Systems and methods for tripping open circuit interrupters based on the detection of an arc flash using an accessory arc flash detection module are disclosed. The housing of the arc flash detection module is structured to be installed within the frame of a circuit interrupter. The detection module communicates with light sensors structured to detect light from arc flash events, and includes a controller configured to communicate with an electronic trip unit of the circuit interrupter. In one embodiment, the detection module is configured to alert the electronic trip unit that light indicative of arc flash conditions has been detected such that the electronic trip unit can determine whether or not to initiate a trip after determining the magnitude of current flowing through the circuit interrupter. In another embodiment, the detection module is configured to directly actuate a trip of the circuit interrupter based on the detection of light.

A safety socket (100) for protecting against a series fault comprises a thermal switch (30; 31) mounted in the socket (100) and configured to interrupt the supply current when a detected temperature exceeds a threshold temperature. The safety socket (100) further comprises an indicator (8; 10; 80) for indicating the socket (100) when the detected temperature exceeds the threshold temperature.

A lightning protection apparatus and related methods are described. The lightning protection apparatus includes a housing that defines a cavity, a gas generating device disposed within the housing, and a signal acquisition device. The housing is coupled to an aircraft. The signal acquisition device is configured to detect a lightning arc and responsively activate the gas generating device to emit a stream of gas to suppress the lightning arc.

Provided is an arc protection system in which an arc remover does not operate in a case of a phase-to-phase short circuit fault or a ground/earth fault among arc faults in a distribution panel, the arc protection system including a sensor configured to sense an arc fault of a distribution panel, an arc removing unit configured to ground a fault current, and a control unit connected to the sensor and configured to measure a short circuit current value of the distribution panel, wherein when the arc fault is sensed and the short circuit current value corresponds to a three-phase short circuit current, the control unit drives the arc removing unit, and when the short circuit current value is smaller than the three-phase short circuit current, the control unit does not drive the arc removing unit.

An arc flash validation system that detects incident energy produced by an arc flash is disclosed. The arc flash validation system comprises one or more power transformers (PT) and current transformers (CT). The voltage and current outputs from the PT and CT may indicate the incident energy of an arc flash. The PT and CT outputs may be stored in system memory. The arc flash validation system may analyze the stored data and compare the stored data to a predicted hazard level to generate a relay-event report.

A fault-arc identification unit for a low-voltage electric circuit, includes: at least one voltage sensor for the periodic determination of electric voltage values of the electric circuit; and at least one current sensor for the periodic determination of current values of the electric circuit. Both sensors are connected to an evaluation unit which is designed such that it has as a first criterion a change in the voltage over time which exceeds a first threshold value or falls below a second threshold value, and as a second criterion a change in the increase of current which exceeds a third threshold value or falls below a fourth threshold value. If both criteria are fulfilled, a fault-arc identification signal is emitted.

The present invention relates to a method for operating a security device, comprising a housing with at least one current-carrying element, wherein the current-carrying element is arranged in the housing interior and is enclosed by the housing. A particle detector is arranged in the housing interior, which monitors the housing interior with respect to the formation of particles.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of sag in a power line. In an embodiment, a monitoring device may include a distance sensor and an operating parameter sensor. A processor of the monitoring device may acquire, via the distance sensor, a first distance measurement. The processor may acquire, via the operating parameter sensor, a first operating parameter measurement. The processor may provide an output signal indicating that the power line is sagging when a combination of the first distance measurement and the first operating parameter measurement exceed a first combined distance-operating parameter threshold.

The method detects a fault in a power switching electronic device (OT.sub.1) by using the thermo-acoustic effect and comprises the steps of: a) detecting an acoustic signal (SA) generated by thermo-acoustic effect in the electronic device when it is in operation; determining (FFT) a frequency spectrum of the detected acoustic signal and obtaining, from the frequency spectrum, a spectral signature (SEP) associated with the detected acoustic signal; comparing (CSG) the spectral signature (SEP) with a plurality of reference spectral signatures (Sgn); and, deciding (CSG) on the presence of at least one fault in the electronic device when at least one coincidence is identified in the comparison step c) between the spectral signature and the plurality of reference spectral signatures.

A method of detecting an electric arc in an electrical system from a signal originating from at least one sensor detecting acoustic waves in the system, including: a) calculating by means of a processing device, over a sliding window of signal samples, at least one statistical parameter selected from the skewness and the kurtosis of the signal; b) detecting a possible occurrence of an event by taking into account said at least one statistical parameter; and c) performing a frequency analysis of the signal enabling to identify an electric arc when an event is detected at step b).