Learn How the ETAP ArcFault Solution Was Used for High Voltage Arc Flash Study

The ETAP ArcFault solution has proven to reduce the study's cost significantly, thanks to its fully integrated interface, which utilizes a single database to perform all calculations. Additionally, modeling and data entry costs have decreased considerably, as the software provides us with full access to fully validated and verified software, protective device libraries, and allows the use of global typical parameters based on NESC.
By Mr. César Augusto Ramos Sánchez, Leading Power Systems Studies Engineer, PTI SA

This presentation focuses on the high-voltage arc flash hazard analysis made for one of the largest utilities in South America. It demonstrates the versatility of the ETAP ArcFault module in assisting with calculations and estimations of electric arc currents and incident energy levels for HV substation equipment. The presentation discusses how the ArcFault study results were utilized to select engineering and administrative control strategies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and adjustments to protection schemes to reduce electrical risks in the operation and maintenance (O&M) of electrical transmission and distribution systems.

The Potencia y Tecnologías Incorporadas S.A. (PTI) is a company dedicated to engineering, consulting, assembly, testing, commissioning, import, and distribution. Also, it represents major international firms in the areas of software for electrical system analysis, power system equipment, telecommunications, and automation. Thanks to strategic alliances with several manufacturers around the world through representations of the highest quality products, as well as the development of a portfolio of high engineering services within the reach of companies throughout the electric power production chain in Colombia and the region. They have a solid team of more than 130 people, with four national headquarters (Cali, Bogotá, Barranquilla, and Medellín), two legal entities—one in Lima, Peru, and another in Santiago, Chile—and the first real-time testing laboratory in Colombia.

Location: Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia

Year: 2021

Providing the High-Voltage arc flash analysis for the Colombian grid operator

Challenges

  • Making High-voltage Arc Flash studies for one of the three largest utilities in South America with hydro, renewable generation, and Transmission and Distribution. The study's scope included substations in a double-bar, double-HVCB configuration, with short-circuit levels of 15 kA for 115 kV and 25 kA for 34.5 kV, respectively. The substation types are Sub-Transmission substation and Medium Voltage Distribution substation, respectively.
  • Looking for compliance with Colombian and international regulations in the ever-changing electrical grid challenges. The primary regulatory guideline in Colombia for arc flash is the Technical Regulation for Electrical Installations (RETIE). RETIE sets mandatory compliance with safety procedures described in NFPA 70E or IEC 60634. The US OSHA 1910.269 can be considered equivalent to this South American safety regulation organization.
  • Executing the area or field demarcation with the specified boundaries according to the study.
  • Offering the appropriate training for energized work and PPE to personnel, with clear rules and methods to follow.
  • Creating a virtual model in the ETAP software, enabling analyses, simulations, and testing the planned solutions.
  • Delivering professional reports with recommendations to the grid operator to facilitate decisions about safety work.

Which solutions did they choose?

Selected applications

As a base software, they utilize ETAP Digital Twin for grid modeling. ETAP ArcFault™ analysis software is used for performing Arc Flash Analysis in compliance with OSHA's requirements for electric transmission & distribution utilities and renewable energy power systems, specifically for calculating arc fault incident energy for 15 kV and above.

ArcFault is fully integrated with the ETAP Star protective device coordination module, utilizing time-current characteristic (TCC) curves and short circuit calculations for arcing fault hazard evaluation.

Why do they use Etap?

Main Customer Benefits

  • Significantly reducing the time and cost of the study with a fully-integrated interface, using only one database to perform all calculations.
  • Significantly decreasing data entry costs, as the ETAP software provides complete access to fully validated and verified software, protective device libraries, and allows the use of global typical parameters based on the NESC standard.
  • PD Sequence of Operation, intuitive and detailed simulations for negative and zero sequence functions improve significantly the determination of the Fault Clearance Times.
  • Creating a Digital Twin model of the transmission and distribution network in ETAP, which can be used for all calculations and simulations, thanks to the ArcFault module recommended for high-voltage.
  • Calculation and selection of the working distances, according to NESC and selection of proper PPE, according to standards, was crucial and decided the quality of the study. The recommendation was delivered to the customer.
  • Arc Flash Result Analyzers allowed quick determination of the worst-case incident energy and a detailed outlook of the additional arc flash-related parameters. They used the Arc Flash Analyzer to group all the results for the various scenarios analyzed in our study, to display their main information and key electrical parameters. It served as a visualization tool, enabling comparison of the worst-case incident energy.
  • They could filter reports by energy levels, by HRC categories, by voltages using their corresponding colors and extensions, to efficiently look over the results. The report could be easily exported to an Excel spreadsheet.

What do they think about ETAP?

Opinions

The primary regulatory guideline in Colombia for arc flash is the Technical Regulation for Electrical Installations (RETIE). This includes low voltage and HV arc flash. Because of this, we decided to use the ETAP ArcFault module to run the simulations and analysis. RETIE sets mandatory compliance with safety procedures described in NFPA 70E or IEC 60634.

By Mr. César Augusto Ramos Sánchez, Leading Power Systems Studies Engineer, PTI SA

Using the ETAP ArcFault module saved us a great number of man-hours when performing the study. Features as a Sequence of Operation, Arc-Flash Results Analyzer and exporting data to Excel help us in a great manner in order to complete the activities necessary to give our customer a solution to their necessity, complying with all the related standards.
By Mr. César Augusto Ramos Sánchez, Leading Power Systems Studies Engineer, PTI SA



Videos

HV Arc Flash Studies for one of the Largest Utilities in South America

This presentation focuses on HV arc flash hazard analysis, as part of a multi-voltage AF study (115, 34.5, 13.8, and 0.22 kV) for one of the three largest utilities in South America with hydro and renewables generation and T&D. It demonstrates the versatility of the ETAP ArcFault™ to assist in the calculations and estimates of electric arc currents and incident energy level for HV substation equipment. The presentation discusses how ArcFault study results were used to select engineering and administrative control strategies, personal protective equipment (PPE), changes in protection schemes and adjustments to reduce electrical risks in operation & maintenance of electrical T&D systems.


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