Forum Subscribe AboutUs Magazine Ieaues Newsletters Advertise Shop Q REGISTER | LOGIN sve | van | opranminenne | conser | sur | rowerquatty | traning | nae Products Switchgear Battery Sizing by Hand Sa Arefresher on how to size batteries sans software AS Aaron. Hall PE, CHM HL ne. | Ect Conduction and Manonance ort, 2008 Thole West: Howto Maxine the Bens Tw Ga] Sizing batery banks fr stage an contol apaestons comment performed using stare flgnd spec for that purpose. ot np the regard lod prea he progr select tht Sizing battery banks for switchgear and control applications is commonly performed using software designed specifically for that purpose, Just inp the required load profile, ‘and the program selects the optimum battery configuration. Althougl tis is quite simple, an engineer should be eapable of performing a straightforward hand calculation ~ e to confirm the results ofa software-gencrated solution or to serve as an accurate design fora simple battery system, ther Do you know how to perform these calculations by hand? If not, then read on. This article will help you understand the basic premise of sizing switchgear battery systems and provide an example calculation for clarification ofthe concept. IEEE Standard 485 "Recommended Practice fr Sizing Lead-Acta Batteries for Stationary Applications, provides detailed guidelines for battery sizing. Number of cells Battery banks for switchgear and control aplications are made up of many eels. These cells are typically wired in series to achieve a desired voltage and may also be wired in parallel to achieve additional ampere eapaciy. Sizing ofthese battery banks, therefore, includes selecting the number and type of ells to be usd. The terminal voltage per cel varies with the bettery’s chemical composition. The required ‘number of series wired cells to achieve the more common DC control voltages for switchgear control is shown in Table 1, Seletion of the type of ells based an the required peak ampere output and total Ampere-hour (Ah) output eapacity forthe load and duration. Load type IEEE Standard 485-1997 clasiies individual DC loads as continuous, non-continuous, ‘and momentary. Typieal eontinuots loads include lighting, continuously energized cals, oftraining ‘Hom wo does your company supper tecnica taining? le Code Compliance Good Desien? Tip ofthe Week: Take Proper Care of Your Test tnd MeureeanlEgupment Photo Galleries % Nine Sure Ways to Screw upa Switch i] om pees Join the Discussion on ECEM Formation o Studge inthe Engine Oi of lure im Doody i General ected Tall Disease ose) Wats wrongin this photo? « lure by chandler teal al lon Videos ECEM White Papers ‘now Your TCO: A Look at Medlum Vttage No coer ane tesueey ene VED} an ach ete oes, An bcos tray ao EC&M Webinarsand poster to protective relay and communications systems, Non-continuows loads are less common and include eitical ventilation system motors and valve aezutors with ‘operating times exceeding 1 minute. Momentary loads do not exceed 1 minute in duration and include inrush currents and cireuit breaker operations, The duty eyele imposed on switchgear batteries usually consists of momentary high ampere loading during charging of the respective tripping or closing springs, in addition to the small continuous load of powering protective relays and lights. ‘While both motors for charging the tripping or closing springs ean be DC, the more ‘common switchgear design uses an AC closing motor and a DC tripping motor. Such a design reduces the total DC load because tripping is of the utmost importance — particularly when a fault occurs. However, this only allows one ull operational cele following a power failure beeause there is no ACta charge the lasing spring, Sizing guidelines Since the momentary load on a switchgear battery bank is much higher then the continuous load, the required 1-minute (peak) ampere rate typically determines the battery cell type, However the Ampere-hour rate should also be checked. The battery cell, type that meets the worst-case condition between the two should be selected. These rates are tabulated in the manufacturer's standard literature at several inal voltages, Use the rates published ata final vllage of 1.75 volls-per-ell or lead acid cells or 114 volts-per-cell for nickel cadmium calls. As an example, the data in Table 2 on age 43 is excerpted from a manufacturer's Web