Determination of Voltage Drop

Determination of voltage drop The impedance of circuit conductors is low but not negligible: when carrying load current
there is a voltage drop between the origin of the circuit and the load terminals. The correct operation of a load (a motor, lighting circuit, etc.) depends on the voltage at its terminals being maintained at a value close to its rated value. It is necessary therefore to determine the circuit conductors such that at full-load current, the load terminal voltage is maintained within the limits required for correct performance. This section deals with methods of determining voltage drops, in order to check that: They comply with the particular standards and regulations in force They can be tolerated by the load They satisfy the essential operational requirements 1. Maximum voltage drop Maximum allowable voltage-drop vary from one country to another. Typical values for LV installations are given below: Type of Installations A low-voltage service connection from a LV public power distribution network Consumers MV/LV substation supplied from a public distribution MV system. Lighting circuits 3% 6% Other uses (heating and power) 5% 8%
Fig.G25: Maximum voltage-drop between the service-connection point and the point of utilization These voltage-drop limits refer to normal steady-state operating conditions and do not apply at times of motor starting, simultaneous switching (by chance) of several loads, etc. as mentioned in Chapter A Subclause 4.3 (factor of simultaneity, etc.). When voltage drops exceed the values shown in Figure G25, larger cables (wires) must be used to correct the condition. The value of 8%, while permitted, can lead to problems for motor loads; for example: In general, satisfactory motor performance requires a voltage within 5% of its rated nominal value in steady-state operation, Starting current of a motor can be 5 to 7 times its full-load value (or even higher). If an 8% voltage drop occurs at full-load current, then a drop of 40% or more will occur during start-up. In such conditions the motor will either: Stall (i.e. remain stationary due to insufficient torque to overcome the load torque) with consequent over-heating and eventual trip-out Or accelerate very slowly, so that the heavy current loading (with possibly undesirable low-voltage effects on other equipment) will continue beyond the normal start-up period Finally an 8% voltage drop represents a continuous power loss, which, for continuous loads will be a significant waste of (metered) energy. For these reasons it is recommended that the maximum value of 8% in steady operating conditions should not be reached on circuits which are sensitive to under-voltage problems (see figure).
Fig.G26: Maximum voltage drop 1 Determination of voltage drop
2. Calculation of voltage drop in steady load conditions Use of formulae Figure G27 below gives formulae commonly used to calculate voltage drop in a given circuit per kilometre of length. If: IB: The full load current in amps L: Length of the cable in kilometres R: Resistance of the cable conductor in /km R=
) for cooper ) for aluminium
R=
Note: R is negligible above a c.s.a. of 500 X: inductive reactance of a conductor in /km Note: X is negligible for conductors of c.s.a. less than 50 mm2. In the absence of any other information, take X as being equal to 0.08 /km. : phase angle between voltage and current in the circuit considered, generally: Incandescent lighting: cos = 1 Motor power: - At start-up: cos = 0.35 - In normal service: cos = 0.8 Un: phase-to-phase voltage Vn: phase-to-neutral voltage For prefabricated pre-wired ducts and bustrunking, resistance and inductive reactance values are given by the manufacturer. Circuit Single phase: phase/phase Single phase: phase/neutral Voltage drop ( U) In volts U=2 U=2 ( R cos ( R cos + X sin + X sin )L )L )L In %
Balanced 3-phase: 3 phases (with U= ( R cos + X sin or without neutral) Fig. G27 : Voltage-drop formulae
