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Study on the electromagnetic force affected by short-circuit current in vertical

and horizontal arrangement of busbar system

Conference Paper · June 2011

DOI: 10.1109/INECCE.2011.5953875

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International Conference on Electrical, Control and Computer Engineering
Pahang, Malaysia, June 21-22, 2011

Study on the Electromagnetic Force Affected by

Short-Circuit Current in Vertical and Horizontal
Arrangement of Busbar System
Farhana Mohamad Yusop, Mohamad Kamarol Mohd Jamil, Dahaman Ishak and Syafrudin Masri
School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang
youth_cambaguz@yahoo.com

Abstract—Each busbar conductor of a phase is subjected to a identified in order to determine the size of conductors and the
force due to the short-circuit currents. In this paper, the structures for supporting them [2]. The electromagnetic force
electromagnetic forces affected by the short-circuit current in depends on the strength of the short-circuit currents and the
three-phase busbar conductor are calculated in vertical and configuration dimension of busbar conductor.
horizontal arrangement. The short-circuit current densities are
calculated mathematically. The calculations are performed by This work focus on three-phase short-circuits current since it
assuming a peak value of steady-state ac current is equal to the gives the highest effect on mechanical force. The short-circuit
peak value of the short-circuit current. The electromagnetic forces current is calculated according to IEC Standards. The
due to the short-circuit current are calculated according to the magnitude of electromagnetic force is analyzed between vertical
equation introduced by IEC Standards 865/1993. The and horizontal arrangement of busbar conductor in order to
electromagnetic force generated in vertical arrangement is determine the effect of arrangement on the electromagnetic
compared with the horizontal of busbar. The result depicted that force. Simulation by finite element method (FEM) is conducted
the busbar in vertical arrangement has about 2 times higher to evaluate the magnitude of maximum electromagnetic force
electromagnetic force compared with that in horizontal on busbar conductor and the result is compared with the
arrangement. The arrangement of the busbar obviously influences calculated result.
the strength of electromagnetic force due to short-circuit current.
Furthermore, the electromagnetic force obtained from the
simulation by finite element method in vertical arrangement was II. THREE-PHASE SHORT-CIRCUIT CURRENT
agree with the calculation obtained using IEC Standard 865/1993.
A. Arrangement of busbar
Keywords— busbars, busbar short-circuit current, Fig.1 shows two arrangements of busbars that considered for
electromagnetic forces, methamatical analysis, simulation. the basic numerical calculations. It is assumed that [3]

I. INTRODUCTION - the fault examined is a three-phase symmetrical short-

circuit, because it gives the greatest dynamic stress ;
A short-circuit test is one of the important step to verify the
quality of the busbar after the manufacturing process. It is - the central-line distance between busbars is much
performed to prove that the busbar capability to withstand smaller compared with the length of conductor, so that
the busbars can be regarded as being of infinite length;
short-circuits current for a definite time and to withstand the
force from the momentary peak of short-circuit current [1]. - the permeability is constant, since copper bars are used
Mathematical expression is used to predict the performance of in installations;
the busbar during short-circuit current. This method can assist
- a steady state, balanced three-phase system is applied to
to determine the first impression in the performance of busbar. the three-phase busbars, with a peak value is equal to
The occurrence of short-circuit in busbar system produce a the peak value of the short-circuit current.
very high current flowing through the busbar conductor. The
magnitude of short-circuit current is depended on the voltage B. Calculation of three-phase short-circuit current
source and the total impedance of the operational equipment [1].
Fig. 2 shows the single-line circuit diagram for short circuit
Higher value of current induces electromagnetic force current test on busbar [1]. Basically it consists of transformer
between each parallel busbar conductor. Each busbar of a phase as power source. The circuit shows the assumption of short-
is subjected to an electromagnetic force due to the actions circuit current occurs at the end terminal of the busbar
between other phases. The force gives a maximum value at the conductor. In this work, the current flowing through each
first half cycle of the short-circuit occurrence which caused by busbar conductor is analyzed due to the occurrence of short-
the peak value of short-circuit current. This force need to be circuit.

