Electrical Design Guide

ELECTRICAL DESIGN
GUIDE ACCORDING TO
IEC STANDARD
OPEN ELECTRICAL
Open Electrical is a resource for electrical (power systems) engineers,
aimed at bridging the gap between what you learn at engineering
school and what you need to know in industry.
Open Electrical is a resource for electrical (power systems) engineers, aimed at bridging the gap between
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what you learn at engineering school and what you need to know in industry.
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 About Open Electrical

 Recommended Books
 Calculations
 Electrical Load Schedule
 Energy Load Profile
 Cable Sizing Calculation
 Motor Starting Calculation
 Short Circuit Calcula on (IEC 60909)
 Earthing Calcula on (IEEE 80)
 AC UPS Sizing Calculation
 Battery Sizing Calculation
 Solar Power System Sizing Calculation
 Guides
 Guide to Electrical Cables
 Guide to Electrical Testing
 Reference Data
 Standard IEC Equipment Ratings
 Low Voltage Cables
 Low Voltage Motors (IEC)
 Category: Electropedia
 A
 C
 D
 E
 I
 L
 N
 P
 R
 S
 V
Open Electrical: About
From Open Electrical
Open Electrical is a free, independent electrical (power systems) engineering design resource for industry Page
practitioners. It is aimed at bridging the gap between what is taught at engineering school and what is needed to |3
practice effectively in industry.
Industry practitioners are normally busy people and when they need information, it's usually for something
related to what they are doing right then and there. However, their requirements will depend on how deep or
broad they need the information to be. For example, one engineer may need to know something very specific,
like what PETP stands for, while another may require something broader, like how to perform a touch and step
potential calculation.
The philosophy of Open Electrical is to provide all of this information using a layered "onion" approach. The top
layer (e.g. the guide to electrical cables) is very broad and provides general information about a topic with links
to more specific articles. It's good as a starting point on a topic. But as you peel back the layers, the articles
become deeper and more specialized.
Recommended Books
The following books are those that we recommend as essential to an electrical engineer's library:
 Network Protection and Automation Guide, Alstom - a classic power systems protection guide that is now freely
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available online (registration required)
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 Electric Cables Handbook, BICC cables (edited by G. F. Moore) - comprehensive book about cables mainly from a
British / European perspective
 Handbook of Electric Power Calculations, H. W. Beaty - good range of electrical power calculations from the very
simple to the more involved. Biased towards North America.
 High Voltage Engineering & Testing, H. M. Ryan - excellent overivew of high voltage equipment theory and testing
techniques (based on an IEE lecture series)
 Handbook of Photovoltaic Science and Engineering, A. Luque and S. Hegedus - quite possibly the definitive
reference book on solar photovoltaic engineering, covering everything from the theory of different PV cells and
how they are manufactured, to the engineering design and modelling of PV systems
 Linden's Handbook of Batteries, T. Reddy - arguably the most comprehensive book on battery technology
 Electric Machinery, A. E. Fitzgerald et al - clear and detailed exposition of electrical machine fundamentals
 J&P Transformer Book, M. Heathcote - the most complete book on transformers that was first published in 1925
and has been regularly updated since then
Load Schedule
Contents
 1 Introduction Page
o 1.1 Why do the calculation? |5
o 1.2 When to do the calculation?
 2 Calculation Methodology
o 2.1 Step 1: Collect list of loads
o 2.2 Step 2: Collect electrical load parameters
o 2.3 Step 3: Classify the loads
 2.3.1 Voltage Level
 2.3.2 Load duty
 2.3.3 Load criticality
o 2.4 Step 4: Calculate consumed load
o 2.5 Step 5: Calculate opera ng, peak and design loads
 2.5.1 Operating load
 2.5.2 Peak load
 2.5.3 Design load
 3 Worked Example
o 3.1 Step 1: Collect list of loads
o 3.2 Step 2: Collect electrical load parameters
o 3.3 Step 3: Classify the loads
o 3.4 Step 4: Calculate consumed load
o 3.5 Step 5: Calculate opera ng, peak and design loads
 4 Operating Scenarios
 5 Computer Software
 6 What Next?
Introduction
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Example of an electrical load schedule
The electrical load schedule is an estimate of the instantaneous electrical loads operating in a facility, in terms of
active, reactive and apparent power (measured in kW, kVAR and kVA respectively). The load schedule is
usually categorized by switchboard or occasionally by sub-facility / area.
Why do the calculation?
Preparing the load schedule is one of the earliest tasks that needs to be done as it is essentially a pre-requisite for
some of the key electrical design activities (such as equipment sizing and power system studies).
When to do the calculation?
The electrical load schedule can typically be started with a preliminary key single line diagram (or at least an
idea of the main voltage levels in the system) and any preliminary details of process / building / facility loads. It
is recommended that the load schedule is started as soon as practically possible.
Calculation Methodology
There are no standards governing load schedules and therefore this calculation is based on generally accepted
industry practice. The following methodology assumes that the load schedule is being created for the first time
and is also biased towards industrial plants. The basic steps for creating a load schedule are:
 Step 1: Collect a list of the expected electrical loads in the facility

 Step 2: For each load, collect the electrical parameters, e.g. nominal / absorbed ratings, power factor,
efficiency, etc
 Step 3: Classify each of the loads in terms of switchboard loca on, load duty and load cri cality
 Step 4: For each load, calculate the expected consumed load
 Step 5: For each switchboard and the overall system, calculate operating, peak and design load
Step 1: Collect list of loads

The first step is to gather a list of all the electrical loads that will be supplied by the power system affected by the
load schedule. There are generally two types of loads that need to be collected:
 Process loads - are the loads that are directly relevant to the facility. In factories and industrial plants,
process loads are the motors, heaters, compressors, conveyors, etc that form the main business of the
plant. Process loads can normally be found on either Mechanical Equipment Lists or Process and
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Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID's).
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 Non-process loads - are the auxiliary loads that are necessary to run the facility, e.g. lighting, HVAC, utility
systems (power and water), DCS/PLC control systems, fire safety systems, etc. These loads are usually
taken from a number of sources, for example HVAC engineers, instruments, telecoms and control systems
engineers, safety engineers, etc. Some loads such as lighting, UPS, power generation auxiliaries, etc need
to be estimated by the electrical engineer.
Step 2: Collect electrical load parameters
A number of electrical load parameters are necessary to construct the load schedule:
 Rated power is the full load or nameplate rating of the load and represents the maximum continuous
power output of the load. For motor loads, the rated power corresponds to the standard motor size (e.g.
11kW, 37kW, 75kW, etc). For load items that contain sub-loads (e.g. distribution boards, package
equipment, etc), the rated power is typically the maximum power output of the item (i.e. with all its sub-
loads in service).
 Absorbed power is the expected power that will be drawn by the load. Most loads will not operate at its
rated capacity, but at a lower point. For example, absorbed motor loads are based on the mechanical
power input to the shaft of the driven equipment at its duty point. The motor is typically sized so that the
rated capacity of the motor exceeds the expected absorbed load by some conservative design margin.
Where information regarding the absorbed loads is not available, then a load factor of between 0.8 and
0.9 is normally applied.
 Power factor of the load is necessary to determine the reactive components of the load schedule.
Normally the load power factor at full load is used, but the power factor at the duty point can also be
used for increased accuracy. Where power factors are not readily available, then estimates can be used
(typically 0.85 for motor loads >7.5kW, 1.0 for heater loads and 0.8 for all other loads).
 Efficiency accounts for the losses incurred when converting electrical energy to mechanical energy (or
whatever type of energy the load outputs). Some of the electrical power drawn by the load is lost, usually
in the form of heat to the ambient environment. Where information regarding efficiencies is not
available, then es mates of between 0.8 and 1 can be used (typically 0.85 or 0.9 is used when efficiencies
are unknown).
Step 3: Classify the loads
Once the loads have been identified, they need to be classified accordingly:
Voltage Level
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What voltage level and which switchboard should the load be located? Large loads may need to be on MV or HV | 8
switchboards depending on the size of the load and how many voltage levels are available. Typically, loads
<150kW tend to be on the LV system (400V - 690V), loads between 150kW and 10MW tend to be on an
intermediate MV system (3.3kV - 6.6kV) where available and loads >10MW are usually on the HV distribution
system (11kV - 33kV). Some consideration should also be made for grouping the loads on a switchboard in terms
of sub-facilities, areas or sub-systems (e.g. a switchboard for the compression train sub-system or the drying
area).
Load duty
Loads are classified according to their duty as continuous, intermittent and standby loads:
1) Continuous loads are those that normally operate con nuously over a 24 hour period, e.g. process loads,
control systems, lighting and small power distribution boards, UPS systems, etc
2) Intermittent loads that only operate a frac on of a 24 hour period, e.g. intermi ent pumps and process loads,
automatic doors and gates, etc
3) Standby loads are those that are on standby or rarely operate under normal conditions, e.g. standby loads,
emergency systems, etc
Note that for redundant loads (e.g. 2 x 100% duty / standby motors), one is usually classified as continuous and
the other classified as standby. This if purely for the purposes of the load schedule and does not reflect the actual
operating conditions of the loads, i.e. both redundant loads will be equally used even though one is classified as a
standby load.
Load criticality
Loads are typically classified as either normal, essential and critical:
1) Normal loads are those that run under normal operating conditions, e.g. main process loads, normal lighting
and small power, ordinary office and workshop loads, etc
2) Essential loads are those necessary under emergency conditions; when the main power supply is disconnected
and the system is being supported by an emergency generator, e.g. emergency lighting, key process loads that
operate during emergency conditions, fire and safety systems, etc
3) Critical are those critical for the operation of safety systems and for facilitating or assisting evacuation from the
plant, and would normally be supplied from a UPS or battery system, e.g. safety-critical shutdown systems,
escape lighting, etc
Step 4: Calculate consumed load
The consumed load is the quantity of electrical power that the load
load is expected to consume. For each load,
calculate the consumed active and reactive loading, derived as follows:
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Where is the consumed active load (kW)
is the consumed reactive load (kVAr)
is the absorbed load (kW)
is the load efficiency (pu)
is the load power factor (pu)
Notice that the loads have been categorized into three columns depending on their load duty (continuous,
intermittent or standby). This is done in order to make it visually easier to see the load duty and more
importantly, to makeke it easier to sum the loads according to their duty (e.g. sum of all continuous loads), which is
necessary to calculate the operating, peak and design loads.
Step 5: Calculate operating, peak and design loads
Many organizations / clients have their own distinct method for calculating operating, peak and design loads, but
a generic method is presented as follows:
Operating load
The operating load is the expected load during normal operation. The operating load is calculated as follows:
Where is the operating

erating load (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all continuous loads (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all intermittent loads (kW or kVAr)

Peak load
The peak load is the expected maximum load during normal operation. Peak loading is typically infrequent and
of short duration,
uration, occurring when standby loads are operated (e.g. for changeover of redundant machines, testing
of safety equipment, etc). The peak load is calculated as the larger of either:
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or
Where is the peak load (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all continuous loads (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all intermittent loads (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all standby loads (kW or kVAr)
is the largest standby load (kW or kVAr)
Design load
The design load is the load to be used for the design for equipment sizing, electrical
electrical studies, etc. The design load
is generically calculated as the larger of either:
or
Where is the design load (kW or kVAr)
is the operating load (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all standby loads (kW or kVAr)
is the largest standby load (kW or kVAr)
The
he design load includes a margin for any errors in load estimation, load growth or the addition of unforeseen
loads that may appear after the design phase. The load schedule is thus more conservative and robust to errors.
On the other hand however, equipment is often over-sized as a result. Sometimes the design load is not
calculated and the peak load is used for design purposes.
Worked Example
Step 1: Collect list of loads Page
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Consider a small facility with the following loads identified:
 2 x 100% vapor recovery compressors (process)

 2 x 100% recirculation pumps (process)
 1 x 100% sump pump (process)
 2 x 50% firewater pumps (safety)
 1 x 100% HVAC unit (HVAC)
 1 x 100% AC UPS system (electrical)
 1 x Normal ligh ng distribu on board (electrical)
 1 x Essen al ligh ng distribu on board (electrical)
Step 2: Collect electrical load parameters
The following electrical load parameters were collected for the loads identified in Step 1:
Load Description Abs. Load Rated Load PF Eff.
Vapour recovery compressor A 750kW 800kW 0.87 0.95
Vapour recovery compressor B 750kW 800kW 0.87 0.95
Recirculation pump A 31kW 37kW 0.83 0.86
Recirculation pump B 31kW 37kW 0.83 0.86
Sump pump 9kW 11kW 0.81 0.83
Firewater pump A 65kW 75kW 0.88 0.88
Firewater pump B 65kW 75kW 0.88 0.88
HVAC unit 80kW 90kW 0.85 0.9
AC UPS System 9kW 12kW 0.85 0.9
Normal lighting distribution board 7kW 10kW 0.8 0.9
Essential lighting distribution board 4kW 5kW 0.8 0.9

Step 3: Classify the loads
Suppose we have two voltage levels, 6.6kV and 415V. The loads can be classified as follows:
Load Description Rated Load Voltage Duty Criticality

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Vapour recovery compressor A 800kW 6.6kV Continuous Normal
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Vapour recovery compressor B 800kW 6.6kV Standby Normal
Recirculation pump A 37kW 415V Continuous Normal
Recirculation pump B 37kW 415V Standby Normal
Sump pump 11kW 415V Intermittent Normal
Firewater pump A 75kW 415V Standby Essential
Firewater pump B 75kW 415V Standby Essential
HVAC unit 90kW 415V Continuous Normal
AC UPS System 12kW 415V Continuous Critical
Normal lighting distribution board 10kW 415V Continuous Normal
Essential lighting distribution board 5kW 415V Continuous Essential
Step 4: Calculate consumed load
Calculating the consumed loads for each of the loads in this example gives:
Continuous Intermittent Standby

Load Description Abs Load PF Eff.
P (kW) Q (kVAr) P (kW) Q (kVAr) P (kW) Q (kVAr)
Vapour recovery
750kW 0.87 0.95 789.5 447.4 - - - -
compressor A
Vapour recovery
750kW 0.87 0.95 - - - - 789.5 447.4
compressor B
Recirculation pump A 31kW 0.83 0.86 36.0 24.2 - - - -
Recirculation pump B 31kW 0.83 0.86 - - - - 36.0 24.2
Sump pump 9kW 0.81 0.83 - - 10.8 7.9 - -
Firewater pump A 65kW 0.88 0.88 - - - - 73.9 39.9
Firewater pump B 65kW 0.88 0.88 - - - - 73.9 39.9
HVAC unit 80kW 0.85 0.9 88.9 55.1 - - - -
AC UPS System 9kW 0.85 0.9 10.0 6.2 - - - -
Normal lighting
7kW 0.8 0.9 7.8 5.8 - - - -
distribution board
Essential lighting
4kW 0.8 0.9 4.4 3.3 - - - -
distribution board
SUM TOTAL 1,006.6 542.0 10.8 7.9 973.3 551.4
Step 5: Calculate operating, peak and design loads Page

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The operating, peak and design loads are calculated as follows:
P (kW) Q (kW)
Sum of continuous loads 1,006.6 542.0
50% x Sum of intermi ent loads 5.4 4.0
10% x Sum of standby loads 97.3 55.1
Largest standby load 789.5 447.4
Operating load 1,012.0 546.0
Peak load 1,801.5 993.4
Design load 1,902.7 1,047.9
Normally you would separate the loads by switchboard and calculate operating, peak and design loads for each
switchboard and one for the overall system. However for the sake of simplicity, the loads in this example are all
lumped together and only one set of operating, peak and design loads are calculated.
Operating Scenarios
It may be necessary to construct load schedules for different operating scenarios. For example, in order to size an
emergency diesel generator, it would be necessary to construct a load schedule for emergency scenarios. The
classification of the loads by criticality will help in constructing alternative scenarios, especially those that use
alternative power sources.
Computer Software
In the past, the load schedule has typically been done manually by hand or with the help of an Excel spreadsheet.
However, this type of calculation is extremely well-suited for database driven software packages (such as
Smartplant Electrical), especially for very large projects. For smaller projects, it may be far easier to simply
perform this calculation manually.
What Next?
The electrical load schedule is the basis for the sizing of most major electrical equipment, from generators to
switchgear to transformers. Using the load schedule, major equipment sizing can be started, as well as the power
system studies. A preliminary load schedule will also indicate if there will be problems with available power
supply / generation, and whether alternative power sources or even process designs will need to be investigated.
Load Profile
Contents
o 1.1 Why do the calculation? | 14
o 2.1 Step 1: Prepare the Load List
 2.1.1 Calculating the Consumed Load VA
o 2.2 Step 2: Construct the Load Profile
o 2.3 Step 3: Calculate Design Load and Energy Demand
 2.3.1 Design Load
 2.3.2 Design Energy Demand
 4 What Next?
Introduction
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Example of a load profile (using the autonomy method)
The energy load profile (hereafter referred to as simply "load profile") is an estimate of the total energy
demanded from a power system or sub-system over a specific period of time (e.g. hours, days, etc). The load
profile is essentially a two-dimensional chart showing the instantaneous load (in Volt-Amperes) over time, and
represents a convenient way to visualize how the system loads changes with respect to time.
Note that it is distinct from the electrical load schedule - the load profile incorporates a time dimension and
therefore estimates the energy demand (in kWh) instead of just the instantaneous load / power (in kW).
Estimating the energy demand is important for the sizing of energy storage devices, e.g. batteries, as the required
capacity of such energy storage devices depends on the total amount of energy that will be drawn by the loads.
This calculation is also useful for energy efficiency applications, where it is important to make estimates of the
total energy use in a system.
A load profile needs to be constructed whenever the sizing of energy storage devices (e.g. batteries) is required.
The calculation can be done once preliminary load information is available.
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Example of a load profile (using the 24 hour profile method)
There are two distinct methods for constructing a load profile:
1) Autonomy method is the traditional method used for backup power applications, e.g. UPS systems. In this
method, the instantaneous loads are displayed over an autonomy time, which is the period of time that the loads
need to be supported by a backup power system in the event of a power supply interruption.
2) 24 Hour Profile method displays the average or expected instantaneous loads over a 24 hour period. This
method is more commonly associated with standalone power system applications, e.g. solar systems, or energy
efficiency applications.
Both methods share the same three general steps, but with some differences in the details:
 Step 1: Prepare the load list

 Step 2: Construct the load profile
 Step 3: Calculate the design load and design energy demand
Step 1: Prepare the Load List
The first step is to transform the collected loads into a load list. It is similar in form to the electrical load
schedule, but is a little simplified for the purpose of constructing a load profile. For instance, instead of
categorizing loads by their load duty (continuous, intermittent or standby), it is assumed that all loads are
operating continuously.
However, a key difference of this load list is the time period associated with each load item:
In the autonomy method, the associated time period is called the "autonomy" and is the number of hours that the
load needs to be supported during a power supply interruption. Some loads may only be required to ride through
brief interruptions or have enough autonomy to shut down safely, while some critical systems may need to
operate for as long as possible (up to several days).
In the 24 hour profile method, the associated time period is represented in terms of "ON" and "OFF" times.
These are the times in the day (in hours and minutes) that the load is expected to be switched on and
a then later
turned off. For loads that operate continuously, the ON and OFF time would be 0:00 and 23:59 respectively. A
load item may need to be entered in twice if it is expected to start and stop more than once a day.
Calculating the Consumed Load VA

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For this calculation, we are interested in the consumed apparent power of the loads (in VA). For each load, this
can be calculated as follows:
Where is the consumed load apparent power (VA)
is the consumed load power (W)
is the load efficiency (pu)
Examples of load lists
Autonomy method 24 hour profile method

Step 2: Construct the Load Profile
The load profile is constructed from the load list and is essentially a chart that shows the distribution of the loads
over time. The construction of the load profile will be explained by a simple example:
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Load profile constructed for this example
Suppose the following loads were identified based on the Autonomy Method:
Autonomy
Description Load (VA)
(h)
DCS Cabinet 200 4
ESD Cabinet 200 4
Telecommunications Cabinet 150 6
Computer Console 90 2
The load profile is constructed by stacking "energy rectangles" on top of each other. An energy rectangles has the
load VA as the height and the autonomy time as the width and its area is a visual representation of the load's total
energy. For example, the DCS Cabinet has an energy rectangle of height 200 (VA) and width 4 (hours). The load
profile is created by stacking the widest rectangles first, e.g. in this example it is the Telecommunications
Cabinet that is stacked first.
For the 24 Hour method, energy rectangles are constructed with the periods of time that a load is energised (i.e.
the time difference between the ON and OFF times).
Step 3: Calculate Design Load and Energy Demand
Design Load
The design load is the instantaneous load for which the power conversion, distribution and protection devices
should be rated, e.g. rectifiers, inverters, cables, fuses, circuit breakers,
breakers, etc. The design can be calculated as Page
follows: | 19
Where is the design load apparent power (VA)
is the peak load apparent power, derived from the load profile (VA)
is a contingency for future load growth (%)
is a design margin (%)
It is common to make considerations for future load growth (typically somewhere between 5 and 20%), to allow
future loads to be supported. If no future loads are expected, then this contingency can be ignored. A design
margin is used to account for any potential inaccuracies
inaccuracies in estimating the loads, less-than-optimum
less operating
conditions due to improper maintenance, etc. Typically, a design margin of 10% to 15% is recommended, but
this may also depend on Client preferences.
Example:: From our simple example above, the peak load apparent power is 640VA. Given a future growth
contingency of 10% and a design margin of 10%, the design load is:
VA
Design Energy Demand
The design energy demand is used for sizing energy storage devices. From the load profile, the total energy (in
terms of VAh) can be computed by finding the area underneath the load profile curve (i.e. integrating
instantaneous power with respect to time over the autonomy or 24h period). The design energy demand (or
design VAh) can then be calculated by the following
followi equation:
Where is the design energy demand (VAh)
is the total load energy, which is the area under the load profile (VAh)
is a contingency for future load growth as defined above (%)
is a design contingency as defined above (%)

Example: From our simple example above, the total load energy from the load profile is 2,680VAh. Given a
future growth contingency of 10% and a design margin of 10%, the design energy demand is:
VAh
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Computer Software | 20
The load profile is normally done manually with the help
help of a spreadsheet. Since it's such a simple calculation,
it's hard to argue that special software is warranted.
What Next?
The load profile is usually an intermediate step in part of a larger calculation (for example, AC UPS System or
Solar Power System calculations). Alternatively, constructing a load profile may be the first step to analyzing
energy use, for example in energy efficiency applications.
Cable Sizing Calculation
Contents
 2 General Methodology
o 2.1 Step 1: Data Gathering
 2.1.1 Load Details
 2.1.2 Cable Construction
 2.1.3 Installation Conditions
o 2.2 Step 2: Cable Selec on Based on Current Ra ng
 2.2.1 Base Current Ratings
 2.2.2 Installed Current Ratings
 2.2.3 Cable Selection and Coordination with Protective Devices
 2.2.3.1 Feeders
 2.2.3.2 Motors
o 2.3 Step 3: Voltage Drop
 2.3.1 Cable Impedances
 2.3.2 Calculating Voltage Drop
 2.3.3 Maximum Permissible Voltage Drop
 2.3.4 Calculating Maximum Cable Length due to Voltage Drop
o 2.4 Step 4: Short Circuit Temperature Rise
 2.4.1 Minimum Cable Size Due to Short Circuit Temperature Rise
 2.4.2 Initial and Final Conductor Temperatures
 2.4.3 Short Circuit Energy
o 2.5 Step 5: Earth Fault Loop Impedance
 2.5.1 The Earth Fault Loop
 2.5.2 Maximum Cable Length
o 3.1 Step 1: Data Gathering
o 3.2 Step 2: Cable Selec on Based on Current Ra ng
o 3.3 Step 3: Voltage Drop
o 3.4 Step 4: Short Circuit Temperature Rise
o 3.5 Step 5: Earth Fault Loop Impedance
 4 Waterfall Charts
 5 International Standards
o 5.1 IEC
o 5.2 NEC
o 5.3 BS
o 5.4 AS/NZS
 7 What next?
Introduction
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| 22
This article examines the sizing of electrical cables (i.e. cross-sectional area) and its implementation in various
international standards. Cable sizing methods do differ across international standards (e.g. IEC, NEC, BS, etc)
and some standards emphasize certain things over others. However the general principles underlying any cable
sizing calculation do not change. In this article, a general methodology for sizing cables is first presented and
then the specific international standards are introduced.
The proper sizing of an electrical (load bearing) cable is important to ensure that the cable can:
 Operate continuously under full load without being damaged

 Withstand the worst short circuits currents flowing through the cable
 Provide the load with a suitable voltage (and avoid excessive voltage drops)
 (optional) Ensure operation of protective devices during an earth fault
This calculation can be done individually for each power cable that needs to be sized, or alternatively, it can be
used to produce cable sizing waterfall charts for groups of cables with similar characteristics (e.g. cables installed
on ladder feeding induction motors).
General Methodology
All cable sizing methods more or less follow the same basic six step process:
1) Gathering data about the cable, its installa on condi ons, the load that it will carry, etc
2) Determine the minimum cable size based on con nuous current carrying capacity
3) Determine the minimum cable size based on voltage drop considerations
4) Determine the minimum cable size based on short circuit temperature rise
5) Determine the minimum cable size based on earth fault loop impedance
6) Select the cable based on the highest of the sizes calculated in step 2, 3, 4 and 5
Step 1: Data Gathering
The first step is to collate the relevant information that is required to perform the sizing calculation. Typically,
you will need to obtain the following data:
Load Details Page

| 23
The characteristics of the load that the cable will supply, which includes:
 Load type: motor or feeder

 Three phase, single phase or DC
 System / source voltage
 Full load current (A) - or calculate this if the load is defined in terms of power (kW)
 Full load power factor (pu)
 Locked rotor or load starting current (A)
 Starting power factor (pu)
 Distance / length of cable run from source to load - this length should be as close as possible to the actual
route of the cable and include enough contingency for vertical drops / rises and termination of the cable
tails
Cable Construction
The basic characteristics of the cable's physical construction, which includes:
 Conductor material - normally copper or Aluminum

 Conductor shape - e.g. circular or shaped
 Conductor type - e.g. stranded or solid
 Conductor surface coating - e.g. plain (no coating), tinned, silver or nickel
 Insulation type - e.g. PVC, XLPE, EPR
 Number of cores - single core or mul core (e.g. 2C, 3C or 4C)
Installation Conditions
How the cable will be installed, which includes:
 Above ground or underground

 Installation / arrangement - e.g. for underground cables, is it directly buried or buried in conduit? for
above ground cables, is it installed on cable tray / ladder, against a wall, in air, etc.
 Ambient or soil temperature of the installation site
 Cable bunching, i.e. the number of cables that are bunched together
 Cable spacing, i.e. whether cables are installed touching or spaced
 Soil thermal resistivity (for underground cables)
 Depth of laying (for underground cables)
 For single core three-phase cables, are the cables installed in trefoil or laid flat?
Step 2: Cable Selection Based on Current Rating
Current flowing through a cable generates heat through the resistive losses in the conductors, dielectric losses
through the insulation and resistive losses from current flowing through any cable screens / shields and
armouring.
Page
The component parts that make up the cable (e.g. conductors, insulation, bedding, sheath, armour, etc) must be | 24
capable of withstanding the temperature rise and heat emanating from the cable. The current carrying capacity of
a cable is the maximum current that can flow continuously through a cable without damaging the cable's
insulation and other components (e.g. bedding, sheath, etc). It is sometimes also referred to as the continuous
current rating or ampacity of a cable.
Cables with larger conductor cross-sectional areas (i.e. more copper or Aluminum) have lower resistive losses
and are able to dissipate the heat better than smaller cables. Therefore a 16 mm2 cable will have a higher current
carrying capacity than a 4 mm2 cable.
Base Current Ratings
Example of base current ra ng table (Excerpt from IEC 60364-5-52)
International standards and manufacturers of cables will quote base current ratings of different types of cables in
tables such as the one shown on the right. Each of these tables pertain to a specific type of cable construction
(e.g. copper conductor, PVC insulated, 0.6/1kV voltage grade, etc) and a base set of installation conditions (e.g.
ambient temperature, installation method, etc). It is important to note that the current ratings are only valid for
the quoted types of cables and base installation conditions.
In the absence of any guidance, the following reference based current ratings may be used.
Installed Current Ratings
When the proposed installation conditions differ from the base conditions, derating (or correction) factors can be
applied to the base current ratings to obtain the actual installed current ratings.
International standards and cable manufacturers will provide derating factors for a range of installation
installa
conditions, for example ambient / soil temperature, grouping or bunching of cables, soil thermal resistivity, etc.
The installed current rating is calculated by multiplying the base current rating with each of the derating factors,
i.e.
Page
| 25
where is thee installed current rating (A)
is the base current rating (A)
are the product of all the derating factors
For example, suppose a cable had an ambient temperature derating factor of kamb = 0.94 and a grouping derating
factor of kg = 0.85, then the overall derating factor kd = 0.94x0.85 = 0.799.. For a cable with a base current rating
of 42A, the installed current rating would be Ic = 0.799x42 = 33.6A.
In the absence of any guidance, the following reference derating factors may be used.
Cable Selection and Coordination with Protective Devices
Feeders
When sizing cables for non-motor

motor loads, the upstream protective device (fuse or circuit breaker) is typically
selected
lected to also protect the cable against damage from thermal overload.. The protective device must therefore be
selected
elected to exceed the full load current, but not exceed the cable's installed current rating, i.e. this inequality must
be met:
Where is the full load current (A)
is the protective device rating (A)
is the installed cable current rating (A)
Motors
Motors
tors are normally protected by a separate thermal overload (TOL) relay and therefore the upstream protective
device (e.g. fuse or circuit breaker) is not required to protect the cable against overloads. As a result, cables need
only to be sized to cater forr the full load current of the motor, i.e.
Where is the full load current (A)
is the installed cable current rating (A)

Of course, if there is no separate thermal overload protection on the motor, then the protective device needs to be
taken into account
ccount as per the case for feeders above.
Step 3: Voltage Drop
A cable's conductor can be seen as an impedance and therefore whenever current flows through a cable, there Page
will be a voltage drop across it, which can be derived by Ohm’s Law (i.e. V = IZ). The
T voltage drop will depend | 26
on two things:
 Current flow through the cable – the higher the current flow, the higher the voltage drop
 Impedance of the conductor – the larger the impedance, the higher the voltage drop
Cable Impedances
The impedance of the cable
able is a function of the cable size (cross-sectional
(cross sectional area) and the length of the cable. Most
cable manufacturers will quote a cable’s resistance and reactance in Ω/km.
/km. The following typical cable
impedances for low voltage AC and DC single core and multicore cables can be used in the absence of any other
data.
Calculating Voltage Drop
For AC systems, the method of calculating voltage drops based on load power factor is commonly used. Full
load currents are normally used, but if the load has high startup currents (e.g. motors), then voltage drops based
on starting current (and power factor if applicable) should also be calculated.
For a three phase system:
Where is the three phase voltage drop (V)
is the nominal full load or starting current as applicable (A)
is the ac resistance of the cable (Ω/km)

(
is the ac reactance of the cable (Ω/km)

(
is the length of the cable (m)
For a single phase system:
Where is the single phase voltage drop (V)


(

(
Page
is the load power factor (pu) | 27
is the length
ngth of the cable (m)
For a DC system:
Where is the dc voltage drop (V)
is the dc resistance of the cable (Ω/km)

(
Maximum Permissible Voltage Drop
It is customary
tomary for standards (or clients) to specify maximum permissible voltage drops, which is the highest
voltage drop that is allowed across a cable. Should your cable exceed this voltage drop, then a larger cable size
should be selected.
Maximum voltage drops across a cable are specified because load consumers (e.g. appliances) will have an input
voltage tolerance range. This means that if the voltage at the appliance is lower than its rated minimum voltage,
then the appliance may not operate correctly.
In general,
neral, most electrical equipment will operate normally at a voltage as low as 80% nominal voltage. For
example, if the nominal voltage is 230VAC, then most appliances will run at >184VAC. Cables are typically
sized for a more conservative maximum voltage drop,
d in the range of 5 – 10% at full load.
Calculating Maximum Cable Length due to Voltage Drop
It may be more convenient to calculate the maximum length of a cable for a particular conductor size given a
maximum permissible voltage drop (e.g. 5% of nominal
nominal voltage at full load) rather than the voltage drop itself.
For example, by doing this it is possible to construct tables showing the maximum lengths corresponding to
different cable sizes in order to speed up the selection of similar type cables.
The maximum
aximum cable length that will achieve this can be calculated by re-arranging
re arranging the voltage drop equations
and substituting the maximum permissible voltage drop (e.g. 5% of 415V nominal voltage = 20.75V). For a three
phase system:
Where is the maximum length
th of the cable (m)
Page
is the maximum permissible three phase voltage drop (V) | 28

(

(
For a single phase system:
Where is the maximum length of the cable (m)
is the maximum permissible single phase voltage drop (V)

(
is the ac reactance
ce of the cable (Ω/km)
(
For a DC system:
Where is the maximum length of the cable (m)
is the maximum permissible dc voltage drop (V)

is the dc resistance of the cable (Ω/km)
(
Step 4: Short Circuit Temperature Rise

Page
During a short circuit, a high amount of current can flow through a cable for a short time. This surge in current | 29
flow causes a temperature rise within the cable. High
High temperatures can trigger unwanted reactions in the cable
insulation, sheath materials and other components, which can prematurely degrade the condition of the cable. As
the cross-sectional
sectional area of the cable increases, it can dissipate higher fault currents
currents for a given temperature rise.
Therefore, cables should be sized to withstand the largest short circuit that it is expected to see.
Minimum Cable Size Due to Short Circuit Temperature Rise
The minimum cable size due to short circuit temperature rise is typically calculated with an equation of the form:
Where is the minimum cross-sectional ( 2)

sectional area of the cable (mm
is the prospective short circuit current (A)
is the duration of the short circuit (s)
is a short circuit temperature rise constant
The temperature
mperature rise constant is calculated based on the material properties of the conductor and the initial and
final conductor temperatures (see the derivation here).
). Different international standards have different treatments
of the temperature rise constant, but by way of example, IEC 60364
60364-5-54
54 calculates it as follows:
(for copper conductors)
(for Aluminum conductors)
Where is the initial conductor temperature (deg C)
is the final conductor temperature (deg C)

