# US 11,113,434 B2 · Method for predicting arc flash energy and PPE category within a real-time monitoring system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,113,434 B2 - Document ID: US11113434B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/152,064 - Filed: 2018-10-04 - Published: 2019-01-31 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2006-02-14 - Assignees: Power Analytics Corporation - Applicants: Power Analytics Corporation - Inventors: Branislav Radibratovic; Ali Nasle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11113434B2 ## CPC - G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Systems and methods for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system are disclosed. A virtual system model database is operable for providing a virtual system model for the electrical system and continuously update the virtual system model with real-time data from the electrical system. An analytics server comprises an arch flash simulation engine. The arch flash simulation engine is operable to modify the virtual system model to introduce a short-circuit feature to an uninterrupted power supply bypass circuit branch; choose a standard to supply equations used for arc flash event simulation and energy calculation; simulate an arc flash event utilizing the modified virtual system model; calculate a quantity of arc energy released by the arc flash event using results from the simulation; and communicate a report that forecasts an aspect of the arc flash event. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, comprising: automatically and continuously updating a virtual system model of the electrical system with real-time data from a plurality of sensors located throughout the electrical system by comparing the real-time data from the plurality of sensors to expected values and automatically updating the virtual model of the electrical system based on the comparison of the real-time data from the plurality of sensors to the expected values; modifying the virtual system model of the electrical system to introduce a short-circuit feature to an uninterrupted power supply bypass circuit branch; choosing a standard to supply equations used for arc flash event simulation; simulating an arc flash event utilizing the modified virtual system model and the real-time data; calculating a quantity of arc energy released by the arc flash event using results from the simulation; predicting at least one aspect of the arc flash event; and communicating a prediction report for the arc flash event. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the standard applied is Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1584 or National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a protective device study on a protective device; determining operational settings for the protective device; and calculating arcing current values based on the real-time data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the protective device is a circuit breaker, a fuse, or a relay. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the arcing current values comprise a 100% arcing current value and an 85% arcing current value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising determining a fault clearing time for a 100% arcing current in the protective device based on the operational settings and the 100% arcing current value; and determining a fault clearing time for an 85% arcing current in the protective device based on the operational settings and the 85% arcing current value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising calculating a 100% arc energy based on the fault clearing time for the 100% arcing current in the protective device and the 100% arcing current value; and calculating an 85% arc energy based on the fault clearing time for the 85% arcing current in the protective device and the 85% arcing current value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising predicting a required personal protective equipment (PPE) level and an arc flash protection boundary around the protective device based on both the real-time data and a greater value of the 100% arc energy and the 85% arc energy. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising predicting a required PPE level for personnel operating around a protective device and a safe working boundary distance based on the quantity of arc energy as determined from the real-time data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the prediction report is communicated using graphics or text rendered on a terminal display. ### Claim 11 A system for making real-time predictions about an arc flash event on an electrical system, comprising: an analytics server communicatively connected via a network connection with a data acquisition hub and a virtual system model database; wherein the analytics sever comprises an arc flash simulation engine; wherein the data acquisition hub is operable to continuously acquire real-time data from a plurality of sensors located throughout the electrical system; wherein the virtual system model database is operable for providing a virtual system model for the electrical system and continuously update the virtual system model with the real-time data from the electrical system by comparing the real-time data from the plurality of sensors to expected values and automatically updating the virtual model of the electrical system based on the comparison of the real-time data from the plurality of sensors to the expected values; wherein the arch flash simulation engine is operable to modify the virtual system model of the electrical system to introduce a short-circuit feature to an uninterrupted power supply bypass circuit branch; select a standard to supply equations used for arc flash event simulation; simulate an arc flash event utilizing the modified virtual system model based on the real-time data; calculate a quantity of arc energy released by the arc flash event using results from the simulation; predict at least one aspect of the arc flash event; and communicate a prediction report for the arc flash event. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the standard applied is Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1584 or National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to perform a protective device study on a protective device; determine operational settings for the protective device; and calculate arcing current values based on the real-time data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the protective device is a circuit breaker, a fuse, or a relay. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the arcing current values comprise a 100% arcing current value and an 85% arcing current value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to determine a fault clearing time for a 100% arcing current in the protective device based on the operational settings and the 100% arcing current value; and determine a fault clearing time for an 85% arcing current in the protective device based on the operational settings and the 85% arcing current value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to calculate a 100% arc energy based the fault clearing time for the 100% arcing current in the protective device and the 100% arcing current value; and calculate an 85% arc energy based on the fault clearing time for the 85% arcing current in the protective device and the 85% arcing current value. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to predict a minimum PPE level and an arc flash protection boundary around the protective device based on both the real-time data and a greater value of the 100% arc energy and the 85% arc energy. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the arc flash simulation engine is further operable to predict a required PPE level for personnel operating around a protective device and a safe working boundary distance based on the quantity of arc energy as determined from the real-time data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the prediction report is communicated using graphics or text rendered on a terminal display.