978-1-61284-228-8/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE 196

 Figure 2: Single-line circuit diagram [1]
a) Vertical arrangement

b) Horizontal arrangement
Figure 1: Arrangement of busbar
Figure 3: Equivalent circuit [1]
For dimensioning of busbar system, it is necessary to
consider three-phase short-circuit current in order to guarantee
the mechanical stability of the systems. The requirements for III. SHORT-CIRCUIT ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCES
calculating the largest three-phase short circuit current are [1]: Busbar systems are subjected to mechanical force as a result
of short circuits. This maximum electromagnetic force is
- temperature of conductor at 20oC
produced during short-circuit occurrence by current flowing in
- network circuitry is mostly responsible for this current adjacent conductors in the busbar structure. This force mainly
- network feeder deliver the maximum short circuit dependent on the strength of the short circuit current ,shape and
power also the dimensional arrangement of the bubsar conductors.
The dimensioning of busbar with respect to stability against
- voltage factor is chosen in accordance with IEC mechanical force is described exactly in IEC 60865 [1].
Standard 60909
Fig. 3 shows the equivalent circuit for the calculation of A. Electromagnetic force calculations introduced by IEC
three-phase short-circuits current. Three-phase short circuit Standards 60865/1993
current is given by [1] Referring busbar arrangement in Fig.1, the maximum
electromagnetic force per unit length acting on the central
c ⋅U N rectangular conductor (phase B) is given by [4]
I "k 3 = (1)
3 ⋅ ZT
μ0 3 2
Fmb = ip (4a)
where UN is the voltage at the nominal system volatge and ZT 2πa m 2
is the total impedances of operational equipment. While the
value of c in Eq. (1) is the voltage factor which can be
computed from table given in IEC Standard 60909 [1]. While the maximum electromagnetic forces per unit length
acting on the outer rectangular conductor (phase A and phase
At the first half cycle, the current will be at the peak value C) are smaller than Fmb. These forces can be calculated as
of three-phase short circuit current. This peak value of short follow [4]
circuit current is taking into account in order to calculate the
maximum electromagnetic force between the busbar μ0 3 + 2 3 2
conductors. The peak short circuit current can be calculated Fma = Fmc = ip (4b)
from the equation 2πa m 8

i p = k 2 I "k 3 (2) Instead of the centre-line distance a, the effective distance,

am is introduced in this Standard. This introducing is due to
skin and proximity effect in low voltage system that cannot be
where factor k depends on the ratio R/X of the short circuit path neglected. This effective distance is defined in [4] by
is given by [4] a
−3 R
am = (5)
k = 1.02 + 0.98e X
(3) k1s

where k1s is a correction factor that can be computed from the

where R is the total resistance and X is the total reactance of
IEC Standard 865/1993 and shows in Fig. 4.
the system.

197
 F = ∫ J × Bds (7)

where J is the current density and B is the magnetic flux of the

busbar conductor.

IV. ANALYSIS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE

The vertical and horizontal arrangement of busbar are
assumed to be connected to a 630 kVA, 20 kV/ 400 V
transformer with rated short-circuit voltage 6% and copper
losses of 6930 W. By using Eqs. (1) – (3), the peak short-
circuit current is obtained and the result of these two busbar
arrangements are shown in Table I.
As stated in the assumption in section II (A), the peak value
of steady-state current is equal to the peak value of the short-
circuit current. This value is used in order to calculate the
magnitude of maximum electromagnetic force on the busbar.
The electromagnetic force between two arrangements is
determined by considering the dimension of vertical and
horizontal arrangements of the busbar as shown in Table II.

V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Figure 4: Variation of k1s as a function of ratios a/d and b/d [1] A. Calculations according to Standards
µ0 = permeability of free space The maximum forces due to the magnitude of peak short-
circuit current acting on the three parallel busbar conductors of
a = central line distance between two conductor (m)
vertical and horizontal arrangement are calculated using
ip = peak short circuit current (A) Eqs.(4a-b). The results of maximum electromagnetic force are
am = effective distance (m) shown in Table III.
The results revealed that the central conductor (phase B)
B. Simulation of electromagnetic force by finite element give a higher value of electromagnetic force compared with
method outer conductor (phase A and C) for both arrangements. Busbar
The simulation by (FEM) using Opera-2D is applied to at the central conductor experience a greatest electromagnetic
notify the magnitude of electromagnetic force for copper force influence by the high current flowing through busbar
busbars with carrying short-circuit current. The steady-state conductor in phase A and phase C.
AC analysis has been applied for the vertically adjacent busbar Furthermore, with the same size of busbar, the vertical
conductors. Two dimensional model as shown in Fig. 1(a) was arrangement give a higher electromagnetic force effect
used to carry out the analysis. Each three busbars are loaded compared with horizontal arrangement. This result indicates
with steady-state balanced 50 Hz currents with the rated value that, the busbar under inspection of short-circuit test should be
shown in Table I. examined in the vertical arrangement in order to determine the
IA=ip cos(ωt) level of ability for conductor busbar to withstand the
electromagnetic force exists. Besides, it can help to determine
IB=ip cos(ωt-1200) the size for both conductors and the structures for supporting
them.
IC=ip cos(ωt-2400) (6) The force between the conductor busbar in which short-
The simulation is performed to identify the magnetic flux circuit current flows also depend on the geometrical
density of three busbars where the currents are varying arrangement and the profile of the conductors. This is the
sinusoidally in time. This magnetic flux is a principal reason why effective distance has been introduced by IEC
parameter for evaluation of electromagnetic forces on the Standard 685/93 in the Eqs. (4a-b).
busbar conductor due to the high short-circuits current [5].
TABLE I. RATED VALUES OF BUSBARS
The total force on a busbar conductor is determined by
Voltage, UN Three-phase short Peak short circuit
integrating the surface of the busbar conductor. The software (V) circuit current, Ik3 (kA) current, ip (kA)
calculates the total force per unit length, F of conductor by
applying Maxwell Stress equation. 400 15.818 34.947

