• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.876-880
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• 2013

The major causes of electrical fire are classified to short circuit fault, overload fault, electric leakage and electric contact failure. The principal factor of the fire is electric arc or spark accompanied with such electric faults. Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELB) and Molded_case Circuit Breaker (MCCB), that is, Residual Current Protective Devices (RCDs) used on low voltage distribution lines cut off earth leakage and overload, but the RCD can not cut off electric arc or spark to be a major factor of electrical fire. As the RCDs which are applied in low voltage distribution panel are prescribed to rated breaking time about 30[ms] (KS C 4613), the RCDs can't perceive to the periodic electric arc or spark of more short wavelength level. To improve such problems, this paper studies on an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) using the distorted voltage wave in electric arc faults. The proposed voltage sensing type AFCI is an electrical fire prevention apparatus of new conception that operates a circuit breaker with sensing the instantaneous voltage drop of line voltage at electrical faults occurrence. The proposed AFCI is composed of control circuit topology using some semiconductor switching devices. Some experimental tests of the proposed AFCI confirm practicality and the validity of the analytical results.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.38-42
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• 2012

This paper describes electrical fire on residential environment such as apartment and detached house caused by defect of interior wiring. We carried out experimental study on short circuit characteristics by the interior wiring length. We were measured arc current, arc energy and interrupting time of earth leakage current circuit breaker(ELB), when an interior wiring break out short circuit in residential environment. From the experiment results, the longer of the interior wiring, the magnitude of arc current decreased and the interrupting time of ELB increased. When applied the A maker's ELB, the strength of arc current and interrupting time of ELB was 254 A and 245 ms respectively at 30 m interior wiring length. In 3 m interior wiring length, arc current and interrupting time was 716 A and 4.24 ms respectively. Arc energy was dependent on the magnitude of arc current and the interrupting time of ELB, the longer the interrupting time, arc energy increasing. In this paper, minimum arc energy was 277 J using C maker's ELB and 3 m interior wiring length(arc current 283 A, interrupting time of breaker 6.28 ms). Therefore in the residential environment, short circuit caused by defect of the interior wiring lead to electrical fire.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.61 no.12
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• pp.1953-1958
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• 2012

The major causes of electrical fire are classified to short circuit fault, overload fault, electric leakage and electric contact failure. The occurrence factor of the fire is electric arc or spark accompanied with such electric faults, specially short circuit faults. Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELB) and Molded_case Circuit Breaker (MCCB), that is, Residual Current Protective Devices (RCDs) used on low voltage distribution lines cut off earth leakage and overload, but the RCD can not cut off electric arc or spark to be a major factor of electrical fire. As the RCDs which are applied in low voltage distribution panel are prescribed to rated breaking time about 30ms(KS C 4613), the RCDs can't perceive to the periodic electric arc or spark of more short wavelength level. To improve such problem, this paper proposes a prevention apparatus using the line voltage drop of neutral wire and some semiconductor switching devices. Some experimental tests of the proposed apparatus confirm the validity of the analytical results.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2013.07a
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• pp.546-547
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• 2013

This paper proposes an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) using the distorted voltage wave in electric arc faults. It perceives a voltage instantaneously at the time of voltage drop. and occurrence. It is an AFCI of the new concept which operates with high reliability. The primary reason of electric fire is arc and spark. It prevents an electric fire or an electric leakage accident with quick responsiveness. Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker(ELB), Molded_case Circuit Breaker (MCCB) or Residual Current Protective Device(RCD) can not cut off electric arc or spark to be a major factor of electrical fire. This theory will be able to intercept an arc or a spark. which occurrence with periodic. Consequently It raises a reliability and validates a practicality of RCD.

