Product Line Teams

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Internal arc in switchgear

• Bas Snijders account manager Eaton Holec

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Internal arc in switchgear

• Medium Voltage switchgear IEC 62271 compulsory
  test
• Low Voltage switchgear IEC/TR 1641 not a
  compulsory test

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Internal arc IEC/TR 1641 LV switchgear

• IEC/TR 1641 is
• NOT a standard
• A guide on the method of testing of
  LV-switchgear
• Not a compulsory test
• A special test subject to an arrangement between
  manufacturer and user

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What is the IEC/TR 1641 about

• SAFETY
• The test is an assessment of ability of an
  ASSEMBLY to limit the risk of personal injury as
  a result of an internal arcing fault
• It is not about constructions

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5 criteria to be assessed

• Doors and covers do not open
• Parts do not fly off
• Arcing does not cause holes that give access to
  external parts
• Indicators do not ignite
• Equipotential bonding arrangement is still
  effective

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From IEC/TR 1641 to practice

• Design the switchgear to comply with the
  assessment criteria of this guide
• Take measures to prevent assessed criteria to
  happen in a way that it may injure persons
• Design the switchgear in a way that the ignition
  wire cannot be connected as indicated
• Use insulation, separators and barriers so the
  arc cannot be initiated

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What else

• Some customer have additional requirements
• An arc in a unit in one compartment may not
  affect units in other compartments

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Separators so the arc cannot be initiated

• IP20 finger proof
• A test finger cannot enter the enclosure or
  pass a
• screen to touch the live parts.
•  
• IP41 - wire proof and protected against dripping
  water
• A wire with a 1 mm diameter cannot enter the
• enclosure or pass a screen to touch the live
  parts
• and the enclosure is protected against ingress
  of
• dripping water.
• Reference IEC 60529

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Capitole 40 arc free incoming feeders
First barrier Air insulation
Second barrier Phase segregation
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Fully insulated main bus system
First barrier Air insulation
Second barrier Phase insulation
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Vertical busbars fully epoxy insulated

Second barrier Glass fiber re-inforced
busbar segregation.
First barrier Air insulation
Bucket stabs
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Scissor contact connection starter

• Double sided phase segregation
• is accomplished before the main contact
• pins enter the contact cassettes.

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Conclusions

• Capitole 40 ARC-Free assemblies offer the
  following benefits
• Number of arc fault incidents is minimized
• Loss or damage to gear is reduced to one
  compartment
• Risk of down time minimized
• PPE may not be needed (or at least a
• lower level can be used)

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Internal arc customer

• Summary of incident
• Motor 132kW had short circuit in the winding
• 400A fuses and thermal overload activated
• Fuses replaced and thermal protection reset
• After turning the loadswitch on, there was a smal
  explosion

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