Initial and Final Conductor Temperatures
The initial conductor temperature is typically chosen to be the maximum operating temperature of the cable. The
final conductor
tor temperature is typically chosen to be the limiting temperature of the insulation. In general, the
cable's insulation will determine the maximum operating temperature and limiting temperatures.
Page
As a rough guide, the following temperatures are common for
for the different insulation materials:
| 30
Limiting
Max Operating
Material Temperature
Temperature oC o
C
PVC 75 160
EPR 90 250
XLPE 90 250
Short Circuit Energy
The short circuit energy is normally chosen as the maximum short circuit that the cable could
c potentially
experience. However for circuits with current limiting devices (such as HRC fuses), then the short circuit energy
chosen should be the maximum prospective let-through
let through energy of the protective device, which can be found from
manufacturer data.
Step 5: Earth Fault Loop Impedance
Sometimes it is desirable (or necessary) to consider the earth fault loop impedance of a circuit in the sizing of a
cable. Suppose a bolted earth fault occurs between an active conductor and earth. During such an earth
ea fault, it is
desirable that the upstream protective device acts to interrupt the fault within a maximum disconnection time so
as to protect against any inadvertent contact to exposed live parts.
Ideally the circuit will have earth fault protection, in which case the protection will be fast acting and well within
the maximum disconnection time. The maximum disconnection time is chosen so that a dangerous touch voltage
does not persist for long enough to cause injury or death. For most circuits, a maximu
maximum disconnection time of 5s
is sufficient, though for portable equipment and socket outlets, a faster disconnection time is desirable (i.e. <1s
and will definitely require earth fault protection).
However for circuits that do not have earth fault protection,

protection, the upstream protective device (i.e. fuse or circuit
breaker) must trip within the maximum disconnection time. In order for the protective device to trip, the fault
current due to a bolted short circuit must exceed the value that will cause the protective
protecti device to act within the
maximum disconnection time. For example, suppose a circuit is protected by a fuse and the maximum
disconnection time is 5s, then the fault current must exceed the fuse melting current at 5s (which can be found by
cross-referencing the fuse time-current
current curves).
By simple application of Ohm's law:

Where is the earth fault is current required to trip the protective device within the minimum disconnection
time (A)
Page
| 31
is the phase to earth voltage at the protective device (V)
is the impedance of the earth fault loop (Ω)

(
It can be seen from the equation above that the impedance of the earth fault loop must be sufficiently low to
ensure that the earth fault current can trip the upstream protection.
The Earth Fault Loop
The earth fault

ult loop can consist of various return paths other than the earth conductor, including the cable armour
and the static earthing connection of the facility. However for practical reasons, the earth fault loop in this
calculation consists only of the active conductor and the earth conductor.
The earth fault loop impedance can be found by:
Where is the earth fault loop impedance (Ω)

(
is the impedance of the active conductor (Ω)

(
is the impedance of the earth conductor (Ω)

(
Assuming that the active and earth conductors have identical lengths, the earth fault loop impedance can be
calculated as follows:
Where is the length of the cable

able (m)
and are the ac resistances of the active and earth conductors respectively (Ω/km)
(
and are the reactances of the active and earth conductors respectively (Ω/km)
(
Maximum Cable Length
The maximum earth fault loop impedance can be found by re-arranging

re anging the equation above:
Where is the maximum earth fault loop impedance (Ω)
(
Page
is the phase to earth voltage at the protective device (V) | 32
is the earth fault current required to trip the protective device within the minimum disconnection time (A)
The maximum
aximum cable length can therefore be calculated by the following:
Where is the maximum cable length (m)
is the phase to earth voltage at the protective device (V)
is the earth fault current required to trip the protective device within the minimum disconnection
dis time (A)
and are the ac resistances of the active and earth conductors respectively (Ω/km)
(
and are the reactances of the active and earth conductors respectively (Ω/km)
(
Note that the voltage V0 at the protective device is not necessarily the nominal phase to earth voltage, but usually
a lower value as it can be downstream of the main busbars.
busbars. This voltage is commonly represented by applying
some factor to the nominal voltage. A conservative value of = 0.8 can be used so that:
Where Vn is the nominal phase to earth voltage (V)

Worked Example
In this example, we will size a cable for a 415V, 30kW three-phase
phase motor from the MCC to the field.
Step 1: Data Gathering

Page
The following data was collected for the cable to be sized: | 33
 Cable type: Cu/PVC/GSWB/PVC, 3C+E, 0.6/1kV

 Opera ng temperature: 75C
 Cable installation: above ground on cable ladder
ladder bunched together with 3 other cables on a single layer
and at 30C ambient temperature
 Cable run: 90m (including tails)
 Motor load: 30kW, 415V three phase, full load current = 58A, power factor = 0.87
 Protection: a fuse of ra ng = 80A, max prospec ev fault I2t = 90 A2s , 5s melt me = 550A
Step 2: Cable Selection Based on Current Rating
Suppose the ambient temperature derating is 0.89 and the grouping derating for 3 bunched cables on a single
layer is 0.82. The overall derating factor is 0.89 0.82 = 0.7298. Given that a 25 mm2 and 35 mm2 have base
current ratings of 78A and 96A respectively, which cable should be selected based on current rating
considerations?
The installed current ratings for 25 mm2 and 35 mm2 is 0.7298 78A = 56.92A and 0.7298 96A = 70.06A
respectively. Given that the full load current of the motor is 58A, then the installed current rating of the 25 mm2
cable is lower than the full load current and is not suitable for continuous use with the motor. The 35 mm2 cable
on the other hand has an installed current rating that exceeds the motor full load current, and is therefore the
cable that should be selected.
Step 3: Voltage Drop
Suppose a 35 mm2 cable is selected. If the maximum permissible voltage drop is 5%, is the cable suitable
suitabl for a
run length of 90m?
A 35 mm2 cable has an ac resistance of 0.638 Ω/km and a reactance of 0.0826 Ω/km.
/km. The voltage drop across the
cable is:
A voltage drop of 5.388V is equivalent to , which is lower than the maximum permissible
voltage drop of 5%. Therefore the cable is suitable for the motor based on voltage drop considerations.
con
Step 4: Short Circuit Temperature Rise
( 2t)) of 90 A2s. What is the minimum

The cable is operating normally at 75C and has a prospective fault capacity (I
size of the cable based on short circuit temperature rise?
XLPE has a limiting temperature of 160C. Using the IEC formula, the short circuit temperature rise constant is
111.329. The minimum cable size due to short circuit temperature rise is therefore:
Page
2 | 34
Therefore, our 35 mm cable is still suitable for this application.
Step 5: Earth Fault Loop

op Impedance
Suppose there is no special earth fault protection for the motor and a bolted single phase to earth fault occurs at
the motor terminals. The earth conductor for our 35 mm2 cable is 10 mm2. If the maximum disconnection time is
5s, is our 90m long
ong cable suitable based on earth fault loop impedance?
The 80A motor fuse has a 5s melting current of 550A. The ac resistances of the active and earth conductors are
0.638 Ω/km and 2.33 Ω/km)
/km) respectively. The reactances of the active and earth conductors are 0.0826 Ω/km and
0.0967 Ω/km) respectively.
The maximum length of the cable allowed is calculated as:
The cable run is 90m and the maximum length allowed is 117m, therefore
therefore our cable is suitable based on earth
fault loop impedance. In fact, our 35 mm2 cable has passed all the tests and is the size that should be selected.
Waterfall Charts
Example of a cable waterfall chart
Sometimes it is convenient to group together similar types of cables (for example, 415V PVC motor cables
installed on cable ladder) so that instead of having to go through the laborious exercise of sizing each cable
separately, one can select a cable from a pre-calculated
pre chart.
These charts are often

ten called "waterfall charts" and typically show a list of load ratings and the maximum of
length of cable permissible for each cable size. Where a particular cable size fails to meet the requirements for
current carrying capacity or short circuit temperature rise, it is blacked out on the chart (i.e. meaning that you
can't choose it).
Preparing a waterfall chart is common practice when having to size many like cables and substantially cuts down
the time required for cable selection.
Page
International Standards | 35
IEC
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.
NEC
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.
BS
BS 7671 (2008) "Requirements for Electrical Installations - IEE Wiring Regulations" is the equivalent standard
for IEC 60364 in the United Kingdom.
AS/NZS
AS/NZS 3008.1 (2009) "Electrical installations - Selection of cables - Cables for alternating voltages up to and
including 0.6/1 kV" is the standard governing low voltage cable sizing in Australia and New Zealand. AS/NZS
3008.1.1 is for Australian conditions and AS/NZS 3008.1.2 is for New Zealand conditions.
Computer Software
Cablesizer is a free online application for sizing cables to IEC standards.
Most of the major electrical analysis packages (e.g. ETAP, PTW, etc) have a cable sizing module. There also
exist other (offline) software packages that include cable sizing (for example from Solutions Electrical UK).
What next?
Having sized the power / load-bearing cables, the cable schedule can now be developed and then the cable
material take-offs (MTO).
Motor Starting
Contents
o 2.1 Step 1: Construct System Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
o 2.2 Step 2: Calculate Equipment Impedances
 2.2.1 Network Feeders
 2.2.2 Synchronous Generators
 2.2.3 Transformers
 2.2.4 Cables
 2.2.5 Standing Loads
 2.2.6 Motors
o 2.3 Step 3: Referring Impedances
o 2.4 Step 4: Construct the Equivalent Circuit
o 2.5 Step 5: Calculate the Ini al Source EMF
o 2.6 Step 6: Calculate System Voltages During Motor Start
o 3.1 Step 1: Construct System Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
o 3.2 Step 2: Calculate Equipment Impedances
o 3.4 Step 4: Construct the Equivalent Circuit
o 3.5 Step 5: Calculate the Ini al Source EMF
o 3.6 Step 6: Calculate System Voltages During Motor Start
 5 What Next?
Introduction
Page
| 37
High voltage motor (courtesy of ABB)
This article considers the transient effects of motor starting on the system voltage. Usually only the largest motor
on a bus or system is modeled, but the calculation can in principle be used for any motor. It's important to note
that motor starting is a transient power flow problem and is normally done iteratively by computer software.
However a static method is shown here for first-pass estimates only.
When a motor is started, it typically draws a current 6-7 times its full load current for a short duration (commonly
called the locked rotor current). During this transient period, the source impedance is generally assumed to be
fixed and therefore, a large increase in current will result in a larger voltage drop across the source impedance.
This means that there can be large momentary voltage drops system-wide, from the power source (e.g.
transformer or generator) through the intermediary buses, all the way to the motor terminals.
A system-wide voltage drop can have a number of adverse effects, for example:
 Equipment with minimum voltage tolerances (e.g. electronics) may malfunction or behave aberrantly
 Under voltage protection may be tripped
 The motor itself may not start as torque is proportional to the square of the stator voltage, so a reduced
voltage equals lower torque. Induction motors are typically designed to start with a terminal voltage
>80%
This calculation is more or less done to verify that the largest motor does not cause system wide problems upon
starting. Therefore it should be done after preliminary system design is complete. The following prerequisite
information is required:
 Key single line diagrams

 Preliminary load schedule
 Tolerable voltage drop limits during motor starting, which are typically prescribed by the client
This calculation is based on standard impedance formulae and Ohm's
Ohm's law. To the author's knowledge, there are
no international standards that govern voltage drop calculations during motor start.
It should be noted that the proposed method is not 100% accurate because it is a static calculation. In reality, the Page
voltage levels are fluctuating during a transient condition, and therefore so are the load currents drawn by the | 38
standing loads. This makes it essentially a load flow problem and a more precise solution would solve the load
flow problem iteratively, for example using
u the Newton-Rhapson or Gauss-Siedel
Siedel algorithms. Notwithstanding,
the proposed method is suitably accurate for a first pass solution.
The calculation has the following six general steps:
 Step 1: Construct the system model and assemble the relevant equipment
equipment parameters
 Step 2: Calculate the relevant impedances for each equipment item in the model
 Step 3: Refer all impedances to a reference voltage
 Step 4: Construct the equivalent circuit for the voltage levels of interest
 Step 5: Calculate the ini al steady-state
state source emf before motor starting
 Step 6: Calculate the system voltages during motor start
Step 1: Construct System Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
The first step is to construct a simplified model of the system single line diagram, and then
th collect the relevant
equipment parameters. The model of the single line diagram need only show the buses of interest in the motor
starting calculation, e.g. the upstream source bus, the motor bus and possibly any intermediate or downstream
buses that may y be affected. All running loads are shown as lumped loads except for the motor to be started as it is
assumed that the system is in a steady-state
steady before motor start.
The relevant equipment parameters to be collected are as follows:
 Network feeders: faultt capacity of the network (VA), X/R ratio of the network
 Generators: per-unit
unit transient reactance, rated generator capacity (VA)
 Transformers: transformer impedance voltage (%), rated transformer capacity (VA), rated current (A),
total copper loss (W)
 Cables:
es: length of cable (m), resistance and reactance of cable ( )
 Standing loads: rated load capacity (VA), average load power factor (pu)
 Motor: full load current (A), locked rotor current (A), rated power (W), full load power factor (pu), starting
power factor (pu)
Step 2: Calculate Equipment Impedances
Using the collected parameters, each of the equipment item impedances can be calculated for later use in the
motor starting calculations.
Network Feeders
Given the approximate fault level of the network feeder

feeder at the connection point (or point of common coupling),
the impedance, resistance and reactance of the network feeder is calculated as follows:
Page
| 39
Where is impedance of the network feeder (Ω)

(
is resistance of the network feeder (Ω)

(
is reactance of the network feeder (Ω)

(
is the nominal voltage at the connection point (Vac)
is the fault level of the network feeder (VA)
is a voltage factor which accounts for the maximum system voltage (1.0
(1.05
5 for voltages <1kV, 1.1 for voltages
>1kV)
is X/R ratio of the network feeder (pu)
Synchronous Generators
The transient resistance and reactance of a synchronous generator can be estimated by the following:
Where is the transient reactance of the generator (Ω)
is the resistance of the generator (Ω)

(
is a voltage correction factor (pu)
is the per-unit
unit transient reactance of the generator (pu)
is the nominal generator voltage (Vac) Page

| 40
is the nominal system voltage (Vac)
is the rated generator capacity (VA)
iss the X/R ra o, typically 20 for 100MVA, 14.29 for 100MVA, and 6.67 for all generators with
nominal voltage 1kV
is a voltage factor which accounts for the maximum system voltage (1.05 for voltages <1kV, 1.1 for voltages
>1kV)
is the power factor of the

he generator (pu)
Transformers
The impedance, resistance and reactance of two-winding

two winding transformers can be calculated as follows:
Where is the impedance of the transformer (Ω)

(
is the resistance of the transformer (Ω)

(
is the reactance of the transformer (Ω)

(
is the impedance voltage of the transformer (pu)
is the rated capacity of the transformer (VA)
is the nominal voltage of the transformer at the high or low voltage side
side (Vac)
is the rated current of the transformer at the high or low voltage side (I)
is the total copper loss in the transformer windings (W)
Cables
Cable impedances are usually quoted by manufacturers in terms of Ohms per km. These need to be converted to
Ohms based on the length of the cables: Page
| 41
Where is the resistance of the cable {Ω)

{
is the reactance of the cable {Ω)

{
is the quoted resistance of the cable {Ω

{ / km)
is the quoted reactance of the cable {Ω

{ / km)
is the length of the cable {m)
Standing Loads
Standing loads are lumped loads comprising all loads that are operating on a particular bus, excluding the motor
to be started. Standing loads for each bus need to be calculated.
The impedance, resistance and reactance of the standing load is calculated by:
Where is the impedance of the standing load {{Ω)
is the resistance of the standing load {{Ω)
is the reactance of the standing load {{Ω)
is the standing load nominal voltage (Vac)
is the standing load apparent power (VA)

is the average load power factor (pu)
Motors
The motor's transient impedance, resistance and reactance

reactance is calculated as follows:
Page
| 42
Where is transient impedance of the motor (Ω)

(
is transient resistance of the motor (Ω)

(
is transient reactance of the motor (Ω)

(
is ratio of the locked rotor to full load current
is the motor locked rotor current (A)
is the motor nominal voltage (Vac)
is the motor rated power (W)
is the motor full load power factor (pu)
is the motor starting power factor (pu)
Step 3: Referring Impedances
Where there are multiple voltage levels, the equipment impedances calculated earlier need to be converted to a
reference voltage (typically the HV side) in order for them to be used in a single equivalent circuit.
The winding ratio of a transformer can be calculated as follows:
Where is the transformer winding ratio
is the transformer
sformer nominal secondary voltage at the principal tap (Vac)
is the transformer nominal primary voltage (Vac)
is the specified tap setting (%)
Using the winding ratio, impedances (as well as resistances and reactances) can be referred to the primary (HV)
side of the transformer by the following relation: Page
| 43
Where is the impedance referred to the primary (HV) side (Ω)

(
is the impedance at the secondary (LV) side (Ω)

(
is the transformer winding ratio (pu)
Conversely, by re-arranging
arranging the equation above, impedances can be referred to the LV side:
Step 4: Construct the Equivalent Circuit
"Near" Thévenin equivalent circuit
The equivalent circuit essentially consists of a voltage source (from a network feeder or generator) plus a set of
complex impedances representing the power system equipment and load impedances.
The next step is to simplify the circuit into a form that

t is nearly the Thévenin equivalent circuit,
circuit with a circuit
containing only a voltage source ( ), source impedance ( ) and equivalent load impedance ( ).
This can be done using the standard formulae for series and parallel impedances,, keeping in mind that the rules
of complex arithmetic must be used throughout. This simplification to a "Near" Thévenin equivalent circuit
should be done both with the motor off (open circuit) and the motor in a starting condition.
Step 5: Calculate the Initial Source EMF
Assuming that the system is initially in a steady-state

steady state condition, we need to first calculate the initial e.m.f
produced by the power source (i.e. feeder connection point
point or generator terminals). This voltage will be used in
the transient calculations (Step 6) as the initial source voltage.
Page
Assumptions regarding the steady-state
state condition: | 44
 The source point of common coupling (PCC) is at its nominal voltage
 The motor is switched off
 All standing loads are opera ng at the capacity calculated in Step 2
 All transformer taps are set at those specified in Step 2
 The system is at a steady-state,
steady state, i.e. there is no switching taking place throughout the system
Since we assume thatt there is nominal voltage at the PCC, the initial source e.m.f can be calculated by voltage
divider:
Where is the initial e.m.f of the power source (Vac)
is the nominal voltage (Vac)
is the source impedance (Ω))
is the equivalent load impedance with the motor switched off ((Ω)
Step 6: Calculate System Voltages During Motor Start
It is assumed in this calculation that during motor starting, the initial source e.m.f calculated in Step 5 remains
constant; that is,, the power source does not react during the transient period. This is a simplifying assumption in
order to avoid having to model the transient behavior of the power source.
Next, we need to calculate the overall system current that is supplied by the power
power source during the motor
starting period. To do this, we use the "Near" Thévenin equivalent circuit derived earlier, but now include the
motor starting impedance. A new equivalent load impedance during motor starting will be calculated.
The current supplied

lied by the power source is therefore:
Where is the system current supplied by the source (A)
is the initial source e.m.f (Vac)

is the equivalent load impedance during motor start ((Ω)
The voltage at the source point of common

com coupling (PCC) is:
Page
| 45
Where is the voltage at the point of common coupling (Vac)
is the initial source e.m.f (Vac)
is the system current supplied by the source (A)
The downstream voltages can now be calculated by voltage division and simple application of Ohm's law.
Specifically, we'd like to know the voltage at the motor terminals and any buses of interest that could be affected.
Ensure that the voltages are acceptably within the prescribed limits, otherwise further action
actio needs to be taken
(refer to what’s Next? section).
Worked Example
The worked example here is a very simple power system with two voltage
voltage levels and supplied by a single
generator. While unrealistic, it does manage to demonstrate the key concepts pertaining to motor starting
calculations.
Step 1: Construct System Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
Simplified system model for motor starting example
The power system has two voltage levels, 11kV and 415V, and is fed via a single 4MVA generator (G1). The
11kV bus has a standing load of 950kVA (S1) and we want to model the effects of starting a 250kW motor (M1).
There is a standing load of 600kVA at 415V (S2), supplied by a 1.6MVA transformer (TX1). The equipment and
cable parameters are as follows:
Equipment Parameters
 = 4,000 kVA
 = 11,000 V
Generator G1
 = 0.33 pu Page
 = 0.85 pu | 46
 Length = 50m
2
Generator Cable C1  Size = 500 mm
(R = 0.0522
0.052 Ω\km, X = 0.0826 Ω\km)
 = 950 kVA
11kV Standing Load S1  = 11,000 V
 = 0.84 pu
 = 250 kW
 = 11,000 V
 = 106.7 A
Motor M1
 = 6.5 pu
 = 0.85 pu
 = 0.30 pu
 Length = 150m
Motor Cable C2  Size = 35 mm2
(R = 0.668 Ω\km, X = 0.115 Ω\km)
 = 1,600 kVA
 = 11,000 V
 = 415 V
Transformer TX1
 = 0.06 pu
 = 12,700 W
 = 0%
 Length = 60m
2
Transformer Cable C3  Size = 120 mm
(R = 0.196 Ω\km, X = 0.096 Ω\km)
 = 600 kVA
415V Standing Load S2  = 415 V
 = 0.80 pu
Step 2: Calculate Equipment Impedances
Using the parameters above

bove and the equations outlined earlier in the methodology, the following impedances
were calculated:
Equipment Resistance (Ω) Reactance (Ω) Page

| 47
Generator G1 0.65462 9.35457
Generator Cable C1 0.00261 0.00413
11kV Standing Load S1 106.98947 69.10837
Motor M1 16.77752 61.02812
Motor Cable C2 0.1002 0.01725
Transformer TX1 (Primary Side) 0.60027 4.49762
Transformer Cable C3 0.01176 0.00576
415V Standing Load S2 0.22963 0.17223
11kV will be used as the reference

ce voltage. The only impedance that needs to be referred to this reference
voltage is the 415V Standing Load (S2). Knowing that the transformer is set at principal tap, we can calculate the
winding ratio and apply it to refer the 415V Standing Load impedance
impedance to the 11kV side:
The resistance and reactance of the standing load referred to the 11kV side is now, R = 161.33333 Ω and X =
121.00 Ω.
Step 4: Construct the Equivalent Circuit
Page
| 48
Equivalent circuit for motor starting example
The equivalent circuit

it for the system is shown in the figure to the right. The "Near" Thévenin equivalent circuit is
also shown, and we now calculate the equivalent load impedance in the steady-state
steady condition (i.e. without
the motor and motor cable impedances included):
Similarly the equivalent load impedance during motor starting (with the motor impedances included) can be
calculated as as follows:
Step 5: Calculate the Initial Source EMF
"Near" Thévenin equivalent circuit for motor starting example
Assuming that there is nominal voltage at the 11kV bus in the steady-state
steady state condition, the initial generator ee.m.f
can be calculated by voltage divider:
Vac
Page
Step 6: Calculate System Voltages During Motor Start | 49
Now we can calculate the transient effects of motor starting

starting on the system voltages. Firstly, the current supplied
by the generator during motor start is calculated:
Next, the voltage at the 11kV bus can be found:
Vac (or 87.98% of nominal voltage)
The voltage at the motor terminals can then be found by voltage divider:
Vac (or 87.92% of nominal voltage)
The voltage at the low voltage bus is:
Vac, then referred to the LV side = 359.39Vac (or 86.60% of

nominal voltage)
Any other voltages of interest on the system can be determined using the same methods
meth as above.
Suppose that our maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals is 15%. From above, we have found that the
voltage drop is 12.08% at the motor terminals. This is a slightly marginal result and it may be prudent to simulate
the system in a software
re package to confirm the results.
Computer Software
Motor starting is a standard component of most power systems analysis software (e.g. ETAP, PTW, ERAC, etc)
and this calculation is really intended to be done using this software. The numerical calculation performed by the
software should also solve the power flow problem through an iterative algorithm (e.g. such as Newton-
Rhapson). Page
| 50
What Next?
If the results of the calculation confirm that starting the largest motor does not cause any unacceptable voltage
levels within the system, then that's the end of it (or perhaps it could be simulated in a power systems analysis
software package to be doubly sure!). Otherwise, the issue needs to be addressed, for example by:
 Reduce the motor starting current, e.g. via soft-starters, star-delta starters, etc
 Reduce the source impedances, e.g. increase the size of the generator, transformer, supply cables, etc
The calculation should be performed iteratively until the results are acceptable.
Short Circuit Calculation
Contents
o 2.1 Step 1: Construct the System Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
o 2.2 Step 2: Calculate Equipment Short Circuit Impedances
 2.2.1 Network Feeders
 2.2.2 Synchronous Generators and Motors
 2.2.3 Transformers
 2.2.4 Cables
 2.2.5 Asynchronous Motors
 2.2.6 Fault Limiting Reactors
 2.2.7 Other Equipment
o 2.4 Step 4: Determine Thévenin Equivalent Circuit at the Fault Loca on
o 2.5 Step 5: Calculate Balanced Three-Phase Short Circuit Currents
 2.5.1 Initial Short Circuit Current
 2.5.2 Peak Short Circuit Current
 2.5.3 Symmetrical Breaking Current
 2.5.4 DC Short Circuit Component
o 2.6 Step 6: Calculate Single-Phase to Earth Short Circuit Currents
o 3.1 Step 1: Construct the System Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
o 3.2 Step 2: Calculate Equipment Short Circuit Impedances
o 3.4 Step 4: Determine Thévenin Equivalent Circuit at the Fault Loca on
o 3.5 Step 5: Calculate Balanced Three-Phase Short Circuit Currents
 3.5.1 Initial Short Circuit Current
 3.5.2 Peak Short Circuit Current
 3.5.3 Symmetrical Breaking Current
 5 What Next?
Introduction
Page
| 52
This article looks at the calculation of short circuit currents for bolted three-phase and single-phase to earth faults
in a power system. A short circuit in a power system can cause very high currents to flow to the fault location.
The magnitude of the short circuit current depends on the impedance of system under short circuit conditions. In
this calculation, the short circuit current is estimated using the guidelines presented in IEC 60909.
Calculating the prospective short circuit levels in a power system is important for a number of reasons, including:
 To specify fault ratings for electrical equipment (e.g. short circuit withstand ratings)
 To help identify potential problems and weaknesses in the system and assist in system planning
 To form the basis for protection coordination studies
The calculation can be done after preliminary system design, with the following pre-requisite documents and
design tasks completed:
 Key single line diagrams

 Major electrical equipment sized (e.g. generators, transformers, etc)
 Electrical load schedule
 Cable sizing (not absolutely necessary, but would be useful)
This calculation is based on IEC 60909-0 (2001, c2002), "Short-circuit currents in three-phase a.c. systems - Part
0: Calculation of currents" and uses the impedance method (as opposed to the per-unit method). In this method, it
is assumed that all short circuits are of negligible impedance (i.e. no arc impedance is allowed for).
There are six general steps in the calculation:
 Step 1: Construct the system model and collect the relevant equipment parameters
 Step 2: Calculate the short circuit impedances for all of the relevant equipment
 Step 3: Refer all impedances
edances to the reference voltage
 Step 4: Determine the Thévenin equivalent circuit at the fault loca on
Page
 Step 5: Calculate balanced three-phase
three short circuit currents
 Step 6: Calculate single-phase
phase to earth short circuit currents | 53
Step 1: Construct the System

em Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
The first step is to construct a model of the system single line diagram, and then collect the relevant equipment
parameters. The model of the single line diagram should show all of the major system buses, generation
generat or
network connection, transformers, fault limiters (e.g. reactors), large cable interconnections and large rotating
loads (e.g. synchronous and asynchronous motors).
The relevant equipment parameters to be collected are as follows:
 Network feeders: faultult capacity of the network (VA), X/R ratio of the network
 Synchronous generators and motors: per-unit
per sub-transient
transient reactance, rated generator capacity (VA),
rated power factor (pu)
 Transformers: transformer impedance voltage (%), rated transformer capacity
capaci (VA), rated current (A),
total copper loss (W)
 Cables: length of cable (m), resistance and reactance of cable ( )
 Asynchronous motors: full load current (A), locked rotor current (A), rated power (W), full load power
factor (pu), starting power factor (pu)
(
 Fault limiting reactors: reactor impedance voltage (%), rated current (A)
Step 2: Calculate Equipment Short Circuit Impedances
Using the collected parameters, each of the equipment item impedances can be calculated for later use in the
motor starting calculations.
Network Feeders
Given the approximate fault level of the network feeder at the connection point (or point of common coupling),
the impedance, resistance and reactance of the network feeder is calculated as follows:
Where is impedance of the network feeder (Ω)
(
is resistance of the network feeder (Ω)

(
is reactance of the network feeder (Ω)

( Page
| 54
is the nominal voltage at the connection point (Vac)
is the fault level of the network feeder (VA)
is a voltage factor which accounts for the maximum

maximum system voltage (1.05 for voltages <1kV, 1.1 for voltages
>1kV)
is X/R ratio of the network feeder (pu)
Synchronous Generators and Motors
The sub-transient
transient reactance and resistance of a synchronous generator or motor (with voltage regulation) can be
estimated by the following:
Where is the sub-transient

transient reactance of the generator (Ω)
(
is the resistance of the generator (Ω)

(
is a voltage correction factor - see IEC 60909-0

0 Clause 3.6.1 for more details (pu)
is the per-unit sub-transient

transient reactance of the generator (pu)
is the nominal generator voltage (Vac)
is the nominal system voltage

ltage (Vac)
is the rated generator capacity (VA)

is the X/R ra o, typically 20 for 100MVA, 14.29 for 100MVA, and 6.67 for all generators with
nominal voltage 1kV
is a voltage factor which accounts for the maximum system voltage (1.05 for voltages <<1kV, 1.1 for voltages
Page
>1kV)
| 55
is the power factor of the generator (pu)
For the negative sequence impedance, the quadrature axis sub-transient

sub reactance can be applied in the
above equation in place of the direct axis sub-transient
sub reactance .
The zero-sequence
uence impedances need to be derived from manufacturer data; though the voltage correction factor
also applies for solid neutral earthing systems (refer to IEC 60909-0
60909 0 Clause 3.6.1).
Transformers
The positive sequence impedance, resistance and reactance of

o two-winding
winding distribution transformers can be
calculated as follows:
Where is the positive sequence impedance of the transformer (Ω)

(
is the resistance of the transformer (Ω)

(
is the reactance of the transformer (Ω)

(
is the impedance voltage of the transformer (pu)
is the rated capacity of the transformer (VA)
is the nominal voltage of the transformer at the high or low voltage side
side (Vac)
is the rated current of the transformer at the high or low voltage side (I)
is the total copper loss in the transformer windings (W)

For the calculation of impedances for three-winding
three winding transformers, refer to IEC 60909-0
60909 Clause 3.3.2. For
network transformers (those that connect two separate networks at different voltages), an impedance correction
factor must be applied (see IEC 60909-0
60909 Clause 3.3.3).
The negative sequence impedance is equal to positive sequence impedance calculated above. The zero zer sequence
impedance needs to be derived from manufacturer data, but also depends on the winding connections and fault
Page
path available for zero-sequence
sequence current flow (e.g. different neutral earthing systems will affect zero-sequence
zero
| 56
impedance).
Cables
Cablee impedances are usually quoted by manufacturers in terms of Ohms per km. These need to be converted to
Ohms based on the length of the cables:
Where is the resistance of the cable {Ω)

{
is the reactance of the cable {Ω)

{
is the quoted resistance of the cable {Ω

{ / km)
is the quoted reactance of the cable {Ω

{ / km)
is the length of the cable {m)
The negative sequence impedance is equal to positive sequence impedance calculated above. The
T zero sequence
impedance needs to be derived from manufacturer data. In the absence of manufacturer data, zero sequence
impedances can be derived from positive sequence impedances via a multiplication factor (as suggested by SKM
Systems Analysis Inc) for magnetic cables:
Asynchronous Motors
An asynchronous motor's impedance, resistance and reactance is calculated as follows:

Page
Where is impedance of the motor (Ω)
( | 57
is resistance of the motor (Ω)

(
is reactance of the motor (Ω)

(
is ratio of the locked rotor to full load current
is the motor locked rotor current (A)
is the motor nominal voltage (Vac)
is the motor rated power (W)
is the motor full load power factor

fact (pu)
is the motor starting power factor (pu)
The negative sequence impedance is equal to positive sequence impedance calculated above. The zero sequence
impedance needs to be derived from manufacturer data.
Fault Limiting Reactors
The impedance of fault

lt limiting reactors is as follows (note that the resistance is neglected):
Where is impedance of the reactor (Ω)

(
is reactance of the reactor(Ω

Ω)
is the impedance voltage of the reactor (pu)
is the nominal voltage of the reactor (Vac)
is the rated current of the reactor (A)
Positive, negative and zero sequence impedances are all equal (assuming geometric symmetry).
symmetr
Other Equipment
Static converters feeding rotating loads may need to be considered, and should be treated similarly to
asynchronous motors.
Line capacitances, parallel admittances and non-rotating

non rotating loads are generally neglected as per IEC 60909-0
60909 Clause Page
3.10. Effects from series capacitors can also be neglected if voltage-limiting
voltage limiting devices are connected in parallel.
| 58
Where there are multiple voltage levels, the equipment impedances calculated earlier need to be converted to a
reference voltage (typically the voltage at the fault location) in order for them to be used in a single equivalent
circuit.
The winding ratio of a transformer can be calculated as follows:
Where is the transformer winding ratio
is the transformer nominal

ominal secondary voltage at the principal tap (Vac)
is the transformer nominal primary voltage (Vac)
is the specified tap setting (%)
Using the winding ratio, impedances (as well as resistances and reactances) can be referred to the primary (HV)
side of the transformer by the following relation:
Where is the impedance referred to the primary (HV) side (Ω)

(
is the impedance at the secondary (LV) side (Ω)

(
is the transformer winding ratio (pu)
Conversely, by re-arranging
arranging the equation above, impedances can
can be referred to the LV side:
Step 4: Determine Thévenin Equivalent Circuit at the Fault Location
Page
| 59
Thévenin equivalent circuit
The system model must first be simplified into an equivalent circuit as seen from the fault location, showing a
voltage source
rce and a set of complex impedances representing the power system equipment and load impedances
(connected in series or parallel).
The next step is to simplify the circuit into a Thévenin equivalent circuit,, which is a circuit containing only a
voltage source ( ) and an equivalent short circuit impedance ( ).
This can be done using the standard formulae for series and parallel impedances,, keeping in mind that the rules
of complex arithmetic must be used throughout.
If unbalanced short circuits (e.g. single phase to earth fault) will be analyzed, then a separate Thévenin
equivalent circuit should be constructed for each of the positive, negative and zero sequence networks
netwo (i.e.
finding ( , and ).
Step 5: Calculate Balanced Three-Phase

