be field marked to warn
qualified persons of potential electric
arc flash hazards.
NEC 110.16 (continued)

 The marking shall be located so as to


be clearly visible to qualified persons
before examination, adjustment,
servicing, or maintenance of the
equipment.
Key References in NEC ® -2011
 FPN No. 1 : NFPA 70E-2012, Standard For
Electrical Safety in the Workplace,
provides assistance in determining severity
of potential exposure, planning safe work
practices and selecting personal protective
equipment.
NFPA 70E -Flash Hazard Analysis
 130.3 – A flash hazard analysis shall be done
in order to protect personnel from the
possibility of being injured by an arc flash.
 The analysis shall determine:
– Flash Protection Boundary
– Personal protective equipment
 Calculate using
– Formulas in 130.3.A and Table 130.7(C)(9)(a)* in
NFPA 70E
– * - Use with extreme caution!!!
– Equations in IEEE 1584
Industry standards and
regulations:
 OSHA 29 CFR 1910
Subpart S
 NFPA 70 - The
National Electrical
Code (2008 Edition)
 NFPA 70E - Standard
for Electrical Safety in
the Workplace (2004
Edition)
Arc Flash Hazard Analysis Key
Steps
 Use NFPA 70E* Tables, IEEE 1584, or Lee
Equations to Determine
– Incident energy levels
– Arc Flash hazard distance
 * Use with extreme caution!
Arc Flash Hazard Analysis Key
Steps
 Use
– Calculated Incident
Energy
– NFPA 70E Table
130.7(C)(11)
– to determine
 Hazard/Risk Category
 Required PPE
Acceptable & Informative Labels
NFPA 70E Table 130.7(C)(11)
3 Phase Bolted
Obtain Equipment Fault Current
Short Circuit
Nameplate Data
Fault Study
& Settings

Arcing
Fault Current

Device Arc Flash Study


Operating Time
Coordination (PDC)
Study

Arc Flash Label


Energy Level
Boundaries
Required PPE
Arc Flash Energy Calculation
 Use 85%Ia
 Determine Upstream Protective Device
Clearing Times (PDC Study)
 Repeat process for 100%Ia
 Use largest energy calculation
Arc Flash Hazard Analysis Key
Steps
 Determine:
– Bolted Fault Currents (Short Circuit
Study)
– Arcing Fault (AF) Current
– Upstream Protective Device Clearing
Times (PDC Study) using AF
Arc Flash Hazard Analysis Key
Steps
 Calculate
Arc Flash Energy
 Use NFPA 70E Tables to determine:
– Glove Rating Class
– Limited Approach Boundary
– Prohibited Approach Boundary
– Restricted Approach Boundary
– Required PPE
Arc Flash Hazard Analysis Key
Steps
 Arc Flash Warning Labels showing the
details.
How a Short Circuit Study is
Performed
 Obtain distribution system nameplate data
for:
– Transformers
– Motors
– Circuit breakers, fuses, relays
– Switchgear
– Motor Control Centers
– Conductor sizes and lengths
How a Short Circuit Study is
Performed
 Enter data into the
computer program.
 Simulate short circuit
at each location and
calculate the fault
current.
 Compare calculated
fault current to
equipment short
circuit rating.
What is Protective Device
Coordination (PDC) Study?
 Determines:
– fuse sizes
– Settings for relays
and circuit breakers
– Device operating
time
 The study has 2
conflicting goals
Goal #1 - Maximum Selective
Coordination Between Equipment
 Correct fuse sizes and settings will allow
the device closest to a fault to trip.
 If the first device fails to operate, then the
next upstream device will trip.
 Longer device trip delays = increased
device coordination= greater incident
energy
P
2- XFMR-UTILS

Selective
S
XFMR-UTILS

Coordination 3
3-MSWBD MAIN

SWBD

5-Fdr to ATS-E
2

E N
ATS 260 Amp

6-PNL-A MAIN
1

PNL-A - 250 A
Goal #2 - Maximum Equipment
Protection and Reduction in Arc
Flash Energy
 Correct fuse sizes and device settings will
quickly interrupt the fault current for a
short circuit downstream.
 Shorter device delays = decreased
equipment damage = less Incident Energy
P

Maximum
2- XFMR-UTILS
S
XFMR-UTILS

Equipment 3-MSWBD MAIN


1
Protection
SWBD

5-Fdr to ATS-E
1
 (No Selective Coordination)

E N
ATS 260 Amp

6-PNL-A MAIN
1

PNL-A - 250 A
 Must balance these two conflicting goals
based upon the type of facility.
PDC Vocabulary
 Time Current Curve (TCC)
 Log-log graph of time versus current
 Every breaker, fuse, and relay has a
time current characteristic curve.
PDC Vocabulary
 Selective Device Coordination
– The devices plotted on the time current
curves are coordinated for all levels of fault
current and time.
Fuse
TCC
@15 kA
This Fuse
is Current
3-6 Sec Limiting –
Clearing
time is
0.004
seconds

