07/05/2016

AccordingtotheANSI/IEEE946OpenElectrical

AccordingtotheANSI/IEEE946
FromOpenElectrical

Contents
1Introduction
2VoltageConsiderations
3AvailableShortCircuitCurrent
4CalculationApproach
5PartialFaultCurrents
5.1ShortCircuitCurrentfromBatteries
5.2ShortCircuitCurrentfromDCMotors/Generators
5.3ShortCircuitCurrentsfromChargers
6References

Introduction
ScopeoftheIEEE9461992:ThisrecommendedpracticeprovidesguidanceforthedesignoftheDC
auxiliarypowersystemsfornuclearandnonnuclearpowergeneratingstations.ThecomponentsoftheDC
auxiliarypowersystemaddressedbythisrecommendedpracticeincludeleadacidstoragebatteries,static
batterychargersanddistributionequipment.Guidanceforselectingthequantityandtypesofequipment,the
equipmentratings,interconnections,instrumentation,controlandprotectionisalsoprovided.
Thisrecommendedpracticeisintendedfornuclearand
largefossilfueledgeneratingstations.Each
recommendationmayormaynotbeappropriatefor
othergeneratingfacilitiese.g.,combustionturbines,
hydro,windturbines,etc.TheACpowersupply(tothe
chargers),theloadsservedbytheDCsystems,except
astheyinfluencetheDCsystemdesign,andengine
starting(cranking)batterysystemsarebeyondthescope
ofthisrecommendedpractice.
Formoreinformationspleaserefertothestandarditself
IEEE9461992
(http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?
arnumber=213720&contentType=Standards).

VoltageConsiderations
Thenominalvoltagesof250,125,48,and24are
generallyutilizedinstationDCauxiliarypower
http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=According_to_the_ANSI/IEEE_946

Figure1.125VDCsystemkeydiagram

1/8

07/05/2016

AccordingtotheANSI/IEEE946OpenElectrical

systems.Thetype,rating,cost,availability,andlocationoftheconnectedequipmentshouldbeusedto
determinewhichnominalsystemvoltageisappropriateforaspecificapplication.250VDCsystemsare
typicallyusedtopowermotorsforemergencypumps,largevalveoperators,andlargeinverters.125VDC
systemsaretypicallyusedforcontrolpowerfornestrelaylogiccircuitsandtheclosingandtrippingof
switchgearcircuitbreakers.48VDCor24VDCsystemsaretypicallyusedforspecializedinstrumentation.

Figure2.Recommendedvoltagerangeof125Vand250VDC(nominal)ratedcomponents(fordesignsinwhichthe
batteryisequalizedwhileconnectedtotheload)

AvailableShortCircuitCurrent
Forthepurposeofdeterminingthemaximumavailableshortcircuitcurrent(e.g.,therequiredinterrupting
capacityforfeederbreakers/fusesandwithstandcapabilityofthedistributionbusesanddisconnecting
devices),thetotalshortcircuitcurrentisthesumofthatdeliveredbythebattery,charger,andmotors(as
applicable).Whenamoreaccuratevalueofmaximumavailableshortcircuitcurrentisrequired,the
analysisshouldaccountforinterconnectingcableresistance.

CalculationApproach
Asdefinedin"Industrialpowersystemsdatabook"[2],therearetwocalculationwaystoacquirethefault
current:
1.ApproximationMethod:Allthenetworkisconvertedintotheequivalentimpedance(Req,Leqare
usedforthetimeconstant)andthesystemvoltageisbeingusedforthefaultcurrentcalculation:
http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=According_to_the_ANSI/IEEE_946

2/8

07/05/2016

AccordingtotheANSI/IEEE946OpenElectrical

2.SuperpositionMethod:Thefaultcurrentiscalculatedforeachsourceindividually,whileother,
notobservedsources,arebeingshortedout(withtheirinternalresistances).Thevoltageforeach
partialcurrentistheratedvoltageofthesource.Thetotalcurrentisthesumofthepartialcurrents.
Thisapproachshallbedescribedinfollowingarticles.