Three Short Circuit Currents
The positive sequence impedance calculated in Step 4 represents the equivalent source impedance seen by a
balanced three-phase
phase short circuit at the fault location. Using this impedance, the following currents at different
stages of the short circle cycle can be computed:
Initial Short Circuit Current
The initial symmetrical short circuit current is calculated from IEC 60909-0
60909 0 Equation 29, as follows:
Where is thee initial symmetrical short circuit current (A)
is the voltage factor that accounts for the maximum system voltage (1.05 for voltages <1kV, 1.1 for voltages
>1kV)
is the nominal system voltage at the fault location (V)
is the equivalent positive sequence

sequen short circuit impedance (Ω)
Peak Short Circuit Current

Page
IEC 60909-0 0 Section 4.3 offers three methods for calculating peak short circuit currents, but for the sake of | 60
simplicity, we will only focus on the X/R ratio at the fault location method. Using the real (R) and reactive (X)
components of the equivalent positive sequence impedance , we can calculate the X/R ratio at the fault
location, i.e.
The peak short circuit current is then calculated as follows:
Where is the peak short circuit current (A)
is the initial symmetrical short circuit current (A)
is a constant factor,
Symmetrical Breaking Current
The symmetrical breaking current is the short circuit current at the point of circuit breaker opening (usually
somewhere between 20ms to 300ms). This This is the current that the circuit breaker must be rated to interrupt and is
typically used for breaker sizing. IEC 60909-0
60909 0 Equation 74 suggests that the symmetrical breaking current for
meshed networks can be conservatively estimated as follows:
Where is the symmetrical breaking current (A)
More detailed calculations can be made for increased accuracy (e.g. IEC 60909-0
60909 0 equations 75 to 77), but this is
left to the reader to explore.
DC Short Circuit Component
The dc component of a short circuit can be calculated according to IEC 60909-0

60909 0 Equation 64:
Where is the dc component of the short circuit current (A)
is the nominal system frequency (Hz)

Page
is the time (s) | 61
is the X/R ratio - see more below
The X/R ratio is calculated as follows:
Where and are the reactance and resistance, respectively, of the equivalent source impedance at the fault
location (Ω)
is a factor to account for the equivalent frequency of the fault. Per IEC 60909-0
60909 Sec on 4.4, the following
factors should be used based on the product of frequency and time ( ):
<1 0.27
<2.5 0.15
<5 0.092
<12.5 0.055
Step 6: Calculate Single-Phase

Phase to Earth Short Circuit Currents
For balanced short circuit calculations, the positive-sequence

positive sequence impedance is the only relevant impedance.
However, for unbalanced short circuits (e.g. single phase to earth fault), symmetrical components come into play.
The initial short circuit current for a single phase to earth fault is as per IEC 60909-0
60909 Equation 52:
Where is the initial single

ngle phase to earth short circuit current (A)
is the voltage factor that accounts for the maximum system voltage (1.05 for voltages <1kV, 1.1 for voltages
>1kV)
is the nominal voltage at the fault location (Vac)
is the equivalent positive sequence short circuit impedance (Ω)
is the equivalent negative sequence short circuit impedance ((Ω)
is the equivalent zero sequence short circuit impedance (Ω)
(
Page
| 62
Worked Example
System model for short circuit example
In this example, short circuit currents will be calculated for a balanced

balan three-phase
phase fault at the main 11kV bus of
a simple radial system. Note that the single phase to earth fault currents will not be calculated in this example.
Step 1: Construct the System Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
The system to be modeled iss a simple radial network with two voltage levels (11kV and 415V), and supplied by a
single generator. The system model is shown in the figure to the right. The equipment and cable parameters were
collected as follows:
Equipment Parameters
 = 24,150 kVA
 = 11,000 V
Generator G1
 = 0.255 pu Page
 = 0.85 pu | 63
 Length = 30m
Generator Cable C1  Size = 2 parallel circuits of 3 x 1C x 500 mm2
(R = 0.0506 Ω\km, X = 0.0997 Ω\km)
 = 500 kW
 = 11,000 V
 = 200.7 A
Motor M1
 = 6.5 pu
 = 0.85 pu
 = 0.30 pu
 Length = 150m
Motor Cable C2  Size = 3C+E 35 mm2
(R = 0.668 Ω\km, X = 0.115 Ω\km)
 = 2,500 kVA
 = 11,000 V
 = 415 V
Transformer TX1
 = 0.0625 pu
 = 19,000 W
 = 0%
 Length = 100m
Transformer Cable C3  Size = 3C+E 95 mm2
(R = 0.247 Ω\km, X = 0.0993 Ω\km)
 = 90 kW
 = 415 V
 = 1,217.3 A
Motor M2
 = 7 pu
 = 0.8 pu
 = 0.30 pu
 = 150 kW
 = 415 V
Motor M3
 = 1,595.8 A
 = 6.5 pu
 = 0.85 pu
 = 0.30 pu
Step 2: Calculate Equipment Short Circuit Impedances

Page
Using the parameters above and the equations outlined earlier in the methodology,
methodology, the following impedances | 64
were calculated:
Equipment Resistance (Ω) Reactance (Ω)

Generator G1 0.01785 1.2390
Generator Cable C1 0.000759 0.001496
11kV Motor M1 9.4938 30.1885
Motor Cable C2 0.1002 0.01725
Transformer TX1 (Primary Side) 0.36784 3.0026
Transformer Cable C3 0.0247 0.00993
415V Motor M2 0.0656 0.2086
415V Motor M3 0.0450 0.1432
We will model a fault on the main 11kV bus, so all impedances must be referred to 11kV. The two low voltage
motors need to be referred to this reference voltage. Knowing that the transformer is set at principal tap, we can
calculate the winding ratio and apply it to refer the 415V motors to the 11kV side:
The 415V motor impedances referred to the 11kV side is therefore:

Equipment Resistance (Ω) Reactance (Ω)
415V Motor M2 46.0952 146.5735
415V Motor M3 31.6462 100.6284
Step 4: Determine Thévenin Equivalent Circuit at the Fault Location
Using standard network reduction techniques, the equivalent Thévenin circuit at the fault location (main
(m 11kV
bus) can be derived. The equivalent source impedance is:
Step 5: Calculate Balanced Three-Phase
Three Short Circuit Currents
Initial Short Circuit Current
The symmetrical initial short circuit current is:

Page
| 65
kA
Peak Short Circuit Current
The constant factor at the fault location is:
Therefore the symmetrical peak short circuit current is:
kA
Symmetrical Breaking Current
The symmetrical breaking current is:
kA
Computer Software
Short circuit calculations are a standard component of power systems analysis software (e.g. ETAP, EasyPower,
PTW, DIgSILENT, etc) and the calculations are far easier to perform with software than by hand. However
manual calculations could be done as a form of verification to confirm that the software results are reasonable.
r
What Next?
The results from the short circuit calculations can be used to specify the fault ratings on electrical equipment (e.g.
switchgear, protective devices, etc) and also for protection coordination studies.
Earthing Calculation
Contents
o 1.3 When is the calculation unnecessary?
o 2.1 Prerequisites
o 2.2 Earthing Grid Conductor Sizing
o 2.3 Touch and Step Potential Calculations
 2.3.1 Step 1: Soil Resis vity
 2.3.2 Step 2: Surface Layer Materials
 2.3.3 Step 3: Earthing Grid Resistance
 2.3.3.1 Simplified Method
 2.3.3.2 Schwarz Equations
 2.3.4 Step 4: Maximum Grid Current
 2.3.4.1 Current Division Factor
 2.3.4.2 Decrement Factor
 2.3.5 Step 5: Touch and Step Poten al Criteria
 2.3.6 Step 6: Ground Poten al Rise (GPR)
 2.3.7 Step 7: Earthing Grid Design Verifica on
 2.3.7.1 Mesh Voltage Calculation
 2.3.7.1.1 Geometric Spacing Factor Km
 2.3.7.1.2 Geometric Factor n
 2.3.7.1.3 Irregularity Factor Ki
 2.3.7.1.4 Effective Buried Length LM
 2.3.7.2 Step Voltage Calculation
 2.3.7.2.1 Geometric Spacing Factor Ks
 2.3.7.2.2 Effective Buried Length LS
 2.3.7.3 What Now?
o 3.1 Step 1: Soil Resis vity
o 3.2 Step 2: Surface Layer Materials
o 3.3 Step 3: Earthing Grid Resistance
o 3.4 Step 4: Maximum Grid Current
o 3.5 Step 5: Touch and Step Poten al Criteria
o 3.6 Step 6: Ground Potential Rise (GPR)
o 3.7 Step 7: Earthing Grid Design Verifica on
 3.7.1 Mesh Voltage Calculation
 3.7.2 Step Voltage Calculation
 4 Computer Based Tools
 5 What next?
Introduction
The earthing system in a plant / facility is very important for a few reasons, all of which are related to either the
protection of people and equipment and/or the optimal operation of the electrical system. These include:
 Equipotential bonding of conductive objects (e.g. metallic equipment, buildings, piping etc) to the Page
earthing system prevents the presence of dangerous voltages between objects (and earth). | 67
 The earthing system provides a low resistance return path for earth faults within the plant, which
protects both personnel and equipment
 For earth faults with return paths to offsite generation sources, a low resistance earthing grid relative to
remote earth prevents dangerous ground potential rises (touch and step potentials)
 The earthing system provides a low resistance path (relative to remote earth) for voltage transients such
as lightning and surges / overvoltages
 Equipotential bonding helps prevent electrostatic buildup and discharge, which can cause sparks with
enough energy to ignite flammable atmospheres
 The earthing system provides a reference potential for electronic circuits and helps reduce electrical noise
for electronic, instrumentation and communication systems
This calculation is based primarily on the guidelines provided by IEEE Std 80 (2000), "Guide for safety in AC
substation grounding". Lightning protection is excluded from the scope of this calculation (refer to the specific
lightning protection calculation for more details).
The earthing calculation aids in the proper design of the earthing system. Using the results of this calculation,
you can:
 Determine the minimum size of the earthing conductors required for the main earth grid
 Ensure that the earthing design is appropriate to prevent dangerous step and touch potentials (if this is
necessary)
This calculation should be performed when the earthing system is being designed. It could also be done after the
preliminary design has been completed to confirm that the earthing system is adequate, or highlight the need for
improvement / redesign. Ideally, soil resistivity test results from the site will be available for use in touch and
step potential calculations (if necessary).
When is the calculation unnecessary?
The sizing of earthing conductors should always be performed, but touch and step potential calculations (per
IEEE Std 80 for earth faults with a return path through remote earth) are not always necessary.
For example, when all electricity is generated on-site and the HV/MV/LV earthing systems are interconnected,
then there is no need to do a touch and step potential calculation. In such a case, all earth faults would return to
the source via the earthing system (notwithstanding some small leakage through earth).
However, where there are decoupled networks (e.g. long transmission lines to remote areas of the plant), then
touch and step potential calculations should be performed for the remote area only.
This calculation is based on IEEE Std.
Std 80 (2000), "Guide for safety in AC substation grounding". There are two
main parts to this calculation:
 Earthing grid conductor sizing Page

 Touch and step potential calculations | 68
IEEE Std. 80 is quite descriptive, detailed and easy to follow, so only an overview will be presented here and
IEEE Std. 80 should be consulted for further details (although references will be given herein).
Prerequisites
The following information is required / desirable before starting the calculation:
 A layout of the site

 Maximum earth fault current into the earthing grid
 Maximum fault clearing time
 Ambient (or soil) temperature at the site
 Soil resistivity measurements at the site (for touch and step only)
 Resistivity
sistivity of any surface layers intended to be laid (for touch and step only)
Earthing Grid Conductor Sizing
Determining the minimum size of the earthing grid conductors is necessary to ensure that the earthing grid will
be able to withstand the maximum earth
arth fault current. Like a normal power cable under fault, the earthing grid
conductors experience an adiabatic short circuit temperature rise.
rise. However unlike a fault on a normal cable,
where the limiting temperature is that which would cause permanent damage to the cable's insulation, the
temperature limit for earthing grid conductors is the melting point of the conductor. In other words, during the
worst case earth fault,
ault, we don't want the earthing grid conductors to start melting!
The minimum conductor size capable of withstanding the adiabatic temperature rise associated with an earth
fault is given by re-arranging
arranging IEEE Std 80 Equation 37:
Where is the minimum cross-sectional (mm2)

sectional area of the earthing grid conductor (mm
( 2s)
is the energy of the maximum earth fault (A
is the maximum allowable (fusing) temperature (ºC)
is the ambient temperature (ºC)
(º - 1)
is the thermal coefficient of resistivity (ºC
is the resistivity
vity of the earthing conductor (μΩ.cm)
(
is
is the thermal capacity of the conductor per unit volume(Jcm

volume( -3
ºC - 1) Page
| 69
The material constants Tm, αr, ρr and TCAP for common conductor materials can be found in IEEE Std 80 Table
1. For example. Commercial hard-drawn
drawn copper has material constants:
cons
 Tm = 1084 ºC
 αr = 0.00381 ºC - 1
 ρr = 1.78 μΩ.cm
 TCAP = 3.42 Jcm - 3ºC - 1.
As described in IEEE Std. 80 Section 11.3.1.1, there are alternative methods to formulate this equation, all of
which can also be derived from first principles).
principles
There are also additional factors that should be considered (e.g. taking into account future growth in fault levels),
as discussed in IEEE Std. 80 Section 11.3.3.
Touch and Step Potential Calculations
When electricity is generated remotely and there are no return paths for earth faults other than the earth itself,
then there is a risk that earth faults can cause dangerous voltage gradients in the earth around the site of the fault
fau
(called ground potential rises). This means that someone standing near the fault can receive a dangerous
electrical shock due to:
 Touch voltages - there is a dangerous potential difference between the earth and a metallic object that a person
is touching
 Step voltages - there is a dangerous voltage gradient between the feet of a person standing on earth
The earthing grid can be used to dissipate fault currents to remote earth and reduce the voltage gradients in the
earth. The touch and step potential calculations
calculations are performed in order to assess whether the earthing grid can
dissipate the fault currents so that dangerous touch and step voltages cannot exist.
Step 1: Soil Resistivity
The resistivity properties of the soil where the earthing grid will be laid
laid is an important factor in determining the
earthing grid's resistance with respect to remote earth.. Soils with lower resistivity lead to lower overall grid
resistances and potentially smaller earthing grid
grid configurations can be designed (i.e. that comply with safe step
and touch potentials).
It is good practice to perform soil resistivity tests on the site. There are a few standard methods for measuring
soil resistivity (e.g. Wenner four-pin
pin method). A good
good discussion on the interpretation of soil resistivity test
measurements is found in IEEE Std. 80 Section 13.4.
Sometimes it isn't possible to conduct soil resistivity tests and an estimate must suffice. When estimating soil
resistivity, it goes without saying that one should err on the side of caution and select a higher resistivity. IEEE
Std 80 Table 8 gives some guidance on range of soil resistivities based on the general characteristics of the soil
(i.e. wet organic soil = 10 Ω.m,
.m, moist soil = 100 Ω.m, dry soil = 1,000 Ω.m
.m and bedrock = 10,000 Ω.m).
Step 2: Surface Layer Materials
Applying a thin layer (0.08m - 0.15m) of high resistivity material (such as gravel, blue metal, crushed rock, etc) Page
over the surface of the ground is commonly used to help protect
protect against dangerous touch and step voltages. This
| 70
is because the surface layer material increases the contact resistance between the soil (i.e. earth) and the feet of a
person standing on it, thereby lowering the current flowing through the person in the event of a fault.
IEEE Std 80 Table 7 gives typical values for surface layer material resistivity in dry and wet conditions (e.g.
40mm crushed granite = 4,000 Ω.m.m (dry) and 1,200 Ω.m (wet)).
The effective resistance of a person's feet (with respect to earth) when standing on a surface layer is not the same
as the surface layer resistance because the layer is not thick enough to have uniform resistivity in all directions.
d A
surface layer derating factor needs to be applied in order to compute the effective foot resistance (with respect to
earth) in the presence of a finite thickness of surface layer material. This derating factor can be approximated by
an empiricalal formula as per IEEE Std 80 Equation 27:
Where is the surface layer derating factor
is the soil resistivity (Ω.m)
is the resistivity of the surface layer material (Ω.m)

(
is the thickness of the surface layer (m)
This derating factor will be used later in Step 5 when calculating the maximum allowable touch and step
voltages.
Step 3: Earthing Grid Resistance
A good
od earthing grid has low resistance (with respect to remote earth) to minimise ground potential rise (GPR)
and consequently avoid dangerous touch and step voltages. Calculating the earthing grid resistance usually goes
hand in hand with earthing grid designn - that is, you design the earthing grid to minimise grid resistance. The
earthing grid resistance mainly depends on the area taken up by the earthing grid, the total length of buried
earthing conductors and the number of earthing rods / electrodes.
IEEE Std 80 offers two alternative options for calculating the earthing grid resistance (with respect to remote
earth) - 1) the simplified method (Section 14.2) and 2) the Schwarz equations (Section 14.3), both of which are
outlined briefly below. IEEE Std 80 also includes methods for reducing soil resistivity (in Section 14.5) and a
treatment for concrete-encased
encased earthing electrodes (in Section 14.6).
Simplified Method
IEEE Std 80 Equation 52 gives the simplified method as modified by Sverak to include the ef
effect of earthing grid
depth:
Page
| 71
Where is the earthing grid resistance with respect to remote earth (Ω)
(
is the total length of buried conductors (m)
( 2)
is the total area occupied by the earthling grid (m
Schwarz Equations
Thee Schwarz equations are a series of equations that are more accurate in modeling the effect of earthing rods /
electrodes. The equations are found in IEEE Std 80 Equations 53, 54, 55 and 56, as follows:
Where is the earthing grid resistance with respect to remote earth (Ω)
is the earth resistance of the grid conductors (Ω)

(
is the earth resistance of the earthing electrodes (Ω)

(
is the mutual earth resistance between the grid conductors and earthing electrodes ((Ω)
And the grid, earthing electrode and mutual earth resistances

resista are:
Where is the soil resistivity (Ω.m)

is the total length of buried grid conductors (m)
is for conductors buried at depth metres and with cross-sectional

sectional radius metres, or simply
for grid conductors on the surface
is the total area covered ( 2)

vered by the grid conductors (m Page
| 72
is the length of each earthing electrode (m)
is the total length of earthing electrodes (m)
is number of earthing electrodes in area
is the cross-sectional
sectional radius of an earthing electrode (m)
and are constant coefficients

icients depending on the geometry of the grid
The coefficient can be approximated by the following:
 (1) For depth :
 (2) For depth :
 (3) For depth :
The coefficient can be approximated by the following:
 (1) For depth :
 (2) For depth :
 (3) For depth :
Where in both cases, is the length-to-width

length ratio of the earthing grid.
Step 4: Maximum Grid Current
The maximum grid current is the worst case earth fault current that would flow via the earthing grid back to
remote earth. To calculate thee maximum grid current, you firstly need to calculate the worst case symmetrical
earth fault current at the facility that would have a return path through remote earth (call this ). This can be
found from the power systems studies or from manual calculation.
calculation. Generally speaking, the highest relevant earth
fault level will be on the primary side of the largest distribution transformer (i.e. either the terminals or the delta
windings).
Current Division Factor
Not all of the earth fault current will flow back through remote earth. A portion of the earth fault current may
have local return paths (e.g. local generation) or there could be alternative return paths other than remote earth
(e.g. overhead earth return cables, buried pipes and cables, etc). Therefore a current division factor must be
applied to account for the proportion of the fault current flowing back through remote earth. Page
| 73
Computing the current division factor is a task that is specific to each project and the fault location and it may
incorporate some subjectivity (i.e. "engineering judgment"). In any case, IEEE Std 80 Section 15.9 has a good
discussion on calculating the current division factor. In the most conservative case, a current division factor of
can be applied, meaning that 100% of earth
earth fault current flows back through remote earth.
The symmetrical grid current is calculated by:
Decrement Factor
The symmetrical grid current is not the maximum grid current because of asymmetry in short circuits, namely a
dc current offset. This is captured
ptured by the decrement factor, which can be calculated from IEEE Std 80 Equation
79:
Where is the decrement factor
is the duration of the fault (s)
is the dc time offset constant (see below)
The dc time offset constant is derived from IEEE Std 80 Equation

Equ 74:
Where is the X/R ratio at the fault location
is the system frequency (Hz)
The maximum grid current is lastly calculated by:

Step 5: Touch and Step Potential Criteria
One of the goals of a safe earthing grid is to protect people against lethal
lethal electric shocks in the event of an earth
fault. The magnitude of ac electric current (at 50Hz or 60Hz) that a human body can withstand is typically in the
range of 60 to 100mA, when ventricular fibrillation and heart stoppage can occur. The duration of o an electric
shock also contributes to the risk of mortality, so the speed at which faults are cleared is also vital. Given this, we Page
need to prescribe maximum tolerable limits for touch and step voltages that do not lead to lethal shocks.
| 74
The maximum tolerable
erable voltages for step and touch scenarios can be calculated empirically from IEEE Std
Section 8.3 for body weights of 50kg and 70kg:
Touch voltage limit - the maximum potential difference between the surface potential and the potential of an
earthed conducting
ducting structure during a fault (due to ground potential rise):
 50kg person:
 70kg person:
Step voltage limit - is the maximum difference in surface potential experience by a person bridging a distance of
1m with the feet without contact to any earthed object:
 50kg person:
 70kg person:
Where is the touch voltage limit (V)
is the step voltage limit (V)
is the surface layer derating factor (as calculated in Step 2)
is the maximum fault clearing time (s)
The choice of body weight (50kg or 70kg) depends on the expected weight of the personnel at the site. Typically,
where women are expected to be on site, the conservative option is to choose 50kg.
50kg.
Step 6: Ground Potential Rise (GPR)
Normally, the potential difference between the local earth around the site and remote earth is considered to be
zero (i.e. they are at the same potential). However an earth faults (where the fault current flows back through
remote earth), the flow of current through the earth causes local potential gradients in and around the site. The
maximum potential difference between the site and remote earth is known as the ground
gro potential rise (GPR). It
is important to note that this is a maximum potential difference and that earth potentials around the site will vary
relative to the point of fault.
The maximum GPR is calculated by:
Page
| 75
Where is the maximum ground potential rise
ris (V)
is the maximum grid current found earlier in Step 4 (A)
is the earthing grid resistance found earlier in Step 3 (Ω)
Step 7: Earthing Grid Design Veri ication
Now we just need to verify that the earthing grid design is safe for touch and step potential. If the maximum GPR
calculated above does not exceed either of the touch and step voltage limits (from Step 5), then the grid design is
safe.
However if it does exceed the touch and step voltage limits, then some further analysis is required to verify the
design, namely the calculation of the maximum mesh and step voltages as per IEEE Std 80 Section 16.5.
Mesh Voltage Calculation
The mesh voltage is the maximum touch voltage within a mesh of an earthing grid and is derived from IEEE Std
80 Equation 80:
Where :: is the soil resistivity (Ω.m)

.m)
is the geometric spacing factor (see below)
is the irregularity factor (see below)
is the effective buried length of

o the grid (see below)
Geometric Spacing Factor Km
The geometric spacing factor is calculated from IEEE Std 80 Equation 81:
Where is the spacing between parallel grid conductors (m)
Page
is the depth of buried grid conductors (m) | 76
is the cross-sectional diameter

iameter of a grid conductor (m)
is a weighting factor for depth of burial =
is a weighting factor for earth electrodes /rods on the corner mesh
 for grids with earth electrodes along the grid perimeter or corners
 for grids with no earth electrodes on the corners or on the perimeter
is a geometric factor (see below)
Geometric Factor n
The geometric factor is calculated from IEEE Std 80 Equation 85:
With
for square grids, or otherwise
for square and rectangular grids, or otherwise
for square,, rectangular and LL-shaped grids, or otherwise
Where is the total length of horizontal grid conductors (m)
is the length of grid conductors on the perimeter (m)
m2 )
is the total area of the grid (m
and are the maximum length of the grids in the x and y directions (m)
is the maximum distance between any two points on the grid (m)
Irregularity Factor Ki
Page
| 77
The irregularity factor is calculated from IEEE Std 80 Equation 89:
Where is the geometric factor derived above
Effective Buried Length LM
The effective buried length is found as follows:
 For grids with few or no earthing electrodes (and none on corners or along the perimeter):
is the total length of earthing electrodes / rods (m)
 For grids
ids with earthing electrodes on the corners and along the perimeter:
is the length of each earthing electrode / rod (m)
and are the maximum

imum length of the grids in the x and y directions (m)
Step Voltage Calculation
The maximum allowable step voltage is calculated from IEEE Std 80 Equation 92:
Where :: is the soil resistivity (Ω.m)

.m)
is the geometric spacing factor (see below)
is the irregularity factor (as derived above in the mesh voltage calculation)
Page
is the effective buried length of the
t grid (see below) | 78
Geometric Spacing Factor Ks
The geometric spacing factor based on IEEE Std 80 Equation 81 is applicable for burial depths between
0.25m and 2.5m:
Where is the spacing between parallel grid conductors (m)
is the depth of buried grid

d conductors (m)
is a geometric factor (as derived above in the mesh voltage calculation)
Effective Buried Length LS
The effective buried length for all cases can be calculated by IEEE Std 80 Equation 93:
What Now?
Now that the mesh and step voltages are

are calculated, compare them to the maximum tolerable touch and step
voltages respectively. If:
 , and

Then the earthing grid design is safe.
If not, however, then further work needs to be done. Some of the things that can be done to make the earthing
grid design safe:
 Redesign the earthing grid to lower the grid resistance (e.g. more grid conductors, more earthing
electrodes, increasing cross-sectional
cross sectional area of conductors, etc). Once this is done, re-compute
re the earthing
grid resistance (see Step 3)
3 and re-do
do the touch and step potential calculations.
 Limit the total earth fault current or create alternative earth fault return paths
Page
 Consider soil treatments to lower the resistivity
resisti of the soil
| 79
 Greater use of high resistivity surface layer materials
Worked Example
In this example, the touch and step potential calculations for an earthing grid design will be performed. The
proposed site is a small industrial facility with a network
network connection via a transmission line and a delta-wye
delta
connected transformer.
Step 1: Soil Resistivity
The soil resistivity around the site was measured with a Wenner four-pin
four pin probe and found to be approximately
300 Ω.m.
Step 2: Surface Layer Materials
A thin 100mm layer of blue metal (3,000 Ω.m)

.m) is proposed to be installed on the site. The surface layer derating
factor is:
Step 3: Earthing Grid Resistance
Page
| 80
Proposed rectangular earthing grid
A rectangular earthing grid (see the figure right) with

with the following parameters is proposed:
 Length of 90m and a width of 50m

 6 parallel rows and 7 parallel columns
 Grid conductors will be 120 mm2 and buried at a depth of 600mm
 22 earthing rods will be installed on the corners and perimeter of the grid
 Each
h earthing rod will be 3m long
Using the simplified equation, the resistance of the earthing grid with respect to remote earth is:
Step 4: Maximum Grid Current
Suppose that the maximum single phase to earth fault at the HV winding of the transformer is 3.1kA and that the
current division factor is 1 (all the fault current flows back to remote earth).
The X/R ratio at the fault is approximately 15, the maximum fault duration 150ms and the system nominal
frequency is 50Hz. The DC time offset is therefore:
therefo
The decrement factor is then:
Page
| 81
Finally, the maximum grid current is:
kA
Step 5: Touch and Step Potential Criteria
Based on the average weight of the workers on the site, a body weight of 70kg is assumed for the maximum
touch and step potential. A maximum fault clearing time of 150ms is also assumed.
The maximum allowable touch potential is:
The maximum allowable step potential is:
V
Step 6: Ground Potential Rise (GPR)
The maximum ground potential rise is:
Page
| 82
The GPR farr exceeds the maximum allowable touch and step potentials, and further analysis of mesh and step
voltages need to be performed.
Step 7: Earthing Grid Design Verification
Mesh Voltage Calculation
The components of the geometric factor , , and for the rectangular

ectangular grid are:
Therefore the geometric factor is:
Page
| 83
The geometric spacing factor is:
The irregularity factor is:
The effective buried length is:
Finally, the maximum mesh voltage is:

V
The maximum allowableble touch potential is 1,720V, which exceeds the mesh voltage calculated above and the
earthing system passes the touch potential criteria (although it is quite marginal).
Step Voltage Calculation Page

| 84
The geometric spacing factor is:
The effective buried length is:
Finally, the maximum allowable step voltage is:
The maximum allowable step potential is 5,664V, which exceeds the step voltage calculated above and the
earthing system passes the step potential criteria. Having passed both touch
touch and step potential criteria, we can
conclude that the earthing system is safe.
Computer Based Tools
Page
| 85
PTW GroundMat software output (courtesy of SKM Systems Analysis Inc)
As can be seen from above, touch and step potential calculations can be quite a tedious and laborious task, and
one that could conceivably be done much quicker by a computer. Even IEEE Std 80 recommends the use of
computer software to calculate grid resistances, and mesh and step voltages, and also to create potential gradient
visualizations of the site.
Computer software packages can be used to assist in earthing grid design by modeling and simulation of different
earthing grid configurations. The tools either come as standalone packages or plug-in modules to power system
analysis software (such as PTW's GroundMat or ETAP's Ground Grid Design Assessment. Examples of
standalone packages include SES Autogrid and SafeGrid.
What next?
The minimum size for the earthing grid conductors can be used to specify the earthing grid conductor sizes in the
material take-offs and earthing drawings. The touch and step potential calculations (where necessary) verify that
the earthing grid design is safe for the worst earth faults to remote earth. The earthing drawings can therefore be
approved for the next stage of reviews.
AC UPS Sizing
Contents
o 2.1 Step 1: Collect the AC UPS Loads
o 2.2 Step 2: Load Profile, Design Load and Design Energy
o 2.3 Step 3: Ba ery Sizing
 2.3.1 Nominal Battery (or DC Link) Voltage
 2.3.2 Number of Cells in Series
o 2.4 Step 4: UPS Sizing
 2.4.1 Overall UPS Sizing
 2.4.2 Rectifier / Charger Sizing
 2.4.3 Inverter Sizing
 2.4.4 Static Switch Sizing
o 3.1 Step 1 and 2: Collect the AC UPS Loads and Construct Load Profile
o 3.2 Step 3: Ba ery Sizing
o 3.3 Step 4: UPS Sizing
 3.3.1 Overall Sizing
 3.3.2 Rectifier Sizing
 3.3.3 Inverter and Static Switch Sizing
 4 Template
 6 What next?
Introduction
This calculation deals with the sizing of an AC uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system (i.e. rectifier, battery
bank and inverter). In this calculation, it is assumed that the AC UPS is a double conversion type with a basic
system topology as shown in Figure 1.
Page
| 87
Figure 1 - AC UPS basic system topology
An external maintenance bypass switch and galvanic isolation transformers are other common additions to the
basic topology, but these have been omitted from the system as they are irrelevant for the sizing calculation.
An AC UPS system is used to support critical / sensitive AC loads. It is typically a battery-backed

battery system which
will continue to operate for a specified amount of time (called the autonomy) after a main power supply
interruption. AC UPS systemss are also used as stable power supplies that provide a reasonably constant voltage
and frequency output, independent of voltage input. This is particularly useful for sensitive electrical equipment
on main power supplies that are prone to voltage / frequency
frequency fluctuations or instability.
The AC UPS sizing calculation determines the ratings for the main AC UPS system components: 1) rectifier, 2)
battery banks and 3) inverter.
In some cases, the manufacturer will independently size the system and it is only necessary to construct the AC
UPS load schedule and load profile. However the calculation results will also help determine the indicative
dimensions of the equipment (e.g. size of battery banks) for preliminary layout purposes.
The AC UPS sizing calculation can be done when the following prerequisite information is known:
 UPS loads that need to be supported

 Input / Output AC voltage Page
 Autonomy time(s)
| 88
 Battery type
The calculation procedure has four main steps:
1) Determine and collect the prospec ve AC UPS loads
2) Construct a load profile and determine the UPS design load (VA) and design energy (VAh)
3) Calculate the size of the sta onary ba ery (number of cells in series and Ah capacity)
4) Determinee the size of the inverter, rectifier/ charger and static switch
Step 1: Collect the AC UPS Loads
The first step is to determine the type and quantity of loads that the AC UPS system will be expected to support.
For industrial facilities, this will typically
typically be critical instrumentation and control loads such as the DCS and ESD
processor and marshalling hardware, critical workstations and HMI's, telecommunications equipment and
sensitive electronics. The necessary load data should be available from the instrumentation
instrumentation and control engineers.
For commercial facilities, UPS loads will mainly be server, data / network and telecommunications hardware.
Step 2: Load Profile, Design Load and Design Energy
Refer to the Load Profile Calculation for details on how to construct a load profile, calculate the design load (
) and design energy ( ). The "Autonomy method" for constructing load profiles is typically used for AC UPS UP
systems.
The autonomy time is often specified by the Client (i.e. in their standards). Alternatively, IEEE 446, "IEEE
Recommended Practice for Emergency and Standby Power Systems for Industrial and Commercial Applications"
has some guidance (particularlyy Table 3-2)
3 2) for autonomy times. Sometimes a single autonomy time is used for
the entire AC UPS load, which obviously makes the construction of the load profile easier to compute.
Step 3: Battery Sizing
Refer to the Battery Sizing Calculation for details on how to size the battery for the AC UPS system. The
following sections provide additional information specific to battery sizing for AC UPS applications.
Nominal Battery (or DC Link) Voltage
The nominal battery / DC link voltage is often selected by the AC UPS manufacturer. However, if required to be
selected, the following factors need to be considered:
 DC output voltage range of the rectifier – the rectifier

ifier must be able to output the specified DC link voltage
Page
 DC input voltage range of the inverter – the DC link voltage must be within the input voltage tolerances of
| 89
the inverter. Note that the battery end of discharge voltage should be within these tolerances.
toler
 Number of battery cells required in series – this will affect the overall dimensions and size of the battery
rack. If physical space is a constraint, then less batteries in series would be preferable.
 Total DC link current (at full load) – this will affect the sizing of the DC cables and inter
inter-cell battery links.
Obviously the smaller the better.
In general, the DC link voltage is usually selected to be close to the nominal output voltage.
Number of Cells in Series
The number of battery cells required

ed to be connected in series must be between the two following limits:
(1)
(2)
where Nmax is the maximum number of battery cells
Nmin is the minimum number of battery cells
Vdc is the nominal battery / DC link voltage (Vdc)
Vi,max is the inverter maximum

um input voltage tolerance (%)
Vi,min is the inverter minimum input voltage tolerance (%)
Vf is the nominal cell float (or boost) voltage (Vdc)
Veod is the cell end of discharge voltage (Vdc)
The limits are based on the input voltage tolerance of the inverter.
inverter. As a maximum, the battery at float voltage (or
boost if applicable) needs to be within the maximum input voltage range of the inverter. Likewise as a minimum,
the battery at its end of discharge voltage must be within the minimum input voltage range oof the inverter.
Select the number of cells in between these two limits (more or less arbitrary, though somewhere in the middle of
the min/max values would be appropriate).
Step 4: UPS Sizing
Overall UPS Sizing
Most of the time, all you need to provide is

is the overall UPS kVA rating and the UPS vendor will do the rest.
Given the design load ( in VA or kVA) calculated in Step 2,, select an overall UPS rating that exceeds the Page
design load. Vendors typically have standard UPS ratings, so it is possible to simply select the first standard | 90
rating that exceeds the design load. For example, if the design load 12kVA,
12kVA, then the next size unit (e.g. 15kVA
UPS) would be selected.
Rectifier / Charger Sizing
The rectifier / charger should be sized to supply the inverter at full load and also charge the batteries (at the
maximum charge current). The design DC load current
curr can be calculated by:
where IL,dc is the design DC load current (full load) (A)
S is the selected UPS rating (kVA)
Vdc is the nominal battery / DC link voltage (Vdc)
The maximum battery charging current can be computed as follows:
where Ic is the maximum

aximum DC charge current (A)
C is the selected battery capacity (Ah)
kl is the ba ery recharge efficiency / loss factor (typically 1.1) (pu)
tc is the minimum battery recharge time (hours)
The total minimum DC rectifier / charger current is therefore:
Select
elect the next standard rectifier / charger rating that exceeds the total minimum DC current above.
Inverter Sizing
The inverter must be rated to continuously supply the UPS loads. Therefore, the inverter can be sized using the
design AC load current (based
ed on the selected UPS kVA rating).
For a three-phase UPS:
For a single-phase UPS: Page

| 91
where IL is the design AC load current (full load) (A)
S is the selected UPS rating (kVA)
Vo is the nominal output voltage (line-to-line

(line voltage for a three phase UPS) (Vac)
Vac)
Select the next standard inverter rating that exceeds the design AC load current.
Static Switch Sizing
Like the inverter, the static switch must be rated to continuously supply the UPS loads. Therefore, the static
switch can be sized using the design AC load current (as above for the inverter sizing).
Worked Example
Step 1 and 2: Collect the AC UPS Loads and Construct Load Profile
Load profile for this example

For this example, we shall use the same loads and load profile detailed in the Energy Load Profile Calculation
example. The load profile is shown in the figure right and the following quantities were calculated:
 Design load Sd = 768 VA

 Design energy demand Ed = 3,216 VAh
Page
Step 3: Battery Sizing | 92
For this example, we shall use the same battery sizes calculated in the Battery Sizing Calculation worked
example.
xample. The selected number of cells in series is 62 cells and the minimum battery capacity is 44.4 Ah. A
battery capacity of 50 Ah is selected.
Step 4: UPS Sizing
Overall Sizing
Given the design load of 768 VA, then a 1 kVA UPS would be appropriate.
Rectifier Sizing
Given a nominal dc link voltage of 120Vdc, the design DC load current is:
Suppose the minimum battery recharge time is 2 hours and a recharge efficiency factor of 1.1 is used. The
maximum battery charging current is:
Therefore thee total minimum DC rectifier / charger current is:
A DC rectifier rating of 40A is selected.

