Experimental Study of the Behaviour of Ring Main Unit-Type Panels in the Event of Internal Arcing in Different Compartments

Abstract

If an R.M.U. (Ring Main Unit) cubicle is installed, operated and maintained in accordance with current standards and the manufacturer’s instructions, the likelihood of internal arcing is reduced, but should not be completely ignored. This article outlines the experimental situations in which arcing can occur and the catastrophic effects seen if R.M.U. is not properly designed for this type of damage. This type of failure can be caused by a fault, abnormal operating conditions or a malfunction and represents a danger during its installation and to persons present. The situations in which this type of failure can occur are presented and experimentally analysed: bi-phase internal arcing in the connections compartment, three-phase internal arcing in the switching compartment, internal arcing in the fuse compartment and single-phase arcing between a phase and the switchgear enclosure.