An Effective Cable Sizing Procedure Model For Industries and Commerial Buildings
An Effective Cable Sizing Procedure Model For Industries and Commerial Buildings
An Effective Cable Sizing Procedure Model For Industries and Commerial Buildings
Corresponding Author:
K. Nithiyananthan,
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering,
Karpagam College of Engineering, Coimbatore, India
Email: [email protected]
1. INTRODUCTION
There are four primary reasons that the cable sizing is very important at design stage. First and
foremost, cable sizing is important to function endlessly under full load condition exclusive of being
damaged. Moreover, it is necessary to hold up the worst short circuit current flow and ensure that the
protective devices are effective during an earth fault. Ensure that, the supply to the load with a suitable
voltage and avoid excessive voltage drops.
Voltage drop occurs in every conductor as the current flows through it. According to Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) rule B-23, at any point between a power supply terminal and
installation, voltage drop should not increase above 2.5% of provided (supply) voltage [3].
The cable should withstand the temperature and heat emmisionwith using good insulation materials
such as conductors, and bedding. Table 1 shows the current carried by any conductor for continuous periods
during normal operation shall be such that the suitable temperature limits.
Cables with larger cross-sectional areas have minor resistive losses. Bigger cable able to dissipate
the heat better than smaller one. Hence a 15 mm2 cable will have a higher current carrying capacity than a 4
mm2 cable. Table 2 explains the difference between current carrying capacity of 16 mm2 and 25mm2.
Table 2. Current carrying capacity and voltage drop of different types of cable size [4]
Cable size Current-carrying capacity Voltage drop
≤16mm2 0.95 1.10
≥25mm2 0.97 1.06
Type of Cable
Select suitable cable type
from any cable manufacturer
d t h t
Size of circuit protection
Adjust Ampacity
Apply voltage drop
Final Cable size
Figure 1. Flow chart shows the steps to determine the cable sizing and voltage drop
I c= I b x k d [2]
Where Ic is the installed current rating (A), Ib is the base current rating (A) and Kd are the product of all the
derating factors.
Upstream protective device circuit breaker is not required to protect the cable against overloads. As
a result, cables need only to be sized to cater for the full load current of the motor [5].
Il ≤ Ic [3]
Where Il is the full load current (A), Ip is the protective device rating (A) Ic is the installed cable current rating
(A).
Cable Impedances is a function of the cable size (cross-sectional area) and the length of the cable.
Most cable manufacturers will quote a cable’s resistance and reactance in Ω/km. The following typical cable
impedances for low voltage AC single core and multicore cables can be used in the absence of any other data
[6].
[4]
Where the protective device is is a semi enclosed fuse to BS 3036, Cf=0.725 otherwise Cf=1. The
cable installation method is ‘in a duct in the ground’ or ‘buried direct’, Cc= 0.9. For cables installed above
ground Cc= 1. Ca= Ambient temperature, Cs= Soil resistivity, Cd=dept of burial, Ci= Thermal Insulation, Ib=
the design of current of circuit, It= the value of current for ingle circuit at ambient temperature. For cables
installed above ground Cs and Cd =1.
For group
[5]
For cables having cross sectional area 16mm2 or less, the design value of mV/A/m is obtained by
multiplying the tabulated value by factor Ct given by:
[6]
[7]
Where V3ø is the three phase voltage drop (V), I is the nominal full load or starting current as
applicable (A), Rc is the ac resistance of the cable (Ω/km), Xc is the ac reactance of the cable (Ω/km) cos ø is
the load power factor (pu) L is the length of the cable (m) [7].
An Effective Cable Sizing Procedure Model for Industries and Commerial Buildings (Dr. K. Nithiyananthan)
37 ISSN: 2088-8708
[8]
It is standards to indicate maximum permissible voltage drops, which is the maximum voltage drop
that is permissible across a cable. If the cable exceeds this voltage drop, then a bigger cable size should be
preferred.
Greatest voltage drops across a cable are specified because load consumers will have an input
voltage tolerance range. If the voltage at the electrical device is lower than its rated minimum voltage, then
the appliance may not work appropriately [8].
It may be more precise to calculate the maximum length of a cable for a particular conductor size
given a maximum permissible voltage drop 5% of nominal voltage at full load rather than the voltage drop
itself. To construct tables showing the maximum lengths corresponding to different cable sizes in order to
speed up the selection of similar type cables.