Inverter and Static Switch Sizing
Suppose the nominal output voltage is 240Vac. The design AC load current is:
Page
| 93
An inverter and static switch rating of 5A is selected.
Template
A professional, fully customizable Excel spreadsheet template of the AC UPS calculation can be purchased from
Lulu.
The template is based on the calculation procedure described in this page and includes the following features:
 Load schedule and automatic load profile generation

 Battery sizing
 UPS component sizing (e.g. rectifier,
r inverter, etc)
Screenshots from AC UPS Template
UPS Configuration Load Profile Battery Sizing

Computer Software
Preliminary sizing is normally done manually. Notwithstanding this, many AC UPS manufacturers provide
sizing tools as part of their service package (for example, see the APC online UPS selector tool).
Page
What next? | 94
Using the results of the UPS sizing calculation, the approximate dimensions of the batteries and UPS cabinet can
be estimated based on typical vendor information. This will assist in developing the equipment / room layouts.
Preliminary budget pricing can also be estimated based on the calculation results.
Battery Sizing
Contents
o 2.1 Step 1: Collect the battery loads
o 2.2 Step 2: Construct the Load Profile
o 2.3 Step 3: Select Battery Type
o 2.4 Step 4: Number of Cells in Series
o 2.5 Step 5: Determine Battery Capacity
o 3.1 Step 1 and 2: Collect Battery Loads and Construct Load Profile
o 3.2 Step 3: Select Battery Type
o 3.3 Step 4: Number of Cells in Series
o 3.4 Step 5: Determine Battery Capacity
 5 What Next?
Introduction
Page
| 96
Stationary batteries on a rack (courtesy of Power Battery)
This article looks at the sizing of batteries for stationary applications (i.e. they don't move). Batteries are used in
many applications such as AC and DC uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, solar power systems,
telecommunications, emergency lighting, etc. Whatever the application, batteries are seen as a mature, proven
technology for storing electrical energy. In addition to storage, batteries are also used as a means for providing
voltage support for weak power systems (e.g. at the end of small, long transmission lines).
Sizing a stationary battery is important to ensure that the loads being supplied or the power system being
supported are adequately catered for by the battery for the period of time (i.e. autonomy) for which it is designed.
Improper battery sizing can lead to poor autonomy times, permanent damage to battery cells from over-
discharge, low load voltages, etc.
The calculation can typically be started when the following information is known:
 Battery loads that need to be supported

 Nominal battery voltage
 Autonomy time(s)
The calculation is based on a mixture of normal industry practice and technical standards IEEE Std 485 (1997,
R2003) "Recommended Practice for Sizing Lead-Acid Batteries for Stationary Applications" and IEEE Std 1115
(2000, R2005) "Recommended Practice for Sizing Nickel-Cadmium Batteries for Stationary Applications". The
calculation is based on the ampere-hour method for sizing battery capacity (rather than sizing by positive plates).
The focus of this calculation is on standard lead-acid
lead or nickel-cadmium
cadmium (NiCd) batteries, so please consult
specific supplier information for other types of batteries (e.g. lithium-ion,
lithium nickel-metal
metal hydride, etc). Note also
that the design of the battery
ery charger is beyond the scope of this calculation.
There are five main steps in this calculation:

Page
1) Collect the loads that the battery needs to support
| 97
2) Construct a load profile and calculate the design energy (VAh)
3) Select the battery type and determine
dete the characteristics of the cell
4) Select the number of battery cells to be connected in series
5) Calculate the required Ampere-hour
Ampere (Ah) capacity of the battery
Step 1: Collect the battery loads
The first step is to determine the loads that the battery

battery will be supporting. This is largely specific to the
application of the battery, for example an AC UPS System or a Solar Power System.
System
Step 2: Construct the Load Profile
Refer to the Load Profile Calculation for details on how to construct a load profile and calculate the design
energy, , in VAh.
The autonomy time is often specified by the Client (i.e. in their standards).
standards). Alternatively, IEEE 446, "IEEE
Recommended Practice for Emergency and Standby Power Systems for Industrial and Commercial Applications"
has some guidance (particularly Table 3-2)
3 2) for autonomy times. Note that IEEE 485 and IEEE 1115 refer to the
load profile as the "duty cycle".
Step 3: Select Battery Type
The next step is to select the battery type (e.g. sealed lead-acid,
lead nickel-cadmium,
cadmium, etc). The selection process is
not covered in detail here, but the following factors should be taken into account
account (as suggested by IEEE):
 Physical characteristics, e.g. dimensions, weight, container material, intercell connections,

terminals
 application design life and expected life of cell
 Frequency and depth of discharge
 Ambient temperature
 Charging characteristics
cs
 Maintenance requirements
 Ventilation requirements
 Cell orientation requirements (sealed lead-acid
lead and NiCd)
 Seismic factors (shock and vibration)
Next, find the characteristics of the battery cells, typically from supplier data sheets. The characteristics
characteristi that
should be collected include:
 Battery cell capacities (Ah)

 Cell temperature
 Electrolyte density at full charge (for lead-acid
lead batteries)
 Cell float voltage
 Cell end-of-discharge
discharge voltage (EODV).
Battery manufacturers will often quote battery Ah capacities

capacities based on a number of different EODVs. For lead-
lead
acid batteries, the selection of an EODV is largely based on an EODV that prevents damage of the cell through
over-discharge (from over-expansion
expansion of the cell plates). Typically, 1.75V to 1.8V per cell is
i used when
discharging over longer than 1 hour. For short discharge durations (i.e. <15 minutes), lower EODVs of around
Page
1.67V per cell may be used without damaging the cell.
| 98
Nickel-Cadmium
Cadmium (NiCd) don't suffer from damaged cells due to over-discharge.
over discharge. Typical
Typi EODVs for Ni-Cd
batteries are 1.0V to 1.14V per cell.
Step 4: Number of Cells in Series
The most common number of cells for a specific voltage rating is shown below:
Rated Lead-
Ni-Cd
Voltage Acid
12V 6 9-10
24V 12 18-20
48V 24 36-40
125V 60 92-100
250V 120 184-200
However, the number of cells in a battery can also be calculated to more accurately match the tolerances of the
load. The number of battery cells required to be connected in series must fall between the two following limits:
(1)
(2)
where is the maximum number of battery cells
is the minimum number of battery cells

is the nominal battery voltage (Vdc)
is the maximum load voltage tolerance (%)
is the minimum load voltage tolerance (%)
is the cell charging voltage (Vdc)
is the cell end of discharge voltage (Vdc)
The limits are based on the minimum and maximum voltage tolerances of the load. As a maximum, the battery at
float voltage (or boost voltage if applicable) needs to be within the maximum voltage range of the load.
loa Likewise
as a minimum, the battery at its end of discharge voltage must be within the minimum voltage range of the load.
The cell charging voltage depends on the type of charge cycle that is being used, e.g. float, boost, equalizing, etc,
and the maximum m value should be chosen.
Select the number of cells in between these two limits (more or less arbitrary, though somewhere in the middle of
the min/max values would be most appropriate).
Page
| 99
Step 5: Determine Battery Capacity
The minimum battery capacity required

uired to accommodate the design load over the specified autonomy time can
be calculated as follows:
where is the minimum battery capacity (Ah)
is the design energy over the autonomy time (VAh)

is the nominal battery voltage (Vdc)
is a battery ageing factor (%)
is a temperature correction factor (%)
is a capacity rating factor (%)
is the maximum depth of discharge (%)
Select a battery Ah capacity that exceeds the minimum capacity calculated above. The battery discharge rate (C
rating) should also be specified, approximately the duration of discharge (e.g. for 8 hours of discharge, use the
C8 rate). The selected battery specification is therefore the Ah capacity and the discharge rate (e.g. 500Ah C10).
Temperature correction factors for vented lead-acid

lead cells (from IEEE 485)
An explanation of the different factors:
 Ageing factor captures the decrease in battery performance due to age.
The performance of a lead-acid battery is relatively stable but drops markedly at latter stages of life. The
"knee point" of its life vs performance curve is approximately when the battery can deliver 80% of its
Page
rated capacity. After this point, the battery has reached the end of its useful life and should be replaced.
| 100
Therefore, to ensure that battery can meet capacity throughout its useful life, an ageing factor of 1.25
should be applied (i.e. 1 / 0.8). There are some exceptions, check with the manufacturer.
For Ni-Cd batteries, the principles are similar to lead-acid cells. Please consult the battery manufacturer
for suitable ageing factors, but generally, applying a factor of 1.25 is standard. For applications with high
temperatures and/or frequent deep discharges, a higher factor of 1.43 may be used. For more shallower
discharges, a lower factor of 1.11 can be used.
 Temperature correction factor is an allowance to capture the ambient installation temperature.

The capacity for battery cells are typicall quoted for a standard operating temperature of 25C and
where this differs with the installation temperature, a correction factor must be applied. IEEE 485
gives guidance for vented lead-acid cells (see figure right), however for sealed lead-acid and Ni-
Cd cells, please consult manufacturer recommendations. Note that high temperatures lower
battery life irrespective of capacity and the correction factor is for capacity sizing only, i.e. you
CANNOT increase battery life by increasing capacity.
 Capacity rating factor accounts for voltage depressions during battery discharge. Lead-acid
batteries experience a voltage dip during the early stages of discharge followed by some recovery.
Ni-Cds may have lower voltages on discharge due to prolonged float charging (constant voltage).
Both of these effects should be accounted for by the capacity rating factor - please see the
manufacturer's recommendations. For Ni-Cd cells, IEEE 1115 Annex C suggests that for float
charging applications, Kt = rated capacity in Ah / discharge current in Amps (for specified
discharge time and EODV).
Worked Example

Step 1 and 2: Collect Battery Loads and Construct Load Profile
The loads and load profile from the simple example in the Energy Load Profile Calculation will be used (see the
figure right). The design energy demand calculated for this system is Ed = 3,242.8 VAh.
Step 3: Select Battery Type Page

| 101
Vented lead acid batteries have been selected for this example.
Step 4: Number of Cells in Series
Suppose that the nominal batteryy voltage is Vdc = 120Vdc, the cell charging voltage is Vc = 2.25Vdc/cell, the end-
of-discharge voltage is Veod = 1.8Vdc/cell, and the minimum and maximum load voltage tolerances are Vl,min =
10% and Vl,max = 20% respectively.
The maximum number of cells inn series is:
cells
The minimum number of cells in series is:
cells
The selected number of cells in series is 62 cells.
Step 5: Determine Battery Capacity
Given a depth of discharge kdod = 80%, battery ageing factor ka = 25%, temperature correction factor
f for vented
cells at 30 deg C of kt = 0.956 and a capacity rating factor of kc = 10%, the minimum battery capacity is:
Ah
Computer Software
Some battery manufacturers (such as Alcad) alsolso provide software programs to size batteries using basic input
data such as load profiles, autonomies, etc. The software will size the batteries and will often also provide details
regarding different battery rack (or enclosure) dimensions.
What Next?
Using the results of the battery sizing calculation, the approximate dimensions of the batteries can be estimated
based on typical vendor information. This will assist in determining the size, number and dimensions of the
battery racks or cabinets required, which can then be used as input into the equipment / room layouts.
Preliminary budget pricing can also be estimated based on the calculation results. Page
| 102
Solar System Sizing
Contents
o 2.1 Step 1: Es mate Solar Irradia on at the Site
 2.1.1 Baseline Solar Irradiation Data
 2.1.2 Solar Irradiation on an Inclined Plane
 2.1.3 Solar Trackers
 2.1.4 Non-Standard Applications
o 2.2 Step 2: Collect the Solar Power System Loads
o 2.3 Step 3: Construct a Load Profile
o 2.4 Step 4: Ba eryCapacity Sizing
o 2.5 Step 5: Es mate a Single PV Module's Output
 2.5.1 Effective PV Cell Temperature
 2.5.2 Standard Regulator
 2.5.3 MPPT Regulator
o 2.6 Step 6: Size the PV Array
 2.6.1 MPPT Controller
o 3.1 Step 1: Es mate Solar Irradia on at the Site
o 3.2 Step 2 and 3: Collect Loads and Construct a Load Profile
o 3.3 Step 4: Ba ery Capacity Sizing
o 3.4 Step 5: Es mate a Single PV Module's Output
o 3.5 Step 6: Size the PV Array
 3.5.1 Standard Regulator
 5 What Next?
Introduction
Page
| 104
Solar PV array
This calculation outlines the sizing of a standalone solar photovoltaic (PV) power system. Standalone PV
systems are commonly used to supply power to small, remote installations (e.g. telecoms) where it isn't practical
or cost-efficient to run a transmission line or have alternative generation such as diesel gensets.
Although this calculation is biased towards standalone solar PV systems, it can also be used for hybrid systems
that draw power from mixed sources (e.g. commercial PV, hybrid wind-PV systems, etc). Loads must be
adjusted according to the desired amount that the solar PV system will supply.
This calculation is based on crystalline silicon PV technology. The results may not hold for other types of solar
PV technologies and the manufacturer's recommendations will need to be consulted.
This calculation should be done whenever a solar PV power system is required so that the system is able to
adequately cater for the necessary loads. The results can be used to determine the ratings of the system
components (e.g. PV array, batteries, etc).
The following pre-requisite information is required before performing the calculation:
 Loads required to be supported by the solar PV system

 Autonomy time or minimum tolerable downtime (i.e. if there is no sun, how long can the system be out
of service?)
 GPS coordinates of the site (or measurements of the solar insolation at the site)
 Output voltage (AC or DC)
The calculation is loosely based on AS/NZS 4509.2 (2002) "Standalone power systems - System design
guidelines". The methodology has the following six steps:
 Step 1: Es mate the solar irradia on available at the site (based on GPS coordinates or measurement) Page
 Step 2: Collect the loads that will be supported by the system | 105
 Step 3: Construct a load profile and calculate design load and design energy
 Step 4: Calculate the required ba ery capacity based on the design loads
 Step 5: Es mate the output of a single PV module at the proposed site loca on
 Step 6: Calculate size of the PV array
Step 1: Estimate Solar Irradiation at the Site
World solar irradiation map
The first step is to determine the solar resource availability at the site. Solar resources are typically discussed in
terms of solar radiation, which is more or less the catch-all term for sunlight shining on a surface. Solar radiation
consists of three main components:
 Direct or beam radiation is made up of beams of unscattered and unreflected light reaching the surface
in a straight line directly from the sun
 Diffuse radiation is scattered light reaching the surface from the whole sky (but not directly from the sun)
 Albedo radiation is light reflected onto the surface from the ground
Solar radiation can be quantitatively measured by irradiance and irradiation. Note that the terms are distinct -
"irradiance" refers to the density of the power that falls on a surface (W / m2) and "irradiation" is the density of
the energy that falls on a surface over some period of time such as an hour or a day (e.g. Wh / m2 per hour/day).
In this section, we will estimate the solar radiation available at the site based on data collected in the past.
However, it needs to be stressed that solar radiation is statistically random in nature and there is inherent
uncertainty in using past data to predict future irradiation. Therefore, we will need to build in design margins so
that the system is robust to prediction error.
Baseline Solar Irradiation Data
The easiest option is to estimate the solar irradiation (or solar insolation) by inputting the GPS coordinates of the
site into the NASA Surface Meteorology and Solar Resource website.
For any given set of GPS coordinates, the website provides

provides first pass estimates of the monthly minimum, average Page
and maximum solar irradiation (in kWh / m2 / day)) at ground level and at various tilt angles. Collect this data,
| 106
choose an appropriate tilt angle and identify the best and worst months of the year in terms of solar irradiation.
Alternatively, for US locations data from the National Solar Radiation Database can be used.
The minimum, average and maximum

aximum daytime temperatures at the site can also be determined from the public
databases listed above. These temperatures will be used later when calculating the effective PV cell temperature.
Actual solar irradiation measurements can also be made at the site. Provided that the measurements are taken
over a long enough period (or cross-referenced
referenced / combined with public data), then the measurements would
provide a more accurate estimate of the solar irradiation at the site as they would capture site specific
specifi
characteristics, e.g. any obstructions to solar radiation such as large buildings, trees, mountains, etc.
Solar Irradiation on an Inclined Plane
Most PV arrays are installed such that they face the equator at an incline to the horizontal (for maximum solarso
collection). The amount of solar irradiation collected on inclined surfaces is different to the amount collected on
a horizontal surface. It is theoretically possible to accurately estimate the solar irradiation on any inclined surface
given the solar irradiation on an horizontal plane and the tilt angle (there are numerous research papers on this
topic, for example the work done by Liu and Jordan in 1960).
However, for the practical purpose of designing a solar PV system, we'll only look at estimating the solar
irradiation at the optimal tilt angle,, which is the incline that collects the most solar irradiation. The optimal tilt
angle largely depends on the latitude of the site. At greater latitudes, the optimal tilt angle is higher as it favours
summertimeime radiation collection over wintertime collection. The Handbook k of Photovoltaic Science and
Engineering suggests a linear approximation to calculating the optimal tilt angle:
Where is the optimal tilt angle (deg)
is the latitude of the site (deg)
The handbook also suggests a polynomial approximation for the solar

solar irradiation at the optimal tilt angle:
Where is the solar irradiation on a surface at the optimal tilt angle ((Wh / m2)
is the solar irradiation on the horizontal plane (Wh

( / m2)
is the optimal tilt angle (deg)
Alternatively, the estimated irradiation

on data on tilted planes can be sourced directly from the various public
databases listed above.
Solar Trackers Page

| 107
Solar trackers are mechanical devices that can track the position of the sun throughout the day and orient the PV
array accordingly. The use of trackers can significantly increase the solar irradiation collected by a surface. Solar
trackers typically increase irradiation by 1.2 to 1.4 times (for 1-axis
1 axis trackers) and 1.3 to 1.5 times (for 2-axis
2
trackers) compared to a fixed surface at the optimal tilt angle.
Non-Standard Applications
A solar irradiation loss factor should be used for applications where there are high tilt angles (e.g. vertical PV
arrays as part of a building facade) or very low tilt angles (e.g. North-South
North South horizontal trackers). This is because
the the solar irradiation is significantly affected (detrimentally) when the angle of incidence is high or the solar
radiation is mainly diffuse (i.e. no albedo effects from ground reflections). For more details on this loss factor,
consult the standard ASHRAE 93, "Methods of testing to determine the thermal performance of solar collectors".
colle
Step 2: Collect the Solar Power System Loads
The next step is to determine the type and quantity of loads that the solar power system needs to support. For
remote industrial applications, such as metering stations, the loads are normally for control
cont systems and
instrumentation equipment. For commercial applications, such as telecommunications, the loads are the telecoms
hardware and possibly some small area lighting for maintenance. For rural electrification and residential
applications, the loads are typically domestic lighting and low-powered
low powered appliances, e.g. computers, radios, small
tv's, etc.
Step 3: Construct a Load Profile
Refer to the Load Profile Calculation for details on how to construct a load profile and calculate the design load (
) and design energy ( ). Typically, the "24 Hour Profile" method for constructing a load profile is used for
Solar Power Systems.
Step 4: Battery Capacity Sizing
In a solar PV power system, the battery is used to provide backup energy storage and also to maintain output
voltage stability. Refer to the Battery Sizing
Sizi Calculation for details on how to size the battery for the solar power
system.
Step 5: Estimate a Single PV Module's Output
It is assumed that a specific PV module type (e.g. Suntech STP070S-12Bb)

STP070S 12Bb) has been selected and the following
parameters collected:
 Peak module power, (W-p)

 Nominal voltage (Vdc)
 Open circuit voltage (Vdc)
 Optimum operating voltage (Vdc)
 Short circuit current (A)
 Optimum operating current (A)
 Peak power temperature coefficient (% per deg C) Page
| 108
 Manufacturer's power output tolera
tolerance (%)
Manufacturers usually quote these PV module parameters based on Standard Test Conditions (STC): an
irradiance of 1,000 W / m2, the standard reference spectral irradiance with Air Mass 1.5 (see the NREL site for
more details) and a cell temperature of 25 deg C. Standard test conditions rarely prevail on site and when the PV
module are installed in the field, the output must be de-rated
de accordingly.
Effective PV Cell Temperature
Firstly, the average effective PV cell temperature at the installation site needs to be calculated (as it will be used
in the subsequent calculations). It can be estimated for each month using AS\NZS
AS NZS 4509.2 equation 3.4.3.7:
3.4.
Where is the average effective PV cell temperature (deg C)
is the average daytime ambient temperature at the site (deg C)
Standard Regulator
For a solar power system using a standard switched charge regulator / controller, the derated power outpu
output of the
PV module can be calculated using AS\NZS
AS 4509.2 equation 3.4.3.9(1):
Where is the derated power output of the PV module using a standard switched charge controller (W)
is the daily average operating voltage (Vdc)
is the module output current based on the daily average operating voltage, at the effective average cell
temperature and solar irradiance at the site - more on this below (A)
is the manufacturer's power output tolerance (pu)
is the dera ng factor for dirt / soiling (Clean: 1.0, Low: 0.98, Med: 0.97, High: 0.92)
To estimate , you will need the IV characteristic curve of the PV module at the effective cell temperature
calculated above. For a switched regulator, the average PV module operating voltage is generally equal to the
average battery voltage less voltage drops across the cables and regulator.
MPPT Regulator
For a solar power system using a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) charge regulator / controller, the
derated power output of the PV module can be calculated using AS\NZS
AS S 4509.2 equation 3.4.3.9(2):
Page
| 109
Where is the derated power output of the PV module using an MPPT charge controller (W)
is the nominal module power under standard test conditions (W)
is the manufacturer's power output tolerance (pu)
is the derating factor

or for dirt / soiling (Clean: 1.0, Low: 0.98, Med: 0.97, High: 0.92)
is the temperature derating factor - see below (pu)
The temperature derating factor is determined from AS\NZS

AS NZS 4509.2 equation 3.4.3.9(1):
Where is temperature derating factor (pu)
is the Power Temperature Coefficient (% per deg C)
is the average effective PV cell temperature (deg C)
is the temperature under standard test condi ons (typically 25 deg C)
Step 6: Size the PV Array
The sizing of the PV array described below is based on the method outlined in AS/NZS 4509.2. There are
alternative sizing methodologies, for example the method based on reliability in terms of loss of load probability
(LLP), but these methods will not be further elaborated in this article. The fact that there is no commonly
accepted sizing methodology reflects the difficulty of performing what is an inherently uncertain task (i.e. a
prediction exercise with many random factors involved).
MPPT Controller
The number of PV modules required for the PV array can be

b found by using AS\NZS
NZS 4509.2 equation
3.4.3.11(2):
Where is the number of PV modules required

is the derated power output of the PV module (W)
is the total design daily energy (VAh)
is the oversupply coefficient (pu)

Page
2
is the solar irradiation after all factors (e.g. tilt angle, tracking, etc) have been captured ((kWh / m / day) | 110
is the efficiency of the PV sub-system

sub (pu)
The oversupply coefficient is a design contingency factor to capture the uncertainty in designing solar power
systems where future
ure solar irradiation is not deterministic. AS/NZS 4509.2 Table 1 recommends oversupply
coefficients of between 1.3 and 2.0.
The efficiency of the PV sub-system is the combined efficiencies of the charge regulator / controller,
battery and transmission through
hrough the cable between the PV array and the battery. This will depend on specific
circumstances (for example, the PV array a large distance from the battery), though an efficiency of around 90%
would be typically used.
Worked Example
A small standalone solar power system will be designed for a telecommunications outpost located in the desert.
Step 1: Estimate Solar Irradiation at the Site
From site measurements, the solar irradiation at the site during the worst month at the optimal title angle is 4.05
kWh/m2/day.
Step 2 and 3: Collect Loads and Construct a Load Profile

For this example, we shall use the same loads and load profile detailed in the Energy Load Profile Calculation
example. The load profile is shown in the figure right and the following quantities were calculated:
 Design load Sd = 768 VA

 Design energy demand Ed = 3,216 VAh
Page
Step 4: Battery Capacity Sizing | 111
For this
is example, we shall use the same battery sizes calculated in the Battery Sizing Calculation
Calculation] worked
example. The selected number of cells in series is 62 cells and the minimum battery capacity is 44.4 Ah.
Step 5: Estimate a Single PV Module's Output
A PV module with the following characteristics is chosen:
 Peak module power, W-p

 Nominal voltage Vdc
 Peak power temperature coefficient % per deg C
 Manufacturer's
turer's power output tolerance %
Suppose the average daytime ambient temperature is 40C. The effective PV cell temperature is:
deg C
An MPPT controller will be used. The temperature derating factor is therefore:
Given a medium dirt derating factor of 0.97, the derated power output of the PV module is:
Step 6: Size the PV Array
Given an oversupply coefficient of 1.1 and a PV sub-system

sub system efficiency of 85%, the number of PV modules
required for the PV array is:
10.9588 modules
For this PV array,, 12 modules are selected.
Standard Regulator Page

| 112
The number of PV modules required for the PV array can be found by using AS\NZS
AS NZS 4509.2 equation
3.4.3.11(1):
Where is the number of PV modules required
is the derated power output of the PV module (W)
is the total design daily energy (VAh)
is the oversupply co-efficient

efficient (pu)
is the solar irradiation after all factors (e.g. tilt angle, tracking, etc) have been captured ((kWh / m2 / day)
is the coulombic efficiency of the battery (pu)
The oversupply coefficient is a design contingency factor to capture the uncertainty in designing solar power
systems where future solar irradiation is not deterministic.
deterministic. AS/NZS 4509.2 Table 1 recommends oversupply
coefficients of between 1.3 and 2.0.
A battery coulombic efficiency of approximately 95% would be typically used.

Computer Software
It is recommended that the solar PV system sized in this calculation is simulated with computer software. For
example, HOMER is a free software package for simulating and optimizing a distributed generation (DG) system
originally developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Page
Screenshots from HOMER software | 113
PV Output Battery Output
What Next?
With the sizing calculation completed, the solar PV equipment (PV array, batteries, charge controllers, etc) can
be specified and a cost estimate or budget enquiry / requisition package issued. The approximate dimensions of
the equipment (especially the PV array and batteries) can also be estimated and a design layout can be produced.
Guide to Electrical Cables
Page
| 114
This guide is a structured directory of internal links on the subject of insulated electrical power, instrumentation
and control cables ranging from very low (e.g. 24V) to high voltages (e.g. 115kV).
Contents
 1 Construction
 2 Design / Sizing
 3 Specification
 4 Installation and Testing
 5 Special Applications
Construction
The overview of cable construction covers how typical low voltage, high voltage and instrumentation cables are
put together and outlines the different constituent parts that make up a cable.
For details on the common types of materials used in cables, refer to the following links:
 Conductor materials
 Insulation materials
 Sheathing materials
Design / Sizing
Cable design and sizing resources:
 Cable sizing calculation presents a detailed methodology for sizing electrical cables based on international
standards. The methodology outlines four main considerations that should be examined when designing Page
and sizing cables - 1) current ra ng (or ampacity), 2) voltage drop, 3) short circuit temperature rise, and 4)| 115
earth fault loop impedance.
 Cablesizer is a free online cable sizing tool based on IEC standards.
 Cable impedance calculations provide details on how to calculate the dc resistance, ac resistance and
inductive reactance of a cable.
 Low voltage cable reference pages give typical data on cable current ratings, derating factors,
impedances, etc.
Specification
The construction of a cable is often described in a shorthand notation, which specifies the materials used in the
cable layer by layer from the conductor up. For example, Cu/XLPE/PVC/SWA/PVC refers to copper conductors,
XLPE insulation, PVC inner sheath, SWA armouring and PVC outer sheath.
Refer to following pages for details on:
 Cable Terminology for a description of commonly used cable abbreviations (e.g. EPR, XLPE, FR, GSWB,
etc)
 NEC Cable Types for a list of the cable types for fixed wiring used in NFPA 70 (NEC) Ar cle 310.104
 Cable Color Codes for the common power cable insulation colour codes used in different regions around
the world
Installation and Testing

Field testing of cables:
 Low voltage cable commissioning tests
Special Applications
Cables used in special applications tend to have different characteristics:
 Subsea power cables are cables installed fully-immersed in water. They are used commonly in offshore oil
and gas facilities, and subsea power links between islands and offshore wind turbines.
 VSD / VFD cables for use in variable speed / frequency drives, which have special considerations and
characteristics.
LV Cable Commissioning
Visual Inspection
 Check cable mechanical connections Page
 Check that cable colour codes conform to project specifications and/or national standards | 116
 Verify cable tags / numbers
Electrical Testing
 For each test, record the testing instrument make / model and serial number.
 Perform insulation-resistance test (megger) on each conductor with respect to earth and adjacent
conductors. For 0.6/1kV cables, an applied voltage of 1,000 Vdc for 1 minute is appropriate, with
acceptance levels of 100 MΩ for new cables and 1 MΩ for aged cables.
 Perform continuity (point-to-point) tests to ensure proper cable connection and continuity. Where
applicable, perform continuity tests on each phase to neutral and each phase to phase and record the
readings in Ohms.
Guide to Electrical Testing
Under Construction
Types of Tests Page

| 117
Insulation tests:
 Insulation resistance test (Megger)

 Dielectric absorption test
 Dielectric withstand test (Hipot)
 High voltage tests
 Dissolved gas analysis
 Dielectric loss angle test
 Partial discharge test
Other tests:
 Contact resistance test (Ductor)

 Thermographic imaging surveys
 Frequency response analysis
Tests for Specific Equipment

 Dry-type transformer testing
Standards
 ANSI/NETA ATS, "Standard for Acceptance Testing Specifications for Electrical Power Equipment and
Systems", 2009
Standard IEC Ratings
Contents
 (1) Introduction
 (2) Transformers Page
 (3) Motors and Generators | 118
 (4) Cables
Introduction
Most IEC rated equipment have standard sizes that correspond to full sets or subsets of Reynard numbers,
especially from the four preferred series of Reynard numbers outlined in ISO-3: R5, R10, R20 and R40.
Transformers
For transformer ratings under 10MVA, IEC 60076-1 suggest preferred values based on the R10 series: 10, 12.5,
16, 20, 25, 31.5, 40, 50, 63, 80, 100, and multiples of 10n. For example, the preferred transformer sizes from
500kVA to 4000kVA are: 500, 630, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600, 2000, 2500, 3150, and 4000.
Motors and Generators

IEC 60072-1 Table 7 suggests the following preferred ratings (based on a subset of the R40 series)
For motors (in KW) and generators (in kVA):
0.06 0.09 0.12 0.18 0.25 0.37 0.55 0.75 1.1 1.5 1.8* 2.2 3* 3.7 4* 5.5 6.3* 7.5 10* 11 13* 15 17* 18.5
20* 22 25* 30 32* 37 40* 45 50* 55 63* 75 80* 90 100* 110 125* 132 150 160 185 200 220 250
280 300 315 335 355 375 400 425 450 475 500 530 560 600 630 670 710 750 800 850 900 950 1000
(*) Note that these are "secondary series" ratings and are only to be used in cases of special need.
Cables
Standard cable sizes (in mm2) are as follows:
0.5 0.75 1 1.5 2.5 4 6 10 16 25 35 50 70 95 120 150 185 240 300 400 500 630 800 1000
LV Cable Data
These pages provide reference data for low voltage 0.6/1kV cables. The data should be used as a rough guide in
the absence of more specific information.
Page
Base Current Ratings | 119
 Cable Reference Installation Methods

