Scribd
Upload
67 views2 pages

Cable Sizing for Voltage Drop and Short Circuits

The document discusses cable sizing based on voltage drop and short circuit temperature rise. It states that cable sizing to meet a maximum specified voltage drop, such as 5%, selects the smallest cable that meets this criteria. It also explains that cable sizing for short circuit temperature rise calculates the minimum cable size needed to withstand the largest expected short circuit current without exceeding temperature limits, to prevent premature degradation.

Uploaded by

htetwin
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
67 views2 pages

Cable Sizing for Voltage Drop and Short Circuits

The document discusses cable sizing based on voltage drop and short circuit temperature rise. It states that cable sizing to meet a maximum specified voltage drop, such as 5%, selects the smallest cable that meets this criteria. It also explains that cable sizing for short circuit temperature rise calculates the minimum cable size needed to withstand the largest expected short circuit current without exceeding temperature limits, to prevent premature degradation.

Uploaded by

htetwin
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Cable Selection Based on Short Circuit Temperature Rise
  • Calculations for Cable Temperature Limits

For a single phase system:

Where V is the three phase or single phase voltage drop (V)


I is the nominal full load or starting current as applicable (A)
Rc is the ac resistance of the cable (Ohms/km or Ohms/ft)
Xc is the ac reactance of the cable (Ohms/km or Ohms/ft)
\cos\phi is the load power factor (pu)
L is the length of the cable (m or ft)
When sizing cables for voltage drop, a maximum voltage drop is specified,
and then the smallest cable size that meets the voltage drop constraint is
selected. For example, suppose a 5% maximum voltage drop is specified.
16mm2, 25mm2 and 35mm2 cables have calculated voltage drops of 6.4%,
4.6% and 3.2% respectively. The 25mm2cable is selected as it is the
smallest cable that fulfils the maximum voltage drop criteria of 5%.
Maximum voltage drops are typically 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, 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, in the range of 5 to 10% at full
load.

5. Cable Selection Based on Short Circuit


Temperature Rise
Note that short circuit temperature rise is not required for cable sizing to
NEC standards.
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. 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 area of the cable
increases, it can dissipate higher fault currents for a given temperature rise.
Therefore, cables should be sized to withstand the largest short circuit that it
is expected to see.
The minimum cable size due to short circuit temperature rise is typically
calculated with an equation of the form:

Where A is the minimum cross-sectional area of the cable (mm 2)


i is the prospective short circuit current (A)
t is the duration of the short circuit (s)
k is a short circuit temperature rise constant
The temperature rise constant is calculated based on the material properties
of the conductor and the initial and final conductor temperatures. IEC
60364-5-54 calculates it as follows:

For copper cables:

For aluminium cables:


Where \thetai and \thetaf are the initial and final conductor temperatures
respectively.
As a rough guide, the following temperatures are common for the different
insulation materials:

Material Max Operating Temperature oC Limiting Temperature oC


PVC 75 160
EPR 90 250
XLPE 90 250

For a single phase system: Where V is the three phase or single phase voltage drop (V) I is the nominal full load or starting
Therefore, cables should be sized to withstand the largest short circuit that it is expected to see. The minimum cable size d

You might also like