A case study of fault level calculations for a MV/LV

network using direct method

electrical-engineering-portal.com/fault-level-calculation-direct-method-case-study

By Sivakumar K July 19, 2020

Step-by-step fault level calculations

This technical article represents the case study of fault level calculations for an MV/LV
network using the direct method. There are many advantages of the direct approach, and the
main of them is that it directly uses the system single line diagram, equipment data, and
basic electrical equations.

A case study of fault level calculations for a MV/LV network using direct method (photo credit: Portastor
via Flickr)

It’s worth mentioning that the direct method of fault level calculations is more
straightforward to comprehend than the per-unit method.

For a start, it’s important to prepare a single line diagram of the electrical power supply and
distribution network, clearly indicating all the significant network elements (power supply
sources, transformers, electric motors, etc.), fault current contributors, short circuit
protective devices, etc.

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Let’s now describe the network components for which we will calculate the fault
levels:

1. The 11kV incoming terminals (source fault current)

2. The auxiliary transformer’s 11kV terminals
3. The 6.6kV switchgear bus
4. The service transformer’s 6.6kV terminals
5. The 415V PCC panel bus
6. The 415V MCC panel bus
7. Motor contribution (510kW motor, PF=0.8; eff=85%) at the 6.6kV switchgear bus,
assuming that:
1. Only one motor in operation
2. Both motors in operation
8. Motor contribution (110kW motors; IrM = 193.23A) at the 415V PCC panel, assuming
five such motors are in operation.

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Single line diagram of a network for which faults are calculated

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Since an article is quite long, it is divided into four parts. The first part will deal with the
calculation of resistances, reactances, and impedances on various network points through
fifteen steps. The second part is a table where all these values are nicely summarized. The
third part presents a summary of fault current calculation formulae and its value for each of
the six network points explained above.

Finally, the fourth part of this article investigates the motor contribution to the overall fault
at the 6.6kV switchgear bus and the LV PCC bus.

Table of contents:

Calculation steps:

Calculation Step #1
11kV source:
The 11kV Source Fault Level is not known. Vide Clause 3.2.2.4 of IS 2026-Part 5: “The
short-circuit apparent power of the system at the transformer location shall be specified by
the purchaser in his enquiry in order to obtain the value for the symmetrical short-circuit
current to be used for the design and the tests. If the short-circuit level is not specified the
value given in Table 2 shall be used.”

And vide Table 2 of IS 2026-Part 5, for 11kV system, short circuit apparent power of the
system is mentioned as 500MVA.

Table 2 – Short Circuit Apparent Power of the System

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 Table 2 – Short Circuit Apparent Power of the System

Vide Clause 8.3.2.1 of IEC 60909-Part 0, “If a short circuit is fed from a network in which
only the initial symmetrical short-circuit power (S”kQ) or the initial symmetrical
short-circuit current I”kQ at the feeder connection point Q is known, then the
equivalent impedance ZQ of the network (positive-sequence short-circuit impedance) at
the feeder connection point Q should be determined by:

In our case, this would be:

Vide Clause 8.3.2.1 of IEC 60909-Part 0, “In the case of high-voltage feeders with nominal
voltages above 35 kV fed by overhead lines, the equivalent impedance ZQ may be considered

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as a reactance, (i.e.) ZQ = 0 + jXQ. In other cases, if no accurate value is known for the
resistance RQ of network feeders, one may substitute RQ = 0.1 XQ where XQ = 0.995 ZQ”.
Vide the above, in our case:

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #2
11kV Cable from 11kV source to the auxiliary transformer (C1)
The cable size given is 350 m of 1R × 1C x 400 mm2 Aluminium Cable per phase (XLPE Cable
Assumed).

The resistance of 1C × 400 mm2 XLPE Aluminium Cable is 0.1023 Ω per km @ 90°C (vide a
leading cable manufacturer’s data sheet). In our case, the cable length is given as 350m.
Hence, the cable resistance will be: 0.1023 × 0.35 = 0.035805 Ω. The reactance of 1C ×
400 mm2 XLPE Aluminium Cable is 0.0873 Ω per km (vide a leading cable manufacturer’s
data sheet).
In our case, the cable length is given as 350m. Hence, the cable reactance will be: 0.0873 ×
0.35 = 0.030555 Ω. The cable impedance will be:

√ [(0.035805)2 + (0.030555)2] = 0.047070 Ω

Cable from 11kV source to the auxiliary transformer (C1)

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #3
11kV Source + 11kV cable

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Now, the 11kV source resistance and reactance has to be added with the 11kV cable resistance
and reactance respectively to arrive at the combined impedance at the 11kV/6.9kV
transformer’s HV terminals.

