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Si zi ng of power cabl es for ci rcui t breaker control l ed feeders (part 2)
Asif Eqbal
Sizing of power cables for circuit breaker controlled feeders
(part 2)
Continued from article Sizing of power cables for circuit breaker controlled feeders (part 1)
2. Criteria-2 Continuous current capacity (Ampacity)
This criterion is applied so that cross section of the cable can carry the required load current continuously
at the designed ambient temperature and laying condition. Ampacity is def ined as the current in amperes a
conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of surrounding medium in which the cables are
installed. An ampacity study is the calculation of the temperature rise of the conductor in a cable system
under steady-state conditions.
Cable ampacity, if required to be calculated than it is calculated as per the f ollowing equation givenin IEEE -
399, section 13.
This equation is based on Neher-McGrath method where,
Tc allowable conductor temperature (C)
Ta ambient temperature (either soil or air) (C)
Td temperature rise of conductor due to dielectric heating (C)
Tint temperature rise of the conductor due to interf erence heating f rom adjacent cables (C)
Rac electrical ac resistance of conductor including skin ef f ect, proximity and temperature ef f ects
(_/f t)
Rca ef f ective total thermal resistance of path between conductor and surrounding ambient to
include the ef f ects of load f actor, shield/sheath losses, metallic conduit losses, ef f ects of multiple
conductors in the same duct etc (thermal- f t, C-cm/W).
From the above equation it is clear that the rated current carrying capacity of a conductor is dependent on the
following factors:
1. Ambient temperature (air or ground)
2. Grouping and proximity to other loaded cables, heatsources etc.
3. Method of installation (aboveground or below ground)
4. Thermal conductivity of the medium in which the cable is installed
5. Thermal conductivity of the cable constituents
However please note that while sizing a power cable we never calculate the ampacity. The above equation
is used to analyze the cable ampacities of unique installations. Standard ampacity tables are available f or a
variety of cable types and cable installation methods and can be used f or determining the current carrying
capacity of a cable f or a particular application.
These standards provide tabulated ampacity data in manuf acturers catalog f or cables installed in air, in
ductbank, directly buried or in trays f or a particular set of conditions clearly def ined.
It is because of this reason that we need to give the ref erence of manuf acturers catalog f rom where the
ampacity values are picked up.
Now once the current carrying capacity of a cable is f ound f rom standard catalog; we convert that rated
capacity (Ampacity) into actual laying condition. The standard current ratings f or cables are modif ied by the
application of suitable multiplying f actors to account f or the actual installation conditions. Hence we def ine
one more term here called ampacity deration f actor.
Ampacity duration f actor is def ined as the product of various f actors which accounts f or the f raction
decrease in the ampacity of the conductor. Those f actors and physical condition deriving them are as
f ollows:
1. K1= Variation in ambient air temperature f or cables laid in air / ground temperature f or cables
laid underground.
2. K2 = Cable laying arrangement.
3. K3 = Depth of laying f or cables laid direct in ground.
4. K4 = Variation in thermal resistivity of soil.
Ampacity Deration f actor = Product of applicable multiplying f actors among 1 to 4 listed above.
K = K1 x K2 x K3 x K4
Now f rom where do we get these multiplying f actors to f ind the overall ampacity deration f actor? Againwe
get these values f rom manuf acturers catalog because manuf acturer of the cable is in best position to
conduct thepractical experiments and test on the cables and f ind the percentage/f ractional decrease in
current carrying capacity of the cable in various conditions.
For better understanding of the ampacity deration f actor the f ollowing pictorial representation is provided
below.
Table f or ampacity deration f actor along with pictorial representation is provided below.
However readers to note that ampacity deration f actor table provided in this article is to verif ied f rom the
manuf acturers catalog which is intended to be used f or project.
