Detection and Identification Technique for Series and Parallel DC Arc Faults

Abstract

This paper proposes a series and parallel DC arc detecting and identifying (SPADI) technique using the frequency features of the load current (IL) and the load voltage (VL). The frequency changes in VL and IL under the series and parallel arc are different. The parallel arc can only raise the high-frequency components of VL. In contrast, the high-frequency components of IL can be increased in both series and parallel arcs. However, the increasing frequency range is different. The high-frequency components of IL generated by the series arc are concentrated in the 5 kHz to 40 kHz band. Meanwhile, the high-frequency components of IL caused by the parallel arc are observed evenly in all frequency ranges. Inspired by these features, VL 's 5 kHz to 100 kHz components are used to sense the parallel arc in the proposed technique. In addition, the series arc is detected using the 5 kHz to 40 kHz and 50 kHz to 100 kHz bands of IL. Experimental tests verified the proposed algorithm implemented at the digital signal processor (DSP). As a result of 160 repeated tests, the probabilities of detecting the series and parallel arc were 100 % and 96.25 %, respectively. Moreover, the probability of correctly identifying the arc type when detecting the arc was 100 %. Also, the average detection times of the series and parallel arc were 0.11 s and 0.16 s, respectively.