Power Network Calculations

By:
Eng. Ahmed Besheer
 Lecture Contents
 Introduction to Cables
 Relation between (Protective device , Cable & Load)
 Cable Sizing
 El-sewedy catalogue overview
 Voltage Drop
 Short Circuit Calculation + Training Example
 Cable trays & Cable ladders
 Conduits
 Busways
  Introduction to Cables

 What are the factors affecting the selection of cable?

 Operating voltage
 Operating current (max. load current)
 Insulation level
 Short circuit level
 Voltage drop
 Derating factors due to surrounding conditions of cable
 Cable structure

 Conductor
 AL
 CU

 Conductor screen/shield
 Thin semi-conductor material which is used to make the best
equal field distribution between the conductor & the insulation.

 Insulation or Dielectric
 PVC (Thermo-plastic)
 XLPE (Thermo-Setting)

 Insulation screen/shield
 Thin semi-conductor material which is used to make the best
equal field distribution between the insulation & metallic sheath.
 Metallic sheath or Tap shield
 CU or AL with 0.1 mm width , it is used for the protection
of cable from humidity and to keep electromagnetic
radiation in, and also provide a path for fault and leakage
currents (sheaths are earthed at one cable end).
 Filler or Assembly
 PVC or GOOT to fill spaces between cores to make the
round form of cable.
 Inner jacket
 PVC bedding , only in case of armoured cables.
 Armouring
 Steel tape or wire tape , it is used for protection of cable
against mechanical stresses.
 Outer jacket (Sheath)
 PVC , it protects the cable and its metallic parts from
corrosion.
 Cables classifications
 According to conductor type
 AL
 CU
 According to insulation level/voltage
 According to Insulation or Dielectric
 PVC (Thermo-plastic)
 Lower cost
 Max. operating temp. = 70 or 85 °C
 Max. short circuit temp. = 160 °C
 Flame self extinction
 Produces poisonous gases if it is flamed
 At high temperatures it becomes more flexible

 XLPE (Thermo-Setting)
 Higher cost
 Max. operating temp. = 90 °C
 Max. short circuit temp. = 250 °C
 Highly resistant against humidity
 Rigid
 According to Armouring
 Armoured
 STA (Steel Tape Armouring)
STA
 SWA (Steel Wire Armouring)
 DST (Double Steel Tape Armouring)
 ATA (Aluminum Tape Armouring)
 AWA (Aluminum Wire Armouring)
 Non-Armoured
SWA

 According to number of Cores

 Single core
 Multi core
 Cable Routing Types
 Free in air
 Cables are installed on cable trays or cable ladders.

 Laid in ground
 Directly buried in ground
 Buried in ground inside conduit
 Buried in ground inside duct bank

 In conduits
 Inside wall
 Tips about cables
 The thickness of armouring layer equals about 0.1 : 0.5 mm.
 Armouring reduces the flexibility of the cable but provides it with
mechanical strength.
 Stranded conductors are preferable than solid conductors due to skin
effect. Solid
 In case of armoured single core cables , ATA or AWA shall be used in
stead of STA or SWA. Why?
 Difference between armouring types STA & SWA:
 Diameter of cable (SWA > STA).
 Flexibility (SWA > STA). Stranded

 Weight (SWA > STA).

 Cost (SWA > STA).
 Applicability to use armouring for earthing (STA : applicable) , (SWA ; not applicable).
 Core types

Sectoral

Circular
 How to write the cable specification?

 (4x240) CU/XLPE/PVC
+(1x120) CU/PVC

 (3x240+1X120) CU/PVC/PVC
+(1x120) CU/PVC

 2//(4x240) CU/XLPE/PVC
+(1x240) CU/PVC

 4//(4x240) CU/XLPE/PVC
+(2X1Cx240) CU/PVC
Relation between (Protective device , Cable & Load)
Cable Sizing
 The surrounding conditions according to the method of installation affects the
selection of cable size.
This effect to be taken into consideration by Derating factors
… refer to El-Sewedy Catalogue or IEC 60364-5-52
Cable Sizing Calculations
𝒑
1) Ib = ….. (A) …. Base current or load current
𝟑𝒙𝑽𝒙𝑷.𝑭

2) In = 1.25 x Ib ….. (A) …. Nominal current of circuit breaker

𝐈𝐧
3) Icable = ….. (A)
𝑫.𝑭 𝒐𝒓 𝑪.𝑭
 Where;
 D.F = Derating factor & C.F = Correction factor

(and they are the same)

 Icable = the calculated required current carrying capacity of cable according to the
method of installation.

