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In an electric power system, a fault or fault current is any abnormal electric current. For example, a short circuit is a fault in which a live wire touches a neutral or ground wire. An open-circuit fault occurs if a circuit is interrupted by a failure of a current-carrying wire (phase or neutral) or a blown fuse or circuit breaker.
Discharge of electric current through an open space between conductors; may be produced intentionally as a source of intense light and heat, or may be a result of an electrical fault. electric charge The physical property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field. electric circuit
For example, the power-handling ability of a resistor may be greatly derated when applied in high-altitude aircraft to obtain adequate service life. A sudden fail-open fault can cause multiple secondary failures if it is fast and the circuit contains an inductance ; this causes large voltage spikes , which may exceed 500 volts.
A transient fault is a loss of power typically caused by a fault on a power line, e.g. a short circuit or flashover. Power is automatically restored once the fault is cleared. A brownout is a drop in voltage in an electrical power supply. The term brownout comes from the dimming experienced by incandescent lighting when the voltage sags.
Although usually the result of a fault, there are cases where short circuits are caused intentionally, for example, for the purpose of voltage-sensing crowbar circuit protectors. In circuit analysis, a short circuit is defined as a connection between two nodes that forces them to be at the same voltage. In an 'ideal' short circuit, this means ...
An electric arc between two nails. An arc flash is the light and heat produced as part of an arc fault (sometimes referred to as an electrical flashover), a type of electrical explosion or discharge that results from a connection through air to ground or another voltage phase in an electrical system.
A neutral atom or molecule, in a region of the strong electric field (such as the high potential gradient near the curved electrode), is ionized by a natural environmental event (for example, being struck by an ultraviolet photon or cosmic ray particle), to create a positive ion and a free electron.
In polyphase electrical systems, generally phase-to-phase, phase-to-ground (earth), and phase-to-neutral faults are examined, as well as a case where all three phases are short-circuited. Because impedances of cables or devices varies between phases, the prospective short-circuit current varies depending on the type of fault.