14/7/2016 Cable size calculation

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Cable size calculation

Keywords
cable size, cable size calculation, voltage drop, shor-circuit, protective device rating, overload protection

Abstract
A practical example of cable size calculation along with the methodology and the steps required with reference

In this practical example we are going to calculate the size of a cable and outline the calculation
steps and methodology according to BS 7671.

Methodology outline
1. Select cable type and installation method
2. Check overload protection ﴾if required﴿
3. Calculate design current Ib
4. Select protective device rating
5. Establish:
Ca

Cg

Ci and Cf ﴾where applicable﴿

6. Calculate
7. Check:
Voltage drop
Size for short-circuit
Size for disconnection times

8. Determine cable size

Requirements, data
A 50kW, 3 phase load at 0.8 power factor.
The load is to be supplied by a NYY cable running on a perforated cable tray for 50m, together with 6 other similar cable
Overload protection is to be provided by a MCCB. Zc is given as 0.15 Ohms.
It is assumed that the grouped cables may be subject to simultaneous overload ﴾note however that this is very unlikeley﴿
VI=400V

Solution, Step1, Set Low Voltage network parameters

The parameters of low-voltage are defined in the image below

The first parameter is the phase-to-phase voltage and is set to 400V

Solution, Step2, Define load properties, Calculate design curren

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14/7/2016 Cable size calculation
In the main switchboard add a new circuit that supplay the load e.g Air-Handling Unit with the following properties
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Ib is calculated using the formula:
 

    Welcome kW
Ib= ×1000 ﴾amps﴿
    HeatingDesign √3 VI × pf
    ElectricalDesign
    Welcome where:
    Introducing, license
    Getting started Ib is the design current of the circuit
    Projects
Vl is the line voltage
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    Reference pf is the power factor cos θ
    Examples
kW is the load power in kilowatts
    Cable size calculation
    Table: Gross cross-sectional area of armour wires for two-core, three-core and fourcore
 
    UValueCalculator
hence,

50
Ib= = 90.2 A
√3 × 400 × 0.8

Step3, Selection of cable type and installation method, Establish

1 Selection of cable type and installation method

From the combo box on the left-top select a power cable type E1VV with PVC insulation and copper conductors.

Ca is the correction factor for ambient temperature.

Since no ambient temperature is given ﴾as is typically the case﴿ we will assume an ambient temperature of 30°C. This is high

Hence from Table 4B1 of BS 7671: 2008 Ca = 1

Cg is correction factor for grouping ﴾Table 4C of BS 7671: 2008﴿

From Table 4C1 for a group of 7 cables single layer multicore on a perforated cable tray, Cg = 0.73

Ci is correction factor for conductors surrounded by thermal insulation.

The cables are not surrounded by insulation so Ci =1

Cc is a correction factor for the installation conditions ﴾Table 4B3﴿ and for use when overload protection is being provided b
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14/7/2016 Cable size calculation
0.725 for semi-enclosed fuses to BS 3036.

The fuse is BS 88 and the cable is not laid underground in this section of the cable route so Cc = 1

Step4, Select type of overcurrent device

Step5, Select protective device rating

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Step6, Select protective device rating

Where overload protection is required:

In ≥ Ib

where:

Ib is the design current of the circuit

In is the nominal current or current setting of the protective device

The smallest protective device greater than 90.2 A is a 100 A overcurrent device BS 88 fuse; thus In = 100 A.

2 Check if overload is required

As the cable is grouped with 6 other similar cables overload protection is required.

6 Calculate
In 100
It ≥ and hence, It ≥ ≥ 137 A.
Ca Cg Ci Cc 1 × 0.73 × 1 × 1

7 Check
7.1 Check voltage drop

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14/7/2016 Cable size calculation

Manual calculations of Ct can be tedious. The following graph provides a quick and convenient way of avoiding them. The g
applied to all cables under 16 mm² and to the tabulated resistive component, ﴾mV/A/m﴿r, for larger cables. The graph is acc
portion, Cg, Ci and Cc are = 1. Thus, from the graph we get a reduction factor ﴾equivalent to Ct﴿ of 0.9; this is the same as th

Reduction factors for thermoplastic cables ﴾PVC﴿

The fault current ﴾in this case an earth fault current﴿ is fi rst calculated using the earth fault loop impedance. Strictly speakin
downstream ends of the cable but for illustration purposes, both will be carried out here ﴾often a high loop impedance and

At distribution board outgoing terminals assuming a fault

U0
If=
Ze

Note that Ze here is the earth fault loop impedance at the distribution board, in our simplifi ed example it is also the extern

230
If= = 1533 amps,
0.15

and from graph Figure 3.3B of BS 7671: 2008, disconnection time, t = 0.1 seconds. Note this fi gure would be lower if the B
disconnection time would be 0.04 seconds, but we will proceed with 0.1 seconds. k from Table 54.4 is 51.

At load assuming a fault:

U0
If=
Zs

Note Zs here is the total earth fault loop impedance at the load end of the radial circuit. Using Table 4.5 of Appendix 4 of th
loop impedance is:

R1 + R2 ﴾ohms per km﴿ × L 2.19 × 100

= = 0.219 ohms
1000 1000

Total ELI, Zs = Ze + ﴾R1 + R2 ﴿ = 0.15 + 0.219 = 0.369 ohms.

230
If= = 623 amps,
0.369

and from graph Figure 3.3B of BS 7671: 2008, disconnection time, t = 2.8 seconds.

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14/7/2016 Cable size calculation
From Table 10.1, it can be seen that a 50 mm² 4-core armoured cable, the csa of the armouring is 122 mm².

﴾i﴿ Size using Table 54.7, then

k1 S
Minimum area of protective conductor ≥ ×
k2 2

from Table 54.2 of BS 7671: 2008

115 70
Minimum area of protective conductor ≥ × ≥ 78.9 mm²
51 2

TiSoft, 2016-04-19 06:26:15

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