Power topic #6073 | Technical information from Cummins

AmpSentry Overcurrent Protection

and Arc Energy Reduction
■ White Paper
By Rich Scroggins, Applications Engineering Technical Advisor, Cummins

In the interest of worker safety arc energy Certain Cummins PowerCommand controls
reduction has become a common require- have an overcurrent protection and fault current
regulating feature called AmpSentry, which is UL
ment in emergency power systems. Manu-
listed as a protective relay. In 2014 Cummins added
facturers of circuit breakers and protective a maintenance mode function to Ampsentry for
relays have responded by adding various arc PowerCommand 2.2, 2.3 and 3.3 controls. In this
energy reducing functions to their products. paper we will describe AmpSentry and its new
maintenance mode, how to enable maintenance mode
One of the most commonly used arc energy
and how it meets NEC energy reduction requirements.
reduction methods is energy reducing
maintenance switching or “maintenance
AmpSentry
mode”. When maintenance mode is enabled
any time delays configured for selective When PowerCommand controls measure current in
coordination are bypassed in the event of a any phase as exceeding 110% of the generator set
standby rating a current summing integral will be
fault so the fault is cleared instantaneously.
activated so that the generator will shut down based
The logic behind this is that when a techni- on the Ampsentry time current curve. The green line
cian is working in the vicinity of live electrical in Figure 1 is the AmpSentry trip curve. This allows
equipment the high level of available arc AmpSentry to protect the alternator and also the
feeder cables connected to the alternator provided
flash energy allowed by the time delays in
they are rated for at least 100% of the full load current
the overcurrent protective devices (OCPD) rating of the genset.
puts the worker at a significant risk if there
is a fault in the system. Bypassing the AmpSentry also has a fault current regulation feature.
When the control measures current in any phase as
time delay reduces the risk of injury due to exceeding 300% of the generator set standby rating
arc flash to the worker. When the work is the control recognizes that this is a fault condition and
finished and the worker leaves the area the begins to regulate current in the phase with the highest
OCPD is taken out of maintenance mode level of current to 300% of rated current. The purpose
of this is to allow a downstream OCPD to clear the
which re-activates the time delays so that fault, maintaining a coordinated system. AmpSentry’s
the system will be selectively coordinated. overcurrent protection function is in effect during a
Figure 1.\\376\\377 \\002 AmpSentry Time Over Current curve. Includes symmetric
and asymmetric fault current decrement curves for a DQLD 2750 kW
genset. Figure 2.\\376\\377 \\002 Control response and fault current decay resulting from a
short circuit with AmpSentry Maintenance Mode active

fault and will shut down the generator set based on the
time current curve if the fault is still active. Note that
in Figure 1 as fault current decays to 300% of rated Enabling AmpSentry
current AmpSentry holds the current constant at that
level until the line crosses the AmpSentry trip curve.
Maintenance Mode
Maintenance Mode is enabled by either activating a
AmpSentry Maintenance Mode configurable customer input while the control switch is
in “Auto” or by plugging in the InPower Service tool.
PowerCommand AmpSentry’s Maintenance Mode
function acts in the same manner as maintenance There are several customer configurable inputs on the
mode on a circuit breaker. When maintenance mode PowerCommand controls that can be configured as
is enabled AmpSentry shuts down the generator the Maintenance Mode enable switch by connecting
set (by shutting off fuel and excitation) as soon as it a pair of dry contacts between two terminals on
recognizes that current on any phase has exceeded the control terminal block. InPower can be used to
300% of the generator set rating. The short circuit configure the input as the maintenance mode enable
shutdown event can also be mapped to one of the switch. The input can be configured to be either active
customer configurable outputs of the control to shunt closed or active open. Figure 3 displays an example of
trip a breaker providing immediate isolation. Tests have setting up a configurable input in InPower.
shown that excitation is shut off within 50 msec of
the occurrence of the fault. In Figure 1, the red line is Fault code 5399 becomes active whenever Ampsentry
activated as the trip curve when maintenance mode is maintenance mode is enabled. As a default this fault
enabled. Note that for current less than 300% of rated code is set up as an event only. By configuring this
current the maintenance mode trip curve is the same fault code to be a warning the control can log when
as the standard AmpSentry trip curve. maintenance mode is enabled and disabled. This log
may be useful if the genset ever does sustain a short
Figure 2 displays a current trace created during a test circuit. Figure 4 shows an example of how to use
of AmpSentry Maintenance Mode. Note that in this InPower to set up control to log the maintenance
02 |\\376\\377\\000\\007 Power Topic #6073

test the control recognized the fault within 38 msec mode event.
of the fault occurrence and shut off the genset fuel
and excitation. The current decayed exponentially
according to the transient time constant.
Figure 3. Setting up a configurable input to enable maintenance mode

Figure 4.\\376\\377 \\002 Ampsentry maintenance mode fault code

NEC Arc Energy Reduction (B) Method to Reduce Clearing Time. One of the
requirements following or approved equivalent means shall be
provided:
The 2014 version of the NEC requires that OCPD’s 1.\\376\\377\\000\\t Zone-selective interlocking
rated 1200 amps and higher have some type of arc 2.\\376\\377\\000\\t Differential relaying
energy reduction function. Relevant text from the 2014 3.\\376\\377\\000\\t Energy-reducing maintenance switching
NEC is printed below: with local status indicator
4.\\376\\377\\000\\t Energy-reducing active arc flash mitigation system
240.87 Arc Energy Reduction
5.\\376\\377\\000\\t An approved equivalent means
Where the highest continuous current trip setting
for which the actual overcurrent device installed in a
Informational Note No. 1: An energy-reducing
circuit breaker is rated or can be adjusted is 1200 A
maintenance switch allows a worker to set a circuit
or higher, 240.87 (A) and (B) shall apply.
breaker trip unit to “no intentional delay” to reduce
the clearing time while the worker is working within
03 |\\376\\377\\000\\007 Power Topic #6073

