ABB has filed a new patent with the China National Intellectual Property Administration for an innovative “method and system for compensating ambient light in an arc flash detection system.” The application publication number is CN121039504A, and it was submitted in May 2023.

According to the patent abstract, the invention relates to improving the accuracy of arc flash detection in electrical equipment by reducing the interference caused by ambient light conditions. The system includes a first optical sensor designed to detect arc flash events in electrical installations.

The proposed method introduces a recording mode in which the system continuously collects output signals from the optical sensor. During this phase, a set of sampled values is stored, with each value representing the level of ambient light inside or around the electrical equipment over a period of time.

After the recording period ends, the system analyzes the collected dataset to determine a representative parameter that characterizes the ambient light conditions. This calculated value is then used to configure the arc flash detection system so that it can compensate for environmental lighting effects.

By integrating this ambient light compensation mechanism, the system aims to improve detection stability, reduce false triggers, and enhance overall reliability in complex industrial environments where lighting conditions may fluctuate significantly.

This development highlights ABB’s continued focus on advancing electrical safety technologies and improving the performance of intelligent monitoring systems used in power distribution and industrial applications.