DISTRIBUTED ARC FAULT PROTECTION BETWEEN OUTLET AND CIRCUIT BREAKER

摘要

The disclosed methods and systems employ a nonprobability-based detection scheme that measures conditions (e.g., voltage or current) at multiple locations on a circuit, such as a branch circuit, to detect for a presence of an arc fault condition. A centralized processing system, such as a controller (120), receives information corresponding to a branch origin voltage or current measurement sensed by a sensor (114, 116) at a branch origin upstream of the plurality of end-use devices (150) on the branch circuit (e.g. at a circuit breaker defining the branch), and receives information corresponding to a downstream voltage or current measurement at each of the end-use devices sensed by a corresponding downstream sensor (152, 154).

主权项

1. A method of determining an arc fault condition on a branch circuit connected to a circuit breaker and a plurality of end-use devices, the method comprising:
receiving information corresponding to a branch origin voltage or current measurement sensed by an upstream sensor at a branch origin upstream of the plurality of end-use devices on the branch circuit; receiving information corresponding to a downstream voltage or current measurement at each of the end-use devices sensed by a corresponding downstream sensor; comparing the branch origin voltage or current measurement to the downstream voltage or current measurements at the end-use devices; detecting an arc fault condition based on the comparison; and issuing a trip signal to trip the circuit breaker if an arc fault condition is detected.