Hyderabad Institute of Electrical Engineers
Day-5
Cable Sizing Calculation
Page 1
• What is a cable
• What are the different types of cables
• What are the different components inside
a cable
• What is the importance of each
component
• How to specify the cable
Page 2
• An assembly of one or more conductors, ether
solid or stranded, each covered with a layer of
insulating material throughout its length, the
whole being provided with a common protective
covering.
• Different types of cables
– LT
– HT
– EHT
Page 3
Components of cable
• Conductor
• Insulation
• Screening
• Inner sheath
• Armoring
• Outer sheath
Page 4
• Conductor
– A body or substance, which offers a low
resistance to the passage of an electric
current
– Aluminum / Copper
– Solid/stranded
• Insulation
– A non-conductive material usually surrounding or
separating two or more conductive materials.
• XLPE
• PVC Page 5
• Screening
– XLPE Cables with rated voltage over 3300V
shall be provided with conductor and
insulation screening.
– To avoid the cavities and voids formation in
dielectric particularly on bending operation of
cable, perfect bonding of insulation and
screening is required.
– Typically semiconducting compound
Page 6
• Innersheath
– A uniform and continuous covering used to
protect the insulation, especially against
moisture, or to protect an inner metallic
sheath or armour against corrosion
– Laid up cables are provided with inner sheath
with high quality of PVC which acts as
bedding for steel wire / strip armouring
• Armor
– A metal covering usually applied in the form
of tape or wire, intended to protect a cable
from mechanical damage.
Page 7
• Outer Sheath
– Similar to innerseath
– Will have various characteristics
• General purpose
• Heat resistant
• FRLS
• UV resistant
Page 8
• IS Standrads for cables:
– PVC IS 1554
– XLPE-IS 7098
• Advantages of PVC cables
– A non-hygroscopic insulation almost
unaffected by moisture.
– 2. Non-migration of compound permitting
vertical installation.
– 3. Complete protection against most forms of
electrolytic and Page 9
• Advantages of XLPE cables
– Higher Current Rating.
– 2. Higher Short Circuit Rating.
– 3. Longer Service Life.
– o 4. For a short time it can withstand maximum 130 C and is favourable to
endure short circuit stresses.
– 5. It is less sensitive to the setting of the network protection.
– 6. Because of the thermosetting process taking place due the effect of cross
linking, the crack resistance is increased.
– 7. Due to the chemical cross-linking internal stresses are reduced. Consequently
the material is less sensitive during manufacturing process to the setting of the
cooling gradient.
– 8. The thermal resistivity of cross-linked material is favourably low, compared to
thermoplastic material.
– 9. The low dielectric loss is a significant advantage.
– 10. The excellent mechanical features of the insulation improves the protection
against external effects.
– 11. The resistance of the XLPE to acids, alkalies is outstanding and is oftenPage 10
compensating the adverse environmental influences.
Sample Photo graphs
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Earthed grade/un earthed grade
Page 15
Tests
Page 16
Cable sizing Objective
• To select correct size and type of the cables.
• Selection should be such that voltage variation
in the cable within permissible limit.
• Cable should be so selected that it can
withstand the stresses and resulting increase in
temperature caused by maximum short circuit
current
Page 17
Letters Used in Type Designations
• A = Appearing as a first letter denotes Aluminium Conductor.
Y = TROPODUR (PVC) Insulation or TROPODUR (PVC) Sheath depending on the
position in which it appears.
2X = TROPOTHEN-X (Cross-linked Polyethylene) Insulation.
W = Round Steel Wire Armoring.
WW = Double Round Steel Wire Armoring.
F = Formed Steel Wire (Strip) Armoring.
FF = Double Formed Steel Wire (Strip) Armoring.
C = Metallic Screening (Usually of Copper).
CE=Metallic Screening (usually of Copper) over each individual core.
Gb = Holding Helix Tape (of Steel)
Wa = Aluminium Round Wire & Aluminium Formed Wire (Strip)
Page 18
Factors Determining Selection of
Power Cable
• System voltage.
• Current carrying capacity.
• Mode of installation.
• Permissible voltage drop.
• Short circuit rating.
• Economic consideration
Page 19
Correction Factor
• K1: correction factor due to group of
cables in ground.
• K2: correction factor due to depth of cable.
• K3: correction factor due to ground or air
ambient temperature.
• K4: correction factor due to Earth Thermal
Resistivity.
Page 20
Correction Factor
• K5: correction factor due to Metal
Screen/Shield.
• K6: correction factor due to Phase
Spacing.
• KT: Overall Correction Factor
Page 21
Basic assumptions for current rating
Page 22
Page 23
Voltage Drop Calculation
• Voltage drop is major factor while selection of
cable size. selection should be such that voltage
variation in the cable should be within
permissible limit.
• 3Øsystem:
%VD=1.732*FLA*L*(RcosΦ+XsinΦ)*100/1000*V
*No.of runs
• 1Øsystem: %VD=2xFLA*L*(RcosΦ+XsinΦ)*100
• 1000*V*No.of runs
• DC system: 2xIxRxL
Page 24
Short Circuit Thermal Capacity
• The cable should be selected such that it can withstand
the stresses and resulting increase in temperature cause
by maximum short circuit current up to period of one sec.
• A=I√t/k
• Where :
I sc = Short circuit current in KA
t = Duration of short circuit in seconds.(This is generally
taken as 0.2 sec for motor & Transformer,0.6 for plant
feeders, 1 sec for incoming feeder
• A = Area of conductor in sq. mm.
K = Constant. (94 for XLPE,Al cable, 143 for XLPE,Cu
cable, 76 for PVC Al cable)
Page 25
Steps for Cable Sizing
• Calculate full load current.
• Consider the Correction factors as per
requirement.
• Derate the calculated current according to
correction factor.
• Select cable cross section for derated current.
• Calculate % voltage drop & short circuit thermal
rating for selected cable.
• If voltage drop is higher than permissible limit
then go for next higher size.
Page 26
Sample calculation
Page 27
SWGR to Motor
Page 28
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