 Copper Conductors:
 PVC Current Ratings (Copper)
 EPR or XLPE Current Ratings (Copper)
 Aluminum Conductors
 PVC Current Ratings (Aluminum)
 EPR or XLPE Current Ratings (Aluminum)
Derating Factors
 Above Ground:
 Ambient Temperature Derating Factors
 Grouping Derating Factors (Single Layer)
 Grouping Derating Factors (Multiple Layers
 Below Ground:
 Soil Temperature Derating Factors
 Soil Thermal Resistivity Derating Factors
 Grouping Derating Factors - Buried Direct
 Grouping Derating Factors - Buried in Conduit
Cable Impedances
 AC Reactance of insulated conductors operating at 50Hz
 AC Resistance of insulated conductors operating at 50Hz
 DC Resistance of copper and aluminum conductors at 20oC
Refer also to the Cable Impedance Calculations article, which provides details on how the cable impedances are
determined.
Cable Reference Installation Methods
Contents
 1 Method A
 2 Method B Page
 3 Method C | 120
 4 Method D
 5 Method E
 6 Method F
 7 Method G
Method A
 A1 - Insulated single core conductors in conduit in a thermally insulated wall

 A2 – Multi-core cable in conduit in a thermally insulated wall
This method also applies to single core or multi-core cables installed directly in a thermally insulated wall (use
methods A1 and A2 respectively), conductors installed in mouldings, architraves and window frames.
Method B
 B1 - Insulated single core conductors in conduit on a wall

 B2 - Multicore cable in conduit on a wall
This method applies when a conduit is installed inside a wall, against a wall or spaced less than 0.3 x D (overall
diameter of the cable) from the wall. Method B also applies for cables installed in trunking / cable duct against a
wall or suspended from a wall and cables installed in building cavities.
Method C
Page
| 121
 C - Single core or multi-core cable on a wooden wall
This method also applies to cables fixed directly to walls or ceilings, suspended from ceilings, installed on
unperforated cable trays (run horizontally or vertically) and installed directly in a masonry wall (with thermal
resistivity less than 2 K.m/W).
Method D
 D1 - Multicore or single core cables installed in conduit buried in the ground

 D2 - Multicore or single core cables buried directly in the ground
Method E
 E - Multicore cable in free-air
This method applies to cables installed on cable ladder, perforated cable tray or cleats provided that the cable is
spaced more than 0.3 x D (overall diameter of the cable) from the wall. Note that cables installed on unperforated
cable trays are classified under Method C.
Method F
Page
|1
 F - Single core cables touching in free-air
spaced more than 0.3 x D (overall diameter of the cable) from the wall. Note that cables installed on unperforated
cable trays are classified under Method C.
Method G
 G - Single-core cables laid flat and spaced in free-air
spaced more than 0.3 x D (overall diameter of the cable) from the wall and with at least 1 x D spacing’s between
cables. Note that cables installed on un-perforated cable trays are classified under Method C. This method also
applies to cables installed in air supported by insulators.
PVC Current Ratings (Copper)
Current ratings are based on values given in IEC 60364-5-52 (2009), with a reference conductor temperature of
70oC, ambient temperature of 30oC and soil temperature of 20oC.
Page
Two Loaded Conductors | 123
Current Rating for 2 x PVC Insulated Copper Conductors

Size
Reference Installation Method
(mm2)
A1 A2 B1 B2 C D1 D2 E F
1.5 14.5 14 17.5 16.5 19.5 22 22 22 –
2.5 19.5 18.5 24 23 27 29 28 30 –
4 26 25 32 30 36 37 38 40 –
6 34 32 41 38 46 46 48 51 –
10 46 43 57 52 63 60 64 70 –
16 61 57 76 69 85 78 83 94 –
25 80 75 101 90 112 99 110 119 131
35 99 92 125 111 138 119 132 148 162
50 119 110 151 133 168 140 156 180 196
70 151 139 192 168 213 173 192 232 251
95 182 167 232 201 258 204 230 282 304
120 210 192 269 232 299 231 261 328 352
150 240 219 300 258 344 261 293 379 406
185 273 248 341 294 392 292 331 434 463
240 321 291 400 344 461 336 382 514 546
300 367 334 458 394 530 379 427 593 629
400 – – – – – – – – 754
500 – – – – – – – – 868
630 – – – – – – – – 1005
Three Loaded Conductors
Current Rating for 3 x PVC Insulated Copper Conductors

Size
F G Page
(mm2)
| 124
A1 A2 B1 B2 C D1 D2 E Laid
Trefoil Horizontal Vertical
Flat
1.5 13.5 13 15.5 15 17.5 18 19 18.5 – – – –
2.5 18 17.5 21 20 24 24 24 25 – – – –
4 24 23 28 27 32 30 33 34 – – – –
6 31 29 36 34 41 38 41 43 – – – –
10 42 39 50 46 57 50 54 60 – – – –
16 56 52 68 62 76 64 70 80 – – – –
25 73 68 89 80 96 82 92 101 110 114 146 130
35 89 83 110 99 119 98 110 126 137 143 181 162
50 108 99 134 118 144 116 130 153 167 174 219 197
70 136 125 171 149 184 143 162 196 216 225 281 254
95 164 150 207 179 223 169 193 238 264 275 341 311
120 188 172 239 206 259 192 220 276 308 321 396 362
150 216 196 262 225 299 217 246 319 356 372 456 419
185 245 223 296 255 341 243 278 364 409 427 521 480
240 286 261 346 297 403 280 320 430 485 507 615 569
300 328 298 394 339 464 316 359 497 561 587 709 659
400 – – – – – – – – 656 689 852 795
500 – – – – – – – – 749 789 982 920
630 – – – – – – – – 855 905 1138 1070
EPR/XLPE Current Ratings (Copper)
Page
Current Rating for 2 x EPR or XLPE Insulated Copper

Conductors
Size
(mm2) Reference Installation Method
A1 A2 B1 B2 C D1 D2 E F
1.5 19 18.5 23 22 24 25 27 26 –
2.5 26 25 31 30 33 33 35 36 –
4 35 33 42 40 45 43 46 49 –
6 45 42 54 51 58 53 58 63 –
10 61 57 75 69 80 71 77 86 –
16 81 76 100 91 107 91 100 115 –
25 106 99 133 119 138 116 129 149 161
35 131 121 164 146 171 139 155 185 200
50 158 145 198 175 209 164 183 225 242
70 200 183 253 221 269 203 225 289 310
95 241 220 306 265 328 239 270 352 377
120 278 253 354 305 382 271 306 410 437
150 318 290 393 334 441 306 343 473 504
185 362 329 449 384 506 343 387 542 575
240 424 386 528 459 599 395 448 641 679
300 486 442 603 532 693 446 502 741 783
400 – – – – – – – – 940
500 – – – – – – – – 1083
630 – – – – – – – – 1254
Current Rating for 3 x EPR or XLPE Insulated Copper Conductors

Size
F G Page
(mm2)
| 126
Flat
1.5 17 16.5 20 19.5 22 21 23 23 – – – –
2.5 23 22 28 26 30 28 30 32 – – – –
4 31 30 37 35 40 36 39 42 – – – –
6 40 38 48 44 52 44 49 54 – – – –
10 54 51 66 60 71 58 65 75 – – – –
16 73 68 88 80 96 75 84 100 – – – –
25 95 89 117 105 119 96 107 127 135 141 182 161
35 117 109 144 128 147 115 129 158 169 176 226 201
50 141 130 175 154 179 135 153 192 207 216 275 246
70 179 164 222 194 229 167 188 246 268 279 353 318
95 216 197 269 233 278 197 226 298 328 342 430 389
120 249 227 312 268 322 223 257 346 383 400 500 454
150 285 259 342 300 371 251 287 399 444 464 577 527
185 324 295 384 340 424 281 324 456 510 533 661 605
240 380 346 450 398 500 324 375 538 607 634 781 719
300 435 396 514 455 576 365 419 621 703 736 902 833
400 – – – – – – – – 823 868 1085 1008
500 – – – – – – – – 946 998 1253 1169
630 – – – – – – – – 1088 1151 1454 1362
PVC Current Ratings (Aluminum)
Page
Current Rating for 2 x PVC Insulated Aluminum Conductors

Size
(mm2)
A1 A2 B1 B2 C D1 D2 E F
2.5 15 14.5 18.5 17.5 21 22 – 23 –
4 20 19.5 25 24 28 29 – 31 –
6 26 25 32 30 36 36 – 39 –
10 36 33 44 41 49 47 – 54 –
16 48 44 60 54 66 61 63 73 –
25 63 58 79 71 83 77 82 89 98
35 77 71 97 86 103 93 98 111 122
50 93 86 118 104 125 109 117 135 149
70 118 108 150 131 160 135 145 173 192
95 142 130 181 157 195 159 173 210 235
120 164 150 210 181 226 180 200 244 273
150 189 172 234 201 261 204 224 282 316
185 215 195 266 230 298 228 255 322 363
240 252 229 312 269 352 262 298 380 430
300 289 263 358 308 406 296 336 439 497
400 – – – – – – – – 600
500 – – – – – – – – 694
630 – – – – – – – – 808
Current Rating for 3 x PVC Insulated Aluminum Conductors

Size
F G Page
(mm2)
| 128
Flat
2.5 14 13.5 16.5 15.5 18.5 18.5 - 19.5 – – – –
4 18.5 17.5 22 21 25 24 - 26 – – – –
6 24 23 28 27 32 30 - 33 – – – –
10 32 31 39 36 44 39 - 46 – – – –
16 43 41 53 48 59 50 53 61 – – – –
25 57 53 70 62 73 64 69 78 84 87 112 99
35 70 65 86 77 90 77 83 96 105 109 139 124
50 84 78 104 92 110 91 99 117 128 133 169 152
70 107 98 133 116 140 112 122 150 166 173 217 196
95 129 118 161 139 170 132 148 183 203 212 265 241
120 149 135 186 160 197 150 169 212 237 247 308 282
150 170 155 204 176 227 169 189 245 274 287 356 327
185 194 176 230 199 259 190 214 280 315 330 407 376
240 227 207 269 232 305 218 250 330 375 392 482 447
300 261 237 306 265 351 247 282 381 434 455 557 519
400 – – – – – – – – 526 552 671 629
500 – – – – – – – – 610 640 775 730
630 – – – – – – – – 711 746 900 852
EPR/XLPE Current Ratings (Aluminum)
Page
Current Rating for 2 x EPR or XLPE Insulated Aluminum

Conductors
Size
(mm2) Reference Installation Method
A1 A2 B1 B2 C D1 D2 E F
2.5 20 19.5 25 23 26 26 – 28 –
4 27 26 33 31 35 33 – 38 –
6 35 33 43 40 45 42 – 49 –
10 48 45 59 54 62 55 – 67 –
16 64 60 79 72 84 71 76 91 –
25 84 78 105 94 101 90 98 108 121
35 103 96 130 115 126 108 117 135 150
50 125 115 157 138 154 128 139 164 184
70 158 145 200 175 198 158 170 211 237
95 191 175 242 210 241 186 204 257 289
120 220 201 281 242 280 211 233 300 337
150 253 230 307 261 324 238 261 346 389
185 288 262 351 300 371 267 296 397 447
240 338 307 412 358 439 307 343 470 530
300 387 352 471 415 508 346 386 543 613
400 – – – – – – – – 740
500 – – – – – – – – 856
630 – – – – – – – – 996
Current Rating for 3 x EPR or XLPE Insulated Aluminum Conductors

Size
F G Page
(mm2)
| 130
Flat
2.5 19 18 22 21 24 22 – 24 – – – –
4 25 24 29 28 32 28 – 32 – – – –
6 32 31 38 35 41 35 – 42 – – – –
10 44 41 52 48 57 46 – 58 – – – –
16 58 55 71 64 76 59 64 77 – – – –
25 76 71 93 84 90 75 82 97 103 107 138 122
35 94 87 116 103 112 90 98 120 129 135 172 153
50 113 104 140 124 136 106 117 146 159 165 210 188
70 142 131 179 156 174 130 144 187 206 215 271 244
95 171 157 217 188 211 154 172 227 253 264 332 300
120 197 180 251 216 245 174 197 263 296 308 387 351
150 226 206 267 240 283 197 220 304 343 358 448 408
185 256 233 300 272 323 220 250 347 395 413 515 470
240 300 273 351 318 382 253 290 409 471 492 611 561
300 344 313 402 364 440 286 326 471 547 571 708 652
400 – – – – – – – – 633 694 856 792
500 – – – – – – – – 770 806 991 921
630 – – – – – – – – 899 942 1154 1077
Temperature Derating Factors
Ambient Temperature
Derating factors for ambient air temperatures other than 30oC Page
| 131
Ambient
Temperature
o
C Derating Factor
EPR /
PVC
XLPE
10 1.22 1.15
15 1.17 1.12
20 1.12 1.08
25 1.06 1.04
30 1 1
35 0.94 0.96
40 0.87 0.91
45 0.79 0.87
50 0.71 0.82
55 0.61 0.76
60 0.5 0.71
65 – 0.65
70 – 0.58
75 – 0.5
80 – 0.41
85 – –
90 – –
95 – –
Soil Temperature
Derating factors for soil temperatures other than 20oC
Soil Temperature
o
Derating Factor
C
EPR /
PVC Page
XLPE
| 132
10 1.1 1.07
15 1.05 1.04
20 1 1
25 0.95 0.96
30 0.89 0.93
35 0.84 0.89
40 0.77 0.85
45 0.71 0.8
50 0.63 0.76
55 0.55 0.71
60 0.45 0.65
65 – 0.6
70 – 0.53
75 – 0.46
80 – 0.38
Grouping Derating Factors
Contents
 1 Above Ground Page
o 1.1 Single Layer | 133
o 1.2 Multiple Layers
 2 Below Ground
o 2.1 Buried Direct
2.2 Buried in Conduit
Above Ground
Single Layer
Above Ground Grouping on a Single Layer Derating Factor

Reference
Installation Number of Grouped Cables
Method
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 12 16 20
Bunched in air, on a
surface, embedded or 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.65 0.6 0.57 0.54 0.52 0.5 0.45 0.41 0.38 A to F
enclosed
Single layer on wall,
floor or unperforated 1.0 0.85 0.79 0.75 0.73 0.72 0.72 0.71 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 C
cable tray systems
Single layer fixed
directly under a 0.95 0.81 0.72 0.68 0.66 0.64 0.63 0.62 0.61 0.61 0.61 0.61 C
wooden ceiling
Single layer on a
perforated horizontal
1.0 0.88 0.82 0.77 0.75 0.73 0.73 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72 E, F
or vertical cable tray
systems
Single layer on cable
ladder systems or 1.0 0.87 0.82 0.8 0.8 0.79 0.79 0.78 0.78 0.78 0.78 0.78 E, F
cleats etc.
Multiple Layers
Above Ground Grouping on Multiple Layers Derating Factor

No. of Single Core Three-Phase
Installation Circuits per Layer
No. of No. of Multicore Cables per Layer Page
Layers Cables Laid Flat Cables in Trefoil| 134
1 2 3 4 6 9 1 2 3 1 2 3
1 1.0 0.88 0.82 0.79 0.76 0.73 0.98 0.91 0.87 1.0 0.98 0.96
2 1.0 0.87 0.8 0.77 0.73 0.68 0.96 0.87 0.81 0.97 0.93 0.89
Touching
Horizontal 3 1.0 0.86 0.79 0.76 0.71 0.66 0.95 0.85 0.78 0.96 0.92 0.86
perforated
6 1.0 0.84 0.77 0.73 0.68 0.64 – – – – – –
cable tray
systems (1)
1 1.0 1.0 0.98 0.95 0.91 – – – – – – –
Spaced
(3) 2 1.0 0.99 0.96 0.92 0.87 – – – – – – –
3 1.0 0.98 0.95 0.91 0.85 – – – – – – –
1 1.0 0.88 0.82 0.78 0.73 0.72 0.96 0.86 – 1.0 0.91 0.89
Vertical Touching
perforated 2 1.0 0.88 0.81 0.76 0.71 0.7 0.95 0.84 – 1.0 0.9 0.86
cable tray
systems (2) Spaced 1 1.0 0.91 0.89 0.88 0.87 – – – – – – –
(1)
2 1.0 0.91 0.88 0.87 0.85 – – – – – – –
1 0.97 0.84 0.78 0.75 0.71 0.68 – – – – – –

Horizontal
unperforated 2 0.97 0.83 0.76 0.72 0.68 0.63 – – – – – –
Touching
cable tray
systems (1) 3 0.97 0.82 0.75 0.71 0.66 0.61 – – – – – –
6 0.97 0.81 0.73 0.69 0.63 0.58 – – – – – –
1 1.0 0.87 0.82 0.8 0.79 0.78 1 0.97 0.96 1.0 1.0 1.0
2 1.0 0.86 0.8 0.78 0.76 0.73 0.98 0.93 0.89 0.97 0.95 0.93
Touching
3 1.0 0.85 0.79 0.76 0.73 0.7 0.97 0.9 0.86 0.96 0.94 0.9
Cable ladder
systems. 6 1.0 0.84 0.77 0.73 0.68 0.64 – – – – – –
Cleats. etc
1 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 – – – – – – –
Spaced
(1) 2 1.0 0.99 0.98 0.97 0.96 – – – – – – –
3 1.0 0.98 0.97 0.96 0.93 – – – – – – –
Notes
(1) Vertical spacing between layers is at least 300mm and there is at least 20mm horizontal clearance
between the layer and wall
(2) Horizontal spacing between layers is at least 225mm with layers mounted back to back
(3) Cables are spaced at least one overall cable diameter apart
Page
| 135
Below Ground
The below ground grouping factors apply to an installation depth of 0.7m and a soil thermal resistivity of 2.5
K·m/W. If a circuit comprises n parallel conductors per phase, then for the purpose of the derating factor, this
circuit shall be considered as n circuits.
Buried Direct
Below Ground Grouping (Buried Direct)

Derating Factor
No. of
Cable to Cable Clearance
Circuits
One
Touching 0.125m 0.25m 0.5m
OD (1)
2 0.75 0.8 0.85 0.9 0.9
3 0.65 0.7 0.75 0.8 0.85
4 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.75 0.8
5 0.55 0.55 0.65 0.7 0.8
6 0.5 0.55 0.6 0.7 0.8
7 0.45 0.51 0.59 0.67 0.76
8 0.43 0.48 0.57 0.65 0.75
9 0.41 0.46 0.55 0.63 0.74
12 0.36 0.42 0.51 0.59 0.71
16 0.32 0.38 0.47 0.56 0.38
20 0.29 0.35 0.44 0.53 0.66
Note (1): A clearance of one cable overall diameter

Buried in Conduit
Below Ground Grouping (Buried in Conduit) Derating Factor

No. of Conduit to Conduit Clearance Conduit to Conduit Clearance
Cables (Multicore) (Single Core) Page
Touching 0.25m 0.5m 1.0m Touching 0.25m 0.5m 1.0m | 136
2 0.85 0.9 0.95 0.95 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.95

3 0.75 0.85 0.9 0.95 0.7 0.8 0.85 0.9
4 0.7 0.8 0.85 0.9 0.65 0.75 0.8 0.9
5 0.65 0.8 0.85 0.9 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
6 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
7 0.57 0.76 0.8 0.88 0.53 0.66 0.76 0.87
8 0.54 0.74 0.78 0.88 0.5 0.63 0.74 0.87
9 0.52 0.73 0.77 0.87 0.47 0.61 0.73 0.86
10 0.49 0.72 0.76 0.86 0.45 0.59 0.72 0.85
11 0.47 0.7 0.75 0.86 0.43 0.57 0.7 0.85
12 0.45 0.69 0.74 0.85 0.41 0.56 0.69 0.84
13 0.44 0.68 0.73 0.85 0.39 0.54 0.68 0.84
14 0.42 0.68 0.72 0.84 0.37 0.53 0.68 0.83
15 0.41 0.67 0.72 0.84 0.35 0.52 0.67 0.83
16 0.39 0.66 0.71 0.83 0.34 0.51 0.66 0.83
17 0.38 0.65 0.7 0.83 0.33 0.5 0.65 0.82
18 0.37 0.65 0.7 0.83 0.31 0.49 0.65 0.82
19 0.35 0.64 0.69 0.82 0.3 0.48 0.64 0.82
20 0.34 0.63 0.68 0.82 0.29 0.47 0.63 0.81
Soil Thermal Resistivity Derating Factors
Derating factors for installing cables in soil with thermal resistivity other than 2.5 K·m/W
Soil Thermal Page

Resistivity Derating | 137
Soil Thermal Factor
Resistivity (K·m/W)
Buried Buried in
Direct Conduit
0.5 1.88 1.28
0.7 1.62 1.2
1 1.5 1.18
1.5 1.28 1.1
2 1.12 1.05
2.5 1 1
3 0.9 0.96
AC Reactance
Typical AC reactances for copper and aluminum insulated cables operating at 50Hz are based on values given in
AS/NZS 3008.1.
Page
Multicore Cables | 138
AC Reactance (Ω\km)
Size PVC XLPE
(mm2) EPR
Circular Circular
(1) Shaped (1) (1) Shaped (1)
1 0.139 0.119 - 0.114 -

1.5 0.129 0.111 - 0.107 -
2.5 0.118 0.102 - 0.0988 -
4 0.11 0.102 - 0.093 -
6 0.104 0.0967 - 0.0887 -
10 0.0967 0.0906 - 0.084 -
16 0.0913 0.0861 0.0794 0.0805 0.0742
25 0.0895 0.0853 0.0786 0.0808 0.0744
35 0.0863 0.0826 0.0761 0.0786 0.0725
50 0.0829 0.0797 0.0734 0.0751 0.0692
70 0.0798 0.077 0.071 0.0741 0.0683
95 0.079 0.0766 0.0706 0.0725 0.0668
120 0.0765 0.0743 0.0685 0.0713 0.0657
150 0.0765 0.0745 0.0687 0.0718 0.0662
185 0.0762 0.0744 0.0686 0.072 0.0663
240 0.0751 0.0735 0.0678 0.0709 0.0653
300 0.0746 0.0732 0.0675 0.0704 0.0649
400 0.074 0.0728 0.0671 0.0702 0.0647
500 0.0734 0.0723 0.0666 0.07 0.0645
Note (1): Circular or shaped refers to the conductor's cross-sectional shape

Single Core Cables
AC Reactance (Ω\km)
Size
PVC EPR XLPE
(mm2)
Flat (1) Trefoil Flat (1) Trefoil Flat (1) Trefoil Page
| 139
1 0.184 0.168 0.194 0.179 0.181 0.166
1.5 0.172 0.157 0.183 0.167 0.17 0.155
2.5 0.159 0.143 0.168 0.153 0.156 0.141
4 0.152 0.137 0.157 0.142 0.146 0.131
6 0.143 0.128 0.148 0.133 0.138 0.123
10 0.134 0.118 0.138 0.123 0.129 0.114
16 0.126 0.111 0.13 0.114 0.122 0.106
25 0.121 0.106 0.125 0.109 0.118 0.102
35 0.117 0.101 0.12 0.104 0.113 0.0982
50 0.111 0.0962 0.114 0.0988 0.108 0.0924
70 0.107 0.0917 0.109 0.0941 0.104 0.0893
95 0.106 0.0904 0.108 0.0924 0.102 0.0868
120 0.102 0.087 0.104 0.0889 0.0996 0.0844
150 0.102 0.0868 0.104 0.0885 0.0996 0.0844
185 0.101 0.0862 0.103 0.0878 0.0988 0.0835
240 0.0999 0.0847 0.101 0.0861 0.097 0.0818
300 0.0991 0.0839 0.1 0.0852 0.0961 0.0809
400 0.0982 0.0829 0.0993 0.0841 0.0955 0.0802
500 0.0973 0.082 0.0983 0.083 0.0948 0.0796
630 0.0952 0.08 0.0961 0.0809 0.094 0.0787
Note (1): Single core cables are laid flat and touching
AC Resistance
Typical AC resistances for copper and aluminum insulated cables operating at 50Hz are based on values given in
AS/NZS 3008.1.
Page
Contents | 140
 1 Multicore Cables
o 1.1 Copper Conductors
o 1.2 Aluminum Conductors
o 2 Single Core Cables
Multicore Cables
Copper Conductors
Note that for tinned copper conductors, a scaling factor of 1.01 should be applied.
AC Resistance (Ω\km) of Multicore Copper Cables
Size (mm2) Circular Conductors Shaped Conductors
45oC 60oC 75oC 90oC 110oC 45oC 60oC 75oC 90oC
1 23.3 24.5 25.8 27 28.7 - - - -
1.5 14.9 15.7 16.5 17.3 18.4 - - - -
2.5 8.14 8.57 9.01 9.45 10 - - - -
4 5.06 5.33 5.61 5.88 6.24 - - - -
6 3.38 3.56 3.75 3.93 4.17 - - - -
10 2.01 2.12 2.23 2.33 2.48 - - - -
16 1.26 1.33 1.4 1.47 1.56 1.26 1.33 1.4 1.47
25 0.799 0.842 0.884 0.927 0.984 0.799 0.842 0.884 0.927
35 0.576 0.607 0.638 0.669 0.71 0.576 0.607 0.638 0.669

50 0.426 0.449 0.471 0.494 0.524 0.426 0.448 0.471 0.494
70 0.295 0.311 0.327 0.343 0.364 0.295 0.311 0.327 0.342
95 0.214 0.225 0.236 0.248 0.262 0.213 0.224 0.236 0.247 Page
| 141
120 0.17 0.179 0.188 0.197 0.209 0.17 0.179 0.187 0.196
150 0.139 0.146 0.153 0.16 0.17 0.138 0.145 0.153 0.16
185 0.112 0.118 0.123 0.129 0.136 0.111 0.117 0.123 0.128
240 0.087 0.0912 0.0955 0.0998 0.105 0.0859 0.0902 0.0945 0.0988
300 0.0712 0.0745 0.0778 0.0812 0.0852 0.0698 0.0732 0.0766 0.08
400 0.058 0.0605 0.063 0.0656 0.0685 0.0563 0.0589 0.0615 0.0641
500 0.0486 0.0506 0.0525 0.0544 0.0565 0.0465 0.0485 0.0508 0.0526
Aluminum Conductors
AC Resistance (Ω\km) of Multicore Aluminum Cables
Size (mm2) Circular Conductors Shaped Conductors
45oC 60oC 75oC 90oC 45oC 60oC 75oC 90oC
16 2.1 2.22 2.33 2.45 2.1 2.22 2.33 2.45
25 1.32 1.39 1.47 1.54 1.32 1.39 1.47 1.54
35 0.956 1.01 1.06 1.11 0.956 1.01 1.06 1.11
50 0.706 0.745 0.784 0.822 0.706 0.745 0.783 0.822
70 0.488 0.515 0.542 0.569 0.488 0.515 0.542 0.568
95 0.353 0.373 0.392 0.411 0.353 0.372 0.392 0.411
120 0.28 0.295 0.31 0.325 0.279 0.295 0.31 0.325

150 0.228 0.241 0.253 0.265 0.228 0.24 0.253 0.265
185 0.182 0.192 0.202 0.212 0.182 0.192 0.202 0.211
240 0.14 0.148 0.155 0.162 0.139 0.147 0.154 0.162 Page
| 142
300 0.113 0.119 0.125 0.131 0.112 0.118 0.124 0.13
400 0.0897 0.0943 0.0988 0.103 0.0886 0.0932 0.0978 0.102
500 0.073 0.0765 0.08 0.0835 0.0716 0.0752 0.0788 0.0824
Single Core Cables
AC Resistance (Ω\km) of Single Core Cables
Size (mm2) Aluminum Conductors Copper Conductors (1)
45oC 60oC 75oC 90oC 45oC 60oC 75oC 90oC 110oC
1 - - - - 23.3 24.5 25.8 27 28.7
1.5 - - - - 14.9 15.7 16.5 17.3 18.4
2.5 - - - - 8.14 8.57 9.01 9.45 10
4 - - - - 5.06 5.33 5.61 5.88 6.24
6 - - - - 3.38 3.56 3.75 3.93 4.17
10 - - - - 2.01 2.12 2.23 2.33 2.48
16 2.1 2.22 2.33 2.45 1.26 1.33 1.4 1.47 1.56
25 1.32 1.39 1.47 1.54 0.799 0.842 0.884 0.927 0.984
35 0.956 1.01 1.06 1.11 0.576 0.607 0.638 0.668 0.71
50 0.706 0.745 0.783 0.822 0.426 0.448 0.471 0.494 0.524

70 0.488 0.515 0.542 0.568 0.295 0.311 0.327 0.342 0.363
95 0.353 0.372 0.392 0.411 0.213 0.225 0.236 0.247 0.262
120 0.279 0.295 0.31 0.325 0.17 0.179 0.188 0.197 0.208 Page
| 143
150 0.228 0.24 0.253 0.265 0.138 0.145 0.153 0.16 0.169
185 0.182 0.192 0.202 0.212 0.111 0.117 0.123 0.129 0.136
240 0.14 0.147 0.155 0.162 0.0862 0.0905 0.0948 0.0991 0.105
300 0.113 0.119 0.125 0.13 0.0703 0.0736 0.077 0.0803 0.0846
400 0.089 0.0936 0.0981 0.103 0.0569 0.0595 0.062 0.0646 0.0677
500 0.0709 0.0744 0.0779 0.0813 0.0467 0.0487 0.0506 0.0525 0.0547
630 0.0571 0.0597 0.0623 0.0649 0.0389 0.0404 0.0418 0.0432 0.0448
Note (1): for tinned copper conductors, a scaling factor of 1.01 should be applied.
DC Resistance
Typical DC reactances for copper and aluminum conductors operating at 20oC are based on values given in
AS/NZS 1125.1.
Maximum DC Resistance (Ω\km) at 20oC
Page
Size Copper Aluminum
| 144
(mm2) Stranded Conductors Solid Conductors Stranded Solid
Plain Silver Tinned Nickel Silver Tinned Nickel Conductors Conductors
0.5 38.4 38.4 39.6 36 36.7 39.6 - -