• The Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.44-52
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• 1997

Electronic circuits with semiconductor and IC are very weak against the surge voltage and currents. The surge protective devices for electronic circuit and AC power lines are becoming more widely used. It is possible to give rise to the malfunction of the earth leakage circuit breaker(ELB) due to the operation of surge protective devices, and the interruption of AC power lines on account of the malfunction of the ELB brings about several disadvantages such as low operation efficiency and reliability of electronic and informational systems, economical loss, and etc. The aim of the present work is to investigate the dead operation characteristics of the ELB against the surge voltages. The impulse generator of 10[kV) in an 1.2/ 50[~) voltage waveform was fabricated. The dead operation characteristics of the ELB applied by surge voltages were measured under the conditions of KS C 4613 and the test circuit with a varistor. As a consequence, the peak value of the zero-phase sequence circuit of the ELB is increased as the surge voltage and stray capacitance increase. All of the ELBs used in this work were satisfied with the lightning impulse dead operation test condition defined in KS C 4613. However one specimen only did not bring about dead operation in the condition of the test circuit with a varistor. There is high possibility that a large portion of the ELB installed at the AC power lines with the surge protective devices bring about the dead operation.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.07a
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• pp.371-372
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• 2007

The major causes of electrical fire are classified to short circuit fault, overload fault, electric leakage and electric contact failure. The occurrence factor of the fire is electric arc or spark accompanied with electrical faults. Residual Current Protective Device (RCD), that is Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker(ELB) and Molded_case Circuit Breaker (MCB), of high sensitivity type used at low voltage wiring cuts off earth leakage and overload, but the RCD can't cut off electric arc or spark to be a major factor of electrical fire. As the RCDs which are applied low voltage distribution panel are prescribed to rated breaking time about 30[ms] (KS C 4613), the RCDs can't perceive to the periodic electric arc or spark of more short wavelength level. To be improved on such problem, this research development is proposed to a auxiliary control apparatus for RCD trip on electric arc or spark due to electrical fire. Some experimental results of the proposed apparatus is confirmed to the validity of the analytical results.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.8-11
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• 2002

Recently, the spark and the overheat due to in the failure of pressure contacts on connecting points and the momentary short circuit have been the major causes of electrical fire because these may cause the deposition and the graphite of insulating materials in electrical wiring system. Also, because in these cases the current is a surge one, the losses and faults of a communication, a home appliances, a computer and a measuring instrument may occur. Especially, in such cases, we are very difficult to detect the failure of pressure contacts on connecting points and the momentary short circuit. In this paper, we have developed an auxiliary control device, the electrical fire prevention control device(EFPCD), of an earth leakage breaker(ELB). And we can pre-vent the electrical fire caused by the spark and the overheat occurring in the failure of pressure contacts in connecting points and the momentary short circuit with the EFPCD.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.2063_2064
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• 2009

Recently, load circuits and components of customer are various. Therefore failures of ELB(Earth Leakage Breaker) and MCCB(Molded case circuit breakers) are more frequent. Lite time of MCCB even if there is same units differ from environment, condition of operation. FEMCA is a efficiency method of system operation or maintenance for system reliability. We study on FMECA procedures and method. In this paper, we focused on FMECA application to MCCB life time test.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.885-891
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• 2011

In this paper, we studied dc leakage current properties analysis of LED lamps of road and landscape lighting when leakage current appeared in dc power line. Generally, converter of LED lighting is divides to insulated type and non-insulated type according to components. When electric leakage happened in AC power line, earth leakage breaker(ELB) senses leakage current and interrupts electric circuit. In dc power source, We need experimental verification about dc electric leakage for electricity safety. In normal wiring conditions and in the water, in case of using insulated type of converter, dc leakage current did not occur. However, in case of using non-insulated type of converter, dc leakage current occurred and passed through into the ground. We found that there is a hazard of electric shock by dc leakage current. We expect that the results of these studies would be helpful for electrical safety of LED lamps for road and landscape lighting.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers P
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.328-333
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• 2009

In this paper, we have developed high performance SPD(surge protective device) and evaluated the characteristics in comparison with typical SPD used in the inside and outside of the country. The new SPD was composed of MOV(metal oxide varistor), GDT(gas discharge tube) and impedance such as resistors, capacitors or varistors. To estimate operating the characteristic of the SPD which was developed, it was measured surge voltage caused by fault current or surge according to IEC 61000-4-5. As a result it was found that the power supply was cut off by high performance SPD when caused a short-circuit. In addition we could know that it could prevent ELB(earth leakage breaker)'s malfunction caused by surge.