Pressures Developed by Arcs

 

In addition to flash burns resulting from electric arcs, people nearby an electric arc are propelled away from such arcs by pressure developed by the arcs. This can cause falls and other injuries as well as damage to nearby structures. In many cases, people that experience this pressure do not remember being propelled away from the arc, and sometimes do not even remember the arc occurrence itself.

 

Due to the relative infrequency of these power arcs, the interest in determining the nature and magnitude of this pressure has been minimal. Not only that, but the heat and molten metal droplet emanation from the arc causes serious burns to those nearby – overshadowing the interest in the rearward propulsion and pressures generated.

 

The following article discusses how these pressures develop and reviews case histories involving such occurrences. Click here to read the entire Pressures Developed by Arcs article produced by AVO Training Institute, Inc. The AVO Technical Resource Center provides electrical reference books, industry standards, training materials, personal protective equipment, insulated hand tools, and safety tools.