ARC Quenching Technology in Switchgear – Surpassing IEEE C37.20.7

As electrical safety continues to be a focal point across the industry, there is a growing need to provide further protection from arc flash incidents. New technologies have emerged to meet this need, creating an opportunity for industry standards and guides to be revised to account for these technologies. Recent publications have shown how arc quenching technology can reduce the available incident energy exposure from switchgear. Those papers referenced testing performed with the latest IEEE C37.20.7 IEEE Guide for Testing Switchgear Rated Up to 52kV for Internal Arcing Faults test guidelines. The IEEE C37.20.7 Accessibility Type 2 and Suffix B rating combination has, for many years, been considered the cornerstone for safety in metal-enclosed switchgear. However, recent testing has shown that it's possible to exceed Type 2B requirements and increase the level of personnel protection that arc quenching technology can offer. This new level of protection has been demonstrated through arcing fault testing in equipment utilizing arc quenching technology that controls and contains the arcing energy inside of the switchgear even when circuit breakers are racked out or removed completely from their cells.