Simplified table Calculations may be avoided by using Figure G28 next page, which gives, with an adequate approximation, the phase-to-phase voltage drop per km of cable per ampere, in terms of: Kinds of circuit use: motor circuits with cos close to 0.8, or lighting with a cos close to 1. Type of cable; single-phase or 3-phase Voltage drop in a cable is then given by: K x IB x L K is given by the table, IB is the full-load current in amps, L is the length of cable in km. The column motor power cos = 0.35 of Figure G28 may be used to compute the voltage drop occurring during the start-up period of a motor (see example no. 1 after the Figure G28).
2 Determination of voltage drop
Single-phase circuit Balanced three-phase circuit Motor power Lighting Motor power Lighting Normal Start-up Normal Start-up service service Cu Al Cos = Cos = Cos = 1 Cos = Cos = Cos = 0.8 0.35 0.8 0.35 1 1.5 24 10.6 30 20 9.4 25 2.5 14.4 6.4 18 12 5.7 15 4 9.1 4.1 11.2 8 3.6 9.5 6 10 6.1 2.9 7.5 5.3 2.5 6.2 10 16 3.7 1.7 4.5 3.2 1.5 3.6 16 25 2.36 1.15 2.8 2.05 1 2.4 25 35 1.5 0.75 1.8 1.3 0.65 1.5 35 50 1.15 0.6 1.29 1 0.52 1.1 50 70 0.86 0.47 0.95 0.75 0.41 0.77 70 120 0.64 0.37 0.64 0.56 0.32 0.55 95 150 0.48 0.30 0.47 0.42 0.26 0.4 120 185 0.39 0.26 0.37 0.34 0.23 0.31 150 240 0.33 0.24 0.30 0.29 0.21 0.27 185 300 0.29 0.22 0.24 0.25 0.19 0.2 240 400 0.24 0.2 0.19 0.21 0.17 0.16 300 500 0.21 0.19 0.15 0.18 0.16 0.13 Fig. G28 : Phase-to-phase voltage drop U for a circuit, in volts per ampere per km c.s.a. in
Examples
Fig. G29 : Example 1
Example 1 (see Fig. G29) A three-phase 35 copper cable 50 metres long supplies a 400 V motor taking: 100 A at a cos = 0.8 on normal permanent load 500 A (5 In) at a cos = 0.35 during start-up The voltage drop at the origin of the motor cable in normal circumstances (i.e. with the distribution board of Figure G29 distributing a total of 1,000 A) is 10 V phase-tophase. What is the voltage drop at the motor terminals: In normal service? During start-up? Solution: Voltage drop in normal service conditions: = 100 Table G28 shows 1V/A lm so that: for the cable = 1 x 100 x 0.05 = 5V total = 10 + 5 = 15V = i.e. x 100 = 3.75% This value is less than that authorized (8%) and is satisfactory. Voltage drop during motor start-up: Ucable = 0.52 x 500 x 0.05 = 13 V
Owing to the additional current taken by the motor when starting, the voltage drop at the distribution board will exceed 10 Volts. Supposing that the infeed to the distribution board during motor starting is 900 + 500 = 1,400 A then the voltage drop at the distribution board will increase approximately pro rata, i.e. = 14V distribution board = 14V for the motor cable = 13V total = 13 + 14 = 27V i.e. x 100 = 6.75% a value which is satisfactory during motor starting.
Fig. G30 : Example 2 Example 2 (see Fig. G30) A 3-phase 4-wire copper line of 70 c.s.a. and a length of 50 m passes a current of 150 A. The line supplies, among other loads, 3 single-phase lighting circuits, each of 2.5 c.s.a. copper 20 m long, and each passing 20 A. It is assumed that the currents in the 70 line are balanced and that the three lighting circuits are all connected to it at the same point. What is the voltage drop at the end of the lighting circuits? Solution: Voltage drop in the 4-wire line: % = 100 Figure G28 shows 0.55 V/A/km line = 0.55 x 150 x 0.05 = 4.125V phase-to-phase Which gives: =2.38V phase to neutral.
Voltage drop in any one of the lighting single-phase circuits: U for a single-phase circuit = 18 x 20 x 0.02 = 7.2 V The total voltage drop is therefore 7.2 + 2.38 = 9.6V x100 = 4.2% This value is satisfactory, being less than the maximum permitted voltage drop of 6%.

Determination of Voltage Drop

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Determination of Voltage Drop

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Determination of voltage drop The impedance of circuit conductors is low but not negligible: when carrying load current

Fig.G26: Maximum voltage drop 1 Determination of voltage drop

) for cooper ) for aluminium

2 Determination of voltage drop

Fig. G29 : Example 1

3 Determination of voltage drop

4 Determination of voltage drop

5 Determination of voltage drop

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