Non-contact arc study for DC power systems

Higher voltage DC distribution systems are being used or considered for aircraft, ship and EV/HEV automotive applications and are required for photovoltaic (PV) systems. Fault detection and location in these systems can be very challenging and electrical arcs can cause significant damage such as electrical fires. Therefore, detecting arc faults for DC systems is receiving considerable attention in the research community. Non-contact arc characteristics and arc detection mechanisms in DC systems are addressed in this paper through theoretical development and experimental tests.