System and methods for measuring arc duration

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory having instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to:
• receive (i) a first measurement corresponding to a low-frequency electric field emitted from circuit breaker during an interruption or circuit break operation and (ii) a second measurement corresponding to the low-frequency magnetic field, vibration, or acoustic emitted by the circuit breaker during operation, wherein the first measurement is acquired by an electric-field sensor, wherein the second measurement is acquired by a magnetic-field or acoustic sensor, wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are contemporaneously acquired;
• align the first measurement and the second measurement in time, wherein the first measurement is calibrated according to a first physical constant and wherein the second measurement is calibrated according to a second physical constant;
• and
• determine, by a sensor-fusion algorithm or a trained AI model, an estimated duration value of an arc duration occurring at the circuit breaker using the time-aligned first measurement and second measurement, wherein the arc duration corresponds to a first time corresponding to a separation of contacts (i.e., arc initiation) of the circuit breaker and a second time corresponding to arc extinction (e.g., when current is zero),
• wherein the estimated duration value of the arc duration is employed, or accumulated with other estimated durations, to determine a contact erosion analysis, life analysis, or remaining life analysis of the circuit breaker.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to:

• receive (i) a first measurement corresponding to a low-frequency electric field emitted from a circuit breaker during an interruption or circuit break operation and (ii) a second measurement corresponding to the low-frequency magnetic field, vibration, or acoustic emitted by the circuit breaker during operation, wherein the first measurement is acquired by an electric-field sensor, wherein the second measurement is acquired by a magnetic-field or acoustic sensor, wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are contemporaneously acquired;
• align the first measurement and the second measurement in time, wherein the first measurement is calibrated according to a first physical constant and wherein the second measurement is calibrated according to a second physical constant;
• and
• determine, by a sensor-fusion algorithm or a trained AI model, an estimated duration value of an arc duration occurring at the circuit breaker using the time-aligned first measurement and second measurement, wherein the arc duration corresponds to a first time corresponding to a separation of contacts (i.e., arc initiation) of the circuit breaker and a second time corresponding to arc extinction (e.g., when current is zero),
• wherein the estimated duration value of the arc duration is employed, or accumulated with other estimated durations, to determine a contact erosion analysis, life analysis, or remaining life analysis of the circuit breaker.