IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems, Vol. PAS-98,No.
4 July/Aug 1979 1149
HEAT LOSSES FROM ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
IN GENERATING STATIONS
I. M. Rubin, Member, IEEE
Burns and Roe, Inc.
Oradell, N.J.
Abstract
Heat losses from electrical equipment in gene-
rating stations must be estimated by electrical
engineers when information is required by HVAC sys-
tem designers, for inclusion into heat load calcula-
tions being used to size HVAC equipment. 'These
estimates must often be done quickly, and time does
not allow waiting for equipment manufacturers to
provide accurate heat loss values. This paper pro-
vides a consistent method by which electrical engi-
neers can estimate the heat losses from electrical
equipment in power stations. Data, consisting of
averages of manufacturers' information, is provided
to enable these heat loss estimates to be prepared.
INTRODUCTION
All electrical equipment, when energized, pro-
duces a certain amount of heat loss to its environ-
ment. Where large concentrations of electrical
equipment are grouped together, such as in power
generating stations, this waste heat can signifi-
cantly affect the heating, air-conditioning, and
ventilating system (HVAC) design. This paper pro-
vides the necessary procedures and data for the
electrical engineer to estimate the total heat loss-
es from the auxiliary electrical equipment in power
generating stations. It should be noted that the
heat loss data presented in this paper is conserva-
tive in nature, and thus the HVAC engineer should be
informed that no additional margin is to be added to
the values supplied.
A significant amount of the electrical equip-
ment in a power station does not operate continuous-
ly, and therefore its heat loss must be estimated
based on its normal status. The heat loss values
given in this paper are valid only for normal opera-
tion of equipment. When equipment is shut down, its
heat loss will be significantly different, but it
may still have a partial heat loss, possibly due to
the cperation of space heaters. Thus the normal
status of the equipment (energized or de-energized,
open or closed, full load or partial load) must be
considered when heat losses are estimated.
In areas where environmental conditions must
be accurately controlled (such as safety related
areas of nuclear plants), it may be advantageous to
identify those components of power distribution
F 78 304-7.A paper recommended and approved
by the IEEE Power Generation Committee of
the IEEE Power Engineering Society for pre-
sentation at the IEEE/ASME/ASCE Joint Power
Generation Conference, Dallas, TX, Septem-
ber 10-13, 1978. Manuscript submitted April
17, 1978; made available for printing August
2, 1978.
001 8-9510/79/0700-1149$00.75
equipment which do not continuously carry current,
thus neglecting the heat loss of circuit breakers
which are normally open. Also, the heat losses from
electrical equipment during shutdown or accident
conditions (such as a LOCA in a nuclear plant) again
may be significantly different, due to operation of
such items as emergency motor driven pumps, tie
breakers, or diesel generator switchgear.
A. Power Distribution Equipment
The auxiliary electrical systems of fossil-fuel
and nuclear power stations oonsist of three major
types of power distribution equipment: medium volt-
age switchgear, unit substations, and motor control
centers. Medium voltage switchgear consists of
power circuit breakers with associated buswork, all
enclosed in free-standing cabinets. Unit substa-
tions generally consist of a medium voltage circuit
breaker or airfilled terminal chamber, a dry-type
transformer, and a low voltage section containing
circuit breakers, which are either manually or elec-
trically operated. Motor control centers consist of
combination starters and low-current feeder break-
ers.
Heat loss values for switchgear, unit substa-
tions, and motor control centers are given in Tables
I, II, and III, respectively. The total heat loss
for any equipment can be estimated as the sumnation
of its component heat losses. The heat loss of a
fused switch can be assumed equal to the heat loss
of an equally-rated circuit breaker. The heat
loss of the incoming line section (medium volt-
age) of unit substations can be directly obtained
from Table I, if a power circuit breaker is used.
If an air-filled terminal chamber is used instead
of a power circuit breaker, its heat loss can be
assumed as 50% of the Table I value.
B. Transformers
Unit substation transformers, when installed
indoors, are usually the open-ventilated dry type,
with a temperature rise of 1500C over a 300C ambi-
ent. Heat loss values for this type of transformer,
independent of transformer impedance, are given in
Table IV. Transformers used to supply lighting and
receptacle panels are generally installed within
motor control centers; their heat loss values are
given in Table III.
C. Vital Equipment
The vital electrical equipment in power sta-
tions generally consists of one or more station bat-
teries, dc switchgear, battery chargers, and unin-
terruptible power supplies. The heat loss from sta-
tion batteries, during normal operation (float
charge), is negligible. Heat loss from dc switch-
gear can be assumed equal to the heat loss from unit
substation caoponents of comparable ampere ratings.
Battery chargers in a power station normally
supply the float charging current of the station
battery plus any steady state dc load. The float
charging current (I.), per 100 ampere hours of bat-
1979 IEEE
1150

