GE Announces Earlier Delivery and Expanded Offering of Arc Vault™ Protection System to Meet Customer Needs
Revolutionary system will now be available to retrofit non-GE low voltage equipment
Plainville, CT – March 23, 2009 – GE announced today that it plans to start delivery of the first Arc Vault™ system in the 3rd quarter of 2010 due to the overwhelming feedback received from customers and the expected demand. At the same time, a new option will allow the Arc Vault system to be retrofitted onto both GE and non-GE low voltage switchboards, switchgear and motor control centers to expand its application for most existing facilities.
“We received a terrific response to our presentation and demonstration at the 2009 IEEE IAS (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' Industry Applications Society) Petroleum and Chemical Industry Technical Conference, in Anaheim, Calif.,” says Paul Foody, general manager, product management for GE Energy's electrical distribution business. “Since then we've been contacted by many customers requesting more information so we have decided to speed up the first delivery of the system to meet the expected demand.”
The breakthrough arc fault protection technology will stop an arcing fault in less than eight milliseconds (ms) to provide increased arc flash hazard mitigation with equipment doors open or closed. Expected to be the fastest arcing fault containment technology in the industry, it can help reduce the occurrence and severity of work-related injuries and lost productivity.
The first release of Arc Vault™ system will feature an activation switch that can be used during routine maintenance to put the low-voltage equipment into a high-protection mode. When an arc flash event occurs, the system will send a signal to the arc containment device. The arc is then diverted to the containment system in less than one-half cycle or eight milliseconds. At the same time the decision to divert the arc is made, the system will also make a decision to open an upstream
circuit breaker. This will turn off the system in approximately three cycles, at which point the arc in the containment system will terminate.
“Depending on site conditions, we estimate that this new option will enable the retrofit installation to be completed within a day,” says Foody.
Electrical shock and burn were responsible for the deaths of 2,287 U.S. workers and lost productivity from another 32,807 American employees during a seven-year period beginning in 1992 – nearly one fatality every day of the year, according to a study by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Statistics. Non-fatal injuries, 38 percent classified as electrical burns, caused an average of 13 days away from work.
“We're excited about our ability to react quickly to the feedback received from customers and we are sure that all safety-conscious plant managers and consultants will welcome this arc protection technology that specifically addresses the arc flash hazard identified by the IEEE 1584 and NFPA 70E standards covering arc flash protection in the workplace,” says Foody.
To view a video and request technical documents that show how the Arc Vault™ system works, please visit www.geelectrical.com/arcvault.
To stay connected to further product announcements and advancements, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stoparcflash and You Tube at
www.youtube.com/gearcflashinnovation.
About GE
GE Energy's Electrical Distribution Division provides a wide assortment of integrated equipment and systems to ensure safe and reliable power delivery. The product line includes electrical distribution and control solutions, such as circuit breakers, panel boards and general-purpose controls that are
used to distribute and manage power in a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
About GE Appliances & Lighting
GE Appliances & Lighting spans the globe as an industry leader in major appliances, lighting, systems and services for commercial, industrial and residential use. Technology innovation and the company's ecomagination(SM) initiative enable GE Appliances & Lighting to aggressively bring to market products and solutions that help customers meet pressing environmental challenges. General Electric (NYSE: GE), imagination at work, sells products under the Monogram®, Profile™, GE®, Hotpoint®, Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Tetra®, Vio™ and Immersion® commercial brands. For more information, consumers may visit www.ge.com.
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