Electrical Connections in the Main Circuit SIVACON - 8PT

Selection of the Electrical Connections in the Main Circuit................................................1

General............................................................................................................................1
Definition of Conductor or Busbar Cross-section.........................................................2
Definition of Conductor Type / Insulation.....................................................................3
Type of several Conductors per Phase........................................................................4
Example: Sizing of conductors in motor feeder...........................................................4

Selection of the Electrical Connections in the Main Circuit

General

Selection criteria for electrical connections:

 Conductor temperatures
Maximum allowable working temperature:  70 C
Maximum allowable short-circuit temperature:  150 C

 Conductor design type (for conductor only)

Material of the insulation
Number of cores
Type of conductor
: calculation with maximum allowable
working temperature or
see "Definition of the type of wire/insulation"
: multi-core or flexible
: non-sheathed conductor (one core per conductor)

 Voltage (only for conductors)

System nominal voltage
Highest operational voltage
Operating frequency
Type of current (three-phase , alternating, direct current)

Load capacity in undisturbed operation (thermal stress) 1)
Continuous operation
Installation conditions
Ambient temperature

Load capacity for short circuit (thermal stress) 1)
Let-trough values I2*t of the protection at given conditions
Rated short-circuit current (1sec) of the conductor / busbar
 1)
Protection against to high temperature-rise by over-current (thermal stress)
Assignment of the protection mechanism
Adjustment to overload protection

1) These points are considered in the selection procedure of the conductor cross-section about the devices
(see "Definition of conductor or busbar cross-section).

DATE 07.08.00
Electrical Connections Page
NAME Sorgalla/Wellner
in the Main Circuit
1+
SIEMENS AG 8PT112.01
 Electrical Connections in the Main Circuit SIVACON - 8PT

Definition of Conductor or Busbar Cross-section

The definition of the cross-section includes the different current load capacity (continuous load,
short circuit and overload).
The procedure described in the next section is only valid for SIEMENS switchgears and
switchgear combinations and has to be checked when using other switchgears and switchgear
combinations.

The conductor and busbar cross-section will be calculated with the below listed table and the
rated current of the devices. The rated current is equivalent:
 to the rated current of the main switching device at the incoming feeder or cable feeder (e.g.
circuit breaker, switch disconnector with or without fuse, fuse-base, ..).
 for motor feeders to the smallest rated-current value of the main switch device 3), contactor 1)
and overload relay 3) in the corresponding current path 2) (see section Example).
The information about the rated current are readable at the device.
1) Note the voltage level and utilisation category
2) In the pole-changing, Dahlander and star-delta circuit are several current paths, which carry different
operating currents  different conductor cross-sections in the circuit.
3) No analysis of these devices for the direct heavy-starting circuit type or the release classes larger than
CLASS 10, analysis for contactor only

The in the table listed cross sections are valid for all types of design independently from the external ambient conditions.

Rated Cross section by IEC 60439-1 Cross section for 8PT

current
[A] Conductor [mm²] Busbar [mm] Conductor [mm²] Busbar [mm]
0-8 1 1
8 - 12 1,5 1,5
12 - 20 2,5 2,5
20 - 25 4 4
25 - 32 6 6
32 - 50 10 10
50 - 65 16 16
65 - 85 25 25
85 - 115 35 35
115 - 150 50 50
150 - 175 70 70
175 - 225 95 95 20 x 5
225 - 250 120 2 x 50 25 x 5
250 - 275 150 2 x 50 30 x 5
275 - 300 185 2 x 70 40 x 5 o. 20 x 10
300 - 350 185 2 x 95 40 x 5 o. 20 x 10
350 - 400 240 2 x 95 30 x 10
400 - 450 2 x 150 2 x 30 x 5 3 x 70 30 x 10
400 - 500 2 x 150 2 x 30 x 5 3 x 95 30 x 10
500 - 630 2 x 185 2 x 40 x 5 40 x 10