tery rating, is approximately 0.11 amperes or 0.011

amperes, for either lead-antimony or lead-calcium be estimated 80 percent of the input power.
as
batteries, respectively. The heat loss from the Computer often have strict HVAC require-
roams
battery charger can be estimated as the inefficient ments stated by the manufacturers, who will often
percent of the input power to the charger, derated provide the exact heat loss of their computers.
by a diversification factor which accounts for the When preliminary estimates must be made, however, it
actual percentage of the battery charger's capacity is possible to use a value of 250 watts per linear
being used for the normal load. A safety factor of foot, for a full-height, single-unit depth computer
1.25 is used to slightly increase the diversifica- cabinet.
tion factor. Equations (1) and (2) can be used to
calculate the diversification factor (D) and battery
charger heat loss (HLBd, respectively, where I ssis
the steady-state dc load in amperes, AH is the am- E. Motors
pere hour rating of the station battery, N is the
number of battery chargers normally connected to the
battery, IBCis the ampere rating of the battery Many motors are used in power stations, to
charger output, and V is the voltage rating of the drive the various auxiliary systems. Heat loss from
battery charger outpue. Efficiency (Eff.) can be electric mntors represents a significant amount of
assumed as 85%. the total waste heat, mainly because the motors are
located in environments containing all types of
mechanical equipment which must be cooled and venti-
(IF) (AH) lated, and because rotors primarily use ambient air
D = 1.25 100 aiihr (1) for their own cooling. Heat loss from motors can be
estimated using (4); motor efficiency
(N) (IBC) as 90%, unless the actual value is known.
can be assumed

HL B6watts) = (IBC) (C) (D) (l-Eff ) .

(2)
HtMOTOlwatts)=(HP) (746 watts/HP) (1-Eff.) (4)
Heat loss from uninterruptible power supplies can be
estimated using (3), where efficiency can be assumed
as 80% and power factor (PF) can be assumed as 0.9.
F. Lighting
H1% ps(watts) = (VA rating of UPS) (PF)(l-Eff.) (3)
The total heat loss fron lighting in any area
D. Control Equipment of a power station can be estimated as being equal
to the input power to all luminaires in that area.
Control rooms and relay rooms of power stations If the heat loss is estimated by the sumnation of
normally contain many heat-generating panels and the ratings (watts) of individual luminaires, the
cabinets, some of which may be computers. Heat loss lamp watts of a fluorescent luminaire should be mul-
from control boards and relay cabinets can be esti- tiplied by 1.2, and the lamp watts of a high inten-
mated at 30 watts per square foot of the total panel sity discharge luminaire should be multiplied by
front surface area, or by the sumnation of 10 watts 1.4, to account for the heat loss from ballasts. An
per indicating light, 2 watts per control switch, important assumption that has been made here is that
and 25 watts per relay or meter. If the power input the total power input to a lamp eventually cows out
to the panel is known, heat loss can alternatively as heat, even though some lamp types have a greater
efficiency of light energy vs. heat energy.

