Method for Predicting Symmetric, Automated, Real-Time Arc Flash Energy Within a Real-Time Monitoring System

Abstract

A system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system comprises a data acquisition component communicatively connected to a sensor configured to acquire real-time data output from the electrical system; an analytics server communicatively connected to the data acquisition component and comprising a virtual system modeling engine configured to generate predicted data output for the electrical system using a virtual system model of the electrical system, an analytics engine configured to monitor the real-time data output and the predicted data output of the electrical system, and an arc flash simulation engine configured to use the virtual system model updated based in the real-time data to forecast an aspect of the arc flash event.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13 / 948,317 filed Jul. 23, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 506,216, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,494,830 filed Jul. 20, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 082,044 filed Jul. 18, 2008, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.[0002]This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 771,861, filed Jun. 29, 2007 and entitled “Systems and Methods for Providing A Real-Time Predictions of Arc Flash Incident Energy, Arc Flash Protection Boundary, and Required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Levels to Comply with Workplace Safety Standards,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 249,698, filed Oct. 10, 2008 and entitled “A Method for Predicting Arc Flash Energy and PPE Category within a Real-Time Monitoring System,” both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent is about a system for predicting and simulating an arc flash event on an electrical system. The system includes a sensor to collect real-time data from the system, an analytics server with a virtual system modeling engine to create predicted data based on the system model, an analytics engine to monitor the real-time data, and an arc flash simulation engine to use the virtual system model to predict the event's characteristics. The system helps to improve safety and reliability on electrical systems by allowing for real-time monitoring and analysis of potential dangerous situations.

Problems solved by technology

Such simulation techniques have resulted in reduced development costs and superior operation.

Design and production processes have benefited greatly from such computer simulation techniques, and such techniques are relatively well developed, but such techniques have not been applied in real-time, e.g., for real-time operational monitoring and management.

In addition, predictive failure analysis techniques do not generally use real-time data that reflect actual system operation.

It will be understood that such systems are highly complex, a complexity made even greater as a result of the required redundancy.

Once the facility is constructed, however, the design is typically only referred to when there is a failure.

In other words, once there is failure, the system design is used to trace the failure and take corrective action; however, because such design are complex, and there are many interdependencies, it can be extremely difficult and time consuming to track the failure and all its dependencies and then take corrective action that does not result in other system disturbances.

Moreover, changing or upgrading the system can similarly be time consuming and expensive, requiring an expert to model the potential change, e.g., using the design and modeling program.

Unfortunately, system interdependencies can be difficult to simulate, making even minor changes risky.

Therefore, they cannot readily adjust to the many daily changes to the electrical system that occur at a facility, e.g., motors and pumps may be put on-line or pulled off-line, utility electrical feeds may have changed, etc., nor accurately predict the various aspects, i.e., the quantity of energy released, the required level of worker PPE, the safe protection boundaries around components of the electrical system, etc., related to an Arc Flash event occurring on the electrical system.

One challenge with this approach is that while the Arc Flash analysis and / or simulation is being performed, the simulation model is not identical to the system being modeled.

If during that time another analysis (e.g., power flow, etc.) needs to be performed, the simulation model will not be indicative of the true state of the electrical power system (as it will have the ATS set to a bypass position), resulting in misleading data to be generated from the analyses and / or simulations performed using the modified simulation model.

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