DATE 07.08.00
Electrical Connections Page
NAME Sorgalla/Wellner
in the Main Circuit
2+
SIEMENS AG 8PT112.01
 Electrical Connections in the Main Circuit SIVACON - 8PT

Definition of Conductor Type / Insulation

Electrical connections from the mainbusbar system or vertical busbar system to the short-circuit
equipment and in motor feeders, in which the short-circuit breaking capacity of the short-circuit
equipment is smaller than the short-circuit breaking capacity of the switchgear combination,
must fulfil the requirements of the "short-circuit safe installation".
1) Connection between main switch, contactor(s) and overload relay

The "short-circuit safe installation" describes the requirements to the conductor type /
insulation and the installation for active conductor in the switchgear combination, which are
not protected by protection mechanism at a short circuit.
These conductors must be selected and installed in their whole response, that under regular
operating conditions no internal short circuit is to be expected between the active conductors or
between active conductors and protective conductors (excerpt from IEC 60439-1).
The maximum allowable length of conductors at "short-circuit safe installation" may amount to
3m.

Example of the fulfilment of the requirements for "short-circuit safe installation"

Conductor type / insulation Installation
Mutual contact or contact with conductive parts
Plain conductor or single-core conductor with basic
must be prevented, e.g. through the usage of
insulation, e.g. conductor by IEC 227-3
spacers

Mutual contact or contact with conductive parts is

Single-core conductors with basic insulation and
permitted without external pressure effects. Contact
with a maximum allowable operating temperature of
with sharp edges is to be prevented. Danger of a
the conductor of > 90°C, e.g. conductors by IEC
mechanical damage may not exist. These
245-3, or heat-resistant PVC-insulated conductor by
conductors may only be load, that the operating
IEC 227-3
temperature of 70°C wont be exceeded.

Conductors with basic insulation, e.g. conductors by

IEC 227-3, which have an additional second
insulation, e.g. single coated with an insulation
sleeve or single installed in plastic tubes
No additional requirements when no danger of a
Conductors, which are insulated with a material of a mechanical damage exists.
very high mechanical strength, e.g. ETFE insulation,
or double-insulated conductors with an additional
external enclosure rated for the usage up to 3 kV,
conductor by IEC 502

DATE 07.08.00
Electrical Connections Page
NAME Sorgalla/Wellner
in the Main Circuit
3+
SIEMENS AG 8PT112.01
 Electrical Connections in the Main Circuit SIVACON - 8PT

Type of several Conductors per Phase

When using several conductors for each phase these are to be executed in same length and be
arranged parallel (for busbars with small distance).

Example: Sizing of conductors in motor feeder

given: System nominal voltage = 400V

prospective short-circuit current system = 50KA
Rated motor output = 75KW
Rated motor current (current path 1) = 132A
 Delta current (current path 2) = 77A (58% rated motor current)
 Star current (current path 3) = 44A (33% rated motor current)
Circuit type = Star-delta starting and direct-normal starting
Devices – see below, one-line diagram of the circuits
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wanted: Conductor cross-section and conductor type / insulation

Cross-section and insulation regulation

Direct-normal circuit Star-delta circuit

L1-L3
70 mm2 e) 70 mm2 e)

3VF3 current 3VF3

Main 160A
switch path 1 160A
40KA/400V 50KA/400V

70 mm2 e) 70 mm2 p) 16 mm2 p)

35 mm2 p)
current 3TF52 3TF52 3TF52 3RT1036
Conductor path 1
AC23 170A AC23 170A AC23 170A AC23 50A

16 mm2 p)
70 mm2 e) 35 mm p) 2
current path 3
current
Overload 3UA62 3UA62 path 2
protection 120-150A 63-90A
35 mm2 p)
70 mm2 e) 35 mm2 p)

M M

e) short-circuit safe insulation, conductor length  3m; e.g. ETFE cable

p) short-circuit safe insulation not required, e.g. PVC cable

DATE 07.08.00
Electrical Connections Page
NAME Wellner/Sorgalla
in the Main Circuit
4-
SIEMENS AG 8PT112.01