TABLE I
Medium Voltage Switchgear, Heat Loss, Watts per Cubicle
(Including Buswork)
1 ~ 5 kV 7.2 kV 13.8 kV
I I I l I
{Current | 1200 A | 2000 A | 3000 A 1l200 A | 2000 A | 3000 A l200 A | 2000 A | 3000AA
1| p 1 Breaker l Breaker I Breaker I Breaker 1 Breaker I Breaker I Breaker Breaker l Breaker 1
1 I1 l~ 1 - I 1- 1 1 .1 '1
200 1 24 1 12 1 9 1 28 14 1 10 l 29 15 l 11
400 94 1 48 1 36 1 111 l 54 40 1 117 1 60 1 49 1
1600
1800 l
1 213
378
108-
1 192
1
1 142
80 1
1
250 1 122
444 1 216
1 90
1 160
1 263 1l 135
1 467 1 240
1
1
100
178
l
11000 1 590 1 300 1 - 222 694 1 338 250 729 1 375 1. 278
11200 -1 850 1 432 l 320 1 1000 486 I 360 1 1050 1 540 400 1
11400 1 --- l 588 436 1 1 662 1 490 1 -- 735 1 544 1
11600 1 --- 1768 .1 569 5 1 864 1 640 1 _ 1 960 1 711
11800 1 --- 1 972 1 720 1 -- - 1094 1 810 1'- -- 1215 1 900 .1
12000 1 - 1200 1 889 1 -- 1350 1000 l- -- 1500 1111 l
12200 1 - 1075 1 -- 1-- 11210 1--- 1--- 1 1344 1
12400 1 --- __ 1 1280 1 -- l- 1 1440 1 1600 - _

12600 1--- l --- 1502 1 -1--- 11690 1-- I -- 1 1878 1

12800 1- 1--- 1 7142 - -1--- 11960 1- I-- 1 2178
13000 l --I - 2000 - --1__ 2250 1 -- 1 2-- _

5 kV 17.2 kV l 13.8 kV I
I 1_ SDace heater. Der cubicle
Iary0compartment 250
300
1400
1400
1
I SMO
500
II
compartmnt 500 i
I

I Auxiliary 300 1400

I rl I
 1151
G. Power Cables Conclusions
The heat loss values presented in this -paper
In power stations, power cables are normally have been compiled by averaging the information that
routed in cable trays, with conduit being used for could be obtained from several major manufacturers,
safety related power cables in nuclear plants, or and applying engineering judgement to extrapolate
for short lengths or isolated runs of power cable in values which were not directly obtained. Equipment
both fossil-fuel and nuclear plants. Since it is manufacturers can supply, for the nost part, speci-
unlikely that a large group of power conduits, car- fic heat loss values for specific equipment; how-
rying continuously loaded cable, will be routed to- ever, the time delay associated with waiting for
gether for an apreciable distance, the heat loss specific information is unsatisfactory, highlighting
from conduits can be neglected. the need for a standard oompilation of data such as
this paper. The heat loss values presented herein
The heat loss from cable tray, containing a are intended to be used only for HVAC calculation
mixture of single conductor power cables, filled to purposes; computations of actual energy losses (dol-
40% maximum of the cross sectional area of a 3 inch lars per kilowatt) should not be made using these
eable tray depth, has been calculated based on the values.
ILR losses of the conductor, the conductor tempera-
ture, and the average thermal conductivity of power REFERENCES
cable insulation and jacket material. These calcu-
lated values have been derated by a diversity factor Llj H.N. Hickok, "Electrical Energy Losses in
of 60%, since not all cables are continuously load- Power Systems." IEEE Industry Applications
ed. The resulting values to be used for heat loss Society 12th Anual Meetiin, October, 1977,
estimates are listed in Table V. Section 2-B, pp. 42 - 57.