(A) Documentation. Documentation shall be an arc-flash boundary as defined in NFPA 70E-2012,

available to those authorized to design, install, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, and
operate, or inspect the installation as to the location then to set the trip unit back to a normal setting after
of the circuit breaker(s). the potentially hazardous work is complete.
AmpSentry Maintenance Mode provides “energy Arc Flash Incident Energy — cal/cm^2
reducing maintenance switching” as enumerated in
240.87(B)(3). The informational note describes the AmpSentry — current reduced to 300% of 58.1
energy reducing maintenance switch as allowing a rated for 2 seconds
worker to set a breaker trip unit to “no intentional AmpSentry — maintenance mode — 11.3
delay” while working within the arc flash boundary and immediate shutdown
then to set the trip unit back to a normal setting after AmpSentry maintenance mode — 3.57
the work is complete. breaker trip

Table 1.\\376\\377 \\002 Arc Flash Energy Calculations – IEEE 1584 Method
AmpSentry clearly meets the requirement for arc
energy reduction as defined in NEC 240.87. The fact
that the text in the informational note refers to a circuit
breaker does not mean that only a circuit breaker Arc flash energy is calculated for three scenarios:
can be used to meet this requirement. The fact that One without maintenance mode enabled, one with
the code allows for “an approved equivalent means” maintenance mode enabled and one with maintenance
underscores the point that a circuit breaker is not the mode enabled with a configurable output wired to
only means for meeting this requirement. shunt trip a breaker.

For a DQLD 2750 kW Genset without maintenance

Arc Energy Calculation mode active we calculated an arc flash energy level
of 58.1 cal/cm2. In this scenario arcing current is not
NFPA 70E references the IEEE 1584 method for interrupted but the arc duration is 2 seconds. NFPA
estimating Arc Flash energy. This method is also used 70E (D.7.3) recognizes 2 seconds as a reasonable
by SKM Power Tools software as well as other power maximum time for calculations because a person
system analysis programs. In addition to available fault will likely move away from the arc quickly if physically
current and arc interrupting time arc energy depends possible. In this scenario arc flash energy is calculated
on a number of site specific factors such as system for both the transient period and the steady state
voltage, grounding method, conductor gap and period. This is how SKM calculates arc energy from a
working distance. Because of this arc energy available generator set in recognition that fault current from a
from a genset is site specific and within a site the arc synchronous generator decays rapidly. Three phase
flash incident energy will vary throughout the electrical bolted fault current is used in the transient period
distribution system based on cable resistance between calculation. 300% of rated current is used in the steady
the sources and the fault and on other sources such state calculation to correspond with AmpSentry’s fault
as motors that could feed the fault. current regulation function.
To illustrate the arc energy reduction capabilities of
maintenance mode we have done calculations of arc With AmpSentry Maintenance Mode enabled we
energy for a specific generator set, a 2750 kW, calculated an arc flash energy level of 11.3 cal/cm2.
480 volt DQLD model. Note that these calculations With Maintenance Mode enabled the control shuts off
are for comparison purposes only. In Table 1 we have fuel and excitation immediately on recognizing the fault.
calculated theoretical arc flash energy at the output The arc doesn’t necessarily immediately extinguish
of the generator using the IEEE 1584 method and however due to energy stored in the windings. As can
parameters for a 480 volt, solidly grounded system be seen in Figure 2 when excitation is shut off fault
for arcs in a box in low voltage panel board class of current decays exponentially based on the transient
equipment. This calculation is intended for illustrative time constant. It takes 1 transient time constant (0.19
purposes only. Actual arc flash calculations should be sec for this alternator) for the current to decay to a level
performed by a licensed Professional Engineer taking that the arc extinguishes. (NFPA 70E D.5(1) states that
into account all of the characteristics of the site. the industry accepted minimum level for a sustaining
arcing fault is 38 percent of available bolted fault
04 |\\376\\377\\000\\007 Power Topic #6073

current. 38 percent of initial current corresponds to

1 time constant.)
 About the author
Rich Scroggins is a Technical Advisor in the monitoring products and has developed and conducted
Application Engineering group at Cummins. seminars and sales and service training internationally on
Rich has been with Cummins for 18 years in a several products. Rich received his bachelors degree in
variety of engineering and product management electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota
roles. Rich has led product development and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.
and application work with transfer switches,
switchgear controls and networking and remote

We calculated an arc flash energy level of 3.57 cal/cm2

for the scenario in which a configurable output of the
Conclusion
control is wired to shunt trip a breaker at the instant
Arc energy reduction requirements have been
that the control recognizes the fault, isolating the
added to the National Electrical Code as a means
working space from the energy stored in the alternator
for improving worker safety. Cummins AmpSentry
windings. Tests have shown that AmpSentry will
protective relay with Maintenance Mode has the
recognize the fault within 50 msec. For this calculation
functionality to meet all of an onsite emergency
we used 60 msec for the duration of the arc, allowing
generator’s NEC requirements for overcurrent
10 msec for the breaker to clear.
protection and arc energy reduction.

05 |\\376\\377\\000\\007 Power Topic #6073

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Cummins Inc.

power.cummins.com

Bulletin 5544084 (NAPT-6073-EN) Rev. 6/18

©2018 Cummins Inc.