0.75 25.3 25.3 26 24.5 24.8 19.7 - -
1 21.2 21.2 21.6 23.3 18.1 18.2 13.2 - -
1.5 13.6 13.6 13.8 14.9 12.1 12.2 - - -
2.5 7.41 7.41 7.56 8.14 7.41 7.56 - - 12.1
4 4.61 4.61 4.7 5.06 4.61 4.7 - 7.41 7.54
6 3.08 3.08 3.11 3.34 3.08 3.11 - 4.61 5.01
10 1.83 1.83 1.84 2 1.83 1.84 - 3.08 3.08
16 1.15 1.15 1.16 - 1.15 1.16 - 1.91 1.91
25 0.727 0.727 0.734 - 0.727 - - 1.2 1.2
35 0.524 0.524 0.529 - - - - 0.868 0.868
50 0.387 0.387 0.391 - - - - 0.641 0.641
70 0.268 0.268 0.27 - - - - 0.443 0.443
95 0.193 0.193 0.195 - - - - 0.32 0.32
120 0.153 0.153 0.154 - - - - 0.253 0.253
150 0.124 0.124 0.126 - - - - 0.206 0.206
185 0.0991 0.0991 0.1 - - - - 0.164 0.164
240 0.0754 0.0754 0.0762 - - - - 0.125 0.125
300 0.0601 0.0601 0.0607 - - - - 0.1 0.1
400 0.047 0.047 0.0475 - - - - 0.0778 -
0.0366 / 0.0366 / 0.0369 / 0.0605 /
500 (1) - - - - -
0.037332 0.037332 0.037638 0.06171
0.0283 / 0.0283 / 0.0286 / 0.0469 /
630 (1) - - - - -
0.028866 0.028866 0.029172 0.047838
Note (1): resistance values are quoted for single core / Multicore cables
LV Motor Data (IEC)
The following typical low voltage motor characteristics can be used as a quick reference data set when specific
information is not available. The data is based on Toshiba TEFC, heavy duty, high efficiency general purpose
motors operating at 50Hz.
Page
| 145
Full Load Current No
Locked Torque (% F/L) Efficiency (%) Power Factor (PU)
(A) Load Rotor
Frame Rotor dB(A)
kW RPM Current GD
Size Current at 1m
At At At at 415V Locked Pull Break Full Full (kg.m2)
(% F/L) 75% 50% 75% 50%
415V 400V 380V (A) Rotor Up -down Load Load
0.37 2870 D71M 1 1 0.95 0.7 580 300 290 345 72.7 70.3 64.6 0.75 0.65 0.52 0.002 54
0.37 1405 D71 1.2 1.2 1.2 0.9 458 395 360 385 70 67.6 60.6 0.65 0.56 0.44 0.004 46
0.37 935 D80 1.4 1.5 1.6 0.8 411 370 352 369 65.7 62.6 55.4 0.59 0.49 0.39 0.016 48
0.55 2805 D71 1.3 1.4 1.4 0.7 392 260 149 314 70.1 70.1 66.4 0.87 0.82 0.73 0.002 54
0.55 1410 D80 1.3 1.4 1.4 0.8 600 330 302 345 74.4 73.7 69.3 0.79 0.71 0.58 0.01 48
0.55 935 D80 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.6 474 345 320 330 72.1 69.7 63.5 0.58 0.48 0.37 TBA 50
0.75 2840 D80 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.1 771 414 387 440 76.5 75.3 69.3 0.8 0.71 0.59 0.007 64
0.75 1400 D80 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.1 543 295 280 310 74.5 74.4 70.6 0.8 0.72 0.59 0.011 48
0.75 935 D90S 2 2 2.1 1 490 248 228 258 78 78.4 75.5 0.69 0.6 0.48 0.022 49
0.75 700 100L 2.2 2.3 2.4 2 360 200 164 220 73 72.7 68.7 0.67 0.58 0.47 0.028 47
1.1 2830 D80 2.3 2.4 2.5 1 739 366 292 370 78.1 78 74.4 0.87 0.82 0.71 0.008 64
1.1 1425 D90S 2.5 2.6 2.6 1.4 620 301 245 310 81.4 81.9 79.7 0.77 0.7 0.57 0.019 50
1.1 940 D90L 3 3 3.2 2.1 540 298 276 308 78.9 78.7 75.3 0.66 0.57 0.44 0.028 48
1.1 705 D100L 3.4 3.5 3.7 2.4 440 230 205 230 74.6 73.4 69 0.62 0.53 0.42 0.034 51
1.5 2850 D90S 2.9 3 3.2 0.9 759 312 215 305 84.1 84.8 82.9 0.9 0.87 0.79 0.014 65
1.5 1420 D90L 3.3 3.4 3.5 1.7 636 310 303 340 81.7 82.3 80.4 0.79 0.72 0.59 0.022 50
1.5 940 D100L 3.6 3.6 3.7 2.1 583 295 270 310 81.9 82.3 80 0.73 0.65 0.52 0.052 51
1.5 690 D112M 4.5 4.7 4.9 2.6 420 240 170 230 74.3 74 70.1 0.62 0.53 0.42 0.076 53
2.2 2810 D90L 4 4.2 4.5 1.1 775 345 266 312 85 86.9 86.8 0.91 0.89 0.81 0.016 64
2.2 1415 D100L 4.5 4.6 4.8 2.3 656 288 246 297 82.8 83.6 81.9 0.82 0.75 0.63 0.041 53
2.2 940 D112M 5.2 5.4 5.6 3.5 654 315 280 330 81.6 81.6 78.6 0.71 0.62 0.5 0.07 55
2.2 710 D132S 5.4 5.6 5.9 4.1 520 200 200 250 79.8 79.3 75.8 0.73 0.65 0.52 0.132 57
3 2890 D100L 5.6 5.8 6 1.8 786 225 172 305 85.8 86.9 85.9 0.9 0.88 0.8 0.045 68
3 1420 D100L 6.3 6.4 6.6 3.4 762 390 370 394 85.1 85.5 83.8 0.79 0.72 0.59 0.059 52
3 960 D132S 7 7 7.2 4.6 529 220 212 275 82.2 81.7 78.9 0.73 0.64 0.52 0.123 53
3 710 D132M 7.2 7.5 7.9 5 510 260 250 320 81 80.7 77.7 0.74 0.66 0.53 0.207 58
4 2890 D112M 7.6 7.8 8 2.7 763 240 152 350 85.9 86.5 85.2 0.89 0.86 0.77 0.051 68
4 1420 D112M 7.8 8.1 8.5 3.7 769 310 252 345 85.5 86.3 85.3 0.83 0.77 0.65 0.072 56
4 960 D132M 8.8 9.1 9.5 5.3 591 245 225 290 84.7 84.7 82.6 0.75 0.67 0.54 0.148 54
4 705 D160M 9.6 10 10.5 5.4 480 180 195 280 82 81 79 0.71 0.66 0.59 0.372 57
5.5 2880 D132S 11 11.5 12 4.6 582 220 180 273 86.4 86 83.2 0.8 0.75 0.66 0.064 74
5.5 1440 D132S 11 11.5 12 5 600 254 230 268 86.1 86.3 84.6 0.82 0.77 0.67 0.129 61
5.5 965 D132M 11.5 12 12.5 5.7 678 240 215 252 87.2 87.8 87 0.77 0.7 0.59 0.255 53
5.5 710 D160M 11.9 12.4 13 6.9 500 170 190 260 84.1 84.4 82.5 0.79 0.73 0.61 0.57 60
7.5 2910 D132S 14.2 14.7 15.5 5.6 697 226 185 305 87.6 87.4 85.2 0.84 0.8 0.7 0.087 74 Page
7.5 1445 D132M 14.5 15 15.5 6 648 296 269 318 87.2 87.3 85.1 0.84 0.8 0.7 0.179 61 | 146
7.5 960 D160M 17 17 17.5 9.3 565 255 240 305 86.1 86 84 0.74 0.67 0.54 0.575 64
7.5 715 D160L 16.1 16.7 17.6 10 550 180 195 280 83.9 83.7 81.1 0.79 0.73 0.62 0.9 61
11 2925 D160M 20 20.5 21 7.6 725 250 200 305 89.1 88.9 86.8 0.86 0.82 0.73 0.167 77
11 1460 D160M 21 22 23 9.5 714 295 240 330 88.4 87.9 85.7 0.83 0.78 0.67 0.346 67
11 965 D160L 24 24 25 15 600 327 232 336 88.6 88.4 86.4 0.71 0.62 0.5 0.86 66
11 720 D180L 24 24.9 26.2 17 520 230 210 280 87 87 85 0.75 0.7 0.62 1.42 62
15 2920 D160M 27 27.5 28.5 5.7 715 255 208 318 89.4 89.3 87.6 0.88 0.85 0.78 0.215 78
15 1455 D160L 27.5 28 29.5 11.1 727 295 225 315 89.5 89.6 88 0.86 0.81 0.72 0.485 68
15 975 D180L 29 30 31 21.1 638 216 175 265 88.5 88.9 88.1 0.82 0.77 0.67 1.53 66
15 730 D200L 30 31.4 32.8 18.9 530 195 180 240 89.4 89.8 88.4 0.78 0.74 0.62 1.84 65
18.5 2925 D160L 32 33 34 8.7 813 318 226 355 91.6 91.7 90.6 0.9 0.87 0.81 0.259 77
18.5 1465 D180M 34 35 37 10.4 676 242 196 258 90.3 91.2 90.8 0.87 0.84 0.77 0.676 75
18.5 975 D200L 37.5 38 38 17.8 688 225 220 310 89.9 90.1 89 0.79 0.73 0.61 1.133 70
18.5 735 D225S 35.4 36.7 38.7 23.3 460 184 148 214 91.7 91.7 91.2 0.79 0.76 0.67 2.515 64
22 2945 D180M 39 40 42 12.4 833 290 230 360 90.7 90.2 87.5 0.87 0.84 0.76 0.504 84
22 1460 D180L 40 41 43 12.7 725 255 208 272 90.3 90.7 89.7 0.87 0.84 0.76 0.856 76
22 970 D200L 42 43 45 16 643 230 200 270 90.4 91.1 90.8 0.83 0.79 0.69 1.333 71
22 735 D225M 45.2 45.8 48.2 28.5 510 230 205 250 91.6 91.8 88.9 0.75 0.71 0.62 3.02 66
30 2945 D200L 52 54 56 13.1 748 242 167 315 91.5 91.2 89.5 0.88 0.87 0.82 0.758 88
30 1460 D200L 52 54 57 14.5 708 250 179 273 91.6 92.4 92.3 0.88 0.85 0.79 1.09 77
30 975 D225M 55 58 60 19.9 682 223 144 242 91.4 91.9 91.4 0.84 0.8 0.71 2.16 71
30 736 D250S 61 63 67 32 585 210 180 230 91 90.6 89.2 0.75 0.69 0.66 4 70
37 2940 D200L 62.5 65 68 15.5 744 250 185 295 92.3 92.3 91.2 0.89 0.88 0.83 0.902 85
37 1470 D225S 65 67 70.5 21 715 265 195 288 92.3 92.6 91.9 0.86 0.83 0.76 1.682 79
37 980 D250S 67 69 72.5 25.7 627 255 190 285 91.5 92.2 91.8 0.85 0.81 0.72 3.18 74
37 735 D250M 70 73 77 39 560 210 160 210 92.2 92 91.2 0.8 0.76 0.66 4.7 72
45 2950 D225M 76 79 82 19.1 750 274 194 296 92.9 92.7 91.2 0.9 0.88 0.83 1.18 83
45 1470 D225M 80 82 86 25.5 731 262 194 315 92.6 92.9 92.4 0.86 0.82 0.75 2 80
45 980 D250M 82 84 88 34 645 258 182 305 92.3 92.6 92 0.83 0.79 0.69 3.6 74
45 730 D280S 87 90 95 54 560 170 160 230 92.1 92.1 90.8 0.81 0.76 0.66 7.1 72
55 2950 D250S 91 95 99 20.5 791 235 207 320 93.3 93.2 91.5 0.91 0.9 0.85 2.32 88
55 1475 D250S 99 100 105 35.1 833 280 183 350 93.2 93.3 92.6 0.83 0.81 0.72 2.95 83
55 980 D280S 100 103 108 42.8 715 295 207 315 92.7 92.8 91.9 0.83 0.78 0.68 7.45 76
55 730 D280M 104 108 114 62 560 170 155 240 92 91.8 90.1 0.81 0.74 0.67 9.8 74
75 2955 D250M 125 129 135 23.9 824 273 236 385 93.9 93.8 92.2 0.89 0.87 0.81 2.67 86
75 1475 D250M 134 137 141 50.3 705 232 202 305 93.5 93.7 93 0.84 0.79 0.7 4.12 81
75 985 D280M 132 136 142 51.2 659 270 203 302 93.5 93.8 92.9 0.85 0.81 0.71 9.42 76 Page
75 730 D315S 138 143 151 86.9 610 185 165 230 92.1 92 91.1 0.82 0.76 0.69 18.4 74 | 147
90 2955 D280S 154 158 165 44.5 692 235 188 315 94.3 94.3 93.4 0.87 0.84 0.77 4.65 83
90 1470 D280S 150 156 164 42.8 763 260 202 296 94.4 94.6 93.9 0.89 0.86 0.81 6.86 87
90 987 D315S 156 156 156 52.2 510 150 134 230 94.4 94.5 93.9 0.86 0.83 0.75 12.6 75
90 730 D315M 165 171 181 98 610 160 150 240 93 92.4 91.7 0.82 0.76 0.68 23.2 74
110 2970 D280M 194 196 201 71.1 773 269 220 322 95.1 95 94 0.83 0.79 0.7 5.92 85
110 1470 D280M 184 189 198 54.9 796 250 180 298 94.7 94.9 94.3 0.88 0.86 0.79 8.23 87
110 986 D315M 196 203 214 71 588 188 160 260 95 95.1 94.5 0.85 0.82 0.73 15.1 75
110 730 D315M 197 205 215 110 615 155 140 230 93.8 93.6 92.8 0.83 0.78 0.69 26 74
132 2955 D315S 220 220 240 46.3 625 222 188 285 95 95.1 94.2 0.92 0.91 0.87 9.05 83
132 1485 D315S 227 231 239 79.8 758 210 178 290 95.3 95.2 94.6 0.85 0.82 0.73 15.2 83
132 2965 D315M 240 249 263 41 629 156 123 275 95.5 95.7 95.3 0.92 0.91 0.87 10.3 85
150 1480 D315M 246 255 269 58.5 587 232 197 237 95 95.1 93.8 0.9 0.89 0.84 17.5 82.5
150 980 D315M 260 273 287 101 692 208 166 275 95 95.2 94.9 0.84 0.8 0.71 20 81
Category: Electropedia
A D N
 Adiabatic Short Circuit Temperature  Dry-Type Transformer  NEC Cable Types Page
Rise Testing | 148
 Arc Fault P
 Arc Flash E
 Partial Discharge
C  Electrical Power
 Electrical Submersible Pump R
 Cable Color Code
 Cable Conductor Materials I  Remote Earth
 Cable Construction
 Cable Impedance Calculations  IP Rating S
 Cable Insulation Materials  Infinite Bus
 Cable Sheath Materials  Ingress Protection  Short Circuit Temperature
 Cable Terminology  Insulation Resistance Test Rise
 Columbic Efficiency
 Standard IEC Ratings
 Complex Impedance
L  Subsea Power Cable
 Complex Power
 Symmetrical Components
 Contact Resistance Test
 LV Cable Data
 LV Motor Data (IEC) V
 Load Redundancy
 Load factor  VSD Cable
Adiabatic Short Circuit Temperature Rise
Adiabatic short circuit temperature rise normally
normally refers to the temperature rise in a cable due to a short circuit
current. During a short circuit, a high amount of current can flow through a cable for a short time. This surge in
current flow causes a temperature rise within the cable.
Page
| 149
Contents
 1 Derivation
o 1.1 Worked Example
 2 Effects of Short Circuit Temperature Rise
 3 Treatments by International Standards
Derivation
An “adiabatic” process is a thermodynamic process in which there is no heat transfer. In the context of cables
experiencing a short circuit, this means that the energy from the short circuit current contributes
con only to raising
the temperature of the cable conductor (e.g. copper) without any heat loss through the cable (i.e. through resistive
effects). This is obviously a simplifying assumption as in reality, there would be heat lost during a short circuit,
circui
but it is a conservative one and yields a theoretical temperature rise higher than that found in practice.
The derivation of the short circuit temperature rise is based on a simple application of specific heat capacity. The
specific heat capacity of a body
ody (for instance the solid conductor in a cable) is the amount of energy required to
change the temperature of the body, and is given by the following basic formula:
Where is the energy dissipated by the body (in Joules), is the mass of the body (in grams),
g and is the
change in temperature (in Kelvins).
The energy from a current flowing through a cable is based on the SI definition for electrical energy:
Where is the current (in Amps), is the resistance of the body which the current is flowing th
through (in Ω)
and is the duration of the current flow (in seconds).
The mass and resistance of an arbitrary conductive body is proportional to the dimensions of the body and can be
described in general terms by the following pair of equations:
Where iss the density of the body (in g mm - 3), is the resistivity of the body (in Ω mm), is the cross-
2
sectional area of the body (in mm ) and is the length of the body (in mm)
Putting all of these equations together and re-arranging,

re we get the final result for
or adiabatic short circuit
temperature rise:
Page
| 150
Alternatively, we can re-write

write this to find the cable conductor cross-sectional
cross sectional area required to dissipate a short
circuit current for a given temperature rise is:
With the constant term

sectional area of the cable conductor (mm
( 2s)
is the energy of the short circuit (A
is the specific heat capacity of the cable conductor ((J g - 1K - 1)
is the density of the cable conductor material (g

( mm - 3)
is the resistivity of the cablee conductor material (Ω

( mm)
is the maximum temperature rise allowed (°K)

(°
In practice, it is common to use an i2t value that corresponds to the let-through

through energy of the cable's upstream
protective device (i.e. circuit breaker or fuse). The manufacturer of the protective device will provide let-through
let
energies for different prospective fault currents.
Worked Example
This example is illustrative and is only intended to show how the equations derived above are applied. In
practice, the IEC method outlined below
elow should be used.
through energy of 1.6x107 occurs on a cable with a copper conductor and PVC
Suppose a short circuit with let-through
insulation. Prior to the short circuit, the cable was operating a temperature of 75°C. The temperature limit for
PVC insulationn is 160°C and therefore the maximum temperature rise is 85°K.
The specific heat capacity of copper at 25°C is cp = 0.385 J g - 1K - 1. The density of copper is ρd = 0.00894 g mm -
3
and the resistivity of copper at 75°C is ρr = 0.0000204 Ω mm.
The constant
nt is calculated as k = 119.74. The minimum cable conductor cross-sectional
cross sectional area is calculated as 33.4
mm2. It should be stressed that the calculated value of k is probably inaccurate because the specific heat capacity
of copper is subject to change at different
ferent temperatures.
Effects of Short Circuit Temperature Rise

Page
High temperatures can trigger unwanted reactions in the cable insulation, sheath materials and other components, | 151
which can prematurely degrade the condition of the cable. Cables with larger cross
cross-sectional areas are less
sensitive to short circuit temperature rises as the larger amount of conductor material prevents excessive
temperature rises.
The maximum allowable short circuit temperature rise depends on the type of insulation (and other materials)
mat
used in the construction of the cable. The cable manufacturer will provide specific details on the maximum
temperature of the cable for different types of insulation materials, but typically, the maximum temperatures are
160°C for PVC and 250°C for EPR and XLPE insulated cables.
Treatment by International Standards

IEC 60364 (Low voltage electrical installations) contains guidance on the sizing of cables with respect to
adiabatic short circuit temperature rise. The minimum cable conductor cross-sectional
cross tional area is given by IEC
60364-5-54 Clause 543.1.2:

sectional area of the cable conductor (mm
( 2s)
is the energy of the short circuit (A
is a constant that can be calculated from IEC 60364

60364-5-54
54 Annex A. For example, for copper
c conductors:
Where and are the initial and final conductor temperatures respectively.
The National Electricity Code (NEC) does not have any specific provisions for short circuit temperature rise.
Arc Fault
Contents
 1 Arc Fault Hazards Page
 2 Arc Fault Mitigation in Switchgear | 152
 3 Arc Fault PPE
 4 References
Arc Fault Hazards

An arc fault is an electrical discharge between two or more conductors, where the insulating atmosphere (air or
gas) has been broken down by the electric field between the conductors. Whenever there is an arc fault, the gases
and vapors that make up the atmosphere between the conductors become ionized.
The magnitude of an arc fault is highly variable. The instantaneous arc fault current may be high, approaching
the bolted short circuit current, or reasonably low, comparable to the load current. An arc will continue until it
becomes unstable and extinguishes itself or until it is interrupted by a protection device (i.e. fuse or circuit
breaker).
Arc fault explosion on a 480V switchboard with 23kA upstream fault capacity
Arc faults are characterized by extreme temperatures that can cause severe burns depending on the distance of
the operator to the arc. Neal et al [1] in Table IV determined that a 600V, 40kA arc fault with duration of 0.5s
has enough energy to cause second-degree burns at a distance of 77 inches (1.96m).
Additionally, arc faults tend to melt terminals that can potentially shower the immediate vicinity with molten
metal. The extreme temperatures produced by an arc fault can also lead to fires, causing major damage to
Page
equipment.
| 153
Damage caused by arc faults
Annex C of IEEE Std 1584 [2] outlines case histories of real life arc fault incidents. The majority of incidents
occurred during energisation and switching operations or lives electrical installation work. The potential causes
of arc faults include contamination / pollution ingress, equipment failure, rodents / vermin and accidental contact
with tools.
Arc Fault Mitigation in Switchgear
Annex ZC6 of AS 3439.1 [3] provides guidelines for the minimization, detection and containment of internal arc
faults in switchgear. These are summarized below:
 Insulation of live conductors (in addition to clearances in air) Page

 Arrangement of busbar sand functional units in separate vented compartments, for more rapid | 154
extinguishing of the arc and to contain an arc fault in a single compartment
 Use of protection devices to limit magnitude and duration of arcing current
 Use of devices sensitive to energy radiated from an arc to initiate protection and interrupt arcing current
 Use of earth current detection devices for interruption of arc faults to earth
 Combinations of the above
It should be noted that uncontained arc faults can spread to other parts of the switchboard and develop into larger
faults (e.g. functional unit arc fault spreading to busbars).
Arc Fault PPE
Typical arc flash suit
As a general guideline, Neal et al [1] recommends the following personal protection equipment to safeguard
against arc faults:
 Clothing consisting of outer layer(s) of loose fitting flame-resistant fabric without openings and inner
layers of non-melt able fibers
 Switchman’s hood or face shield with 0.08 inch thick polycarbonate viewing window
 Heavy duty flame-resistant work gloves
 Heavy duty work boots
Annex C of IEEE Std 1584 [2] illustrates a case study (No. 42) of a 2.3kV switching operation that ultimately
ended in an arc fault. The operator was wearing a full arc flash suit, safety glasses and fire resistant shirt and
pants. The PPE prevented any burn injuries from the arc flash. Other case studies where the operators were not
wearing appropriate PPE resulted in severe burns or death.
Arc flash PPE is normally rated to an Arc Thermal Performance exposure Value (ATPV), which specifies the
Page
maximum incident arc fault energy that can protect the wearer (measured in calories per cm2).
| 155
By way of example, the results of an arc flash hazard calculation based on IEEE Std 1584 follows to determine
the appropriate ATPV rating of PPE. The prospective fault current used was 25kA. A fault clearing time of 0.5s
was chosen, which is suitably onerous for a worst-case incident.
The calculation concluded that to protect against injury from an arc fault of this magnitude, PPE with an ATPV
rating of over 50 cal/cm2) is required. The ATPV rating is typically quoted on commonly available arc flash PPE.
Typical arc fault PPE is available from vendors such as Oberon.
References
1. Neal, T., Bingham, A., Doughty, R.L, “Protec ve Clothing for Electric Arc Exposure”, IEEE, July / Aug 1997
2. IEEE Std 1584, “Arc Flash Hazard Calcula ons”, 2002
3. AS 3439.1, “Low-voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies – Part 1: Type-tested and partially type tested
assemblies”, 2002
Cable Color Code
Power cable insulation is normally colour coded so that phase, neutral and earth conductors can be easily
identified. These colour codes vary with region and / or country:
Page
Three Phase Single Phase DC | 156
Country / Protective Code
Region Phase Phase Earth Reference
Phase B Neutral Active Neutral Positive Negative
A C
Green /
Yellow (with
European Purple Light Black or Light IEC 60445
Brown Black (1) - (2) - (2) blue
Union Blue Brown Blue (2010) (4)
markings at
ends) (3)
Black
Red,
(120V),
Black Orange Green or
United Blue or White Red White NFPA 70
or (delta) or - - Green /
States Yellow or Grey (208V) or or Grey (NEC) (5)
Brown Violet Yellow
Blue
(wyes)
(240V)
Australian AS/NZS
(6) (6) Dark (6) Green /
/ New Red White Black Red Black Red Black 3000
Blue (6) Yellow
Zealand (2007)
People's
Light Light Green / GB 50303
Republic of Yellow Green Red - - -
Blue Blue Yellow (2002)
China
White
Green or
Canada or Black or Light (2) (2) IEC 60445
Brown Black Purple - - Green /
and Japan Natural Brown Blue (2010) (4)
Yellow
Grey
Green / IEC 60445

Russia Brown Black Purple Blue Brown Blue Brown Grey
Yellow (2010) (4)
Notes
(1) In the UK, grey can be also be used
(2) No recommenda ons given
(3) In Denmark, Italy and Poland, light blue along the en re length with green / yellow markings at the ends Page
| 157
(4) In 2007, IEC 60446 was merged with IEC 60445 (2010), "Basic and safety principles for man-machine interface,
marking and identification – Identification of equipment terminals, conductor terminations and conductors". IEC
60446 is no longer used.
(5) Since 1975, NFPA 70, "The Na onal Electricity Code (NEC)" has not prescribedcolors for active conductors
(except for orange for earthed delta). Local regulations take precedence.
(6) These are preferred colors. Ac ve conductors can be any colour except for green / yellow, green, yellow, black
or light blue
Cable Conductor Materials
In order to transmit electrical current with as few losses as possible, a cable conductor needs to be of low
resistivity (or high conductivity). There are two main cable conductor materials used in practice, copper and
aluminum, because of their low resistivity characteristics, coupled with their relatively low cost. Silver has better
Page
resistivity characteristics than either copper or aluminum, but being a precious metal, is far too costly.
| 158
Copper
The resistivity of copper is in the order of 1.7 - 1.8 Ωmm2 / m.. Copper is a denser material than
aluminum andd has a higher melting point, hence has better performance under short circuit conditions and is
mechanically stronger. However the high density of copper makes it less flexible than aluminum. Copper
conductors also need to be very pure, and small traces of
of impurities (e.g. phosphorous) can significantly affect
conductivity.
Copper is typically used more commonly in industrial plants, generating stations and portable equipment because
of its mechanical properties. Furthermore, it is used in applications where
where space restrictions abound, e.g. offshore
platforms and aircraft
Aluminum
The resistivity of aluminum is around 2.8 Ωmm2 / m,, which makes it roughly 60% less conductive than
copper. Therefore, aluminum conductors need to be oversized by a factor of 1.6 in order to have the equivalent
resistance of copper conductors. However aluminum is also 50% lighter in mass than copper so it has a weight
advantage. Additionally,
tionally, it is more malleable and flexible than copper.
Aluminum is inherently corrosion resistant due to the thin oxide layer that is formed when aluminum is exposed
to the air. Aluminum also performs better than copper in sulfur laden environments (in terms
t of corrosion
resistance).
Aluminumum is typically used for overhead aerial lines because of its light weight and high conductivity. It is also
used in applications where space restrictions are not a large factor, e.g. underground cables
Summary
The table below summarizes the pros and cons of copper and aluminum as conductor materials:
Copper Aluminum
 High conductivity  Lower weight

Advantages  High mechanical strength  Flexible and malleable
 Good short circuit performance  Corrosion resistant
 Heavier and less flexible  Lower conductivity than copper

Disadvantages  Impurities have large effects on conductivity  Low mechanical strength
Cable Construction
Contents
 2 Low Voltage Power and Control Cables | 159
o 2.1 Conductor
o 2.2 Insulation
o 2.3 Filler
o 2.4 Termite Protection
o 2.5 Bedding / Inner Sheath
o 2.6 Armour
o 2.7 Outer Sheath
 3 Low Voltage Instrumentation Cables
o 3.1 Conductor
o 3.2 Insulation
o 3.3 Individual Screen
o 3.4 Drain Wire
o 3.5 Overall Screen
o 3.8 Armour
o 3.9 Outer Sheath
 4 Medium / High Voltage Power Cables
o 4.1 Conductor
o 4.2 Conductor Screen
o 4.3 Insulation
o 4.4 Insulation Screen
o 4.5 Conductor Sheath
o 4.6 Filler
o 4.9 Armour
o 4.10 Outer Sheath
Introduction
This article gives a brief exposition on the construction of typical low voltage, medium / high voltage and
instrumentation cables. The focus is on thermoplastic and thermosetting insulated cables, however the
construction of other cables are similar. Although there is more than one way to construct a cable and no one
standard to which all vendors will adhere, most cables tend to have common characteristics. Page
| 160
Low Voltage Power and Control Cables
Low voltage power and control cables pertain to electrical cables that typically have a voltage grade of 0.6/1kV
or below.
Conductor
Usually stranded copper or aluminum, Copper is denser and heavier, but more conductive than aluminum.
Electrically equivalent aluminum conductors have a cross-sectional area approximately 1.6 times larger than
copper, but are half the weight (which may save on material cost).
Annealing – is the process of gradually heating and cooling the conductor material to make it more malleable and
less brittle.
Coating – surface coating (e.g. tin, nickel, silver, lead alloy) of copper conductors is common to prevent the
insulation from attacking or adhering to the copper conductor and prevents deterioration of copper at high
temperatures. Tin coatings were used in the past to protect against corrosion from rubber insulation, which
contained traces of the sulfur used in the vulcanizing process.
Insulation
Commonly thermoplastic (e.g. PVC) or thermosetting (e.g. EPR, XLPE) type materials, Mineral insulation is
sometimes used, but the construction of MI cables is entirely different to normal plastic / rubber insulated cables.
Filler
The interstice of the insulated conductor bundle is sometimes filled, usually with a soft polymer material.
Termite Protection
Page
For underground cables, a nylon jacket can be applied for termite protection, although sometimes a phosphor | 161
bronze tape is used.
Bedding / Inner Sheath
Typically a thermoplastic (e.g. PVC) or thermosetting (e.g. CSP) compound, the inner sheath is there to keep the
bundle together and to provide a bedding for the cable armour.
Armour
For mechanical protection of the conductor bundle, Steel wire armour or braid (Tape) is typically used. Tinning
or galvanizing is used for rust prevention.
Outer Sheath
Applied over the armour for overall mechanical, weather, chemical and electrical protection, Typically a
thermoplastic (e.g. PVC) or thermosetting (e.g. CSP) compound, and often the same material as the bedding,
Outer sheath is normally colour coded to differentiate between LV, HV and instrumentation cables.
Manufacturer’s markings and length markings are also printed on the outer sheath.
Low Voltage Instrumentation Cables
Low voltage instrumentation cables pertain to cables for use in instrument applications and typically have a
voltage grade of 450/750V or below.
Page
| 162
Conductor
Usually stranded copper or Aluminum, Copper is denser and heavier, but more conductive than Aluminum.
Electrically equivalent Aluminum conductors have a cross-sectional area approximately 1.6 times larger than
less brittle.
Coating – surface coating (e.g.. tin, nickel, silver, lead alloy) of copper conductors is common to prevent the
Insulation
Commonly thermoplastic (e.g. PVC) or thermosetting (e.g. EPR, XLPE) type materials are used. Insulated
conductors are bundled in groups (e.g. pairs, triples, quads, etc).
Individual Screen Page

| 163
An individual screen is occasionally applied over each insulated conductor bundle for shielding against noise /
radiation and interference from other conductor bundles. Screens are usually a metallic (copper, Aluminum) or
semi-metallic (PETP/Al) tape or braid.
Drain Wire
Each screen has an associated drain wire, which assists in the termination of the screen.
Overall Screen
An overall screen is applied over all the insulated conductor bundles for shielding against noise / radiation,
interference from other cables and surge / lightning protection. Screens are usually a metallic (copper,
Aluminum) or semi-metallic (PETP/Al) tape or braid.
Termite Protection
For underground cables, a nylon jacket can be applied for termite protection, although sometimes a phosphor
bundle together and to provide bedding for the cable armour.
Armour
For mechanical protection of the conductor bundle, Steel wire armour or braid (Tape) is typically used. Tinning
or galvanizing is used for rust prevention. Phosphor bronze or tinned copper braid is also used when steel armour
is not allowed.
Outer Sheath
Applied over the armour for overall mechanical, weather, chemical and electrical protection, typically a
thermoplastic (e.g. PVC) or thermosetting (e.g. CSP) compound, and often the same material as the bedding.
Medium / High Voltage Power Cables
Page
| 164
Conductor
Usually stranded copper or Aluminum, Copper is denser and heavier, but more conductive than Aluminum.
Electrically equivalent Aluminum conductors have a cross-sectional area approximately 1.6 times larger than
less brittle.
Coating – surface coating (e.g.. tin, nickel, silver, lead alloy) of copper conductors is common to prevent the
Conductor Screen
A semi-conducting tape to maintain a uniform electric field and minimize electrostatic stresses
Insulation
Typically a thermosetting (e.g.. EPR, XLPE) or paper/lead insulation for cables under 22kV.
Paper-based insulation in combination with oil or gas-filled cables is generally used for higher voltages.
Insulation Screen
A semi-conducting material that has a similar function as the conductor screen (ie. control of the electric field).
Conductor Sheath
A conductive sheath / shield, typically of copper tape or sometimes lead alloy, is used as a shield to keep
electromagnetic radiation in, and also provide a path for fault and leakage currents (sheaths are earthed at one
cable end). Lead sheaths are heavier and potentially more difficult to terminate than copper tape, but generally
provide better earth fault capacity.
Filler Page
| 165
The interstice of the insulated conductor bundle is sometimes filled, usually with a soft polymer material.
Termite Protection
For underground cables, a nylon jacket can be applied for termite protection, although sometimes a phosphor
bundle together and to provide a bedding for the cable armour.
Armour
For mechanical protection of the conductor bundle, Steel wire armour or braid (Tabe) is typically used. Tinning
or galvanizing is used for rust prevention. Phosphor bronze or tinned copper braid is also used when steel armour
is not allowed.
Outer Sheath
Applied over the armour for overall mechanical, weather, chemical and electrical protection, typically a
thermoplastic (e.g. PVC) or thermosetting (e.g. CSP) compound, and often the same material as the bedding.
Cable Impedance Calculations
This article provides details on the calculation of cable impedances - dc resistance, ac resistance and inductive
reactance.
Page
Contents | 166
 1 Cable Resistance
o 1.1 DC Resistance
o 1.2 AC Resistance
 2 Cable Reactance
 3 References
Cable Resistance
The dc and ac resistance of cable
le conductors can be calculated based on IEC 60287-1
60287 Clause 2.1.
DC Resistance
The dc resistance of cable conductors is calculated as follows:
Where is the dc resistance at the conductor operating temperature θ (Ω / km)

is the resis vity of the conductor material at 20oC (Ω.km).
 For copper conductors, = 1.7241 x 10-5
 For aluminum conductors, = 2.8264 x 10-5
sectional area of the conductor (mm2)
is the cross-sectional
th conductor material per K at 20oC.
is the temperature coefficient of the
 For copper conductors, = 3.93 x 10-3
 For aluminum conductors, = 4.03 x 10-3
is the conductor operating temperature (oC)
AC Resistance
The ac resistance of cable conductors is the dc resistance corrected for skin

skin and proximity effects.
Where is the ac resistance at the conductor operating temperature θ (Ω / km))

is the dc resistance at the conductor operating temperature θ (Ω / km)
is the skin effect factor (see below)
is the proximity effect factor (see below)
The skin effect factor is calculated as follows:
Page
| 167
Where
is the dc resistance
nce at the conductor operating temperature θ (Ω / km)
is the supply frequency (Hz)
is a constant (see table below)
Note that the formula above is accurate provided that 2.8.
The proximity effect factor varies depending on the conductor geometry. For round
round conductors, the following
formulae apply.
For 2C and 2 x 1C cables:
For 3C and 3 x 1C cables:
Where
is the dc resistance at the conductor operating temperature θ (Ω / km)
is the diameter of the conductor (mm)
is the
he distance between conductor axes (mm)
is a constant (see table below)

Note that the formula above is accurate provided that 2.8.
For shaped conductors, the proximity effect factor is two-thirds

two thirds the values calculated above, and with:
Equal to the diameter

meter of an equivalent circular conductor of equal cross
cross-sectional
sectional area and degree of
compaction (mm) Page
| 168
Where is the thickness of the insulation between conductors (mm)
Dried and
Type of Conductor
Impregnated?
Copper
Round, stranded Yes 1 0.8
Round, stranded No 1 1
Round, segmental - 0.435 0.37
Sector-shaped Yes 1 0.8
Sector-shaped No 1 1
Aluminum
Round, stranded Either 1 1
Round, 4 segment Either 0.28 0.37

Cable Reactance
The series inductive reactance of a cable can be approximated by the following equation:
Page
| 169
Where is the conductor inductive reactance (Ω

( / km)
is the axial spacing between conductors (mm)
is the diameter of the conductor, or for shaped conductors, the diameter of an equivalent circular conductor
of equal cross-sectional
sectional area and degree of compaction (mm)
iss a constant factor pertaining to conductor formation (see below for typical values)
No. of wire
strands in K
conductor
3 0.0778
7 0.0642
19 0.0554
37 0.0528
>60 0.0514
1 (solid) 0.0500
For 3C and 3 x 1C cables, the axial spacing parameter depends

epends on the geometry of the conductors:
Page
| 170
References
 IEC 60287-1-1, “Electric cables – Calculation of current rating – Part 1: Current ra ng equa ons (100%
load factor) and calculation of losses – Sec on 1: General”, 2006
 G.F. Moore, “Electric Cables Handbook”, Third Edi on, 1997, an excellent reference book for cables
Cable Insulation Materials
The following materials are typically used for cable insulation:
Contents Page
| 171
 1 Thermoplastic
 2 Thermosetting
 3 Paper Based
 4 Comparison of Materials
Thermoplastic
Thermoplastic compounds are materials that go soft when heated and harden when cooled:
 PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – is the most commonly used thermoplastic insulator for cables. It is cheap,
durable and widely available. However, the chlorine in PVC (a halogen) causes the production of thick,
toxic, black smoke when burnt and can be a health hazard in areas where low smoke and toxicity are
required (e.g. confined areas such as tunnels).
 PE (Polyethylene) – is part of a class of polymers called polyolefins. Polyethylene has lower dielectric
losses than PVC and is sensitive to moisture under voltage stress (i.e. for high voltages only).
Thermosetting
Thermosetting compounds are polymer resins that are irreversibly cured (e.g. by heat in the vulcanization
process) to form a plastic or rubber:
 XLPE (Cross-Linked Polyethylene) – has different polyethylene chains linked together (“cross-linking”)
which helps prevent the polymer from melting or separating at elevated temperatures. Therefore XLPE is
useful for higher temperature applications. XLPE has higher dielectric losses than PE, but has better
ageing characteristics and resistance to water treeing.
 EPR (Ethylene Propylene Rubber) – is a copolymer of ethylene and propylene, and commonly called an
“elastomeric”. EPR is more flexible than PE and XLPE, but has higher dielectric losses than both.
Paper Based
Paper Based insulation is the oldest type of power cable insulation and is still used mainly for high voltage
cables. The paper insulation must be impregnated with a dielectric fluid (e.g. oil resin or a synthetic fluid). A lead
sheath is commonly applied over the insulation to prevent water or moisture ingress into the paper insulation,
which is sensitive to moisture.
Comparison of Materials
A comparison of common insulating materials is as follows:
Material Advantages Disadvantages
 Highest dielectric losses