PartialFaultCurrents
ShortCircuitCurrentfromBatteries
Thecurrentthatabatterywilldeliveronshortcircuitdependsonthetotalresistanceoftheshortcircuit
path.Aconservativeapproachindeterminingtheshortcircuitcurrentthatthebatterywilldeliverat25Cis
toassumethatthemaximumavailableshortcircuitcurrentis10timesthe1minuteampererating(to1.75
Vpercell).Formorethan25Ctheshortcircuitcurrentforthespecificapplicationshouldbecalculatedor
actualtestdatashouldbeobtainedfromthebatterymanufacturer.Thebatterynominalvoltageshouldbe
usedwhencalculatingthemaximumshortcircuitcurrent.Testshaveshownthatanincreaseinelectrolyte
temperature(above25C)orelevatedbatteryterminalvoltage(abovenominalvoltage)willhaveno
appreciableeffectonthemagnitudeofshortcircuitcurrentdeliveredbyabattery.
Theinternalbatteryresistanceiscalculatedusing:

WhereEBisthebatteryratedvoltageandI8hrsisthe8hourbatterycapacity.
Themaximum(orpeak)shortcircuitcurrentis:

RBBristhesumofthebatteryinternalresistanceRBandthelineresistanceRBruptothefaultlocation.
Theinitialmaximumrateofriseofthecurrentatt=0sisasfollows:

Thetimeconstantiscalculatedas:

http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=According_to_the_ANSI/IEEE_946

3/8

07/05/2016

AccordingtotheANSI/IEEE946OpenElectrical

Thesustainedshortcircuitcurrentiscalculatedusing:

Andthefaultcurrentfromthebatteryforthetimet:

ShortCircuitCurrentfromDCMotors/Generators
DCmotors,ifoperating,
willcontributetothe
totalfaultcurrent.The
maximumcurrentthata
DCmotorwilldeliverto
ashortcircuitatits
terminalsislimitedby
theeffectivetransient
armatureresistance(r'd)
ofthemotor.ForDC
motorsofthetype,
speed,voltage,andsize
typicallyusedin
generatingstations,rdis
intherangeof0.1to
0.15perunit.Thus,the
maximumfaultcurrent
forashortcircuitatthe
Figure3.TypicalshortcircuitcharacteristicofDCmotor/generator
motorterminalswill
typicallyrangefrom7to
10timesthemotors
ratedarmaturecurrent.Therefore,itisconservativetoestimatethemaximumcurrentthatamotorwill
contributetoafaultas10timesthemotorsratedfullloadcurrent.Whenamoreaccuratevalueisrequired,
theshortcircuitcontributionshouldbecalculated,usingspecificrddataforthespecificmotor,oractual
testdatashouldbeobtainedfromthemotormanufacturer.Foradditionalaccuracy,thecalculationshould
accountfortheresistanceofthecablesbetweenthemotorandthefault.Acompleteexpressionforthe
shortcircuitcurrentis:

Where:iaperunitcurrent,e0istheinternalemfpriorshortcircuit(p.u.),rdsteadystateeffectiveresistance
http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=According_to_the_ANSI/IEEE_946

4/8

07/05/2016

AccordingtotheANSI/IEEE946OpenElectrical

ofmachine(p.u.),r'dtransienteffectiveresistanceofmachine(p.u.).Thefrequencyis60Hz.Typically,for
motorse0=0,97p.u.,andforgeneratorse0=1,03p.u.
Themachineelectricalparameteraretobecalculatedincasewhennoadditionaldataisknownfor
observedmachine.Normally,itismorepracticaltousetherealmachinedatagivenbythemanufacturer.
Themachineinductanceisderivedfromthefollowingequation:

WherePisthepolenumber,nnnominalspeed,UMnominalvoltageandIMnominalcurrent.Cxdependson
themachinetype:Cx=0,4isformotorswithoutpolefacewindings,Cx=0,1isformotorswithpoleface
windings,Cx=0,6isforgeneratorswithoutpolefacewindings,andCx=0,2isforgeneratorswithpoleface
windings.
Thebaseresistanceofthemachineisderivedfrom:

ThenthetransientresistanceinOhmsisderivedfrom:

ThepeakshortcircuitcurrentinAmps:

Orinp.u.:

Theinitialrateofriseofthecurrentis:

Thefirst2/3timeconstantofriseis:

Andthesecond1/3timeconstantofriseis:
http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=According_to_the_ANSI/IEEE_946

5/8

07/05/2016

AccordingtotheANSI/IEEE946OpenElectrical

Thetotaltimeconstantis:

Thearmaturecircuitdecrementfactoris:

Thefieldcircuitdecrementfactoris:

ShortCircuitCurrentsfromChargers
Themaximumcurrentthatachargerwilldeliverintoashortcircuit,coincidentwiththemaximumbattery
shortcircuitcurrent,isdeterminedbythechargercurrentlimitcircuit.Thecurrentlimitsettingis
adjustableinmostchargersandmayvaryfrommanufacturertomanufacturer.Thus,themaximumcurrent
thatachargerwilldeliveronshortcircuitwillnottypicallyexceed150%ofthechargerampererating.
Theinitialsustainedshortcircuit
current(orquasisteadystatecurrent)is
givenby:

ThefactorK2istakenfromthediagram
ofsustainedfaultcurrentfactorversus
rectifierterminalvoltage,zCisthe
commutatingimpedanceperunitandIR
istheratedrectifiercurrent.The
commutatingimpedanceincludesAC
sideimpedancewithtransformer(RC

Figure4.Peakfaultcurrentfactorasafunctionofsystemconstants

andXC).Ifthecommutatingimpedanceisinperunitvaluethenitshouldbeconverted.
ConversionofzC(p.u.)toZC(Ohms):
Caseofdoublewayrectifier,equationis:
http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=According_to_the_ANSI/IEEE_946

6/8

07/05/2016

AccordingtotheANSI/IEEE946OpenElectrical

Caseofdoublewyerectifier:

ThecurrentIdaisusedtodetermine
equivalentrectifierresistanceand
inductanceontheDCside,whichare
thengivenby:

WhereEdaistheassumedvoltageatthe

Figure5.Sustainedfaultcurrentvsrectifierterminalvoltage

rectifierterminalsduringthefaultand
equalse0(p.u.)xSystemVoltage
(Volts).
Ifthefaultcurrentiscalculatedusingthesuperpositionmethod,thenthefollowingrelationsareused:
When:

Then:

When:

Then:

Thesustainedvalueofthefaultcurrentis:

Therectifierterminalvoltageis:

Therateofrisefaultcurrentis:

http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=According_to_the_ANSI/IEEE_946

7/8

07/05/2016

AccordingtotheANSI/IEEE946OpenElectrical

Thepeakcurrentisgivenas:

WherethefactorK1istakenfromthediagramandisinfunctionofK3andK4,whicharecalculatedas
follows,forthefullwavebridgeconnectedrectifier:

Note:ThevalueEda=edaEDshouldbewithin10%ofthecalculatedvalueEdc,therectifierterminal
voltageundersustainedshortcircuitcurrent.Theiterativeprocessisrepeateduntilthedesiredtoleranceis
achieved.
K1peakfaultcurrentfactor
K2sustainedfaultcurrentfactor
K3reactanceconstant(usedtodetermineK1)
K4resistanceconstant(usedtodetermineK1)
Index"RBr"referstothecombinedresistanceoftherectifierandthebranchuptothefaultlocation

References
1.IEEE9461992:IEEERecommendedPracticefortheDesignofDCAuxiliaryPowerSystemsfor
GeneratingStationsFormoreinformationspleaserefertothestandarditselfIEEE9461992
(http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=213720&contentType=Standards).
2.Industrialpowersystemsdatabook,GeneralElectric,1956AttheIowaDigitalLibraryGeneralElectric
IndustrialPowerSystemsDataBook(http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/ref/collection/uidb/id/10895).
Relatedtopics:
ShortCircuitCalculation
accordingtotheIEC61660
Retrievedfrom"http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=According_to_the_ANSI/IEEE_946"
Categories:Calculations|Protection
Thispagewaslastmodifiedon18March2015,at00:16.

http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=According_to_the_ANSI/IEEE_946

8/8