Design Calculations for 4000A Busbar Trunking

Sr. No. Description Unit Value

1.0 Basis & Assumptions

1.1 Rated Voltage V 440

1.2 Rated Current A 4000
1.3 Required Short Cicuit withstand Current kA 50
1.4 Duration of Short Circuit withstand Sec 1
Electrical Grade Aluminium
1.5 Bus bar material
(grade E91-E)
1.6 Bus bar size selected
Width (b) mm 152.4
Thickness (a) mm 6.35
1.7 No. of Runs
For Phase Bus bar 6
For Neutral Bus bar 3
1.8 Size of Enclosure
Width mm 1100
Height mm 500
1.9 Amb. Temperature °C 48
Permissible temperature rise of
1.10 °C 40
conductor on full load
Operating temperature of conductor on
1.11 °C 88
full load
Allowable temperature of conductor
1.12 °C 185
during short circuit

2.0 Design Calculations

2.1 Confirmation on Rated Current & operating temperature

Current carrying capacity of 3 busars(Ref.

a A 3680
Indal Current ratings)

Current carrying capacity of selected 6busars

b A 7360
(Ref. Indal Current ratings)

Multiplying factor for Interleaved

c 1
design as per ref.
 Derating factor for temperature rise of 40°C
d over amb. Temp. As per ref. table28.3 0.92

Derating factor for heat dissipation in

e
enclosure
Area of conductor / Area of enclosure
Area of conductor sq. mm. 20322.54
Area of Enclosure sq. mm. 550000
Putting the values = 0.037
Heat dissipation factor from Reference
table 28.6 for 3.7% in good ventilated = 0.78
system

f Current carrying capacity of selected 6busars A 5282

with all derating factors

Current carrying capacity of selected Busbar is 5282A which is more than Rated
Current of 4000 A & Hence selected busbar size is confirmed

2.2 Confirmation on Thermal withstand of Bus bar during Short Circuit

To determine minimum cross section for a

required fault level of 50kA for 1 sec, we use

∆ϴ = = k/100 [Isc/A]².(1+ἀ20.ϴ).t
where,
∆ϴ - Temperature rise n (°C) 97
Isc - Symmetrical fault current in rms (in amps) 50000

A - Cross sectional area of conductor (in mm²) To be calculated

ἀ20 - Temperature coefficient of resistance at
0.00363
20°C for Aluminum alloy
ϴ - Operating temperature of conductor at
88
which fault occurs (°C)
value of k for Aluminium 1.166
t - Duration of fault (in sec) 1

Applying the value of temperature rise of 97°C

over an initial temperature of 88°C then,
1.166/97[50000/A]²x[1+0.0036
97 =
3x88]²x 1
Thus, A in sq. mm. = 629.69
Min. size of required Bus bar sq. mm. 630
 Cross section of selected Busbar is 5806 sq. mm. which is more than required cross
section of 630 sq. mm. & Hence selected busbar size isconfirmed from Thermal
withstand during Short Circuit Criteria.

2.3 Confirmation on Dynamic withstand of Bus bar during Short Circuit

Maximum electrodynamic force in flat bus bars

is calculated as per
Fm = kx16Isc²x 10^(-4)/ S N/m
where ,
Fm- Estimated maximum dynamic force that
may develop in a single phase or 3 phase To be calculated
system on fault
Isc - rms value of symmetrical fault current (in
50000
amps)
k - Space factor which is 1 for circular
conductors. For rectangular conductors, it is
found from space factor graph corresponding
to s-a/(a+b) where

s - centre spacing between two phases in mm 150

a - space occupied by conductors of one phase
31.75
in mm
b- width of conductors in mm 152.4
s-a/(a+b) = 0.64
a/b = 0.21
Interpolating space factor k from graph = 0.9
(Fig.28.7), k
Calculating Force F(N/m) = 24000
1 N/m = 1/9.807 kg f/m
Fm kg f/m 2447.23
Since busbar supports are assumed to be at
distance 500mm maximum, forces on each
kg f/m 1223.615
section of busbars supports and fastners would
be 2447.23 x 0.5 kg F/m
Bus bars are supported on both the sides &
hence the forces are divided on both kg f/m 611.807
insulator supports and fasteners (in kg f/m),

Mechanical suitability of busbars and insulators

supporting the busbars to withstand above
forces at different locations is as belows

Bending stress at section X-X in kg/cm² Fm.I/ (12.M.N)

 where,
As caculated above Fm = 611.807 kgf/m
centre distance between busbar supports I cm 50
Sectional modulus of each bus bar at section X-
cm³ 1/6 * a*b²
X - M
M
Thus for 152.3 x 6.35 mm² busbar section
a cm 0.635
b cm 15.24
M cm³ 24.58
Referring to table 30.7, section modulus in our
case is less than derived from extrapolating
N = number of busbars per phase 6
Applying in bending stress formula calculation, kg/cm² 17.28

Thus bending stress at section X-X = kg/cm² 17.28

Calculated bending stress is much less than cross breaking strength of aluminium which is
1500 Kg/cm²

3.0 Conclusion

3.1 Current carrying capacity of selected Busbar is 5282A which is more than Rated
Current of 4000 A & Hence selected busbar size is confirmed

Cross section of selected Busbar is 5806 sq. mm. which is more than required cross
3.2 section of 630 sq. mm. & Hence selected busbar size isconfirmed from Thermal
withstand during Short Circuit Criteria.

Ultimate shearing strength of aluminium E91E is 1500 kg/ cm². The maximum force
3.3 obtained at the time of short circuit is 611.80 kgf/ cm² which is at least 59.21% less than
this shearing capacity.

3.4 Supports used are of SMC whose shearing strength is 700 kg/cm² which more than
required shear strength.