CableSizingofSubMainCircuitsWorking

Examples

CableSizingofSubMainCircuitsWorkingExamples(photocredit:topcable.com)

FewwordsaboutSubmaincircuits
AsubmaincircuitcanbedefinedasacircuitconnecteddirectlyfromthemainLVswitchboardto
asubmaindistributionpanelorarisingmainforfinalconnectionoftheminorcurrentusing
equipment.TheCoderequiresthatthemaximumcopperlossineverysubmaincircuitshouldnot
exceed1.5%ofthetotalactivepowertransmittedalongthecircuitconductorsatrated
circuitcurrent.
Similarapproachcouldbefollowedforsizingconductorasforfeedercircuit.However,assumption
hastobemadeinthedesignforvariouscharacteristicsofthesubmaincircuitincludingdesign
current,expectedharmoniccurrent(THD)inthecircuit,degreeofunbalance,etc.
Alternatively,anenergyefficiencymethodintroducedbytheCodecouldalsobeusedfor
preliminarycablesizing.Thisenergyefficiencymethodforcablesizingrequiresthecalculationof

themaximumallowableconductorresistancebasedonthemaximumcopperlossrequirement
asstipulatedinthecode.

Fora3phase4wirecircuit(assumingbalanced,linearornonlinear):
Activepowertransmittedviathecircuitconductors//

P=3ULI1 cos
Totalcopperlossesinconductors//

Pcopper=(3Ib2+IN2)rL
where:
ULLinetolinevoltage,380V
IbDesigncurrentofthecircuitinampere
I1Fundamentalcurrentofthecircuitinampere
INNeutralcurrentofthecircuitinampere
cosDisplacementpowerfactorofthecircuit
ra.c.resistance/conductor/metreattheconductoroperatingtemperature
LLengthofthecableinmetre

Percentagecopperlosswithrespecttothetotalactivepowertransmitted:

Therefore,

Table4.2Aand4.2BintheCodeprovideaquickinitialassessmentofcablesizerequiredforthe
commoncabletypesandinstallationmethodsusedinHongKongforthisexample.
Thetabulatedcurrentratingoftheselectedcablecouldthenbecorrectedbyapplyingthe
correctionfactorsaccordingly.Theeffectivecurrentcarryingcapacityoftheselectedcablemust

becheckedsothatitsvalueislargerthanorequaltothenominalratingofthecircuitprotective
device.

Calculateanappropriatecablesize
A3phasesubmaincircuithavingadesignfundamentalcurrentof100Aistobewiredwith4/C
PVC/SWA/PVCcableonadedicatedcabletray.Assuminganambienttemperatureof30Canda
circuitlengthof40m,calculateanappropriatecablesizeforthefollowingconditions:
1. CASE1//Undistortedbalancedconditionusingtraditionalmethod(cos=0.85)
2. CASE2//Undistortedbalancedconditionwithamax.copperlossof1.5%(cos=0.85)

Case#1
Undistortedbalancedconditionusingconventionalmethod:
Ib=100A
In=100A
It(min)=100A
AssumethecorrectionfactorsCa,Cp,CgandCiareallunity.

RefertoBS7671:2008,TheRequirementsforElectricalInstallations,
Table4D4Afor25mm 24/CPVC/SWA/PVCcableIt=110A
Table4D4Bforr=1.5mV/A/mx=0.145mV/A/m(negligible)
Conductoroperating

t1 =30+100 2 /110 2 (7030)=63C

temperature
Ratioofconductor

r=(230+63)/(230+70)=0.98

resistanceat63Cto70C
Voltagedrop

u=1.5mV/A/m0.850.98100A40m=5V
(1.3%)

Activepowertransferred(P)

P=3380V100A0.85=56kW

Totalcopperlossesin

=3100 2 A2 0.0015/m/30.9840m

conductors(Pcu)

=1.02kW(1.82%)
(Cablesizeselectedisnotacceptableifthe
maximumallowablecopperlossis1.5%)

Case#2
Undistortedbalancedconditionwithamaximumcopperlossof1.5%
(cos=0.85)
MaximumcopperlossmethodusingTable4.2AintheCodeforinitialassessmentofan
approximateconductorsizerequiredbycalculatingthemax.conductorresistanceat1.5%power
loss:

FromTable4.2A35mm24/CPVC/SWA/PVCcablehavingaconductorresistanceof
0.625m/misrequired.RefertoBS7671:2008,TheRequirementsforElectricalInstallations:
Table4D4Afor35mm 24/CPVC/SWA/PVCcableIt=135A
Table4D4Bforr=1.1mV/A/mx=0.145mV/A/m
Conductoroperating

t1 =30+100 2 /135 2 (7030)=52C

temperature
Ratioofconductor

r=(230+52)/(230+70)=0.94

resistanceat52Cto
70C
Voltagedrop

u=1.1mV/A/m0.850.94100A40m=3.5V(0.92%)

Activepowertransferred

P=3380V100A0.85=56kW

(P)
Totalcopperlossesin

=3100 2 A2 0.0011/m/30.9440m

conductors(Pcu)

=716kW(1.28%)
(Cablesizeselectedisacceptable,i.e.powerloss<
1.5%,underundistortedandbalancedconditions)

RELATEDTABLES//

TABLE4.2A
MulticoreArmouredandNonarmouredCables(CopperConductor),ConductorResistanceat
50HzSinglephaseorThreephasea.c.

MulticoreArmouredandNonarmouredCables(CopperConductor),Conductor
Resistanceat50HzSinglephaseorThreephasea.c.

GobacktoCases

TABLE4.2B
SinglecorePVC/XLPENonarmouredCables,withorwithoutsheath(CopperConductor),
ConductorResistanceat50HzSinglephaseorThreephasea.c.

TABLE4.2B
SinglecorePVC/XLPENonarmouredCables,withorwithoutsheath(Copper
Conductor),ConductorResistanceat50HzSinglephaseorThreephasea.c.

GobacktoCases

TABLE4D4A
Multicorearmoured70Cthermoplasticinsulatedcable

TABLE4D4AMulticorearmoured70Cthermoplasticinsulatedcable

GobacktoCases

TABLE4D4B
Voltagedrop(peramperepermetre)

TABLE4D4BVoltagedrop(peramperepermetre)

GobacktoCases
Reference//CodeofPracticeforEnergyEfficiencyofElectricalInstallationsElectricaland
MechanicalServicesDepartmentTheGovernmentoftheHongKongSpecialAdministrative
Region