Hanford Electrical Safety Program Arc Flash Calculator

This Excel file combines arc flash equations from a proposal to NFPA 70E-2003 with simplified equations to calculate
available fault current. This tool uses methods that have been shown to result in conservative estimates of fault current,
which should result in conservative estimates of arc incident energy if appropriate arc fault clearing times are used.
An IEEE 1584 equation is used to calculate arcing fault current. That is the fault current value that is used to determine
the clearing time of the overcurrent protective device ahead of the potential arc fault location. Electrical engineering
should be consulted to obtain information on fault clearing times.
This spreadsheet is not intended to replace existing up to date fault studies or support of experienced electrical
engineers, but is one tool that can assist engineers, planners, and electrical safety POCs in performing a flash hazard
analysis. Arc flash calculation is not an exact science and caution is always necessary, including use of multiple alternate
methods that are available to verify results and ensure the highest level of safety based on the best information available.
According to the NFPA 70E Technical Committee on Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces, This
proposal presents the best information available to date on arc fault hazards. Public review and comments are strongly
encouraged. Recent testing has enabled development of improved equations for calculating the arc flash incident energy
at the arc flash boundary. While the testing and development of methods is not complete this proposal contains methods
that reflect significantly more laboratory data than the existing methods and will allow improved safety.
This calculator is for use only with systems operating at less than 1000 volts. If any doubts exist on use of this
spreadsheet, or to perform a flash hazard analysis on systems operating at more than 1000 volts, consult with an
electrical engineer or other knowledgeable person.

Question/comments? Contact Electrical Safety (371-7886)

1.0/sp00e230.xls

HESP Arc Flash Calculator

Arc-In-Box energy = cal/cm 2 at specified working distance
Flash Protection Boundary (inches) where
arc incident energy = 1.2 cal/cm 2

Short Circuit and Arc Flash Calculator

(<1000 volts only)

Transformer

Input:

Enter working distance (inches):

Xfmr KVA:

2500

Xfmr Secondary Line to Line Volts:

400

Xfmr FLA =

3.609

Arc-In-Box Incident Energy:

6,16

Xfmr 3-Ph ISC (Amps)=

45.107

Flash Protection Boundary:

50

Feeder

Xfmr impedance %:

8,00

Fault Clearing Time (seconds):

0,05

Conductors per phase:

(S)ingle conductors or (C)able:
AL or CU:
Conductor length:

3
C
CU
15

Conductor AWG or kcmil

Magnetic conduit (Y or N):
Fault Clearing Time (seconds):

3/0
N
0,02

Branch Circuit

Isc at beginning of circuit (Amps):

Conductors per phase:
(S)ingle conductors or (C)able:
AL or CU:
Conductor length:
Conductor AWG or kcmil:
Metallic conduit? (Y or N):
Fault Clearing Time (seconds):

15.000
3
C
CU
15
2
N
0,02

Transformer ID:

TSA-U09
TR-01

Panel ID:

TSA-U09

Branch Circuit ID:

TSA-U09

Flash Calculation Location:

19.676 arc fault current (Amps)

Enter working distance (inches):

Arc-In-Box Incident Energy:
Flash Protection Boundary:
Isc at fault (Amps) =
@

18
2,35
27

42.244

18.659 arc fault current (Amps)

Enter working distance (inches):

Arc-In-Box Incident Energy:
Flash Protection Boundary:
Isc at fault (Amps) =
@

18

7.737

18
0,92
15

14.240

arc fault current (Amps)

Scroll down to enter equipment ID

information

Other Equipment ID:

1.0/sp00e230.xls

Three single conductors, 600-volt

AWG or
kcmil
14
12
10
8
6
4
3
2
1
1/0
2/0
3/0
4/0
250
300
350
400
500
600
750
1000

1.0/sp00e230.xls

Copper Conductors
Conduit
Steel
Nonmagnetic
389
389
617
617
981
981
1557
1558
2425
2430
3806
3825
4760
4802
5906
6044
7292
7493
8924
9317
10755
11423
12843
13923
15082
16673
16483
18593
18176
20867
19703
22736
20565
24296
22185
26706
22965
28033
24136
28303
25278
31490
244828
280499

Three-conductor cable, 600-volt

AWG or
kcmil
14
12
10
8
6
4
3
2
1
1/0
2/0
3/0
4/0
250
300
350
400
500
600
750
1000

Aluminum Conductors
Conduit
Steel
Nonmagnetic
236
236
375
375
598
598
951
951
1480
1481
2345
2350
2948
2958
3713
3729
4645
4678
5777
5838
7186
7301
8826
9110
10740
11174
12122
12862
13909
14922
15484
16812
16670
18505
18755
21390
20093
23451
21766
25976
23477
28778
192096
213475

AWG or
kcmil
14
12
10
8
6
4
3
2
1
1/0
2/0
3/0
4/0
250
300
350
400
500
600
750
1000

Copper Conductors
Conduit
Steel
Nonmagnetic
389
389
617
617
981
981
1559
1559
2431
2433
3830
3837
4760
4802
5989
6087
7454
7579
9209
9472
11244
11703
13656
14410
16391
17482
18310
19779
20617
22524
22646
24904
24253
26915
26980
30028
28752
32236
31050
32404
33864
37197
284982
307338