 Cheap Page
 Melts at high temperatures
PVC  Durable | 172
 Contains halogens
 Widely available
 Not suitable for MV / HV cables
 Lowest dielectric losses  Highly sensitive to water treeing

PE
 High initial dielectric strength  Material breaks down at high temperatures
 Low dielectric losses

 Improved material properties at high
XLPE temperatures  Medium sensitivity to water treeing
 Does not melt but thermal expansion
occurs
 Increased flexibility
 Reduced thermal expansion (relative to  Medium-High dielectric losses
EPR
XLPE)  Requires inorganic filler / additive
 Low sensitivity to water treeing
 High weight
 High cost
 Low-Medium dielectric losses
 Requires hydraulic pressure / pumps for
Paper / Oil  Not harmed by DC testing
insulating fluid
 Known history of reliability
 Difficult to repair
 Degrades with moisture
Cable Sheath Materials
The following materials are typically used for cable inner (bedding) and outer sheaths:
Thermoplastic Page
| 173
Thermoplastic compounds are materials that go soft when heated and harden when cooled:
 PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – as a sheath material, PVC is used extensively because of its low cost and good overall
properties – high physical strength, good moisture resistance, adequate oil resistance, good flame resistance and
excellent resistance to weathering and to soil environments. PVC contains halogens which produces thick, black
toxic smoke when burnt. Most commonly used sheath material for LV cables.
 PE (Polyethylene) – is usually categorized under three different densities – 1) Low density (0.91 – 0.925 g/cm3), 2)
Medium density (0.926 – 0.94 g/cm3), and 3) High density (0.941 – 0.965 g/cm3). PE sheaths have good physical
strength, excellent moisture resistance, good ageing properties, but poor flame resistance. Like PVC, PE will melt
at high temperatures. Does not contain halogens.
 CPE (Chlorinated Polyethylene) – similar to PVC, but with better high temperature properties. Contains halogens.
 TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomeric) – provides flame resistance, good low temperature performance, good abrasion
resistance and good physical strength. Does not contain halogens.
 Nylon – provides good physical strength, reasonable abrasion resistance, very low friction when in contact with
conduit materials which aids in pulling cables. Excellent resistance to oils and organic solvents, but very sensitive
to strong acids and oxidizing agents.
Thermosetting
Thermosetting compounds are polymer resins that are irreversibly cured (e.g. by heat in the vulcanization
process) to form a plastic or rubber:
 XLPE (Cross-Linked Polyethylene) – provides tough, moisture, chemical and weather resistant sheath material.
Used mainly as an outer sheath material for “rugged” cables.
 PCP (Polychloroprene) or trade name "Neoprene" – provides good heat resistance, flame resistance, resistance to
oil, sunlight and weathering, low temperature resistance and abrasion resistance. Due to its ruggedness,
neoprene is used widely in the mining industry. Does not deform with high temperatures and does not contain
halogens.
 CSP (Chloro-sulphanated Polyethylene) – similar properties to neoprene, though superior in resistance to heat,
oxidizing chemicals, ozone and moisture, and has better dielectric properties. However CSP contains halogens.
 EPR (Ethylene Propylene Rubber) – not commonly used as a sheath material, but can be useful if increased cable
flexibility is required (especially in low temperature applications).
Cable Terminology
List of electrical and instrumentation cable terminology and definitions
Contents Page
| 174
 1 CPE (Chlorinated Polyethylene)
 2 CSP / CSPE (Chlorosulphanated Polyethylene)
 3 Dekoron®
 4 EPR (Ethylene Propylene Rubber)
 5 FR (Fire Resistant / Flame Retardant)
 6 GSWB (Galvanized Steel Wire Braid)
 7 HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)
 8 HF (Halogen Free)
 9 HOFR (Heat, Oil and Flame Retardant)
 10 LSF (Low Smoke and Fumes)
 11 LSTA (Low Smoke, Toxicity and Acidity)
 12 LSZH / LS0H (Low Smoke, Zero Halogen)
 13 MGT (Mica Glass Tape)
 14 Neoprene®
 15 NYL (Nylon sheath)
 16 PCP (Polychloroprene)
 17 PE (Polyethylene)
 18 PETP (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
 19 PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
 20 SCN (Screen)
 21 SHF2
 22 SWA (Steel Wire Armour)
 23 TAC (Tinned Annealed Copper)
 24 TCWB (Tinned Copper Wire Braid)
 25 TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomeric)
 26 XLPE (Cross-Linked Polyethylene)
CPE (Chlorinated Polyethylene)
An oil, ozone and heat resistant thermoplastic sheathing material
CSP / CSPE (Chloro-sulphanated Polyethylene)

An oil, ozone and heat resistant elastomeric compound used as bedding and outer sheath material. DuPont Page
manufacture this material under the registered trade name "Hypalon". | 175
Dekoron®
Registered trade name for a range of instrumentation cables insulated and sheathed with flame retardant PVC.
The standard range includes up to 50 pairs and up to 36 triples in either 0.5mm2 or 1.5mm2 conductors. Larger
conductors may be specified, as can options of Lead Sheathing, SWA, or HF insulation and sheath materials.
EPR (Ethylene Propylene Rubber)

A water and ozone resistant, flexible, cross linked high grade insulation material and sometimes as a sheathing
material
FR (Fire Resistant / Flame Retardant)

Fire Resistant - the property of cables to continue to function while under the influence of fire. Cables that are
Fire Resistant tend to provide circuit integrity even when burned and maintains integrity after the fire has
extinguished. In most cases, the cables will withstand a water spray and still provide circuit integrity.
Flame Retardant - the property of cables to retard or slow the progress of fire and flame along the cable. This is
achieved through the use of materials that do not readily burn and will tend to self-extinguish.
GSWB (Galvanized Steel Wire Braid)

A type of cable armouring for mechanical protection
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)

Generally used as a subsea cable sheathing material where it provides high resistance to water penetration, is
very hard, has low coefficient of friction, and is abrasion resistant.
HF (Halogen Free)
Halogenated plastics (i.e. those that contain chlorine, fluorine, bromine, iodine and astatine) when ignited will
tend to release toxic and corrosive gases, which has potential safety implications, e.g. obstruction of escape
routes. Halogen free plastics, as the name suggests, do not contain halogens.
HOFR (Heat, Oil and Flame Retardant)

Refer to FR (flame retardant).
LSF (Low Smoke and Fumes)

Low smoke and fume emissions when the cable is on fire. Note that it may still contain halogens.
LSTA (Low Smoke, Toxicity and Acidity)
Uncommonly used term for bedding and sheathing materials with low smoke, toxicity and acidity properties,
Halogen free materials such as SHF2 are more or less equivalent to LSTA materials.
LSZH / LS0H (Low Smoke, Zero Halogen) Page

Refer to HF (halogen free). | 176
MGT (Mica Glass Tape)

A fire resistant tape usually wrapped around the insulated conductor bundle beneath the innear sheath.
Neoprene®
Refer to PCP (polychroloprene)
NYL (Nylon sheath)

A nylon sheath (or sometimes described as a sock) is typically used for termite protection in underground cables
and also as a sheathing material.
PCP (Polychloroprene)
This is an oil resistant, tough sheathing material that is used mainly in mining cables as an outer sheath. DuPont
registered trade name for this product is "Neoprene".
PE (Polyethylene)
Thermoplastic used as an insulation and sheathing material.
PETP (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

A polymer resin used in semi-metallic screens e.g. PETP/Al
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

Commonly used thermoplastic insulation and sheathing material.
SCN (Screen)
A tape or braid, usually metallic (copper, aluminum) or semi-metallic (PETP/Al), wrapped around the cable
cores to keep out or contain unwanted radiation / interference.
SHF2
Halogen free elastomeric compound commonly used for inner sheath / bedding and outer sheathing materials
SWA (Steel Wire Armour)

A type of cable armouring for mechanical protection
TAC (Tinned Annealed Copper)
Annealed copper conductors with surface tinning for rust prevention, Annealing refers to the process of gradually
heating and cooling the copper making it more malleable and less brittle.
TCWB (Tinned Copper Wire Braid) Page

Typically used for flexible cable armouring of instrument cables. | 177
TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer)

A plastic material compounded so it displays characteristics like an elastomeric. TPE is normally tough, cut
resistant, flexible, and smooth, with vibrant coloring.
XLPE (Cross-Linked Polyethylene)

High grade insulation material of cross-linked polyethylene chains giving good high temperature performance.
PVC
Page
| 178
Basic PVC polymer chain (courtesy of Wikipedia)
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a thermoplastic material characterized by a polymer chain comprising of the basic
unit in the figure right.
PVC is cheap to produce and quite durable. Many variations of PVC can be formulated for different applications
based on the type of plasticizer that is added to the basic PVC polymer. For example, PVC can be made to be
rigid or flexible based on the plasticizer used.
Electrical Applications
Cables
PVC is a commonly used material for electrical cable insulation and sheathing. Refer to IEC 60502 for the
requirements on PVC (in terms of plasticizer additives) to be regarded suitable as an electric cable insulation and
sheathing material. These requirements include the electric properties of the material such as permittivity,
dielectric loss angle, etc.
Advantages:
 Cheap
 Durable
 Widely available
Disadvantages:
 Highest dielectric losses

 Melts at high temperatures
 Contains halogens
 Not suitable for MV / HV cables
Cross-linked polyethylene
Cross-linked polyethylene, commonly abbreviated PEX or XLPE, is a form of polyethylene with cross-links. It Page
is formed into tubing, and is used predominantly in hydronic radiant heating systems, domestic water piping and
| 179
insulation for high tension (high voltage) electrical cables. It is also used for natural gas and offshore oil
applications, chemical transportation, and transportation of sewage and slurries.
Properties
Almost all PEX is made from high density polyethylene (HDPE). PEX contains cross-linked bonds in the
polymer structure, changing the thermoplastic to a thermoset. Cross-linking is accomplished during or after the
extrusion of the tubing. The required degree of cross-linking, according to ASTM Standard F 876-93, is between
65 and 89%. A higher degree of cross-linking could result in brittleness and stress cracking of the material.
The high-temperature properties of the polymer are improved. Adequate strength to 120-150°C is maintained by
reducing the tendency to flow. Chemical resistance is enhanced by resisting dissolution. Low temperature
properties are improved. Impact and tensile strength, scratch resistance, and resistance to brittle fracture are
enhanced.
PEX- or XLPE-insulated cables have a rated maximum conductor temperature of 90°C and an emergency rating
up to 140°C, depending on the standard used. They have a conductor short-circuit rating of 250°C.
XLPE has excellent dielectric properties, making it useful for medium voltage - 10 to 50 kV AC - and high
voltage cables - up to 380 kV AC-voltage, and several hundred kV DC.
Numerous modifications in the basic polymer structure can be made to maximize productivity during the
manufacturing process. For medium voltage applications, reactivity can be boosted significantly. This results in
higher line speeds in cases where limitations in either the curing or cooling processes within the continuous
vulcanization (CV) tubes used to cross-link the insulation. PEX insulations can be modified to limit the amount
of by-product gases generated during the cross-linking process. This is particularly useful for high voltage cable
and extra-high voltage cable applications, where degassing requirements can significantly lengthen cable
manufacturing time
Columbic Efficiency
The columbic efficiency of a battery is defined as follows:
Page
| 180
Where is the columbic efficiency (PU)
is the amount of charge that enters the battery during the charging cycle (C)
is the amount of charge that exits the battery during the discharge cycle (C)
Columbic efficiency iss not 100% because of losses in charge, largely because of secondary reactions, such as the
electrolysis of water or other redox reactions in the battery. The columbic efficiency of a typical lead
lead-acid battery
is >95%.
Complex Impedance
Complex impedances are commonly used quantities in the analysis of AC power systems. Complex impedance is
represented by the following relation:
Where is the complex impedance (Ω)

(
is the resistance (Ω)
is the reactance (Ω)
is the complex component, i.e. )
For more details about why complex quantities are used in electrical engineering, see the article on complex
power.
Complex Arithmetic
The manipulation of complex impedances follows the rules of complex arithmetic
Series Impedances
Two impedances in series can be combined by simply adding the individual real and complex terms
t (i.e.
resistance and reactance components). For example, given:
Page
| 181
Then,
Parallel Impedances
Two impedances in parallel can be combined according to the following standard relation:
However, note that the multiplication and division of complex numbers

numbers is more involved than simply multiplying
or dividing the real and complex terms:
 Multiplication: involves multiplying cross-terms,

cross i.e.
 Division: involves multiplying by the complex conjugate of the denominator, i.e

Contact Resistance Test
The contact resistance test (commonly known as the Ductor test) measures the resistance of electrical
connections such as joints, terminations, connectors, etc. These can be connections between any two conductors,
for instance busbar sections or cable connections. The test measures the resistance at the micro- or mille-ohm
Page
level and is used primarily to verify that electrical connections are made properly, and can detect the following
| 182
problems:
 Loose connections
 Adequate tension on bolted joints
 Eroded contact surfaces
 Contaminated or corroded contacts
This is particularly important for contacts that carry large amounts of current (e.g. switchgear busbars) as higher
contact resistance leads to higher losses and lower current carrying capacity.
Test Equipment
Contact resistance tests are normally performed using a micro/mille-ohmmeter or low resistance ohmmeter.
"Ductor" was the name originally given to the low resistance ohmmeter manufactured by the Megger company,
which became an industry standard.
Test Criteria
The criteria for evaluating the contact resistance of electrical connections largely depends on the type of
connection (e.g. bolted, soldered, clamped, welded, etc), the metallic contact surface area, the contact pressure,
etc. These will differ by equipment and manufacturer and there is no code or standard that mandates minimum
contact resistances. As such, manufacturer recommendations need to be consulted. For example, manufacturers
sometimes quote a maximum contact resistance of 10 micro-ohms for large bolted busbar joints.
International Standards
 ASTM B539-02 (R2008), "Standard Test Method for Measuring Resistance of Electrical Connec ons (Sta c Contacts)"
Dry-Type Transformer Testing
Contents
 2 Testing | 183
o 2.1 Insulation Resistance Tests
o 2.2 Dielectric Loss Angle Measurement Tests
o 2.3 Partial Discharge Tests
o 2.4 Frequency Response Analysis
o 2.5 Acoustic Emission Tests
o 2.6 Thermo-graphic Surveys
 3 References
Introduction
The primary concern with all transformers (and also the key indicator of life expectancy) is the condition of the
insulation system.
For dry type transformers, the insulation system consists of the cast resin winding and core insulation and the
termination system insulation (e.g. bushings). The structural strength and insulating properties of materials used
for these insulation systems degrade over time through normal ageing. They can also degrade prematurely as a
result of overheating and mechanical and electrical stresses (e.g. faults, overvoltages, inrush currents, etc).
The initial breakdown of insulation around the windings can result in inter-turn faults, especially on the high
voltage windings where the electric field strength is high enough to ionize air gaps and cause corona activity.
Inter-turn faults are short circuits between coil turns on a single winding. Further degradation of the insulation
could see inter-turn faults develop into more serious faults such as inter-winding and earth faults.
Page
| 184
Testing
The most frequent mode of failure for dry type transformers is insulation breakdown resulting in inter-turn faults
which leads to more severe faults such as phase to phase winding or earth faults. The insulation condition of
component parts of the transformer (i.e. windings, core, bushings, etc) can be determined by a suite of tests.
Dissolved gas analysis is the most commonly used method for determining winding insulation condition in oil-
type transformers, but is not possible for dry-type transformers.
The following tests are discussed further:
 Insulation resistance / polarization index tests

 Dielectric loss angle measurement tests
 Partial discharge tests
 Frequency response analysis
 Acoustic emission tests (in conjunction with partial discharge tests)
 Thermo-graphic surveys
Insulation Resistance Tests
Insulation resistance, measured by application of an impressed DC voltage (i.e. Megger), gives a general
indication of the insulation condition between the phase windings and earth. The measurements are typically
taken over time (i.e. 1 minute intervals over 10 minutes) to generate a curve, called the Dielectric Absorption
curve.
The Polarization Index is the steepness of the curve at a given temperature and is defined as per the following
equation [1]:
Where
R10 = megohms insula on resistance at 10 minutes Page

| 185
R1 = megohms insula on resistance at 1 minute
The Polarization Index indicates the relative dryness and level of moisture ingress into the insulation.
Dielectric Loss Angle Measurement Tests
Dielectric loss
oss angle tests, also called dissipation factor, power factor or tan delta tests, determine the insulation
dielectric power loss by measurement of the power angle between an applied AC voltage and the resultant
current. In the ideal insulator, the power angle
angle would be 90°C as it is purely capacitive and non-conducting.
non
However in real insulators, there is some leakage current and resistive losses through the dielectric.
Relative increases in dielectric power losses are indicative of insulation deterioration

deterioratio and may further accelerate
degradation due to increased heating. Note that dielectric power loss does not translate to dielectric strength,
though there are often common causes for increases in power loss and decreases in dielectric strength.
The cosinee of the power angle (θ) is called the power factor. The complement of θ is denoted δ as shown in the
diagram above. The power factor can be practically approximated by taking the tangent of δ (hence the name tan
delta). This approximation is called the dissipation
dissipation factor and is roughly equal to the power factor between values
of 0 and 0.08, which covers the majority of tests.
The dissipation factor is essentially the ratio between the resistive and capacitive components of the insulation
and can be measureded directly (via a capacitance bridge circuit). The lower the quality of the insulation condition,
the more resistive it will appear and the more power loss will be dissipated through it (in the form of heat).
The increase in the dissipation factor values as the test voltage is increased is called the "tip-up".
"tip
The technical literature on this subject has noted that this test is useful for detecting moisture ingress in the
bushings and windings. About 90% of bushing failures may be attributed to moisture ingress in evidenced by an
increasing power factor from dielectric loss angle testing on a scheduled basis.
Partial Discharge Tests
Partial discharges are localized incipient electrical discharges that only partially bridge the insulation between
conductors. Partial discharges can occur in any location where the local electrical field strength is sufficient to
breakdown that portion of the dielectric material (whether it be deteriorated insulation or air). In dry-type
transformers they can occur within air-filled voids where the solid insulation has degraded. Page
| 186
Partial discharge testing can detect the presence and location of partial discharge activity in a transformer. Partial
discharges in transformers are typically measured by applying a pre-specified voltage to the transformer
windings and measuring induced charges via a coupling device (e.g. coupling capacitors).
AS 60076.11 and AS 60270 set out the requirements, procedure, equipment and acceptance levels for partial
discharge testing [3] [4] It should be noted that the partial discharge tests specified in AS 60076.11 are intended
as routine tests for new transformers. This involves applying a “pre-stress” voltage of 1.8 times rated voltage to
the windings. This may be excessive for transformers already in service for over 20 years.
Analysis of the partial discharge measurements gathered (i.e. pulse waveforms, magnitude, duration and intervals
between pulses) can be used as a guide regarding the condition of the insulation. The results can be trended to
chart the rate of insulation degradation between consecutive tests.
Frequency Response Analysis
Frequency response analysis is a diagnostic testing technique that measures the impedance of the transformer
windings over a wide range of frequencies. The measurements are compared with a reference set and the
differences are highlighted. The differences may indicate mechanical damage to the windings (e.g. winding
displacement or loose winding) and electrical faults (e.g. interturn faults).
Frequency response analysis can be achieved by either injecting a low voltage impulse into the winding (i.e.
impulse response method) or by making a frequency sweep using a sinusoidal signal (i.e. swept frequency
method).
For frequency response analysis to be useful, a baseline reference set of measurements need to be determined and
periodic tests need to be conducted to compare the differences
Refer to research by S. Tenbohlen et al at the University of Stuttgart [5].
Acoustic Emission Tests
Partial discharges in transformers can also be detected and localized via acoustic emission testing. Acoustic
emission testing is based on the acoustic detection of the partial discharge pulses and conversion to an electrical
signal. Sensors are coupled to the surface of the transformer and during operation of the transformer, the output
of the sensors are fed into an electronic module. The signals are filtered to remove noise and processed to
determine the presence and location of any partial discharges in the transformer.
Thermo-graphic Surveys
Infrared thermography is commonly used in preventative maintenance to detect hotspots, especially at joints and
terminations. IR Thermography cameras measure surface temperatures and the resulting thermal image can be
used to identify overheating at the transformer terminations.
For thermographic surveys to be conducted, thermographic windows need to be installed looking at the
terminations and windings.
References
1. Facili es Instruc on, Standards and Techniques Volume -1, 3 “Tes ng Solid Insula on of Electrical Equip
ment”, Page
U.S Department of the Interior, Reclama on Branch, December 1991 | 187
2. Facilities Instruction, Standards and Techniques Volume 3-31, “Transformer Diagnos cs”, U.S Department of the
Interior, Reclama on Branch, June 2003
3. AS 60076.11, “Power transformers Part 11: Dry-type transformers”, 2006
4. AS 60270, “High-voltage test techniques – Par al discharge measurements”, 2001
5. Research at University of Stuttgart (including Tenbohlen's papers)
Electrical Power
How do the various formulae for electrical power fit together? What is the difference between DC, AC and
complex power and how do they harmonize with our physical conceptions of energy and power.
Page
Contents | 188
 1 Definition
 2 DC Power
o 2.1 Historical Derivation
o 2.2 Alternative Derivation
 3 AC Power
o 3.1 Derivation
o 3.2 Physical Interpretation
o 3.3 Power Factor
o 3.4 Relation to Energy
 4 Complex Power
o 4.1 Derivation
o 4.2 Complex Exponentials
 5 Apparent Power
Definition
By formal definition, any form of power (e.g. electrical, mechanical, thermal, etc) is the rate at which energy or
work is performed. The standard unit of power is the watt (or joules per second). Electrical power is the rate at
which electrical energy is delivered to a load (via an electrical circuit) and converted into another form of energy
(e.g. heat, light, sound, chemical, kinetic, etc). In terms of electrical quantities current and voltage, power can be
calculated byy the following standard formula:
Where P is power in watts, V is potential difference in volts and I is current in amperes. But how did this
relationship come about?
DC Power
Historical Derivation
19th century English physicist James Prescott Joule observed

observed that the amount of heat energy (H) dissipated by a
constant (DC) electrical current (I), through a material of resistance R, in time t, had the following proportional
relationship:
As power is the rate of change of energy over time, Joule’s observation

observation above can be restated in terms of
electrical power:
Since P=∆H/∆t.
∆H/∆t. Now applying Ohm’s law R=V/I we get:
Page
Alternative Derivation | 189
The SI unit for energy is the joule. For electrical energy, one joule is defined as the work required to move an
electric charge of one coulomb through a potential difference of one volt. In other words:
Where E is electrical energy (in joules), Q is charge (in coulombs) and V is potential difference (in volts) Given
that electric current is defined as the amount of charge flowing per unit time (I = Q/t), then
As power is the rate of change of energy over time, this reduces to:
Which
hich is the familiar equation for electrical power
AC Power
In its unaltered form, the power equation P=VI is only applicable to direct current (DC) waveforms. In
alternating current (AC) waveforms, the instantaneous value of the waveform is always changing
chang with time, so
AC power is slightly different conceptually to DC power.
Derivation
AC waveforms in power systems are typically sinusoidal with the following general form, e.g. for a voltage
waveform:
Where V is the amplitude of the voltage waveform (volts)
ω is the angular frequency = 2πf
φ is the phase displacement
v(t) is the instantaneous value of voltage at any time t (seconds)
If the current waveform i(t) had a similar form, then it can be clearly seen that the instantaneous power p(t)=
v(t)i(t) also varies with time.
Suppose the current and voltage waveforms are both sinusoids and have a phase difference such that the current
lags the voltage by a phase angle θ.. Therefore we can write voltage and current as:
Page
| 190
The instantaneous power is therefore:
efore:
Since the root-mean-square

square (rms) values of voltage and current are and, then
We can simplify this equation further by defining the following terms:
and
We then get the final AC instantaneous power equation:
The term P is called the active (or real) power and the term Q is called the reactive power.
Note that the term cosθ is called the power factor and refers to the proportion of active or real component of AC
power being delivered. The active power is the component of power that can do real work (e.g. be converted to
useful forms of energy like mechanical,
anical, heat or light).
Physical Interpretation
From the basic power equation:
Page
| 191
We can see that power flow is a sinusoidal waveform with twice the frequency of voltage and current.
From the power equation, we can also break p(t) down into two components:
component
 A constant term (active power),

 An alternating term,
Notice that the alternating term fluctuates around zero and the constant term in the above example is positive. It
turns out that the alternating term always fluctuates around zero and the constant
constant term (active power) depends on
the power factor cosθ. But what does the power factor represent?
Power Factor
Page
Power factor is defined as the cosine of the power angle, the difference in phase between voltage and current. | 192
People will often refer to powerr factor as leading or lagging. This is because the power angle can only range
between -90°
90° and +90°, and the cosine of an angle in the fourth quadrant (between 0 and -90°) is always positive.
Therefore the power factor is also always positive and the only way to distinguish whether the power angle is
negative or positive from the power factor is to denote it leading or lagging.
 Lagging power factor: when the current lags the voltage, this means that the current waveform comes
delayed after the voltage waveform
wave (and the power angle is positive).
 Leading power factor: when the current leads the voltage, this means that the current waveform comes
before the voltage waveform (and the power angle is negative).
 Unity power factor: refers to the case when the current

current and voltage are in the same phase.
The physical significance of power factor is in the load impedance. Inductive loads (e.g. coils, motors, etc) have
lagging power factors, capacitative loads (e.g. capacitors) have leading power factors and resistive loads
l (e.g.
heaters) have close to unity power factors.
Relation to Energy
By definition, power is the rate at which work is being done (or the rate at which energy is being expended). As
AC power varies with time, the amount of energy delivered by a given power flow in time T is found by
integrating the AC power function over the specified time:
We can see that power is made up of a constant component VrmsIrmscosθ and an alternating component
VrmsIrmscos(2ωt - θ).. The integration can therefore be broken up as follows:
Suppose we were to integrate over a single period of an AC power waveform (e.g. ). The alternating
component drops out and the integration is solved as follows:
From this we can see that work is done by the active power component only and the alternating component does
zero net work, i.e. the positive and negative components cancel each other out.
Complex Power
Books often mention AC power in terms of complex quantities, mainly because it has attractive properties for
analysis (i.e. use of vector algebra). But often, complex power is simply defined without being derived. So how
do complex numbers follow from the previous definitions of power?
Page
Derivation | 193
Back in 1897, Charles Proteus Steinmetz first suggested representing AC waveforms as complex quantities in his
book “Theory and Calculation of Alternating Current Phenomena”.
Phenomena”. What follows is a sketch of Steinmetz’s
derivation, but specifically using AC power as the quantity under consideration.
Previously, we found that AC power is a sinusoidal waveform with the general form:
Where V and I are the rms values for voltage and current (A rms)
For a fixed angular frequency ω, this waveform

waveform can be fully characterized by two parameters: the rms voltage
and current product VI and the phase angle θ.
Using these two parameters, we can represent the AC waveform p(t) as a two-dimensional
two dimensional vector S which can be
expressed as a polar coordinatee with magnitude VI and polar angle θ:
This vector S can be converted into a pair of rectangular coordinates (x, y) such that:
It can be shown trigonometrically that the addition and subtraction of AC power vectors follow the general rules
of vector arithmetic, i.e. the rectangular components of two or more sinusoids can be added and subtracted (but
not multiplied or divided!).
However working with each rectangular component individually can be unwieldy. Suppose we were to combine
the rectangular components
onents using a meaningless operator j to distinguish between the horizontal (x) and vertical
(y) components. Our vector S now becomes:
Note that the addition sign does not denote a simple addition because x and y are orthogonal quantities in a two-
two
dimensional
nsional space. At the moment, j is a meaningless operator to distinguish the vertical component of V. Now
consider a rotation of the vector by 90°:
Page
| 194
The rotated vector
Suppose we were to define the operator j to represent a 90° rotation so that multiplying
multiply a vector V by j rotates the
vector by 90°. Therefore:
Therefore using our definition of j as a 90° rotation operator, j is actually an imaginary number and the vector
S=x+jy is a complex quantity. Therefore our vector S
Is referred to as “complex
plex power” or “apparent power”. It is most commonly written in this form:
Where P = VIcosθ and Q = VIsinθ are the active (or real) and reactive power quantities defined earlier.
Complex Exponentials
Using Euler’s law, we can represent our complex power vector as a complex exponential using the original polar
parameters:
The use of complex exponentials gives us an alternative way to think about complex power. We have seen that
the vector S rotates around the origin when we very the phase angle θ. The complex
omplex exponential is actually a
rotation operator used to rotate vectors around a circle in a two-dimensional
two dimensional space (there's a good explanation of
this at Better Explained. Therefore is a vector with magnitude VI rotated by angle P = θ.
In other words, complex power is a two-dimensional

two dimensional vector representation of AC power, which is more Page
amenable for manipulation than the time-domain
time function of AC power p(t). | 195
Apparent Power
In the previous section, we saw that complex power S is also
also called apparent power. However in practice,
apparent power is often used to refer to the magnitude of S, which is .
Electrical Submersible Pump
Contents
 2 ESP System Components | 196
o 2.1 Electric Submersible Pump
o 2.2 Surface Choke Panel
o 2.3 Junction Box
o 2.4 Variable Speed Drive / Soft Starter
o 2.5 Transformer
 3 References
Introduction
An electrical submersible pump is a type of electrically driven pump designed to be lowered directly into the
liquid to be pumped. It can be viewed as an artificial lift system which provides flexibility for various sizes and
flow capacities.
ESP System Components

The entire ESP system typically consists of a number of components, as shown in the figure below:
ESP System Topology (Centrilift example)
Electric Submersible Pump
The ESP string itself normally comprises the following sub-components:

Page
 Pump - the guts of the ESP string is typically a series of staged centrifugal pumps | 197
 Seal - the seal separates the pump from the motor, preventing pump fluid ingress into the motor and
establishing the point of shaft coupling between motor and pump.
 Motor - hermetically sealed induc on motor (typically 3-5kV)
 Power Cable - the motor power cable is typically a special type for ESP applications, connected to the
motor via plug and socket.
 Down hole sensor (or gauge) - measures intake flow, temperature and pressure. In Centrilift designs, the
data is transmitted digitally over the motor power cable.
Components of downhole electrical submersible pump

Surface Choke Panel
The surface choke panel is used where a downhole sensor is fitted on the ESP. It filters out the power signal from
the motor power cable and demodulates the digitally transmitted signal from the downhole sensor. An electronic
display shows the transmitted sensor data.
Page
Junction Box | 198
Junction box for connection of the surface power cable and downhole ESP cable
Variable Speed Drive / Soft Starter
Depending on the application, a variable speed drive or soft starter can be used. Variable speed drives can control
the pump flow rates if required. Soft starters are typically used when a constant flow is sufficient.
Transformer
Transformer converts line voltage to suitable voltage for variable speed drive / soft starter. This particular voltage
is somewhat subject to the whim of the manufacturer.
References
Refer to Baker Hughes Centrilift website for further information.
IP Rating
Contents
 2 Summary of IP Ratings | 199
 3 Examples
 4 Important Points from IEC 60529
Introduction
IP Rating refers to the International Protection or Ingress Protection of electrical enclosures, against the intrusion
of solid objects, water, dust and accidental contact to live parts, as defined by IEC 60529. The rating comprises
the letters "IP" followed by two numbers (and an optional letter), where the numbers and letters refer to
conformity to levels of protection.
The Wikipedia article gives a fairly detailed account of IP ratings. Therefore this page is only intended to be a
summary of the ratings and more importantly, highlight some key points from IEC 60529 that are commonly
overlooked.
Summary of IP Ratings
First Number (Protected against solids of
Level Second Number (Proection against water)
size:)
No protection against contact and ingress

0 Not protected
of objects
>50 mm - Any large surface of the body,

such as the back of a hand, but no Dripping water - Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no
1
protection against deliberate contact with harmful effect.
a body part
Dripping water when lted up to 15°- Vertically dripping water shall

2 >12.5 mm - Fingers or similar objects have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to
15° from its normal posi on.
Spraying water - Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from

3 >2.5 mm - Tools, thick wires, etc.
the vertical shall have no harmful effect.
Splashing water - Water splashing against the enclosure from any

4 >1 mm - Most wires, screws, etc.
direction shall have no harmful effect.
Dust protected - Ingress of dust is not
entirely prevented, but it must not enter
Water jets - Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure
5 in sufficient quantity to interfere with the
from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
satisfactory operation of the equipment;
complete protection against contact
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Powerful water jets - Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm
Dust tight - No ingress of dust; complete
6 nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no
protection against contact
harmful effects.
Immersion up to 1 m - Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not

7 N/A be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined
condi ons of pressure and me (up to 1 m of submersion).
Immersion beyond 1 m - The equipment is suitable for continuous

immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the
manufacturer. Normally, this will mean that the equipment is
8 N/A
hermetically sealed. However, with certain types of equipment, it can
mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that produces
no harmful effects.
Examples
An IP54 enclosure is dust protected (1st number = 5) and protected against splashing wayer (2nd number = 4).
An IP66/67 enclosure is dual protected, both for immersion up to 1m and powerful water jets. Note that it is not
always true that an enclosure with a single rating such as IP68 is suitable for use in lower IP environments, such
as IP66 (for more details, see the next section below).
Important Points from IEC 60529

