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Fault
currents, even modest ones of 5-10kA, can yield catastrophic
results - arc flash/blast on live equipment, the rupture of
oil-filled gear or explosion of faulty switchgear. Major equipment
damage or personnel injury can occur well before a circuit
breaker or recloser can clear the fault. And Personal Protective
Equipment, the flame suits, only protect against heat and
small particles.
What
can be done to mitigate the potential of catastrophe? What
does one do with limited funds and an aging lineup or equipment
exceeding ratings?
The
CLiP is a means of mitigating these effects by limiting peak
fault current, and cutting-off most of the fault energy early
in the process. The CLiP may also reduce the effective exposure
of personnel within acceptable PPE limits. It can radically
reduce the hazard of the explosive force and the flying debris.
The CLiP can:
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Help meet NFPA70E
requirements. |
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Reduce
available fault currents and time for ArcFlash calculations. |
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Minimize
Arc Blast Concussion. |
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Help
Arc-Proof your existing lineup. |
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Reduce
fault let-through energy to less than 1% from a breaker.
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Minimize
equipment damage and get back in operation -- fast!
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Consider...
an
electrical arc may reach a temperature in excess of the surface
of the sun. This causes vaporization of copper in the arc
zone. Its expansion, combined with that of the superheated
of surrounding air, creates a deadly plasma mixture that is
explosively blasted from the fault zone, with heavy concussive
forces imposed on nearby personnel.
Arc
flash Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can address the
direct heat and subsequent radiative effects, which fall off
dramatically with distance. But this equipment may not provide
effective protection from the concussion of the explosion.
Nor does it address the plasma or propulsion of superheated
shrapnel and debris. This may even be intensified or focused
a distance away from the fault.
The
Arc-Blast Mitigation Application
The
CLiP acts in a broader spectrum, not just thermal radiation
- cal/cm 2 . It limits total energy. It is effective in reducing
arc flash and arc blast exposure to personnel. The CLiP greatly
reduces both the time and the current for applicable arc flash
calculations. It can also provide a basic form of arcproofing
to existing switchgear lineups. See our plots, or consult
with G&W factory personnel on specifics. And one thing
that most other techniques fail to do is simply -- CONTROL
THE ENERGY .
More
Product Information on the CLiP
Application
Guide - Arc Blast and Arc Flash Mitigation
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