Series Arc fault studies and modeling for a DC distribution system

Electrical arcs are of great concern for power electronic systems. Modeling of arc faults to represent and predict arc characteristics and transient responses within the power system is now receiving considerable research attention. In this paper, a series DC arc fault demonstration rig is designed to generate series arcs by moving one electrode away from a stationary one with a stepper motor. Experimental results presented and analyzed to obtain the arc fault characteristics. The arc voltage, arc current and arc power can be predicted using the Zeller model within a wide range of supply voltage, load conditions and different test conditions, such as electrode material. The verification of this model is important as it can now be included in simulations of complex power systems to aid the development and testing of robust arc fault detection and location strategies.