Method For Predicting Arc Flash Energy And PPE Category Within A Real-Time Monitoring System

Abstract

Systems and methods for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system are disclosed. A virtual system model database is operable for providing a virtual system model for the electrical system and continuously update the virtual system model with real-time data from the electrical system. An analytics server comprises an arch flash simulation engine. The arch flash simulation engine is operable to modify the virtual system model to introduce a short-circuit feature to an uninterrupted power supply bypass circuit branch; choose a standard to supply equations used for arc flash event simulation and energy calculation; simulate an arc flash event utilizing the modified virtual system model; calculate a quantity of arc energy released by the arc flash event using results from the simulation; and communicate a report that forecasts an aspect of the arc flash event.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, comprising:
 updating a virtual system model of the electrical system with real-time data from the electrical system;   modifying the virtual system model of the electrical power system to introduce a short-circuit feature to an uninterrupted power supply bypass circuit branch;   choosing a standard to supply equations used for arc flash event simulation;   simulating an arc flash event utilizing the modified virtual system model;   predicting at least one aspect of the arc flash event; and   communicating a prediction report for the arc flash event.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the standard applied is IEEE 1584. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing a protective device study on a protective device; determining operational settings for the protective device; and calculating arcing current values. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the arcing current values comprise a 100% arcing current value and an 85% arcing current value. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising determining a fault clearing time for a 100% arcing current in the protective device based on the operational settings and the 100% arcing current value; and determining a fault clearing time for a 85% arcing current in the protective device based on the operating settings and the 85% arcing current value. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising calculating a 100% arc energy based the fault clearing time for a 100% arcing current in the protective device and the 100% arcing current value; and calculating a 85% arc energy based on the fault clearing time for a 85% arcing current in the protective device and the 85% arcing current value. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising predicting a required PPE level and an arc flash protection boundary around the protective device based on the greater of the 100% arc energy and the 85% arc energy. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the standard applied is NFPA 70E. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising calculating an arc energy level based on equations supplied by NFPA 70E. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising predicting a required PPE level for personnel operating around the protective device and a safe working boundary distance based on an arc energy level. 
     
     
         11 . A system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, comprising:
 an analytics server communicatively connected via a network connection with a data acquisition hub and a virtual system model database; wherein the analytics sever comprises an arc flash simulation engine;   wherein the data acquisition hub is operable to acquire real-time data from the electrical system;   wherein the virtual system model database is operable for providing a virtual system model for the electrical system and continuously update the virtual system model with real-time data from the electrical system;   wherein the arch flash simulation engine is operable to modify the virtual system model of the electrical system to introduce a short-circuit feature to an uninterrupted power supply bypass circuit branch; select a standard to supply equations used for arc flash event simulation; simulate an arc flash event utilizing the modified virtual system model; and   predict at least one aspect of the arc flash event; and communicate a prediction report for the arc flash event.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the standard applied is IEEE 1584. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to perform a protective device study on a protective device; determine operational settings for the protective device; and calculating arcing current values. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the arcing current values comprise a 100% arcing current value and an 85% arcing current value. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to determine a fault clearing time for a 100% arcing current in the protective device based on operational settings and the 100% arcing current value; and determine a fault clearing time for a 85% arcing current in the protective device based on the operating settings and the 85% arcing current value. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to calculate a 100% arc energy based the fault clearing time for a 100% arcing current in the protective device and the 100% arcing current value; and calculate a 85% arc energy based on the fault clearing time for a 85% arcing current in the protective device and the 85% arcing current value. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to predict a minimum PPE level and an arc flash protection boundary around the protective device based on the greater of the 100% arc energy and the 85% arc energy. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the standard applied is NFPA 70E. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to calculate an arc energy level based on equations supplied by NFPA 70E. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to predict a required PPE level for personnel operating around the protective device and a safe working boundary distance based on an arc energy level.