AWG or
kcmil
14
12
10
8
6
4
3
2
1
1/0
2/0
3/0
4/0
250
300
350
400
500
600
750
1000

Aluminum Conductors
Conduit
Steel
Nonmagnetic
236
236
375
375
598
598
951
951
1481
1482
2351
2353
2948
2958
3733
3739
4686
4699
5852
5875
7327
7372
9077
9242
11184
11408
12796
13236
14916
15494
15413
17635
18461
19587
21394
22987
23633
25750
26431
29036
29864
32938
213707
227951

Source (except as noted):

Xfmr FLA =

*3-Ph ISC at xfmr =

"f" factor =
"M" =
3-Ph Isc at fault =

Bulletin EPR-1, Electrical Plan Review

Cooper Bussman, May 2000
Pages 8 - 10
http://www.bussmann.com/library/docs/EPR_Booklet.pdf
(KVA * 1000) / (EL-L * 1.732)
(((KVA / 1000) * 106) / (1.732 * EL-L)) * 100 / Z%)

(*NFPA 70E, 2000 Edition, Appendix B, Section B-2-1)

(1.73 * L * IL-L-L) / (C * EL-L)

1/(1 + f)
ISC at xfmr * M

where:
EL-L = phase-to-phase voltage
Z = transformer nameplate impedance, in percent
L = length of conductor to the fault
IL-L-L = available 3-phase short circuit current at beginning of circuit
C = constant from "C" Values sheet (multiply by number of conductors per phase for parallel runs)
"f" factor = calculated variable from source document formula
M = calculated variable from source document formula

1.0/sp00e230.xls

References:
The Other Electrical Hazard: Electrical Arc Blast Burns, R. Lee, IEEE Trans. Industrial Applications, Vol 1A-18. No. 3, Page
246, May/June 1982.
The Use of Low Voltage Current Limiting Fuses to Reduce Arc Flash Energy, T. Neal, V. Saporita, T. Macalady, R. Doughty, K.
Borgwald, Record of Conference Papers IEEE PCIC-99-36.
Predicting Incident Energy to Better Manage the Electric Arc Hazard on 600 V Power Distribution Systems, R. L. Doughty, T. E.
Testing Update on Protective Clothing & Equipment For Electric Arc Exposure, R. Doughty, T. Neal, T. Dear, A. Bingham,
Record of Conference Papers IEEE PCIC-97-35.
Testing Update on Protective Clothing & Equipment For Electric Arc Exposure, R. Doughty, T. Neal, T. Dear, A. Bingham,
Record of Conference Papers IEEE PCIC-97-35.
IEEE Std. 1584TM-2002, IEEE Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations, IEEE Industry Applications Society
Proposal 70E-157a - (Annex XXX), Log #CP8, submitted and accepted by the Technical Committee on Electrical Safety
Requirements for Employee Workplaces
TC substantiation statement: This proposal presents the best information available to date on arc fault hazards. Public review
and comments are strongly encouraged. Recent testing has enabled development of improved equations for calculating the arc
flash incident energy at the arc flash boundary. While the testing and development of methods is not complete this proposal
contains methods that reflect significantly more laboratory data than the existing methods and will allow improved safety.
Equations:

B-2 Basic Equations for Calculating Incident Energy and Flash Protection Boundary Distances of Equipment.
The following equations can be used to predict the incident energy and flash protection boundary distances produced by
a three-phase arc and the flash protection boundary distance for that arc, based on the voltage range. The parameters
required to make the calculation are:
(a) The maximum bolted fault three-phase short circuit current available at the equipment,
(b) The total protective device clearing time (upstream of the prospective arc location) at the arcing current,
(c) The distance of the worker from the arc for the task to be performed.
Voltage Range:
Vo < 1000 Volts

Calculation:

Equation:

*Ia

lg Ia = K + 0.662 lg Ibf + 0.0966 V + 0.000526 G + 0.5588 V (lg Ibf) 0.00304 G (lg Ibf)
1.6
Ei = 416 Ia t D

Ei

1.0/sp00e230.xls

Db

0.625

Db = (416 Ia t / 1.2)

* Ia equation from IEEE 1584-2002 where:

lg

is the log10
is arcing current (kA)
is 0.097 for box configurations
is bolted fault current for three-phase faults (symmetrical RMS) (kA)
is system voltage (kV)

Ia
where:
K
Vo is the open circuit voltage of the system,
Ibf
Ia is the arcing current in kA,
V
Ib is the bolted fault current (from 0.6 to 106 kA),
2
Ei is the incident energy in cal/cm ,
G
is the gap between conductors, (calculator uses 25mm = 1 inch)
D is the distance of the worker from the arc in inches (18 inches or more),
t is the time of arc exposure in seconds, and
2
Db is the boundary distance in inches from the arc (distance where incident energy is 1.2 cal/cm ).

Other Information:

Calculation of Incident Energy Exposure for Open Air Arcs.

The incident energy from open arcs can be better calculated through calculation programs that are commercially
available in the marketplace. Most equipment incident energy values would be of the arc-in-box type, since a majority
of work on voltages up through 15000 volts is in motor control cabinets, pad-mount switches, and other enclosures.

1.0/sp00e230.xls