FUNDAMENTALS OF AND CONTROL Home > Short-Circuit Studies > ANSI Short-Circuit Study > Circuit Breaker Sizing Calculation: A Step-by-Step Guide Circuit Breaker Sizing Calculation: A Step-by-Step Guide & pacbasicsCircuit breaker sizing calculation for medium- and high-voltage circuit breakers basically involves two symmetrical current calculations, one for the first cycle duty and another for the interrupting duty. This guide presents a step-by-step approach. A sample calculation is provided in each step to reinforce learning. Don't want to go through the manual calculation process? Use our ‘Circuit Breaker Sizing Calculator’ instead. @x xhdz.orgCircuit Breaker Sizing Calculation: First Cycle Duty 1. Using the % cycle network impedances, construct the impedance diagram of the system. Refer to the impedance table presented here. Es tet { : coe | | Figure 1. 1/2 Cycle Impedance Diagram Note: The values presented in this example are overly simplified. Highlight is given to the calculation process instead, 2. Calculate the Thevenin’s equivalent impedance. ect 01m (J ny) ner ihe. os oasz 3 ross wm cana, QD ~~ Figure 2. Thevenin’n Equivalent Circuit Alternatively, you may use the equivalent impedance calculated using the separate X | networks. This approach is generally conservatiVe-v 3. Calculate the symmetrical RMS current using the following formula. 1 _ Vpre —fault ac,rms V3Zeq where Vpre-fautt is the line-to-line fault point voltage and is equal to the operating voltage under actual service conditions. 25000 = 5.669kA acrms ~ ¥3(2.546) *Note: The solution for the symmetrical RMS current is calculated from the actual voltage and ohmic value of the impedances. For more systems with two (2) or more voltage levels, use per unit approach. 4. Calculate the fault point X/R ratio using the separate X and R reduction process. Figure 3. Separate X and R Networks * _ 13.29 R713 5. Calculate the first cycle asymmetrical current multiplying factor using the follovy nt multiplying Tactor using the rollowing formula. 1 MFyeqk = V2 F +e a7] Tw MF yeqk = V2 [1 + e «329)| MF oak = 2.53 6. Calculate the first cycle asymmetrical peak current by applying MFpeak to the previously calculated symmetrical RMS current. lasym peak = MF peak Tac rms lasym peak = 2.53(5.67) = 14.3kA 7. Calculate the first cycle asymmetrical RMS current multiplying factor using the following formula. 20 ME ns = 1+ 2e &/®) 20 Mims = 1 + 2e (13.29)MFrms = 1.5 8. Calculate the first cycle asymmetrical rms current by applying MF,ms to the previously calculated symmetrical RMS current. Tasym ams = MFrns lacrms lasym peak = 1.5(5.67) = 8.5kA | fae | aad : & us Ia 25kV AN ig a la B et ashy = e | efap'\- | Thinking Pawar "a Short Circuit Analysis Using ETAP | IEC 60909 pacbasics onBus1 25 kV Bus2 25 kV elap Short Circuit Analysis Using ETAP | IEC 60909 pacbasics SSE DEORE e ae Learn More Rizo = 0.0802 X, = 0.1800 F CmaxYn alv Circuit Breaker Short-Circuit Duty Calculation | IEC60909 pacbasics Learn More Circuit Breaker Sizing Calculation: Interrupting Duty 1. Calculate the interrupting duty multiplying factor using the following formula. AMF; = MFrocat + NACD(MFremote — MFrocat) 2. Calculate the No AC Decay (NACD) using the tatio of the remote generators (if available) fault current contribution to the total available fault. NACD = Tremote Trotat In our example, the rem“ contribution to the f; comes from the utility-source. Using comIn our example, the remote contribution to the fault comes from the utility source. Using common circuit analysis technique such as current division and/or superposition theorem, the remote contribution can be easily calculated to be Ipemote = 4.952kA From this, we can calculate the NACD ratio. NACD = 4.952 _ 0.873 ~ 5.669 3. Calculate the remote multiplying factor using the X/R ratio at the fault point and a CPT of 2 cycles. _4n(CPT) MFrem tor =\V1+2e &/%) 4n(2) MFrem tot = V1+2e @329) = 1,141 Adjust MF for symmetrically rated circuit breaker. MF, ME om “sym = T tot > v |Verify circuit breaker rating structure. For totally rated circuit breakers use S = 7. For symmetrically rated circuit breakers use the S-factor indicated on the nameplate. If not available, use the S-factor provided in C37.010-1979. You can access this table here. In our example, we assume a symmetrically rated circuit breaker. With a CPT of 2 cycles, the S factor is equal to 1.2. 1.141 | MEem_sym =~ = 0.95 = 1.0 4. The local multiplying factor can be derived from the local curves provided in IEEE Std C37.5 for totally rated circuit breakers and IEEE Std C37.010 for symmetrically rated circuit breakers. In our example, the fault point X/R ratio was calculated to be 13.29. Selecting the multiplying factor for a CB interrupting time of 3 cycles (CPT = 2cycles), we get S-phase 8 porting bene ) = B3-phaso contact parting time (cycles ) ratio XR, 8 +— | 30 20 1329] S-phase faults ‘ ' 1 |) 12 13 14 15 16 1.09 MFigcal = 1.09 Again, adjust MF for symmetrically rated circuit breaker. MF, _ MFiocal _tot local _sym — S MFocal_sym =5. Calculate the AMF. AMF, = MF cet _sym + NACD(MFremote sym —MFiocat sym ) AMF; = 1.0 + 0.873(1.0 — 1.0) AMF, = 1.0 6. Calculate the circuit breaker interrupting duty using the following formula. Tinterrupting = AMF, * Vacrms Since reactances for % cycle and 1.5 - 4 cycle network are the same for both utility and generator, lacrms = lacrms = 5.669kA *Note: In calculating for the interrupting RMS symmetrical current, use reactances on the 1.5 ~ 4 cycle network. Iinterrupting = 1.0 * 5.669 Interrupting = 5.669KA That's it for circuit breaker sizing calculation. Share your insights by leaving a comment below.