■ PERMISSIBLE CURRENT AND CONDUCTOR HEATING

Introduction ■ CALCULATION OF THEORETICAL PERMISSIBLE CURRENT,

Heat produced : AS PER STANDARD IEC 287 FOR A SINGLE-CONDUCTOR
- by the ambient environment,
- in conductors by the Joule effect,
CABLE WITH A LARGE CROSS-SECTION
- in the insulation and metal covering if the cable is supplied with AC power,
goes through the different layers of the cable by conduction and is evacuated to For a conductor where: D e
the outside : d = diameter of core d
- by convection and radiation if the cable is exposed to the air,
- by conduction if the cable is in contact with other elements. D = outside diameter
When, at the same time, the sum of the heat loss produced is equal to the heat e = wall thickness of insulator
dissipated into the environment, there is an equilibrium and the temperature of I
= theoretical permissible current
the core remains constant. This constant value should not exceed a value (current that will heat the core
determined by the resistance of the insulation and, where applicable, by the up to temperature
)
resistance of the other constituent materials, to ensure that the cable has a normal
service life. 
= rise in temperature,
The steady state maximum permissible current is the current value which, in a in relation to ambient temperature
given environment, heats the conductor core to the maximum permissible value. =
-
ambient
R = linear resistance at given temperature
T1 = thermal resistance between core and sheath
T4 = thermal resistance between insulator and outside
■ PERMISSIBLE CURRENTS IN CONDUCTORS FOR ANY INSULATED T = thermal resistivity of insulator
SINGLE-CONDUCTOR CABLE WITH A SMALL CROSS-SECTION
Table I below indicates the maximum permissible currents for the most common
cross-sections and the main metals used for the stranding of cores. we obtain the formula:
These values are expressed in amps and correspond to the maximum permissible 

-
ambiant
heating of the metal, as indicated in the table. This is obviously based on the I
= =
assumption that the insulator used is compatible with this temperature. R (T1 + T4) Ro 冤1 + 20 (
-20)冥 (T1 + T4)
N.B. : these values are given for an ambient temperature of 40oC ; for higher T 2e
ambient temperatures, use the correction factors given in the table below where T1 = ln 冤1 + 冥
(multiply the value at 40 oC by the correction coefficient). 2 d
1 Z
and T4 = where h = +E
 D h (
s) 1/4 (D)g

TABLE I - Permissible currents (ambient temperature 40 oC) (
s)1/4 is determined by the following method of repetition:

冤 冥
Maximum 
1/4
(
s)1/4 =
permissible 180 oC 200 oC 250 oC 450 oC 450 oC n+1 1 + dhT1 (
s)1/4
temperature n

Red or tinned Silver-plated Nickel-plated Nickel-plated Nickel core take (
s)1/4 = 2, then repeat until (
s)1/4 - (
s)1/4 0,001
Cross-section n+1 n
copper core copper core copper core class 2 copper core class 200
mm2
NF C 31-111 NF C 31-111 ASTM B 355 27 ASTM B 355 ASTM B 160

0.5 11.1 12.4 14.4 16.5 7.7 Z, g and E being determined according to the fitting conditions
0.75 14.6 16.3 18.8 21.5 10.1 (see table below)
1 17.8 19.8 22.7 26.0 12.1
1.5 23.4 26.0 29.5 33.8 15.8
Values of Z, E and g depending on fitting conditions
2.5 33.0 36.7 41.2 47.2 22.1
4 45.4 50.4 56.0 64.1 30.0 Installation Z E g Diagram
6 59.7 66.3 72.9 83.5 39.1
1 cable attached to a vertical
1.69 0.63 0.25
wall
3 cables fitted in a cloverleaf,
TABLE II - Correction factors 0.94 0.79 0.20
attached to a vertical wall
Ambient temperature
Installation on non-continuous brackets, stands or flanges
o
C o
F 180 oC 200 oC 250 oC 450 oC
1 single cable 0.21 3.94 0.60
141-150 106-122 0.96 0.97 0.98 0.99
151-160 124-140 0.91 0.94 0.95 0.99
2 horizontal joined cabled 0.29 2.35 0.50
161-170 142-158 0.87 0.90 0.93 0.96
171-180 160-176 0.81 0.87 0.90 0.95
2 vertical joined cables 1.42 0.86 0.25
181-190 177-194 0.77 0.83 0.87 0.93
191-100 195-212 0.65 0.72 0.85 0.92
3 horizontal joined cables 0.62 1.95 0.25
101-120 213-248 0.62 0.71 0.79 0.89
121-140 249-284 0.50 0.61 0.71 0.86
3 vertical joined cables 1.61 0.42 0.20
141-160 285-320 0.35 0.50 0.65 0.84
161-180 321-356 _ 0.35 0.58 0.81
3 cables fitted in a cloverleaf 0.96 1.25 0.20
181-200 357-392 _ _ 0.49 0.78
201-225 393-437 _ _ 0.35 0.74
226-250 439-482 _ _ _ 0.69
251-275 483-527 _ _ _ 0.65
276-300 528-572 _ _ _ 0.60
301-325 573-617 _ _ _ 0.55 The values indicated in the tables or curves opposite, or obtained by calculation
326-350 618-662 _ _ _ 0.49 are approximate and theoretical.
351-375 663-707 _ _ _ 0.42 They must only be used as a rough guide, or as the starting point for a more in-
376-400 708-752 _ _ _ 0.34 depth experiment plan.
Indeed, these values can vary considerably according to the core stranding, type
Example: permissible current of a conductor of 0.75 mm2 with tinned copper core: of insulator, number of conductors, environmental conditions, fitting conditions,
- at ambient temperature 40 oC: 14.6 A etc.

T - at ambient temperature 100 oC: 0.65 x 14.6 A = 9.49 A Our technical services are ready to provide you with more in-depth engineering
surveys.

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■ PERMISSIBLE CURRENT AND CONDUCTOR HEATING (continued)

■ PERMISSIBLE CURRENT CURVES IN SILICOUL CABLES OF 1.1 kV, 3.7 kV, 6.6 kV and 13.8 kV
(cross-section of over 10 mm2)

Calculation assumptions:
앫 SILICOUL® cable (refer to technical specifications on pages 28, 29, 30, 31)
앫 Tinned copper core
SILICOUL® 1.1 kV and 3.7 kV
앫 180 oC class insulator (class H)
앫 Cross-section 암 10 mm2 SILICOUL® 6.6 kV and 13.8 kV
앫 Cable laid under flanges, in the open air, without any external protection (sleeve,
sheath, etc.)
앫 Insulated cable (no other cables in the immediate vicinity)
앫 Adequate heat dispersion and ventilation
앫 No heat source in the immediate vicinity. Permissible current SILICOUL ®

1100 300 mm2

1000 300 mm2

240 mm2

900
240 mm2
185 mm2

800
150 mm2
185 mm2
Permissible current (A)

150 mm2
700
120 mm2

120 mm2

600 95 mm2

95 mm2

70 mm2
500

70 mm2

400 50 mm2

50 mm2

35 mm2
300
35 mm2

25 mm2

25 mm2

200
16 mm2
16 mm2

10 mm2
10 mm2
100

0
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 T
Ambiant temperature (oC)

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division principale
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