11kV Source + 11kV cable

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #4
Conversion of 11kV impedances to the 6.9kV side
Vide Clause 8.4 of IEC 60909-Part 0:

1. “When calculating short-circuit currents in systems with different voltage levels, it is

necessary to convert impedances, currents and voltages from one level to the other”,
and
2. “The impedances of the equipment in superimposed or subordinated networks are to
be divided or multiplied by the square of the rated transformation ratio (t) or in special
cases by the square of the transformation ratio (t), corresponding to the actual position
if it is known”.

And vide Clause 8.3.2.1 of IEC 60909-Part 0:

“If a short circuit is fed by a transformer from a medium or high-voltage network in which
only the initial symmetrical short-circuit power S”kQ or the initial symmetrical
short-circuit current I”kQ at the feeder connection point Q is known, then the equivalent
impedance ZQ, referred to the low-voltage side of the transformer may be determined by:

(tr = 11000/6900 = 1.5942; 1/tr is 0.6273; 1/ tr2 is 0.3935)

In our case, this is:

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Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #5
11kV/6.9kV 7.5MVA transformer (T1) impedance
Vide Clause 8.3.2.2 of IEC 60909-Part 0: “The positive-sequence short-circuit impedances of
two-winding transformers ZT = RT + jXT can be calculated from the rated transformer data
as follows:

In our case, this will be:

Go back to Contents Table ↑

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Calculation Step #6
Sum of 11kV reflected impedance and T1 impedance

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #7
Busbar connection from the 11kV/6.9kV transformer’s LV terminals to the 6.9kV panel
The connection from the 11kV/6.9kV transformer’s LV terminals to the 6.9kV switchgear is
provided through bus duct. As per IEC 60909-Part 0, vide Clause 9.1.2.1, the busbar
impedance can be neglected for short length busbars.

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #8
6.6kV cable from 6.6kV switchgear to the 6.6kV/433V, 2.5MVA transformer (C2)
The cable size given is 50m of 1R × 3c x 185 mm2 aluminium cable (XLPE cable assumed).
The resistance of 3c × 185 mm2 XLPE aluminium cable is 0.211 Ω per km @ 90°C (vide a
leading cable manufacturer’s data sheet). In our case, the cable length is given as 50 m.

Hence, the cable resistance will be: 0.211 × 0.05 = 0.01055 Ω. The reactance of 3c × 185
mm2 XLPE Aluminium Cable is 0.0718 Ω per km (vide a leading cable manufacturer’s data
sheet). In our case, the cable length is given as 50 m.
Hence, the cable reactance will be: 0.0718 × 0.05 = 0.00359 Ω. The cable impedance will
be: √ [(0.01055)2 + (0.00359)2] = 0.011144 Ω

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #9
Sum of 11kV reflected impedance, T1 impedance & Cable C2 impedance

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Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #10

6.6kV side impedances reflected to the 433V side
(tr = 6600/433 = 15.2424; 1/tr is 0.0656; 1/ tr2 is 0.004303)

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #11

6.6kV/433V 2.5MVA transformer(T2) impedance
Vide Clause 8.3.2.2 of IEC 60909-Part 0: “The positive-sequence short-circuit impedances of
two-winding transformers ZT = RT + jXT can be calculated from the rated transformer data
as follows:

In our case, this will be:

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Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #12

Sum of 6.6kV side reflected impedance and T2 impedance

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #13

The connection from the 6.9kV/433V transformer’s LV terminals to the 433V PCC
The connection from the 6.9kV/433V transformer’s LV terminals to the 433V PCC panel is
provided through bus duct. As per IEC 60909-Part 0, vide Clause 9.1.2.1, the busbar
impedance can be neglected for short length busbars.

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #14

1.1kV Cable from PCC outgoing to the MCC (C3)
The cable size given is 50m of 7R × 1C × 400 mm2 aluminium cable per phase (PVC cable
assumed). The resistance of 1c × 400 mm2 PVC Aluminium Cable is 0.096 Ω per km @
70°C (vide a leading cable manufacturer’s data sheet). In our case, the cable length is given

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as 50m.

Hence, the cable resistance will be: 0.096 × 0.05 = 0.0048 Ω. As there are seven (7) runs,
the effective resistance will be 0.0048/7 = 0.0006857 Ω.

The reactance of 1c × 400 mm2 PVC Aluminium Cable is 0.088 Ω per km (vide a leading
cable manufacturer’s data sheet). In our case, the cable length is given as 50m. Hence, the
cable reactance will be: 0.088 × 0.05 = 0.0044 Ω. As there are seven (7) runs, the
effective resistance will be 0.0044/7 = 0.0006286 Ω.

