Has anyone successfully used an electronic power fuse?

[bdn2004]

I’m looking through the IEEE Red Book section 5.3.20.1.4 “Electronic Power Fuses”.

The places I’ve worked I’ve never seen one of these. It says it can be used on transformer primary’s and “can easily coordinate both with line side over current relays and load-side power fuses”.

What’s not to like? Can you retrofit existing installations with these?

 

[FacEngrPE]

Example?

https://www.sandc.com/en/products--services/products/fault-fiter-electronic-power-fuse/

"Fault Fiter® Electronic Power Fuse For indoor distribution, 4.16 kV through 25 kV"
"Offering unmatched high-speed circuit-interrupting performance without producing excessive voltage surges" S&C is not the only source.
Looks like the product is available, when you need it's features. Perhaps a power engineer will elaborate.

 

[bdn2004]

That's good info....Someone inquired of us the other day about a switchgear that is fed from a large transformer outside of the building. 2500kVA, 13.8-480V....The switchgear is the cheaper commercial stuff where there is not barriers between the main and the feeder sections.

The arc flash is extreme danger as the primary fuse is what's determining its arc flash rating.

They are looking at different alternatives. One being bus differential relaying, but they are finding everything is very costly and they will lose valuable production time installing it.

I saw this and thought I'd pass on the idea if someone had a good experience with it.

 

[mparenteau]

Mersen used to make an electronic fuse for arc flash reduction. A few years back the product disappeared and is no longer available. Curious...

Mike

 

[BrianPetersen]

Not a power engineer, so this may be a dumb question ...

Are these approved by UL, CSA, ECE, or do they carry any other such approvals?

Where I am ... no CSA (or ULC), no bueno.

We've had to replace many, many circuit breakers inside electrical panels coming from Europe because the Electrical Safety Authority wants fuses, not circuit breakers.

 

[FacEngrPE]

UL has a very limited portfolio of standards applicable to medium voltage gear and none for MV Fuses. So type certification from UL is likely not an option. The S/C product does not claim UL listing.

UL does have a service offering for Medium Voltage Equipment testing and certification.

https://www.ul.com/services/medium-voltage-distribution-equipment-testing-and-certification.

In any case UL certification / Listing is not approval. UL only certifies that the samples pass the requirements of the testing the standard. UL does does a good job of designing testing standards that weed out the truly unsafe products.

Fred