Arc resistant design: Comparison

Comparison of arc resistant design solutions

In our previous posts regarding arc proof design [1, 2] we have discussed the danger and possible fatal impact of arc flash. We have listed the guiding standards and presented the most common solutions to achieve arc resistant design. So the logical step now is to look at the different methods and see which one is the best, right? This post is a comparison of arc resistant design solutions.

Pros and cons of each solution

Each of the described solutions has unique advantages and also specific limitations or possible drawbacks. Therefore, when selecting the best method the project requirements shall be also taken into account. Nevertheless, some approaches have several goodies with only few limitations while other methods come with long list of drawbacks.

Examples of ‘pros’:

Hardware protection
Fast reaction time
Minimized energy of fault
Low complexity
Simple and proven solution
Low cost

Examples of ‘cons’:

Single use only (to be replaced after a fault)
Limited experience
High implementation effort
Impact on building design
High cost (product/system level)

Evaluation criteria

5 common arc resistant solutions for VFDs were briefly described in [2]. You may have asked yourself which one of them is the best one? To evaluate the approaches and select the most suitable one it is necessary to define specific criteria. Everyone can define his own criteria. We have chosen following aspects:

Personal safety
Reaction time
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Complexity
Engineering effort
Cost on product level
Total cost from user’s perspective

Complete list of the evaluation criteria is provided in the full article accessible for our premium subscribers.

Overview

A detailed overview of the solutions, their principle, performance characteristics, available rating, advantages, limitations and field experience is available for our premium subscribers.

Evaluation

The solutions are evaluated in 10 selected categories. In each category 1 to 10 points can be received. Total theoretical maximum is therefore 100 points. Which solution got the highest score? Sign up for premium and get the whole picture.

Do you want to know more about arc resistant design of medium voltage VFDs? Purchase our paper presenting and comparing 5 most common concepts to achieve arc resistant VFD design. The analysis focuses on

level of human and hardware protection
response time and possible damages
complexity of the solution
suitability for “special” VFD topologies
maturity of the solution
engineering effort
implications on the system
summary of pros and cons

In product brochures and marketing material each manufacturer praises “his solution” as the best one. With our paper you get a bit wider view and look at the problem from different angles and pespective. That helps you to draw your own opinion.

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