The cable impedance will be: √ [(0.0006857)2 + (0.0006286)2] = 0.0009302 Ω

Go back to Contents Table ↑

Calculation Step #15

Sum of 6.6kV side reflected impedance, T2 impedance and Cable C3 impedance

Go back to Contents Table ↑

2. Table of resistances, reactances and impedances

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 Table of resistances, reactances and impedances

Go back to Contents Table ↑

3. Summary of fault current calculations

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Point #1
At the 11kV source (at the point of commencement of supply):
Vide Clause 9.1.1.1 of IEC 60909-Part 0: “In accordance with Figure 3, page 25, the three-
phase initial symmetrical short-circuit current I”k becomes:

(Cross-checking, fault current is [Fault MVA/√3 × Voltage]; In our case, it is [500000000/

√3 × 11000] = 26.24kA)

The 11kV incoming terminals (source fault current)

Point #2
At the auxiliary transformer’s 11kV terminals:

Fault current at the auxiliary transformer’s 11kV terminals

Point #3
At the auxiliary transformer’s 6.9kV terminals (and also at the 6.6kV switchgear bus):

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Point #4
At the service transformer’s 6.6kV terminals

Fault current at the service transformer’s 6.6kV terminals

Point #5
At the service transformer’s 433V terminals (and also at the 415V PCC panel bus):

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Point #6
At the MCC panel bus:

Fault current at the MCC Panel Bus

Go back to Contents Table ↑

4. Motor contribution

4.1 At the 6.6kV switchgear bus:

Vide Clause 8.3.2.5 of IEC 60909-Part 0, “Asynchronous motors in low-voltage and medium
voltage systems supply short-circuit currents to the short-circuit location. In the case of
three-phase balanced short circuits, the short-circuit currents of asynchronous motors decay
rapidly.

It is not necessary to take into account asynchronous motors or groups of asynchronous

motors which have a total rated current less than 1% of the initial symmetrical short-circuit
current I”k calculated without the influence of motors.

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The supplement of short-circuit currents of asynchronous motors to the current
I”k may be neglected if:

Where,

IrM – is the sum of the rated currents of motors connected directly (without
transformers) to the network where the short circuit occurs;
I”k – is the initial symmetrical short-circuit current without influence of motors

In this case, the 6.6kV switchgear is shown with two motors of 6.6kV, 510kW. Assuming that
both the motors are operational, the rated current of each motor is about 65.61A
(assuming 0.8 PF and 85% efficiency). The total current of the motors will be 131.22A. The
fault current at the 6.6kV switchgear busbars – from the transformer is 6790A; 1% of
this is 67.90.
As the sum of the rated currents of motors connected is more than this, the motor
contribution must be taken into account.

Important! In case only one HT motor will be in operation, then the motor contribution can
be neglected as the motor rated current will be less than 1% of the system fault current.

Vide Table II of IEC 60909-Part 0, the initial symmetrical short circuit current for a fault at
the motor terminals is given by:

And, vide Clause 11.5.3.5 of IEC 60909-Part 0::

Assuming that ILR is 6×IrM, by substituting, we get:

So, we can see that for a fault at the motor terminals, the motor contribution will be equal to
the locked rotor current or the starting current of the motor. If the fault is away from the
motor, involving a cable, we can safely assume that the cable impedance will limit this motor

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contributed fault current to (c 5×IrM).

In our case, this will be: 2 × 1.10 × 5 × 65.61A = 722A.

This has to be added to the fault contribution from the transformer to arrive at the total fault
level at the 6.6kV switchgear bus. Fault Current at the 6.6kV switchgear bus, contributed by
the transformer is 6790A. Thus, the total fault level at the 6.6kV switchgear bus will be:
6790 + 722 = 7512A or about 7.51kA, if both the HT Motors are in operation.
It must be ensured that the 6.6kV switchgear busbars have a short time rating well above this
current.

Go back to Contents Table ↑

4.2 At the LV PCC bus:

The fault contribution from the transformer for a fault at this bus is 33620 A. 1% of this is
336.20 A. It is given that five 110kW motors will be in operation at this panel. The rated
current per motor is 193.23A. For five (5) motors, this will be 966.15 A, which is well above
the 1% limitation. So, the motors’ contribution must be taken into account.

Going by (1) above, the contribution from these motors will be: 5 × 1.05 × 5 × 193.23 =
5073A.

Hence, the total fault level at the LV PCC Bus will be: 33620+ 5073 = 38693A or 38.7kA. It
must be ensured that the 415V LV PCC busbars have a short time rating well above this current.

Go back to Contents Table ↑

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