G19

Learning Experts’23
(G19)

Phase 1 Submission
(Value Engineering)

Submitted by
Electrical Team of G19

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Cascading
Cascading is the use of the current limiting capacity of circuit breakers at a given
point to permit installation of lower-rated and therefore lower-cost circuit
breakers downstream.

The upstream compact circuit breakers acts as a barrier against short-circuit

currents. In this way, downstream circuit breakers with lower breaking capacities
than the prospective short-circuit (at their point of installation) operate under their
normal breaking conditions.

Since the current is limited throughout the circuit controlled by the limiting circuit
breaker, cascading applies to all switchgear downstream. It is not restricted to two
consecutive devices.

The combination of two circuit breakers in cascading configuration is covered by

the IEC 60947-2 standard.

Ex.

If short circuit occurred in LV Panel (say 20KA) So, the real value of the current is
less than 20KA due to the resistance of arc (15KA for example) So that we can
choose smaller C.B with smaller breaking capacity and choose smaller cables
C.S.A it will reduce the cost.

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Practical Ex.

• Regularly, we use these C.Bs (in red), if calculated S.C = 30KA the upstream will reduce
it to 20KA (due to limiting current and Arc Resistance) and downstream C.B will trip.
• So, in our case if S.C = 15KA we can apply cascading and use this breaker (in blue)
which is less in cost and cascading will reduce this S.C to 10KA and will trip as ordered.
• It will also reduce the new cable C.S.A as it sized by considering the size of new
breaker.

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Administrative building
southern 90th street, plot No. 82

IS.C = 72.17KA

IS.C = 49.56KA

Figure 1 Sample from SLD

• Upstream C.B: NSX250S

• Downstream C.B: NSXm N (ICU = 50KA)

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Applying Cascading:

Figure 2 Selectivity Enhanced By Cascading Schneider Catalogue

• Downstream C.B (After Cascading): NSXm B (ICU = 20KA) {Lower Cost}

• And This Will affect the size of Cables (will be calculated).

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