Section 6 of IEC 60529 makes an important point about backward compliance of IP ratings for water protection,
as per the extract below:
"Up to and including second characteris c numeral 6, the designa on implies compliance with the requirements for all
lower characteristic numerals. However, the tests establishing compliance with any one of the lower degrees of protection
need not necessarily be carried out provided that these tests obviously would be met if applied.
An enclosure designated with second characteris c numeral 7 or 8 only is considered unsuitable for exposure to water jets
(designated by second characteris c numeral 5 or 6) and need not comply with requirements for numeral 5 or 6 unless it is
dual coded."
Infinite Bus
The infinite bus concept is a simplifying assumption that is applied to buses or nodes with an infinite upstream
fault capacity (or an equivalent upstream source impedance of zero). What this means is that the voltage at this
bus or node is always constant and any downstream disturbances do not affect the voltage. Obviously, there is no
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such thing as an infinite bus in practice, but it is a useful approximation to make when modelling a connection to
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a large utility or grid network (that is, large relative to the downstream system). Such large networks are
sometimes called "stiff" networks or systems.
Insulation Resistance Test

The insulation resistance (IR) test (also commonly known as a Megger) is a spot insulation test which uses an
applied DC voltage (typically either 250Vdc, 500Vdc or 1,000Vdc for low voltage equipment <600V and
2,500Vdc and 5,000Vdc for high voltage equipment) to measure insulation resistance in either kΩ, MΩ or GΩ.
The measured resistance is intended to indicate the condition of the insulation or dielectric between two
conductive parts, where the higher the resistance, the better the condition of the insulation. Ideally, the insulation
resistance would be infinite, but as no insulators are perfect, leakage currents through the dielectric will ensure
that a finite (though high) resistance value is measured.
Because IR testers are portable, the IR test is often used in the field as the final check of equipment insulation
and also to confirm the reliability of the circuit and that there are no leakage currents from unintended faults in
the wiring (e.g. a shorted connection would be obvious from the test results).
One of the advantages of the IR test is its non-destructive nature. DC voltages do not cause harmful and/or
cumulative effects on insulation materials and provided the voltage is below the breakdown voltage of the
insulation, does not deteriorate the insulation. IR test voltages are all well within the safe test voltage for most (if
not all) insulation materials.
Contents
 1 Test Equipment
 2 Test Procedure
 3 Interpretation of Test Results
 4 Factors Affecting Test Results
o 4.1 Temperature
o 4.2 Humidity
 5 Related Tests
 6 References
Test Equipment
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IR test set (courtesy of Megger)
The Megger company were the original manufacturers of IR test equipment over 100 years ago and have become
synonymous with insulation resistance testing. Most modern IR testers are digital, portable / handheld units and
some have multi-functional capabilities (e.g. built-in continuity testing).
Test Procedure
Firstly ensure that the equipment to be tested and the work area is safe, e.g. equipment is de-energized and
disconnected, all the relevant work permits have been approved and all locks / tags in place.
Next, discharge capacitances on the equipment (especially for HV equipment) with static discharge sticks or an
IR tester with automatic discharging capabilities.
The leads on the IR tester can then be connected to the conductive parts of the equipment. For example, for a
three-core and earth cable, the IR test would be applied between cores (Core 1 to Core 2, Core 1 to Core 3 and
Core 2 to Core 3) and between each core and earth. Similarly for three-phase motors, circuit breakers, switch-
disconnectors, etc the IR test can be applied at the equipment terminals (and earth connection).
Note that when applying an IR test to earth, it is good practice to connect the positive pole of the IR tester to
earth in order to avoid any polarization effects on the earth.
Once connected, the IR tester is energized for a typical test duration of 1 minute. The IR test measurements are
recorded after 1 minute.
When the IR test is finished, discharge capacitances again for a period of 4-5 times the test duration.
Interpretation of Test Results

The minimum values for IR tests vary depending on the type of equipment and the nominal voltage. They also
vary according to international standards. Some standards will define the minimum IR test values for the general
electrical installations.
For example, for low voltage installations in the IEC world, IEC 60364-6 [1] Table 6A gives the minimum IR
values and also suggests test voltage, i.e.
Insulation
Nominal Circuit Test Voltage
Resistance
Voltage (Vac) (Vdc)
(MΩ)
Extra low voltage 250 0.5 Page

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Up to 500V 500 1.0
Above 500V 1,000 1.0
In the ANSI/NEC world, the standard ANSI/NETA ATS-2009

ATS 2009 [2] provides test procedures and acceptance levels
for most types of electrical
lectrical equipment. Table 100.1 provides representative acceptance values for IR test
measurements, which should be used in the absence of any other guidance (from the manufacturer or other
standards):
Min Insulation
Nominal Equipment Min Test
Resistance
Voltage (Vac) Voltage (Vdc)
(MΩ)
250 500 25
600 1,000 100
1,000 1,000 100
2,500 1,000 500
5,000 2,500 1,000
8,000 2,500 2,000
15,000 2,500 5,000
25,000 5,000 20,000
34,500 and above 15,000 100,000
NFPA 70B [3] also provides some guidance on insulation resistance

resistance testing for different types of equipment.
Factors Affecting Test Results
There are two main factors that will affect IR test results:
Temperature
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Electrical resistance has an inverse exponential relationship with temperature, i.e. as temperature increases, | 204
resistance will decrease and vice versa. Since the minimum acceptable IR test values are based on a fixed
reference temperature (usually 20oC), the measured IR test values must be corrected to the reference temperature
in order to make sense of them.
As a rule of thumb, the resistance halves for every 10oC increase in temperature (and vice versa). So if the
measured IR test value was 2MΩ at 20oC, then it would be 1MΩ at 30oC or 4MΩ at 10oC.
ANSI/NETA ATS-2009 Table 100.14 provides correction factors for IR test measurements taken at temperatures
other than 20oC or 40oC, which were in turn based on the correction factors in the freely available Megger book
"A stitch in time..." [4].
Humidity
The presence (or lack) of moisture can also affect the IR test measurements, the higher the moisture content in
the air, the lower the IR test reading. If possible, IR tests should not be carried out in very humid atmospheres
(below the dew point). While there are no standard correction factors or guidance for humid conditions, it is good
practice to record the relative humidity of each IR test so that they can be used for baseline comparisons in future
tests. For example, having past data on the IR test values for dry and humid days will give you a foundation for
evaluating future test values.
Related Tests
For equipment maintenance, the Dielectric Absorption Test is normally performed in conjunction with the IR test
using the same testing equipment. The results are either in the form of a Dielectric Absorption Ratio (DAR) or a
Polarization Index (PI). Refer to the Dielectric Absorption Test article for more details.
References
 1. IEC 60364-6, "Low voltage electrical installa ons- Part 6: Verifica on", 2006
 2. ANSI/NETA ATS, "Standard for Acceptance Tes ng Specifications for Electrical Power Equipment and
Systems", 2009
 3. NFPA 70B, "Recommended Prac ce for Electrical Equipment Maintenance", 2010
 4. Megger, "A stitch in time - The Complete Guide to Electrical Insulation Testing", a free book which is an
excellent resource on IR testing
Load Redundancy
Load redundancy is the duplication of load equipment so that an alternative can be used
use in case one fails or needs
to be maintained. Redundancy is common in industrial plants where loads such as pumps, fans, compressors, etc
need to operate continuously. In order for there to be minimal plant downtime, these loads are replicated to
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ensure some redundancy.
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Most commonly, the use of duty and standby equipment ("A" and "B" loads) is used. In a scenario where the A/B
loads are 100% redundant, the equipment can be referred to as "2 x 100%", meaning that there are 2 equipment
items capable of delivering
vering 100% output each.
Other examples of redundant (and semi-redundant)

semi configurations:
 2 x 50% - 2 equipment items capable of delivering 50% output each. If one fails, then output is reduced to
50%.
 3 x 50% - 3 equipment items capable of delivering 50% output each. In this case, there is always one
equipment item out of service / on standby
 3 x 33% - 3 equipment items capable of delivering 33% output each. If one fails, then output is reduced to
66%.
Load factor
The load factor represents the operating / duty point of a load and is defined as the ratio of the absorbed power to
the rated power, i.e.
Where is the load factor (pu)
is the absorbed power of the load (kW)
is the rated power of the load (kW)

NEC Cable Types
The National Electricity Code (NEC or NFPA 70) includes a series of cable types for fixed wiring in Article
310.104. This page provides an outline of the cable types listed in the standard (based on NEC 2011 edition).
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List of Cable Types | 206
Cable Max Operating

Description Application
Type Temperatures (oC / oF)
Fluorinated etyhlene propylene (FEP)

90 / 194 FEP: dry and damp locations
FEP / FEPB Fluorinated etyhlene propylene with
200 / 392 FEPB: dry locations
braid (FEPB)
90 / 194 90oC: dry and wet locations

MI Mineral insulated (metal sheathed)
250 / 482 250oC: special applications
60oC: machine tool wiring in wet

60 / 140 Moisture, heat and oil resistant locations
MTW
90 / 194 thermoplastic 90oC: machine tool wiring in dry
locations
90 / 194 Perfluoro-alkoxy (PFA) 90oC: dry and damp locations

PFA /
200 / 392 Perfluoro-alkoxy, high temperature 200 and 250 oC: dry locations - special
PFAH
250 / 482 (PFAH) applications
RHH 90 / 194 Thermoset rubber, heat resistant Dry and damp locations
RHW / 75 / 167
Thermoset rubber, moisture resistant Dry and wet locations
RHW-2 90 / 194
90 / 194 90oC: dry and damp locations

SA Silicone rubber
200 / 392 200oC: special applications
SIS 90 / 194 Thermoset Switchboard wiring only
TBS 90 / 194 Thermoplastic with outer braid Switchboard wiring only
TFE 250 / 482 Extruded polytetrafluoroethylene Dry locations only

THHN 90 / 194 Thermoplastic, heat resistant, nylon Dry and damp locations
jacket outer sheath
75 / 167 Thermoplastic, heat and moisture 75oC: wet locations

THHW
90 / 194 resistant 90oC: dry locations
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THW - 75oC: wet loca ons 90oC: special
THW / 75 / 167 Thermoplastic, heat and moisture
applications (electric discharge lighting)
THW-2 90 / 194 resistant
THW-2 - dry and wet locations
THWN / 75 / 167 Thermoplastic, moisture and heat

Dry and wet locations
THWN-2 90 / 194 resistant, nylon jacket outer sheath
TW 60 / 140 Thermoplastic, moisture resistant Dry and wet locations
60 / 140 Dry and wet locations (see Article

UF Underground feeder and branch circuit
75 / 167 340.10 for provisions)
USE / USE- 75 / 167 Dry and wet loca ons (see Ar cle 338
Underground service entrance cable
2 90 / 194 for provisions)
XHH 90 / 194 XLPE, heat resistant Dry and damp locations
XHHW - 75oC: wet loca ons, 90oC: dry

XHHW / 75 / 167
XLPE, heat and moisture resistant and damp locations
XHHW-2 90 / 194
XHHW-2 - Dry and wet locations
90oC: dry and damp locations

90 / 194
Z Modified ethylene tetrafluoroethylene 150oC: dry locations (special
150 / 302
applications)
ZW - 75oC: wet loca ons, 90oC: dry

75 / 167
Modified ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, loca ons, 150oC: dry locations (special
ZW / ZW-2 90 / 194
moisture resistant applications)
150 / 302
ZW-2 - dry and wet locations
Partial Discharge
A partial discharge, as defined by IEC 60270, is a "localized electrical discharges that only partially bridge the
insulation between conductors and which can or cannot occur adjacent to conductors". In other words, it is a
partial breakdown in the insulation between two active conductors.
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Partial discharges can occur in any location where the local electrical field strength is sufficient to breakdown
that portion of the dielectric material (whether it be a deteriorated piece of insulation or an air cavity). The
discharges generally appear as pulses with a typical duration of less than 1us. While very short in duration, the
energy present in the discharge can interact with the surrounding dielectric material resulting in further insulation
degradation and eventually if left unchecked, insulation failure.
Partial Discharge Testing

Partial discharge testing can detect the presence and location of partial discharge activity in electrical equipment.
Suppose a piece of electrical equipment has a small air cavity in its insulation due to prolonged degradation and
the cavity is subject to partial discharge. We want to test for partial discharge and so we connect a set of coupling
capacitors in parallel to measure the charges caused by the partial discharge.
Partial discharge equivalent circuit with test circuit
The figure right shows a simplified equivalent circuit combined with a typical test circuit (as suggested in IEC
60270). The circuit elements are as follows:
 Vn is the voltage source

 Ci is the capacitance of the insulation system
 Cp is the capacitance of an air cavity in the insulation due to degradation
 Ci' is the capacitance of the rest of the insulation around the air cavity
 Ck is the capacitance of the coupling capacitor
 M is the measuring system hooked up in series
At some inception voltage, the electromagnetic field is strong enough to bridge the air cavity in the insulation
and a partial discharge occurs. After the breakdown of the air gap, the rest of the insulation around the cavity (Ci)
now sees the full voltage Vn and therefore the charge across Ci' increases.
This extra charge must be provided by all of the parallel capacitances around it (e.g. in this model Ci and Ck) or
the voltage source (though it is usually too slow to react). So in a typical situation, the capacitances Ci and Ck
discharge a short pulse into Ci' to provide the extra charge. However doing so reduces the voltage across all the
capacitances and the voltage source Vn reacts by charging all of the capacitances in the system (including the air
cavity) back to the normal voltage Vn.
Partial discharge testing is done by directly measuring the short pulse discharged into Ci' by the coupling
capacitor Ck. In the equivalent circuit, the measuring system is represented by a single box M, but in practice,
this includes the coupling device, connecting cables, measuring device, etc.
Now it's clear that any pulse measured by the measuring system is not the actual partial discharge, but an
apparent charge caused by the real partial discharge (i.e. because the coupling capacitor Ck has to help provide
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the extra charge for Ci'). It's not possible to directly measure the partial discharge, but the apparent charges can
| 209
be used to infer the level of partial discharge activity in the insulation system.
Test Circuit Calibration
Because only the apparent charges can be measured, it is important that the test circuit is properly calibrated.
During calibration, a pulse of known magnitude is delivered into the system to simulate a partial discharge. The
measuring system is then monitored to ensure that the test pulses are captured. The calibration process is done so
that pulses with magnitudes of interest (i.e. that will damage the system) are reliably captured. A scaling factor
can also be inferred based on the calibration tests.
References
1) IEC 60270 (2000) "High Voltage Test Techniques - Partial Discharge Measurements"
2) IEEE 400 (2001) "IEEE Guide for Field Tes ng and Evaluation of the Insulation of Shielded Power Cable Systems"
3) IEEE 1434 (2000) "IEEE Trial-Use Guide to the Measurement of Partial Discharges in Rotating Machinery"
Remote Earth
From Open Electrical
Jump to: navigation, search Page

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Remote earth is a concept used to describe the resistance between one point in earth and an arbitrarily distant
point (also in earth). The earth resistance between any two points typically increases proportional to the distance,
however there comes a point after which the earth resistance no longer increases appreciably. Any point greater
than this minimum distance is therefore referred to as remote earth.
For example, if the earth resistance is measured from a 10ft (~4.5m) earthing electrode, remote earth is typically
any point further than 25ft (~11.4m) away.
Subsea Power Cable
Contents
 2 Subsea Cable Design | 211
o 2.1 Power Conductors
o 2.2 Conductor Screen (for HV cables)
o 2.3 Insulation
o 2.4 Insulation Screen (for HV cables)
o 2.5 Water Blocking Tape
o 2.6 Conductor Sheath (for HV cables)
o 2.7 Anti-Corrosion Sheath
o 2.8 Filler
o 2.9 Binder Tape
o 2.10 Anti-Teredo Protection
o 2.11 Inner Sheath / Bedding
o 2.12 Armour
o 2.13 Outer Sheath / Serving
 3 Cable Design Considerations
o 3.1 Lay
o 3.2 Bottom Stability
o 3.3 Torque Balancing
o 3.4 Jacketed and Free-Flooded Designs
o 3.5 J-Tube Installation
 4 Fiber Optic Design
o 4.1 Slotted Core Design
o 4.2 Tube Design
 5 Installation
o 5.1 Site Survey
o 5.2 Cable Laying Vessel
o 5.3 Cable Laying
o 5.4 Seabed Obstructions
o 5.5 J-Tube / I-Tube Pull-in Operations
 6 Design Standards
 7 References
Introduction
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Composite subsea power and fiber optic cable
Subsea cables (or umbilicals) have been in use since the mid-19th century, initially for telegraphic
communications (including the pioneering 1858 transatlantic telegraph cable), and later for power transmission.
The development of subsea power cables has been primarily driven by the HV power transmission and offshore
oil and gas industries. One of the early major installations was a 138kV gas-filled cable run 25.3km from the
British Columbia mainland to Vancouver Island (183m water depth) in 1958.
Subsea cables for oil and gas applications are typically composites, comprising multiple components such as
HV/LV power cores, fiber optic bundles, hydraulic or instrument air hoses, etc. This article mainly deals with
composite HV power and fiber-optic communications cables in offshore oil and gas applications. For this reason,
the focus is on solid polymeric insulated cables, and oil-filled, gas-filled and paper insulated cables are not
discussed.
Subsea Cable Design

There are many ways to manufacture a cable, and there is no standard design to which all vendors will
necessarily adhere. However, composite subsea power and fibre optic cables will more or less be constructed
with a combination of the following typical components (listed below from the inside out).
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Power Conductors
Power conductors are typically high-conductivity stranded annealed copper. Actually this is a requirement of ISO
13628-5.
Conductor Screen (for HV cables)
The conductors are screened with an extruded semi-conducting tape to maintain a uniform electric field and
minimize electrostatic stresses.
Insulation
The conductor insulation for solid polymeric cables are normally thermosetting materials, eg. XLPE or EPR.
Insulation Screen (for HV cables)
The insulation screen is typically an extruded semi-conducting material and has a similar function as the
conductor screen (ie. control of the electric field).
Water Blocking Tape Page

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Usually a helically wrapped swelling tape that serves as a longitudinal water and moisture barrier for the
conductors
Conductor Sheath (for HV cables)
A conductive sheath / shield, typically of copper tape or sometimes lead alloy, is used to provide a path for fault
and leakage currents (sheaths are earthed at one cable end). Lead sheaths are heavier and potentially more
difficult to terminate than copper tape, but generally provide better earth fault capacity and water blocking.
Anti-Corrosion Sheath
A jacket over each insulated and sheathed conductor, typically of extruded polyethylene, is used to provide an
impermeable barrier against water for corrosion protection of the metallic conductor sheath. The anti-corrosion
sheath can also be extruded over the binder tape as opposed to over each individual conductor.
Filler
The interstices of the sub-bundle (ie. comprising power conductors, fibre optic bundle, hoses, etc) are normally
filled with a soft polymer material such as polypropylene string or polyethylene.
Binder Tape
The binder tape is applied helically over the sub-bundle (ie. comprising power conductors, fibre optic bundle,
hoses, etc) to “maintain stability after laying up of the sub-components” (ISO 13268-5 Clause 9.10).
Anti-Teredo Protection
One or more layers of copper or brass tape is applied over the taped bundle to protect against boring marine
organisms such as the teredo (shipworm), pholads (mollusc) and limnoria (crustacean).
Note that anti-teredo protection is not shown on the typical cable arrangement diagram above.
Inner Sheath / Bedding
An inner sheath, typically a polymer like polypropylene or polyethylene, is applied over the taped bundle for
“mechanical protection, bundle stability and to provide a bedding for the armour” (ISO 13268-5 Clause 9.11).
For armoured cables, the inner sheath is a requirement of ISO 13268-5.
Continuously extruded thermoplastic (eg. polyethylene) in lieu of roving is required for dynamic applications.
Armour
One or more helically wrapped layers of armour wiring, usually of galvanised steel, provides mechanical
protection and substantial weight for bottom stability. Cables that need to be torque balanced or require
acceptance of high tensile loading can comprise two layers of contra-helically armouring (ie. wrapped in
opposite directions). Contra-helical double wire armour cables cannot be coiled and it is necessary to use either a Page
turntable or a drum.
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Corrosion-resistant coatings can be applied on the steel wire armour to improve corrosion resistance
characteristics. Stainless steel is not typically used, in part because of the potential for low oxygen levels in water
(stainless steel depends on a self-repairing oxide coating for corrosion resistance).
Outer Sheath / Serving
Typically either a continuously extruded polymer sheath (such as polyethylene), or a covering of helically
applied string rovings (such as polypropylene yarn)
Continuously extruded thermoplastic (e.g. polyethylene) is required for dynamic applications.
Cable Design Considerations

Lay
The lay of a cable describes the manner in which the conductors, fibre optic bundles, hoses, tubes, etc in a cable
are laid in a helix to form the sub-bundle. The terminology arises from the manufacture of fibre and wire ropes.
Right hand lay refers to the strands appearing to turn in a clockwise direction, or like a right-hand thread, when
looking at the cable as it points away. Vice versa for left hand lay.
Choice in the direction of lay is important in the drumming operation, and the incorrect choice in both cable lay
and drum rotation can lead to torque build-up potentially causing spooling problems and damage to the cable.
Bottom Stability
Cables that are subject to movement on the seabed as a result of tidal currents face the prospect of abrasion
damage, and premature failure. The submerged cable must have sufficient weight to resist the maximum tidal
seabed currents expected, even under extreme storm conditions.
Calculations for bottom stability are typically performed to DNV RP E305, “On-Bottom Stability Design of
Submarine Pipelines”, and require metocean data from the prospective installation site.
Torque Balancing
“When a single wire armoured cable is suspended from the bow sheave of the laying vessel, a high proportion of
the tensile load is carried by the helically applied armour wires. This loading produces a torque in the armour
wires which, unless appropriate precautions are taken in the design of the cable, tends to cause the cable to twist
so that the lay of the armour wires straightens towards the axis of the cable, and thereby transfers strain to the
core(s).
The twisting action cannot pass backwards through the brakes of the cable laying gear to the cable yet to be laid,
nor forward to the cable already laid on the seabed. The twisting action therefore tends to concentrate in the
suspended cable between the bow sheave and the seabed. The problems become more severe with increasing
immersed weight per unit length and increasing depth of laying.
The twisting action can be nullified by applying a second layer of armour wires, which under tensile loading
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conditions produces an equal and opposite torque to that of the inner layer of wires.” [1].
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Jacketed and Free-Flooded Designs
In a jacketed design, an extruded sheath over the sub-bundle is used to form a pressure-restricted barrier
preventing water penetration into the sub-bundle / core. The jacket wall needs to be of sufficient thickness to
withstand the water pressure when immersed.
In a free-flooded design, water is free to migrate into the interstices of the sub-bundle and fill the internal voids
of the cable. In a free-flooded design, the individual sub-components (eg. conductors, fibre-optics, etc) will
require suitable water blocking tapes and jackets, which will likely increase weight and diameter. Also, subsea
termination of a free-flooded cable may be more difficult.
J-Tube Installation
For cables that are intended to be installed in J-tubes, consideration should be taken regarding the J-tube
diameter, radius of curvature and lead-in angle. The radius of the J-tube needs to be below the minimum bending
radii specified by the cable manufacturer. A smaller lead-in angle will aid in installation and pull-in. The
diameter of the J-tube needs to accommodate the cross-sectional area of the cable as it is pulled through.
Fibre Optic Design

Like the power conductors, there are several ways to design a fibre optic bundle. Two common methods for
packaging up fibres are as follows:
Slotted Core Design
Composite subsea power and fibre optic cable
The slotted core design consists of an extruded cylindrical slotted core, with the optical fibres set into the helical
slots. The fibres are usually encapsulated in gel for support and to prevent longitudinal water propagation if the
cable is severed.
Binder tape is helically wrapped around the core for protection and support. A metallic sheath provides
protection against water and gas, and an extruded polymer oversheath provides further mechanical protection and
a measure of corrosion protection.
Tube Design
In a tube design, the fibres are encapsulated in gel (for water ingress protection) inside a stainless steel tube (for
mechanical and strain protection). The tube is usually armoured, with an extruded polymer oversheath applied
over the armour.
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Installation | 217
There are a number of stages involved in the installation of a subsea cable, from site surveying to termination.
ISO 13628-5 Section 15 has a good outline of the requirements for the general cable installation operation. Refer
also to the paper by Hosseini et al [2], which gives a detailed account of a subsea cable installation in the South
Pars gas field (Persian Gulf).
Site Survey
A site survey is conducted pre-installation, with consideration to the following (largely summarized from ISO
13628-5):
 Surveillance of the planned cable lay route (using a side-scan sonar or ROV)
 Bathymetric sub-bottom profiler and side-scan sonar survey of the proposed route
 Confirmation of the position of seabed obstructions (pipelines, cable and other structures)
 Identifying the location of any debris along the proposed corridor and removing the debris (if possible)
before installation
 Identification of any deviations from the proposed route
 Survey the host facilities, including the J-tubes / I-tubes and the area for topside termination
 Deployment of temporary installation aids as necessary
 Deployment of transponders or beacons at critical positions (eg. subsea crossings)
 Longitudinal profile, seabed conditions and water depth along the proposed route length
Cable Laying Vessel
The cable laying vessel employed for composite subsea cable laying operations are selected to suit the
application. In general, there is little crossover between cable laying vessels designed for handling subsea
telecommunications cables and power cables. Features to consider when selecting a cable laying vessel (from
Electric Cables Handbook [1]):
 Suitable hold dimensions for the storage of cable coils, drums or a turntable
 Suitability of the deck layout for fitting cable handling equipment
 Overall dimensions including minimum operating draft
 Adequate maneuverability
 Navigational and communications equipment and facilities for fitting additional items as necessary
 Power supplies available for additional equipment
 Accommodation and messing facilities and space for fitting temporary additions if necessary
 Age and general condition of the vessel such that specially constructed items may be of use for future
operations
 Charter terms and conditions
ISO 13628-5 Section 15.2 outlines the requirements for the cable laying vessel and equipment, which shall
include:
 Communications facilities
 Navigation and position systems
 Lay chutes, of a size that will avoid infringement of the minimum bend radius of the umbilical
Page
 Conveyor systems to move the umbilical without the presence of uncontrolled spans or the possibility of
the umbilical coming into contact with surfaces other than those of the handling and storage systems | 218
 Cable engines
 Powered / unpowered sheaves
 Trenching / burial equipment
 ROV spread
 Diving spread
 Tension-measuring equipment to continuously monitor and record the tension to which the umbilical is
subjected (plus alarms).
 Length measuring system
 Departure angle measuring equipment to continuously monitor the angle at which the umbilical leaves
the vessel (plus alarms)
 Umbilical functional testing equipment
 Installation aids
 Device to cut the umbilical, and holding clamps, in case of emergency
Page
| 219
Maersk Defender Cable Laying Vessel
Cable Laying
The cable laying operation is typically scheduled during an adequate window of predicted favorable weather
conditions so that the full cable lay can be completed in one uninterrupted operation.
ISO 13628-5 Section 15.7 describes the mechanical handling requirements for the main cable lay, which is to
avoid:
 Introduction of excessive slack in the vicinity of the touch-down position, by virtue of low tension/large
departure angle, to preclude the possibility of loop formation
 Infringing the minimum bend radius at the touch-down point
 Introduction of large rates of twist into the umbilical, to reduce the probability of loop formation and
bird-caging
 Application of excess tension, which may overstress the umbilical
 Flexing the umbilical, close to the over boarding point, where catenaries loads are at their maximum, and
at the touch-down point for extended periods to exclude the likelihood of fatigue failures of the umbilical
structure
Laying tension, cable length, and departure angle are monitored and controlled throughout the laying operation.
Touch-down positions are visually monitored by ROV to verify that the cable is being laid within the proposed
corridor.
What not to do – A YouTube video of a subsea cable reel going out of control.
Seabed Obstructions
There may be a need for subsea cables to cross seabed obstructions, especially in areas that are congested with
subsea pipelines and other cables. Methods for subsea crossings of seabed obstructions include: Page
| 220
 Concrete mattresses to support cable over obstructions
 Use of protective cable sleeves (such as Uraduct) over the obstruction
J-Tube / I-Tube Pull-in Operations
The requirements for the installation of the subsea cable at the host facility through a J-tube / I-tube are described
in ISO 13628-5 Section 15.4. In summary, the process is typically as follows:
 Preparatory work, including review of installation calculations, pigging of the J-tube / I-tube and
installation of the messenger wire in the J-tube / I-tube
 Recovery of the messenger wire at the host facility and cable lay vessel
 Over boarding of cable pull-in head and vessel positioning to enable entry of cable into the J-tube / I-tube
bellmouth at correct angle
 Pulling-in of cable through J-tube and I-tube to relevant deck level
 Securing of cable on J-tube / I-tube, either with a permanent hang-off or a temporary fastening
arrangement (employed when time is critical and testing / cable lay is to proceed without additional
delays)
 Sealing of J-tube / I-tube (optional) for corrosion protection, along with chemical protection such as
chemical inhibitors, biocides and oxygen scavengers.
The termination of the cable to a topsides termination panel, or via an in-line splice, can be completed at any
time after the cable is secured with a permanent hang-off arrangement.
Design Standards
The following standards are relevant for the design and installation of subsea cables:
 ISO 13628-5, “Petroleum and natural gas industries – Design and operation of subsea production systems
– Part 5: Subsea umbilicals”
 DNV RP E305, “On-Bottom Stability Design of Submarine Pipelines”.
 IEC 60502, “Power Cables with Extruded Insula on and Their Accessories for Rated Voltages from 1 kV
(Um = 1,2 kV) up to 30 kV (Um = 36 kV) - Part 2: Cables for Rated Voltages from 6 kV (Um = 7,2 kV) and up
to 30 kV (Um = 36 kV)”
 CIGRE Electra No. 68 “Recommenda ons for Mechanical Tests on Submarine Cables”
 IEEE STD 1120, "IEEE Guide for the Planning, Design, Installa on and Repair of Submarine Power Cable
Systems"
References
1. McAllister, D. “Electric Cables Handbook”, Granada Publishing, 1982
2. Hosseini. M.K.A., Ramezzani, M. T. and Banae, M., “Submarine Cable Installation between Production Platform
and Satellite Wellhead Platform of South Pars Gas Field – Phase 1 in the Persian Gulf”, OCEANS ’04, IEEE,
November 2004
3. A wood, J.R., “Cable Design for Subsea Power Links”, IEEE Power Engineering Review, September 2000
Symmetrical Components
Symmetrical components is a mathematical method for representing an unbalanced set of phasors into three
decoupled (independent) sets of phasors - two balanced sets and a third set with identical phasors. The method
was originally developed in 1918 by Charles LeGeyt Fortescue and simplifies the analysis of unbalanced
Page
polyphase systems (e.g. commonly used for three-phase voltage, current and impedance phasors).
| 221
Wikipedia has a reasonably good exposition on symmetrical components, or for the original paper, click on the
reference link below.
References
1. Charles L. Fortescue, "Method of Symmetrical Co-Ordinates Applied to the Solution of Polyphase Networks".
Presented at the 34th annual convention of the AIEE (American Institute of Electrical Engineers) in Atlantic
City, N.J. on 28 July 1918
VSD Cable
The use of fast switching circuitry in variable speed (or frequency) drives result in output waveforms with higher
levels of harmonic components. These harmonics can cause:
Page
 High electromagnetic interference (EMI) - where the cable is the antenna and the radiated EMI from the
cable can induce voltages and currents on nearby cables and electrical equipment. This can especially be | 222
a problem when EMI causes noise and crosstalk in control and instrumentation cables.
 High earth currents - due to harmonics causing unbalances in the three-phase output. A portion of the
unbalanced currents return to the source (i.e. inverter) via the earth conductor.
Therefore, VSD cables often have the following special characteristics:
 Heavy duty screen - usually copper, applied over the entire cable bundle to reduce EMI
 Three earth conductors - located symmetrically in the cable cross-section so that the phase-to-earth
distance is identical for each phase, and the cable is "electrically balanced". Sometimes you'll see the
designa on "3C + 3E"- this isn't a mistake!
 Larger earth conductors - to further reduce the impedance of the earth conductor return path and
therefore reduce earth currents
 Robust insulation grades - such as XLPE is commonly used over PVC, so that the cable can better
withstand transient voltage spikes

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ELECTRICAL DESIGN

 About Open Electrical

Example of an electrical load schedule

Why do the calculation?

When to do the calculation?

 Step 1: Collect a list of the expected electrical loads in the facility

Step 1: Collect list of loads

Step 2: Collect electrical load parameters

Loads are typically classified as either normal, essential and critical:

Where is the consumed active load (kW)

is the consumed reactive load (kVAr)

is the absorbed load (kW)

is the load efficiency (pu)

is the load power factor (pu)

Step 5: Calculate operating, peak and design loads

Where is the operating

is the sum of all continuous loads (kW or kVAr)

is the sum of all intermittent loads (kW or kVAr)

Where is the peak load (kW or kVAr)

is the sum of all continuous loads (kW or kVAr)

is the sum of all intermittent loads (kW or kVAr)

is the sum of all standby loads (kW or kVAr)

is the largest standby load (kW or kVAr)

Where is the design load (kW or kVAr)

is the operating load (kW or kVAr)

is the sum of all standby loads (kW or kVAr)

is the largest standby load (kW or kVAr)

 2 x 100% vapor recovery compressors (process)

Step 2: Collect electrical load parameters

Load Description Abs. Load Rated Load PF Eff.

Vapour recovery compressor A 750kW 800kW 0.87 0.95

Vapour recovery compressor B 750kW 800kW 0.87 0.95

Recirculation pump A 31kW 37kW 0.83 0.86

Recirculation pump B 31kW 37kW 0.83 0.86

Sump pump 9kW 11kW 0.81 0.83

Firewater pump A 65kW 75kW 0.88 0.88

Firewater pump B 65kW 75kW 0.88 0.88

HVAC unit 80kW 90kW 0.85 0.9

AC UPS System 9kW 12kW 0.85 0.9

Normal lighting distribution board 7kW 10kW 0.8 0.9

Essential lighting distribution board 4kW 5kW 0.8 0.9

Load Description Rated Load Voltage Duty Criticality

Step 4: Calculate consumed load

Continuous Intermittent Standby

Step 5: Calculate operating, peak and design loads Page

Example of a load profile (using the autonomy method)

Why do the calculation?

When to do the calculation?

Example of a load proﬁle (using the 24 hour proﬁle method)

There are two distinct methods for constructing a load profile:

 Step 1: Prepare the load list

Step 1: Prepare the Load List

Calculating the Consumed Load VA

Where is the consumed load apparent power (VA)

is the consumed load power (W)

is the load power factor (pu)

is the load efficiency (pu)

Examples of load lists

Autonomy method 24 hour profile method