[9]
[10]
A high amount of current will flow through a cable for a short time when there is short circuit
happens in the circuit. This surge in current flow causes a temperature rise within the cable.
High temperatures can trigger unnecessary reactions in the cable insulation, sheath materials and
other components, which can degrade the condition of the cable. Bigger cable cross-sectional area can
dissipate higher fault currents. Therefore, cables should be sized to withstand the largest short circuit.
The minimum cable size due to short circuit temperature rise is typically calculated with an equation
of the form:
[11]
The temperature rise constant is calculated based on the material properties of the conductor and the
initial and final conductor temperatures as per equation 12.
[12]
Figure 2 shows rating factors to be included for more than one circuit and cables buried directly in
the ground with cable- to cable clearance (α).
Figure 2. Reduction factors for more than one circuit, single-core or multi-core cables laid directly in the
ground.
4. RESULTS
Table 5 explains the voltage drop between the origin of an installation and any load point should be
greater than the values in the table below expressed with respect to the value of the nominal voltage of
installation. Table 6 shows a sample of calculation method to calculate the voltage drop.
The voltage drop for any particular cable run must be voltage drop does not exceed 2.5% of the
nominal voltage. The nominal voltage drop should be not more than 2.5% voltage from main switch board to
any point of installation.
5. CONCLUSION
Selecting power cable and types of cables with the sizing of the conductors for specific applications
is a very essential part of the plan of any electrical system. This task that is often performed with a least
amount of effort and with minimum reflection for all of the applicable design issues. The consequential
catastrophe is that inappropriate selection and sizing can easily amplify the installed cost of a facility while
also dropping the reliability of the complete system.This paper highlights on some of the considerations that
should be practice for cable selection each and every time. It then suggests the right design tool to calculate
and facilitate the selection process without resorting to simplifications.
An Effective Cable Sizing Procedure Model for Industries and Commerial Buildings (Dr. K. Nithiyananthan)
39 ISSN: 2088-8708
Nomenclature
Parametes and constraints
Ic : Installed current rating (A)
Ib : Base current rating (A)
Kd : Product of all the derating factors
Il : Full load current (A)
Ip : Protective device rating (A)
Cc : Circuit buried in the ground
Ca: Ambient temperature
Cs: Soil resistivity
Cd : Depth of burial
Ci : Thermal Insulation
It: The value of current for ingle circuit at ambient temperature
Cf : Semi-enclosed fuse to BS 3036
Cg: For grouping
V3ø: Three phase voltage drop (V)
I: current (A)
Rc: AC resistance of the cable (Ω/km)
Xc: AC reactance of the cable (Ω/km)
cos ø: Load power factor (pu)
L: Length of the cable (m)
A: Short circuit temperature rise
k: Cable material properties
θf: Final conductor temperature
θi: Initial conductor temperature
α: cable- to cable clearance
REFERENCES
[1] IEC 60364-5-52, (2009), "Electrical installations in buildings - Part 5-52: Selection and erection of electrical
equipment - Wiring systems", is the IEC standard governing cable sizing.
[2] National Electricity Code (NEC)
[3] NFPA 70, (2011), "National Electricity Code", is the equivalent standard for IEC 60364 in North America and
includes a section covering cable sizing in Article 300.
[4] BS 7671, (2008), "Requirements for Electrical Installations - IEE Wiring Regulations", is the equivalent standard for
IEC 60364 in the United Kingdom.
[5] Research paper of Assessment of the Quality of Cables produced in Nigeria by ADETORO, K. ADEBAYO
[6] Coker AJ, Turner WO, Josephs ZT, (1991). Electrical Wiring. Redwood Press Limited, 12 – 28.
[7] J.R Jancauskas, “Cable sizing avoid shortcut and do it right”, IECEC 96 Proceedings of the 31st Inersociety Energy
Conversion Engineering Conference IECEC-96, 1996.
[8] Nithiyananthan.K, Elavenil V, (2011), ‘CYMGRD Based Effective Earthing Design Model for Substation’,
International Journal for Computer Applications in Engineering Sciences Asia, Vol. I, No 3, pp. 341-346.