4) Select the suitable cable cross sectional area in (mm^2) according to the

suitable current carrying capacity Iz , note that: [Iz ≥ Icable]

 Where;

 Iz = the standard current carrying capacity of cable from catalogues.

Voltage Drop Calculations
𝐱 𝐈𝐛 𝐱 𝐋
V.D = 𝐦𝐯𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 ….. (V)

 Where;
 V.D = Voltage Drop (v)
 mv = specific voltage drop (mv/A/m)
 L = cable length (m)
 Ib = Base current or load current (A)

 NOTE:
 The previous lows are for individual V.D
 Accumulated V.D = Individual V.D + Up stream voltage drop
 Accumulated V.D % = 5 % according to NEC
 Accumulated V.D % = 2.5 % according to EGY. CODE

𝐕.𝐃 (𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝) (𝐯)

 V.D % = ….. (%)
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 (𝐯)
Limits of voltage drop
Short Circuit Calculations
 S.C levels at M.V Network from EGY. CODE

 S.C levels at L.V Network

S.C at the secondary terminals of distribution transformer

𝑰𝒏 𝑿 𝟏𝟎𝟎
Is.c = ….. (KA)
𝒁%
 Where;

𝑺 𝒙 𝟏𝟎 𝟑
 In = ….. nominal current (A)
𝑽𝑳 𝑿 𝟑
 S = KVA rating of transformer
 Z% = p.u impedance of transformer
 VL = L-L secondary Voltage on open circuit (V)
 Short Circuit Calculations at L.V network

𝑽𝒏.𝒍
Is.c = …. Short Circuit Current (KA)
𝒁𝒕
 Where;

 𝑽𝒏.𝒍 = No load ( L-N ) secondary voltage of distribution transformer (V)

 𝒁𝒕 = Total impedance contributing in s.c level (m.Ω)

 M.V. Impedance
Neglected
𝐕𝐋 𝟐
Zm.v = 𝐊𝐕𝐀 𝐬.𝐜 , Zm.v = 𝑹𝒂𝟐 + 𝑿𝒂𝟐 ; Ra=0.1 Xa … neglected

 Where;
 Zm.v = Impedance of M.V side referred to L.V side (m.Ω)
 𝐕𝐋 = L-L secondary Voltage on open circuit (V)
 𝑲𝑽𝑨 𝒔. 𝒄 = 3 x VL x Is.c … obtained from electrical authority

(MVA s.c)
 Transformer Impedance

𝐕𝐋 𝟐
Ztr = 𝑲𝑽𝑨 𝒙 𝒁%
𝒕𝒓

 Where;
 Ztr = actual ohmic impedance (m.Ω)
 𝐕𝐋 = L-L secondary Voltage on open circuit (V)
 𝑲𝑽𝑨𝒕𝒓 = transformer rating in (KVA)
 Z% = p.u impedance of transformer
Transformer Impedance
 C.B Impedance
Neglected

ZC.B = 𝑹𝟐 + 𝑿𝟐 ; Z = X = 0.15 (m.Ω)

Busbar Impedance
Neglected

ZB.B = 𝑹𝟐 + 𝑿𝟐 ; Z = X = 0.15 (m.Ω/M)

 Cable Impedance

𝑳
Rc = 𝝆
𝑨
 Where;

 𝝆 = resistivity constant of conductor material (mΩ.mm2/M)

 𝝆𝐜𝐮 = 22.5 mΩ.mm2/M
 𝝆𝐀𝐋 = 36 mΩ.mm2/M

 𝐋 = Cable length (M)

 𝑨 = Cross sectional area (mm2)
 RC = Cable resistance (Ω)
 THANK YOU

eng.ahmed.besheer1@gmail.com
01067663324