Rat ing f act ors f or variat ion in ambient air t emperat ure:
Air Temperature C 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
Rating
Factors
Conductor
Temp. 90C
1.81 1.41 1.10 1.05 1.00 0.95 0.89 0.84
Rat ing f act ors f or variat ion in ground t emperat ure:
Ground Temperature C 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Rating
Factors
Conductor
Temp. 90C
1.12 1.08 1.04 0.96 0.91 0.87 0.82
Rat ing f act ors f or mult icore cables laid on open racks in air:
No. of
rocks
No of cables per rack
1 2 3 6 9
1 1.00 0.98 0.96 0.93 0.92
2 1.00 0.95 0.93 0.90 0.89
3 1.00 0.94 0.92 0.89 0.88
6 1.00 0.93 0.90 0.87 0.86
No. of
rocks
No of cables per rack
1 2 3 6 9
1 1.00 0.84 0.80 0.75 0.73
2 1.00 0.80 0.76 0.71 0.69
3 1.00 0.78 0.74 0.70 0.68
6 1.00 0.76 0.72 0.68 0.66
Rat ing f act ors f or single core cable in t ref oil circuit s laid on open racks in air:
No. of
rocks
No of circuits per rack
1 2 3
1 1.00 0.98 0.96
2 1.00 0.95 0.93
3 1.00 0.94 0.92
6 1.00 0.93 0.90
Rat ing f act ors f or groups of mult icore cables laid direct in ground, in horizont al f ormat ion:
Spacing No. of cables in group
2 3 4 6 8
Cables touching 0.79 0.69 0.62 0.54 0.50
15 cm 0.82 0.75 0.69 0.61 0.57
30 cm 0.87 0.79 0.74 0.69 0.66
45 cm 0.90 0.83 0.79 0.75 0.72
60 cm 0.91 0.86 0.82 0.78 0.76
Rat ing f act ors f or grouping of mult icore cables laid direct in ground in t ier f ormat ion:
Spacing No. of cables
4 6 8
Cables touching 0.60 0.51 0.45
15 cm 0.67 0.57 0.51
30 cm 0.73 0.63 0.57
45 cm 0.76 0.67 0.59
60 cm 0.78 0.69 0.61
Rat ing f act ors f or grouping of single core cable laid in t ref oil circuit s laid direct in ground in
horizont al f ormat ion:
Spacing No. of circuits in group
2 3 4 6 8
Cables touching 0.78 0.68 0.61 0.53 0.48
15 cm 0.81 0.71 0.65 0.58 0.54
30 cm 0.85 0.77 0.72 0.66 0.62
45 cm 0.88 0.81 0.76 0.71 0.67
60 cm 0.90 0.83 0.79 0.76 0.72
Rat ing f act ors f or dept h of laying f or Cables laid direct in t he ground:
* Voltage Depth of laying 75 90 105 120 150 180 and above
1.1 kV Rating f actor up to 25 sq. mm. 1.00 0.99 0.98 0.97 0.96 0.95
Rating f actor above 25 sq. mm and
up to 300 sq. mm
1.00 0.98 0.97 0.96 0.94 0.93
Rating f actor above 300 sq. mm. 1.00 0.97 0.96 0.95 0.92 0.91
Rat ing f act ors f or variat ion in t hermal resist ivit y of soil:
(multicore cables laid direct in ground)
Nominal area of
conductor in sq. mm
Rating f actors f or value of Thermal Resistivity of Soil in C cm / Watt
100 120 150 200 250 300
25 1.14 1.08 1.00 0.91 0.84 0.78
35 1.15 1.08 1.00 0.91 0.84 0.77
50 1.15 1.08 1.00 0.91 0.84 0.77
70 1.15 1.08 1.00 0.90 0.83 0.76
Rat ing f act ors f or variat ion in t hermal resist ivit y of soil, t hree single core cables laid direct
in t he ground:
(three cables in trefoil touching)
Nominal area of
conductor in sq. mm
Rating f actors f or value of Thermal Resistivity of Soil in C cm / Watt
100 120 150 200 250 300
25 1.19 1.09 1.00 0.88 0.80 0.74
35 1.20 1.09 1.00 0.88 0.80 0.74
50 1.20 1.09 1.00 0.88 0.80 0.74
Now let us apply the ampacity criteria f or sizing the cable of a motor. The minimum required size as
per criteria-1 is already determined in part-1 of this article.
No. Input Required Source of Input
1 Rated kW of Load (Here we assume it as 160kW Motor) Mechanical/Process Load list
2 Motor Data (PF and ef f iciency, Here we are considering PF
of 0.85 and motor ef f iciency of 95%)
From Motor Data sheet submitted by
manuf acturer
3 Type of Cable to be used (Here we are considering
Aluminium, XLPE, 3 core cable)
Project technical specif ication (For
insulation and conductor material)
4 Electrical design ambient temperature (We are considering
electrical design ambient temperature of 50C)
Project technical specif ication
5 Laying condition From Electrical cable route layout
6 Cable ampacity and deration f actors From reputed cable manuf acturers
catalog
Rated Load current f or 160kW motor = 160 x 1000/ (1.732 x 415 x 0.85 x motor ef f iciency)
Rated load current f or motor = 275.66 Ampere
Now assuming that cable is laid in open racks in air the applicable ampacity deration f actor will be:
K = K1 X K2 (K3 and K4 will not be applicable in this case)
K1 = 0.89
K2 = 0.70 (assuming 3 Nos. of cable rack with number of cables/rack to be 6 and cables are laid touching
each other)
K = 0.89 x 0.70 = 0.623
Now K x Cable Ampacity should be greater than or equal to the required load current.
Aluminum, XLPE, 3C x 300 Sq mm cable has ampacity in air = 461 Amperes (From Manuf actures catalog)
Applying ampacity deration f actor = 461 * 0.623 = 287.203 Amperes which is greater than required load
current of 275.6 Amperes.
Hence cable size selected on the basis of continuous current requirement is single run of 3C x 300 Sq
mm, Aluminum, XLPE.
Conclusion:
A motor rated 160kW controlled by air circuit breaker f ed f rom main PCC of f ault rating 50kA and
connected through Aluminum XLPE cable requires a cable size of 3C x 240 Sq mm minimum because of
short circuit rating, however selected size because of continuous current requirement is 3c x 300 Sq mm.
The third and final criteria of voltage drop will be discussed in part-3 of this article.