GE has introduces ArcWatch technology circuit breaker communication technology, which it says is industry’s first to enable simultaneous safety and reliability for electrical systems. The technology provides always-on, full-time protection and selectivity. ArcWatch  is available through GE’s New Circuit Breaker Trip Unit, PremEon S and Enhanced EntelliGuard Trip Unit. GE says “ArcWatch is the industry’s first technology to enable an electrical system design that helps to maximise selectivity, or uptime, while simultaneously providing continuous arc-flash mitigation protection.

“Other arc-flash mitigating technologies provide protection with part-time or manual user activation, which creates a mode of either safety or reliability (selectivity), but not both at the same time. Containment arc-flash mitigation systems primarily redirect it away from the operator to ‘enclose’ the impact. These systems also are part-time or manual where human intervention can inadvertently negate their design. Before now, available technologies required a compromised solution of either/or in regards to safety and reliability, and while they could provide both within the same electrical system design, they could not do so at the same time. GE’s industry-leading ArcWatch technology by design provides full-time, automatic, always-on protection and reliability for people, property and equipment.”

Time is crucial in an arc-flash incident, and the ArcWatch technology from GE works through a combination of communication algorithms across the GE portfolio of circuit breakers by using instantaneous zone selective interlocking (I-ZSI) and waveform recognition (WFR) to ensure only the circuit breakers nearest to the fault trip, which happens in as little as 4 milliseconds. This limits the incident energy in the event of an arc flash, protecting both people and equipment.

“Safety is crucial to electrical contractors when working on live equipment,” said Tim Ford, Global Molded Case Circuit Breaker Product Manager, GE’s Industrial Solutions business. “In the past, increased safety meant decreased selectivity, but when servicing a high-demand client, uptime is critical. With GE’s ArcWatch technology, users no longer have to compromise between safety and reliability but can now greatly enhance both.”