FEATURE LV SWITCH - BOARDS DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND HIGHER When we trace back the history of Low Voltage (LY) distribution network in India, it can be observed that, til the recert past, the source transformer capacities were restricted to a maximum of 2MVA. Hence, the LV switchboards, a vital ink between the distribution transformer and the downstream loads in the electrical energy distribution network, were designed for a service current of ‘maximum 300A and a fault withstand capacity of maximum SOKA. (Over the years, industries have grown in size and plants have become more sophisticated, automated and complex. This has resulted in corresponding increase in the power requirement. It has also created the need for a reliable electrical distrivution network designed to take care of effects of higher currents. ‘This increased power requirement has necessitated development of sources (transformers for LV distribution) with higher capacity. Thus, the use of transformers with 2.5MVA rating and above has become a common practice. In addition to this, for ensuring reliable and continuous power supply, switchboards are traditionally fed trom more than one source. Ina nutshell, the increase in size and number of distribution transformers feeding the switchboards have necessitated uprating of the busbars and the incoming/buscoupler circuit FAULT CURRENT =C.D. Mehta ‘Switchgear Design & Product Development breaker of the main PCC. The switchboards, now, are required to be jpable of carrying higher continuous current and be also capable of withstanding increased fauit currents, A typical single line diagram of a distribution network is shown in Fig.1 The devices closest to the distribution transformer will generally be circuit breakers fed through duet / busbars, ‘Such devioas lie in the high fault level zones of the network To understand the requirements of the ‘equipment in the high fault zone, let us first look at the different types of faults. The commonly occurring faults Inan electrical network are > | Three phase faults | Two phase faults | Phase to earth faults ‘These faults can occur either due to an external shorting or due to arcing, ‘An arcing fault is much less in intensity than to the dead short circuit fault However, an arcing fault may eventually resuit into a short circuit between phases. The fault currentsare generally maximum for a three phase fault and henoe this fault current is considered while designing the busbar system and selecting the switchgear equipment. level is notmally taken as 16 times the full load current. This is of course an approximation based on transformer impedance. Appropriate correction factors will have to be Transtormer Rating ‘Typical Short Circuit Full Load Curent Current 1250 kVA, 28 KA 1739.4 1500 kVA, 33 KA 2087 A 2000 kVA 48 kA 2782.4 2500 kVA 56 KA 278A 3150 kVA 70 KA 4362 A ‘Typical fault levels and fill Toad currents Yor a 47S5V distribution system The value of this short circuit current depends primarily on the:- | Capacity of the supply source | Distance of the fault from the transformer | Source impedance | Motor contribution | Fault impedance ‘Three phase short citcuit current at the transformer terminals can be calculated as S = Transformer rating in KUA x 10° V, = System voltage Z_=% Impedance of transformer In LV systems, it is common to assume that the system is an infinite source and the only impedance limiting the fault current is the transformer impedance, Assuming 6.25% impedance for the distribution transformer (for the transformers of size 1250 KVA and above), the fault applied depending on the type and number of parallel sources, motor oad contribution, impedance of the connecting busbars / cables / busduct ‘tc, The short circuit current increases with the rating of the distribution transformer. (Ref. chart given above). It is clear that the short circuit performance of the switchgear is an important consideration while selecting the switchgear for any specific application. The prospective or the ‘maximum fauit current at the point of instalation will decide the breaking capacity and the short time withstand capacity requirement of the circut breakers and related devices in the installation. Type 2 co-rdination essential for reliable and sate operation of the switchgear also needs to be Verified at this higher fault level. The short time rating and the electrodynamic withstand strength of the busbars in the switchboards wil also depend on the fauit level of the system. ‘The main distribution board, due to its proximity to the distribution transformer, is required to be capable of withstanding much higher normal and fault currents. In addition to the transformer impedance, only the impedance of the short length of the ducts/eables limits the fault current in this case. With the upward shift in the transformer ratings, it has become a frequent requirement for the main PCCs to be suitable for a current rating of up to GO00A with a fault withstand capacity of up to BOkA. ‘Two factors should be taken care of in the switchboards for this high raling :- | Thermal etfect | Electrodynamic forces The heat loss in the busbars is proportional to the square of the current. If the fault current increases from 50kA to 80kA, the loss will increase to around 2.5 times. All this heat generated resuits in very high temperatura on the busbars during fault, due to its adiabatic nature ‘The electrodynamic forces, similar'y, are also proportional to the square of the current, However, in this case, the peak current will be the deciding factor. In case of fault current of more than 50 kA the power factor reduces from 0.25 to 0.2. This further increases the forces as the peak of the fault current 80 KA goes up. The busbar system will have to bbe supported properly to withstand these high forces. Another important point to note is that these forces are of impact nature and they tend to severely stress the supportingInstantaneous Current (kA) 105/2 10512 522-522 532-5312 commit [I 00 00D YU — —- + —> —> ——> — Instantaneous Force (kN) 23 126 72 34 12 15 Instantaneous Current (kA) 10812 = 8212 -832 1082 -522 - 8312 moe [0D YO) 00 00) Qu — <— «<_— — 1 <— Instantaneous Force (KN) 39 39 18 19 40 02 The figures are with SOKA taut with 105KA peak on the R phase Fig. 2 structure. Hence, the material of the supports will have to be strong enough to withstand the impact forces. All this calls for a thorough design consideration in case of the busbar system. The sub-distribution boards are generally placed nearer to the load, away from the main PCC. The length of the cables or busduct connections between the main PCC and the sub-distribution board is relatively great. This helps in reducing the fault currents at the sub distribution board permitting use of busbars and devices of lower short circuit withstand capacity. It may be noted that a 100kA fault at the PCC can get reduced to 53kA level at the end of a 20m long copper cable of 120 sq.mmm. ‘The conventional way of meeting the requirement of higher continuous current capacity is to provide higher cross section by increasing the number of flats for the busbars or Increasing the size of the busbars assuming that the current density remains constant. But in reality, Increase in cross section does not give the required current rating proportionately. Higher currents result in non-uniform current distribution in the busbars (due to skin effect and proximity effect). This consequently results into high powor/energy losses, higher voltage drops, high temperature tise and very high and non-uniform electrodynamic forces, It Is proved that the interleaved busbar system is best suited for the requirements of higher fault levels and higher currents. It results in more uniform distribution of the current thereby reducing the losses and the short circuit forces. ‘A mathematical calcultation was carried out considering a three phase busbar system where a SOKA RMS fault where the peak is 105kA on the R phase. Results of the ‘experiment are shown in Fig.2. As wo observe, the electrodynamic forces, In case of the conventionally arranged busbar system (R-R-Y-Y-B- B) are as high as 12.6kN. Whereas, in case of the interleaved busbar system (R-Y-B-R-Y.B), the maximum force experienced by the busbars is 4 KN. Conelusion With the present trend of using high capacity transformers, LV switchboards, including horizontal and vertical busbars, must be designed to withstand higher fault currents viz. 80kA. The same system should also be able to carry current as high as 6000A continuously