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Low vol tage swi tchboard wi th ci rcui t breakers (i ncomers, feeders)
Asif Eqbal
Sizing of power cables for circuit breaker controlled feeders
(part 1)
The
following three criteria apply for the sizing of cables for circuit breaker controlled feeders:
I. Short circuit current withstand capacity
This criteria is applied to determine the minimum cross section area of the cable, so that cable can
withstand the short circuit current.
Failure to check the conductor size f or short-circuit heating could result in permanent damage to the cable
insulation and could also result into f ire. In addition to the thermal stresses, the cable may also be
subjected to signif icant mechanical stresses.
II. Continuous current carrying capacity
This criteria is applied so that cross section of the cable can carry the required load current continuously at
the designed ambient temperature and laying condition.
III. Starting and running voltage drops in cable
This criteria is applied to make sure that the cross sectional area of the cable is suf f icient to keep the
voltage drop (due to impedance of cable conductor) within the specif ied limit so that the equipment which is
being supplied power through that cable gets at least the minimum required voltage at its power supply
input terminal during starting and running condition both.
1. Criteria-1 Short circuit capacity
The maximum temperature reached under short circuit depends on both the magnitude and duration of the
short circuit current. The quantity I2t represents the energy input by a f ault that acts to heat up the cable
conductor. This can be related to conductor size by the f ormula:
A = Minimum required cross section area in mm2
t = Operating time of disconnecting device in seconds
Isc = RMS Short Circuit current Value in Ampere
C = Constant equal to 0.0297 f or copper & 0.0125 f or aluminum
T2 = Final temp. C (max. short circuit temperature)
T1 = Initial temp. C (max. cable operating temperature normal conditions)
T0 = 234.5 C f or copper and 228.1 C f or aluminum
Equation-1 can be simplif ied to obtain the expression f or minimum conductor size as given below in
equation-2:
Now K can be def ined as a Constant whose value depends upon the conductor material, its insulation and
boundary conditions of initial and f inal temperature because during short circuit conditions, the temperature
of the conductor rises rapidly. The short circuit capacity is limited by the maximum temperature capability of
the insulation. The value of K hence is as given in Table 2.
Boundary conditions of initial and f inal temperature f or dif f erent insulation is as given under in Table 1
below.
Table 1
Insulation material Final temperature T
2
Initial temperature T
1
PVC 160 C 70 C
Butyl Rubber 220 C 85 C
XLPE / EPR 250 C 90 C
Table 2
Material Copper Aluminum
Insulation PVC Butyl Rubber XLPE / EPR PVC Butyl Rubber XLPE / EPR
(K) 1 Second Current
Rating in Amp/mm
2
115 134 143 76 89 94
(K) 3 Second Current
Rating in Amp/mm
2
66 77 83 44 51 54
In the f inal equation-2 we have determined the value of constant K. Now the value of t is to be determined.
The f ault current (ISC) in the above equation varies with time. However, calculating the exact value of the
f ault current and sizing the power cable based on that can be complicated. To simplif y the process the
cable can be sized based on the interrupting capability of the circuit breakers/f uses that protect them.
This approach assumes that the available f ault current is the maximum capability of the breaker/f use and
also accounts f or the cable impedances in reducing the f ault levels.
The f ault clearing time (tc) of the breakers/f uses per ANSI/IEEE C37.010, C37.013, and UL 489 are:
For medium voltage system (4.16 kV) breakers, use 5-8 cycles
For starters with current limiting f uses, use cycle
For low voltage breakers with intermediate/short time delay, use 10 cycles
For low voltage breakers with instantaneous trips, use 1 cycle
Alternatively let us consider that f eeder is f or any large motor which is being f ed f rom LV 415V or 400V
switchgear having a circuit breaker with separate multif unction motor protection relay (For this calculation it
is assumed to be SIEMENS made 7SJ61).
The instantaneous protection f eature of this relay will be turned ON as and when any f ault occurs.
However, the selected cable shall have the capacity to withstand the maximum f ault current f or a f inite
duration (that is f ault clearing time of the circuit breaker).
The minimum f aults withstand duration necessary (f or the instantaneous setting) f or cable is calculated as
under:
Si. No. Parameters Time in ms Source/Back up
1 Relay sensing/pickup time 20 SIEMENS 7SJ61 technical data
2 Tolerance/Delay time 10 SIEMENS 7SJ61 technical data
3 Breaker operating time 40 L&T make C-Power breaker have typical opening
time of 40 ms and closing time of 60ms)
4 Relay overshoot 20 GEC handbook Network Protection & automation
Guide
5 Saf ety Margin 30
TOTAL TIME IN MILI SECONDS 120
Theref ore the cable selected f or a circuit breaker controlled motor f eeder in 415V or 400V switchgear shall
be suitable to withstand the maximum rated f ault current of 50kA f or at least 120msec. However taking
allowance of 40 Mili seconds in the opening time of circuit breaker due to aging, f requent number of
operation, increase in contact resistance of circuit breaker and f inally to cover the variation due f rom
manuf acturer to manuf acturer.
Hence the cable selected f or a circuit breaker controlled motor f eeder in 415V or 400V switchgear shall be
suitable to withstand the maximum rated f ault current of 50kA f or at least (120+40) 160msec. Many
consultants recommend f or use operating time of disconnecting device as 200msec also. Value of t more
than 160 seconds is a conservative design.
A = (Isc x t)/K = (50000 x 0.16)/94 = 212.766mm
2
Next standard cable size: = 240 mm
2
Although it may appear that selection of minimum cross sectional area of cable conductor as 240 mm
2
is
only just large enough f or the duty, the actual f ault current in the motor circuit is generally less than the
switchboard f ault withstand rating of 50kA, hence the selection of cable of cross sectional area 240 mm2
in practice of f ers suf f icient design margin.
The minimum cross sectional area of cable required f or 415V or 400V switchgear motor f eeder f rom f ault
withstand point of view shall be 240mm
2
.
We have considered f or circuit breaker controlled motor f eeder and analyzed the duration of
short circuit/f ault withstanding time in seconds f or the same. Exactly the Same holds true f or
Circuit breaker controlled (Please see the below f igure) outgoing transf ormer f eeder.
However operating time of disconnecting device is slightly dif f erent f or circuit breaker controlled incomer
and tie f eeders. Duration of f ault withstanding/operating time of disconnecting device f or incomer and tie
f eeder is 1 and 0.5 second respectively. This is because of additional presence of inverse def inite minimum
time delay protection relays along with instantaneous protection. The inverse def inite time delay protection
has time settings greater than 0.5 f or incomer f eeders and about 0.5 f or tie f eeders.
For all dif f erent type of f eeders the operating time of disconnecting device is indicated in f igure below:
Typi cal val ue of t (faul t cl eari ng ti me). Al l the connecti ng cabl es has to be si zed for short ci rcui t durati on
(t) i ndi cated i n the di agram above
The f inal cable
size shall be
selected
considering the
other two criteria
that is
continuous
current carrying
capacity &
voltage drop
criteria which
would be
continued in
part-2 and part-
3.