5 kA
Thermal
Magnetic
Trip Unit
 Thermal
Unit is
Fixed
 Instant-
aneous
– Fixed
– Adjustable
Thermal
Magnetic
Breaker
20-50 Sec

4 kA

0.01-0.025 Sec 20 kA
Solid
Current Sensors
State Trip Rating Plugs
Current Setting

Unit
 SQ D NW
40H
 4000 Amp
 Micrologic
Solid
Long Time Pickup (LTPU)
State Trip
Unit Long Time Delay (LTD)

 Varies for
each Trip
Unit! Short Time Pickup (STPU)

 Some
Short Time
Functions Delay I2T-IN
(I2T)
are Not Short Time Delay (STD)
Adjustable!
Instantaneous (I)
Solid
State Trip 170-210 Sec

 SQ D NW 6 kA
40H
 4000 Amp
 Micrologic

0.08-0.12 Sec 30 kA
100 kA

0.01-0.06 Sec
Time Current Curves
 An example
of a TCC with
Coordinated
Devices

Current in Amperes X 100


Arc Flash Energy Calculations
 Incident Energy Levels are dependent on:
– Level of arcing fault current
– Upstream device clearing time.
 Multiple Sources
Typical Assumptions for an
Analysis
 Trip time is determined by the upstream
protective device settings.
 Worker is stationary.
 The maximum time that a worker will be
exposed to the arc flash is 2.0 seconds.
(Depends upon location!!!)
Fault Current vs. Incident Energy
Current
(TimeVs Energy
Constant @ 0.025 Sec)Levels

4
In c i d e n t E n e r g y

3
2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Fault Current

Energy PPE Class


Time vs. Incident Energy
Time Vs Energy Levels
(Fault Current Constant @ 30 kA)
In c id e n t E n e r g y

30

20

10
3 3 3 4
0 1 1 1 2 2
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Device Operating Time

Incident Energy PPE Class


Distance vs. Incident Energy
Distance Vs@ 0.5Energy
(Time Constant Levels
Sec & Fault = 60 kA)

50
In c id e n t E n e rg y

40
30 2 1
4+ 4 3
20
10 0
0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Distance (Inches)

Energy Class
Arc Flash Warning Labels
 What does it mean?
Limited Approach Boundary:
 An approach limit at a distance from an
exposed live part within which a shock
hazard exists. This value is determined by
NFPA 70E (2004) Table 130.2(B).
 Qualified Persons
 Unqualified if accompanied by a Qualified
Persons
 PPE not required if AF Boundary is not in
Limited Approach Boundary
Restricted Approach Boundary
 An approach limit at a distance from an
exposed live part within which there is an
increased risk of shock, due to electrical
arc over combined with inadvertent
movement, for personnel working in close
proximity to the live part.
 Determined by NFPA 70E (2004) Table
130.2(B)
Restricted Approach Boundary
 Qualified Persons Only
 Must wear PPE
Prohibited Approach Boundary
 An approach limit at a distance from an
exposed live part within which work is
considered the same as making contact
with the live part.
 Determined by NFPA 70E (2004) Table
130.2(B).
 Qualified Persons Only
 PPE Required as if in direct contact
Flash
Protection
Boundary

Flash Protection Range


Qualified Persons Only
PPE Required if Flash Protection Boundary is Crossed
FPB dependent on:
Voltage Level
Boundary Fault level
Trip Time of Protective Device
Varies

Equipment
Limited Approach Restricted Boundary Prohibited Boundary
Boundary (Fixed by Voltage) (Fixed by Voltage)
(Fixed by Voltage)

Limited Approach Range Restricted Range Prohibited Range

Limited Approach Range: Qualified or unqualified persons*


*Only if accompanied by Qualified Person

Restricted Boundary: Qualified Persons Only, PPE required

Prohibited Boundary: Qualified Persons Only. PPE required as if direct contact with
energized part
Arc Flash Label Installation
 Always clean the surface with detergent to
remove all grease and dirt. Wipe surface
dry before applying the label.
 Some locations will have a Line Side Label.
They should be installed at locations
where maintenance staff could be exposed
to energized parts on the line side of a
fuse or circuit breaker. Examples of this
are Main Breakers in Switchboards and
Switchgear.
Arc Flash Label Installation
 Transformer Labels are for small
distribution transformers (480/208 V)
where both the 480 and 208 Volts
terminals are exposed.
 Locations where the label will be exposed
to direct sun light should be brought to
the attention of PowerStudies, Inc. We
will provide labels with a special UV
protective covering to protect the label
from fading.
Line Side vs Bus AF Labels
Need more Information
 www.powerstudies.com
– Articles
– Links
– Specifications for Power System Studies
 Short Circuit
 Protective Device Coordination
 Arc Flash Hazard
 Phone: 253-639-8535
 Email: fuhr@powerstudies.com
Your Report
Thank you for your time!
 Questions?????

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