TABLE IT
Unit Substation Components
ICircuit Breakers, 600 volts or below
I Heat Loss, watts
{Current I Circuit Breaker Frame Size
I I I
lAmps 225 A | 600 A | 1600 A 2000 A I 3000 A | 4000AA
I I Frame I Frame Frame I Frame Frame
F Frame
F
40 13 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
60 1 28 8 1 1 1 2 1 1 -11
l70
190
39 11 2 1 3 2 _ 1 1
1100
1 64 18 1 3 1 5 23
l
79 22 44 I 6 4 1 3 1
1125 1 123 1 - 35 5 1 10 6 1 4 1
150 1 177 50 8 -6 14 9 6 1
175 1 241 1 68 - 11 19 12 1 8
200 1 316 89 14 1 25 1 16 1 10 _
1225 1 400 .1 113 18 32 1 20 1 13 1
1250
1300 I
1
___
138
200
22
32
5
-
39
56 I
l 25
36
1
1
16
23 _ 1
1350 1 __ 272 1 43 76 1 49 .1 31 1
400 355 56 100 64 40
500- 1 555 1 88 1 156 1 100 1 63 l
1600 1 -- 1 800 - 127 225 1 144 1 90 1
1800 l -- - 225 1 400 1 256 1 160 1
11 Ul,
--=----- 1
-_ __ 1 352 I
625 1
40 1 250 1

11200 1_ __ -_ 1 506 1 900 1 576 1 360 1

11600 1 ___ I -- 900 1 1600 1 1024 1 640
12000 1 - _ -- 1 --- 1 2500 1 1600 1000
12500 1 - 1 -__ __ - 1 2500 _ 1562 1
13000 1 --
_ 1 - ._ __ 3600 2250
14000 1 -- I -- _ _ 1 -- 1 4000 1

ISpace Heater 1 400 watts per vertical stack 1

lAuxiliary omprtment 1 400 watts I
IBus losses 1 300 watts per vertical stack I
1152

TABLE III TABLE IV

Motor Control Centers
Item Heat Loss, watts Unit Substation Transformers
Canbination Starter 4160 - 480 V, 6900 - 480 V, 13800 - 480 V
NEMA Size 1 60
NEMA Size 2 90
NEMA Size 3 140
|Transformer Size I Heat Loss (at full load)l
NEMA Size 4 190
l kVA watts
l 300 6 000
NEMA Size 5 350 500 I 10 000 l
750 1 15 000
Molded Case Circuit Breaker (or Fused Switch) l 1000 1 20 000 l
Current, Amps l 1500 25 000
15 - 30 4 l 2000 35 000
40 - 50 16 2500 40 000
60 - 70 20
100 - 125 28
150 - 225 40
250 - 300 60 TABLE V
400 - 500 100
600 - 800 200 Cable Tray Heat Loss (Power Cables)
Auxiliary Relay Ccrpartment 100
Bus Losses, per vertical stack 80 |Tray Width I Heat Loss, watts per foot l
I I I
Space Heater, per vertical stack 200 I l 600 V 5 kV 1 15 kV 1
12" 1 23 l 26 1 26
Power and Lighting Transformers l 18" 1 35 l 39 1 42 l
3 Phase, 480 - 208/120 volt 1 24" i 47 1 53 1 55 l
9 kVA 300 1 30" 1 58 1 65 1 68 l
15 kVA 500
30 kVA 1400
Incoming Line Reactor
Ampere Rating Ira M. Rubin (S'71-M'73) was born in Jersey City,
600 250 N.J., on February 3, 1952. He received the B.E.
700 350 degree in 1973 and the M.M.S. degree in 1978 from
800 500 Stevens Institute of Technology.
1000 700 In 1973, Mr. Rubin joined Burns and Roe, Inc.,
1200 1000 Oradell, N.J., where he has worked as an Electrical
Power and Lighting Panelboards Engineer. He has been involved with the engineering
Number of Single Pole of several power stations, including the Three Mile
Circuit Breakers Island Nuclear Station Unit No. 2; Units 1 and 2 of
12 150
the Big Cajun No. 2 coal-fired station; and Units 3
24 300 and 4 of the Santee Cooper Winyah Station, on which
36 450 he is presently working.
42 500
Mr. Rubin is a registered Engineer-In-Training
in the state of New Jersey.