Arc Flash Detection Relay

Arc flash detection for enhanced safety and efficiency

Arc Flash Detection – Explosion risk, injury to personnel and costly downtime can be avoided with an Arc-Flash Protection solution for surveillance of switchboards, transformers, and capacitor load banks, etc.

Circuit breakers or overcurrent protection devices alone do not provide optimal protection for your personnel and equipment. A SELCO Arc-Flash Relay rapidly detects an arc flash and sends a trip signal to interrupt power in milliseconds. This improves personal safety, minimizes production downtime, thus reducing damage to material and the additional cost of repair or replacement.

Understanding arc faults and their destructive nature

An arc fault is properly the most destructive fault scenario that can happen within an electrical installation. Arcs develop when the insulation between conductors is broken down sufficiently to leave an ionized channel that can carry current. Insulation can be degraded for different reasons, e.g., starting as a ground-fault, conductive dust, moisture, etc. If the switchboard is capable of supplying enough energy, a runaway reaction can occur, wherein the current heats and ionizes more air, carrying even more current, heating up and eventually boiling the conductors. The following explosion will spray the cabinets with molten copper and tear them apart due to the rise in pressure – this happens as the arc fault converts the full capacity of the power source to heat.

Mitigating risks and ensuring personal safety

The damage caused by an arc fault can be so extensive that it will take days or even weeks to re-establish production. However, even more serious is the risk of personal injury. Arc protection is one way to lower the risk of disaster, even though it is not a replacement for personal protective equipment (PPE).

Limiting arc damage through rapid response

It is not generally possible to extinguish a developing arc, but the damage can be limited by cutting the power to the switchboard as soon as possible. This requires fast and efficient arc flash detection systems.

The arc-flash relay’s role in enhanced safety

In case of an arc flash fault, the SELCO arc-flash relay detects and generates a tripping pulse in less than 1 millisecond. This tripping pulse is taken to the circuit breaker(s) that control the supply to the installation. The trip circuit is based on a solid-state semiconductor switch (IGBT), which provides both fast reaction and drive capability for even the largest circuit breakers.

Diverse arc-flash relays and sensor solutions

We provide a range of Arc-Flash Relays and sensor solutions. All are easily retrofitted into existing switchgear or pre-installed in new equipment with little or no configuration, ensuring seamless integration and enhanced safety for electrical systems.

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