Arc Flash Analysis in Control Cabinets of Power Transformers

Abstract

The probability of an arc flash accident in electrical equipment or installations, such as power transformers, is present in all cases where electricity is present. In high voltage systems, the high level of supply required could lead to the release of energy levels high enough to cause serious injury to people around this equipment. For this reason, performing an arc flash analysis improves the safety conditions of workers, since, although in some cases injuries cannot be completely avoided, the severity of the injuries can be greatly reduced, and may even prevent deaths in the workplace. To this end, there are standards and computer tools to help calculate the energy released in the event of such accidents and to adopt appropriate corrective and preventive actions, in order to reduce the extent of possible injuries in the event of an accident. This work reviews the equations and analytical methodology for arc flash analysis, according to the most updated standards, and shows an applied study case of a power transformer located in an electric substation, indicating the most appropriate corrective and preventive actions to reduce the damage of this type of accidents in the transformer control cabinet.