Arc Chamber And Plenum - ABB SafeGear Technical And Application Manual

S A F E G E A R ® 5/ 1 5 K V, U P TO 5 0 K A A R C - R E S I S TA N T S W I TC H G E A R
18
—
Arc chamber
and plenum
A system of chambers inside the switchgear lineup
—
01 Low voltage instru-
serves as an exhaust system which vents arc gases
ment module isolated
away from personnel and the affected cubicle in
for maximum safety
when working with
the case of an arc fault. Vents and flaps are located
low voltage circuits
inside the chamber system which leads to a top-
—
02 Low voltage cabinet
mounted plenum on the enclosure. Once inside the
door panel 19"
plenum, the gases and pressure are directed to an
area outside the building and away from personnel
and other equipment. The plenum sections feature
external flanges for ease of bolting sections to-
gether during installation. ABB developed this vent-
ing system which combines the internal chamber
and plenum and holds patents on the construction
details of this truly innovative design.
Plenum exhaust clearance requirements
For proper and safe arc fault by-product exhaust-
ing, it is recommended that an eight foot cylinder
projecting out 15 feet be clear of all objects and
personnel at the point where the plenum exits the
building. Refer to the Plenum Application Guide,
1VAL108001-AP, for more details.
—
02
Installation expertise is required to properly install
and commission arc-resistant metal-clad switch-
gear. Consult with the factory for assistance.
The vent chambers used for channeling arc faults
are also used as heat ventilation ducts during nor-
mal operating conditions. Ventilation is necessary
to ensure equipment will operate within the ANSI
standard design temperature limits. These cham-
bers should not be blocked, or otherwise modified
to impede the normal flow of air.
—
01