site (The model designations are fietitious,) To caleulate the required 1-minute ampere rate, assume the peak rate tobe equal tothe ‘sum of the loads (ie. in-rush current for all breaker charging motors load currents forall relays and other loads, and ignore pilot lights) Although momentary loads usually exist for much less than & minute — perhaps only a fraction ofa second — itis common practice to use the full ampere value for an entire minute. Assign a required 1-minute rate equal to this peak rate divided by the ambient perature derating factor, the battery aging factor, and a design margin as listed in Table g on page 43. To caleulate the required Ampere-hour rate, compute the average continuous lad and divide by the ambient temperature-derating factor and battery-aging factor, as listed in Table 3, Use the manufacturer's data to select the battery cell type that meets both the ampere and Ampere-hout requirements ‘Sample calculation To use a hypothetical real-world example, calculate the battery size for the 69kV substation loads listed in Table 4. The battery type shall be lead acid, operate the given loads for 8 hours at 325VDC, and be housed in a climate-controlled building, ‘Step 1: Calculate the required 1-minute discharge rat. ‘As can be seen in Table 4, the peak discharge rate is 96.28. Divide this number by an ambient temperature factor of one fora 77°F room, by a 0.8 batery-aging factor, and by (0.85 forthe design margin. Required s-minute discharge rate = 96.2.4 + 0.8 + 0.85 = 14158 Step 2: Caleulate the required Ampere-hour (Ah) rate Asan be seen in Table g, the total Ampere hour rate is 27.1 Ah. Divide by an ambient temperature factor of one for a77°F room, and by # 0.8 batery-aging factor. Required total Ahrate = 27.1 Ah + 0.8 = 93.9 Ah ‘Step 4: Select the appropriate cell rom the manufacturers literature Referring back to Table 2,8 Model A battery has a 1-minnte discharge rate of 177A ané an ‘hour Ah rate of 180 Ah, down to..75V. This type of battery i, therefore, more than sufficient for this particular load. The 125VDC, 180 Ah battery bank would be composed of 60 Model A cells Back to basics Sete, ECEM TV Safty Program that (ON DEMAND: tigation Enhancing Personal Cable Cato a9. ECM Learning Center Understanding Volume te NEC, jas 20 to 880) ‘enanges to The NEC 2014‘So whether you're one of those people that refuses to trust a computer farther than you! can throw it — or you simply fee! more comfortable double checking calculations by hand — possessing the knowledge to size battery banks for switehgear the old-fashioned way is 1 good skill for any engineer to master. Not only wll you impress your peers, but youl also fel more confident about recommending a rock solid switchgear solution, Hall is an electrical engineer based inthe Las Vegas office of CH2M HILL, In. ‘Teble String together $7 individual Ni-Cad batteries in series to achieve a control voltage of| 38. Battery Type Control Voltage Ni-cad ‘Lead acid sve aeals geal sage oaeells oclis agove 184 cals 120 cals ‘Table 2 Ampere-hour and ampere rates forfour different battery models offered by one ‘manvfacturer Nominal Rates at 77°F (25°0) Final gygacie AMPETEHTOUrN CAR) Ampores (A) Vote fie gtr ghe age he 88min rr a ee ee) ws ee ee ee Ds aso a8 2h 5800 Toble 3. Design factors tobe used when calculating Ampore-hour eats for N-Cad ané load alum batteries. . . Battery Type erating Function NiCad Lead-Calcium ‘Ambient temperature re Lot not ak o7 067 oF os: 08 Battery aging factor os" oat Design margin oss ost Per IEEE Std. 485 recommended practice “Table g Pak discharge rat fra hypothetical 69kV substation load 125VDC Load Description Quantity Current (A) ‘Subtotal (A), {okV droit wiehers 2 150 wo ookvaubatton—g os to rely ‘skV vacuum breakers 9 70 63.0 os 6 kV avtcgear indicating lights "80" oo oo Total 96.28 ‘Tables Reqsited Amper-hour rt fora hypothe! 6 substation sd RHYME Loed Quanty —CarentCA) Moreh) Sabot (AD) goky deeuit 350 o.0i6* os Goh substation g oe ao ow rays avn og 70 os 10 Dreskers ‘Sion up to receive our re nowsletore Tran (eet View Sample Product Newaire- (Monty Vw Serle Escticatzone- (Heh) View Samat MRO Inslder = (2:H00Ky) Vow Sample Pa NewsBeat-(B:HeK View mination tsi -(@:Weeky) Vow Codetateh - (Hoots View Sample Bie (varies) View Sante Electrical Testing = (Mon) View ee ean coor Uiedae ‘ay re sot wh Pr ey Pty, Connect With Us