198
 TABLE II. DIMENSIONS ARRANGEMENT OF BUSBAR
Central Effective
Height, Thickness,
Arrangement distance, distance,
b (m) d (m)
a (m) am (m)

vertical 0.00712 0.0750 0.00600 0.0300

horizontal 0.07612 0.0060 0.0750 0.0500

TABLE III. CALCULATED MAXIMUM FORCES ON THE BUSBAR

Maximum Force
vertical horizontal
(N/m)
Fma 6578.80 3947.28
Fmb 7051.14 4230.68
Figure 5: Magnetic flux density distribution at ωt = 00
Fmc 6578.80 3947.28

B. Simulation of three-phase bubsar

The magnitude of maximum force existing between three
busbars is determined by simulating three-phase busbar using
Opera-2D. The three busbar conductors are loaded with current
in Eq. (6). The simulation is conducted at first half cycle of
short-circuit current. The magnitude of electromagnetic forces
is identified at each electrical angle of the short-circuit current.
Fig. 5 shows the distribution of magnetic flux density at 00.
At this time, a stronger magnetic flux density produced at the
region between busbar of phase A and phase B. This result is
due to the high current flowing through busbar of phase A. The
higher the current carrying by busbar conductor, the higher
magnetic flux is produced around conductor. Figure 6: Electromagnetic force per unit length vs. electrical angle in
three-phase busbar system for vertical arrangement
Fig. 6 shows the electromagnetic force obtained from the
simulation versus the electrical angle in three-phase bubsar for
TABLE IV. CALCULATED MAXIMUM FORCES COMPARED WITH
vertical arrangement. From the result, the busbar conductor in SIMULATION RESULT
phase A encounters maximum electromagnetic force at 00 Maximum Force
calculation simulation difference
while phase B and phase C encounter maximum (N/m)
electromagnetic force at 600. These maximum electromagnetic Fma 6578.80 7156.60 8.78%
forces occur due to the high short-circuit current carrying by Fmb 7051.14 7266.20 3.05%
the conductor and adjacent busbar conductor at that moment.
From this simulation, the value of maximum electromagnetic Fmc 6578.80 7152.50 8.78%
force only considered the magnitude in the x-axis by neglecting
the direction of force.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
The maximum electromagnetic force of busbars conductor
The occurrence of short-circuit in busbar system, produced
computed by Opera-2D is compared with those calculated
higher current flowing through the bubsar conductor. This high
given by Eqs. (4a-b). The comparison results for vertical
current generates electromagnetic forces between each
arrangement of busbar are shown in Table IV. From the both
conductor. The electromagnetic force is depended on the
results, the central conductor experiences the greatest configuration arrangement. The busbar in vertical arrangement
electromagnetic force compared with the outer conductors. As
has about 2 times higher electromagnetic force compared with
mention in Eq. (7), the electromagnetic force is depends on the
that in horizontal arrangement. The results from FEM analysis
current density and magnetic flux density of the conductor.
of electromagnetic force for three-phase busbar revealed
When three conductors carrying currents place parallel in
slightly differences with the calculation using IEC Standards.
magnetic field, it experiences an electromagnetic force between
However, the result is considered well agrees with the
each conductor. Higher electromagnetic force is due to the calculation which are about 3%-8%. It also proved that the
stronger magnetic flux density produced by the high short-
central conductor experience the highest electromagnetic force
circuit current carrying by the busbar conductor and its
compared with the outer conductor.
adjacent busbar.

199
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are highly indebted to School of Electrical &
Electronic Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia and
management of FURUTEC Electrical Sdn. Bhd for technical
support of this project.
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