28/1010 Electrical Power Engineering Reference & Applications Handbook

effective current-carrying capacity is the result of the

cumulative effect of the restricted heat dissipation and
the increased content of the skin effect. A stage may
arise when further addition of any more bars may not
appreciably increase the overall current-carrying capacity
of such a system. Referring to Tables 30.4 and 30.5, we
can observe a wide variation in the current-carrying
capacity of a conductor when it is added to an existing
system of one, two or three conductors per phase,
depending upon the thickness and width of the conductors.
Thinner sections of shorter widths provide better metal
utilization, compared to a thicker section and larger widths.
Use of bars up to four sections per phase is quite common
for higher current systems (2500 A3200 A). For still
higher current ratings, use of more than four bars in
parallel is not advisable due to an extremely low utilization
of metal, particularly in larger sections. While larger
sections would be imperative for such large ratings, their
own rating would fall to a low of 1418% of their normal
current capacity. (See Table 30.5 for larger sections,
providing current ratings up to six bars in parallel.) In
such cases it is advisable to arrange the bars in any other
convenient configuration than in parallel, as illustrated
in Figure 28.14 or to use tubular or channel sections
which form into hollow conductors and the current flows
through their annulus (skin) optimizing the metal
utilization.
28.7.2 Determining the skin effect
As a result of the electric field around the conductors the
frequency of the system has a very significant bearing
on the skin effect. The various curves as established
through experiments and, as reproduced in Figures 28.13
(a), (b) and (c) respectively for rectangular, tubular and
channel conductors, are thus drawn on the /
dc
basis.
At 50 Hz, the value of the skin effect,
ac
/
dc
, can be
read directly from these curves, as the curves for different
cross-sectional areas and conductivity, at 50 Hz, have
also been drawn in the lower part of the figure.
At 60 Hz the skin effect ratio can be read corresponding
to
60
50
or 1.095
1
dc dc

One will notice that lower the rating or conductor cross-
section, lower is the effect of frequency on skin effect
ratio (
ac
/
dc
). Accordingly, in smaller sections nearly
the same ratings of conductors can be assumed at 60 Hz
as for 50 Hz system without much error. But as the rating
or the cross-section of the conductor increases so increases
1 2 3 4 5 6
1
2
3
4
5
6
2.0
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.1
10
1.0
1.0
0
20
27.24
30
40
50
60
1.2
10 40 60 80 100 120 140
S
k
i
n

e
f
f
e
c
t

r
a
t
i
o

R
a
c
/
R
d
c
C
r
o
s
s
-
s
e
c
t
i
o
n
a
l

a
r
e
a
o
f

b
u
s
b
a
r
s

(
s
q
.
c
m
)

= 0.15

= 0.12

= 0.10

= 0.08

= 0.06

= 0.04

= 0.01
Indal D 50 SWP at 85 C
Indal CISM at 85 C
Indal D 50 SWP at 20 C
Indal CISM at 20 C
Copper at 85 C
Copper at 20 C
1. The lower curves apply for = 50 Hz only. For
other frequencies /
dc
must be calculated
by multiplying these values by

50
2. Small variation is possible while drawing these
curves
Figure 28.13(b) Skin effect in isolated tubular conductors

=
/ ( = /1000 m)
dc dc
W