METHOD OF DESIGNING A SWITCHGEAR WITH ARC-FLASH SIMULATION AND ENERGY TRANSMISSION THEREOF

摘要

A method of evaluating a stress applied to components of a switchgear cabinet for sustaining an arc-flash with an arc-flash event simulation and energy transmission thereof is presented with steps comprising providing a location of the arc-flash in an internal volume of the switchgear cabinet, simulating the arc-flash as a local ambient boundary condition at the location of the arc flash with an input energy, diffusing the input energy in an air domain inside the switchgear cabinet, applying the input energy as a thermal history to specific arc-flash elements, multiplying the thermal history by specific heat to calculate energy units at the arc-flash, identifying a desired thermal energy magnitude and history of deposition and calibrating the desired thermal history to substantially match an estimated mechanical power generated by the arc-flash.