A DC Arc Model for Series Faults in Low Voltage Microgrids

This paper presents a dc arc model to simplify the study of a critical issue in dc microgrids: series faults. The model is derived from a hyperbolic approximation of observed arc voltage and current patterns, which permit analyzing the arc in terms of its resistance, power, energy, and quenching condition. Recent faults staged by the authors on a dc microgrid yielded enough data to develop an arc model for three fault types: constant-gap speed, fixed-gap distance, and accelerated gap. The results in this paper compare experimental and simulation results for the three fault types. It is concluded that because the instantaneous voltage, current, power, and energy waveforms produced by the model agree well with experimental results, the model is suitable for transient simulations.

[1]  Vladimir Terzija,et al.  A new approach to the arcing faults detection for fast autoreclosure in transmission systems , 1995 .

[2]  Vladimir Terzija,et al.  EMTP simulation and spectral domain features of a long arc in free air , 2005 .

[3]  A. Parizad,et al.  Optimization of arc models parameter using genetic algorithm , 2009, 2009 International Conference on Electric Power and Energy Conversion Systems, (EPECS).

[4]  Joachim V. R. Heberlein,et al.  Multiscale Finite Element Modeling of Arc Dynamics in a DC Plasma Torch , 2006 .

[5]  Yongwoo Park,et al.  Current development and future plan for smart distribution grid in Korea , 2008 .

[6]  A Ouroua,et al.  Flexible test bed for MVDC and HFAC electric ship power system architectures for Navy ships , 2011, 2011 IEEE Electric Ship Technologies Symposium.

[7]  John D. Herbst,et al.  Intelligent Microgrid Demonstrator , 2010 .

[8]  John D. Herbst,et al.  Large Scale Simulations of a Ship Power System with Energy Storage and Multiple Directed Energy Loads , 2010, ANSS 2010.

[9]  A Ziani,et al.  Extinction properties of electric arcs in high voltage circuit breakers , 2009 .

[10]  Patrick Schweitzer,et al.  A New DC and AC Arc Fault Electrical Model , 2010, 2010 Proceedings of the 56th IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts.

[11]  F.M. Uriarte,et al.  High-impedance fault detection and localization in distribution feeders with microprocessor based devices , 2005, Proceedings of the 37th Annual North American Power Symposium, 2005..

[12]  A. Pratt,et al.  Evaluation of 400V DC distribution in telco and data centers to improve energy efficiency , 2007, INTELEC 07 - 29th International Telecommunications Energy Conference.

[13]  M. Lindmayer,et al.  Simulation of the gasdynamic and electromagnetic processes in low voltage switching arcs , 1996, Electrical Contacts - 1996. Proceedings of the Forty-Second IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts. Joint with the 18th International Conference on Electrical Contacts.

[14]  Daniel R Doan,et al.  Arc Flash Calculations for Exposures to DC Systems , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications.

[15]  H.-J. Koglin,et al.  On the modeling of long arc in still air and arc resistance calculation , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery.

[16]  A. Sannino,et al.  Efficiency analysis of low- and medium- voltage DC distribution systems , 2004, IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting, 2004..