3-phase short-circuit current (Isc) at

any point within a LV installation

From Electrical Installation Guide

Contents
1- Method of calculating ZT
2- Determination of the impedance of each component
2.1- Network upstream of the MV/LV transformer
2.2- Transformers
2.3- Busbars
2.4- Circuit conductors
2.5- Motors
2.6- Fault-arc resistance
2.7- Recapitulation table
2.8- Example of short-circuit calculations
3- Notes

In a 3-phase installation Isc at any point is given by:

where

U20 = phase-to-phase voltage of the open circuited secondary windings of the

power supply transformer(s).
ZT = total impedance per phase of the installation upstream of the fault
location (in Ω)

Method of calculating ZT
Each component of an installation (MV network, transformer, cable, busbar,
and so on...) is characterized by its impedance Z, comprising an element of
resistance (R) and an inductive reactance (X). It may be noted that
capacitive reactances are not important in short-circuit current
calculations.

The parameters R, X and Z are expressed in ohms, and are related by the sides
of a right angled triangle, as shown in the impedance diagram of Figure G35.

Fig. G35: Impedance diagram

The method consists in dividing the network into convenient sections, and to
calculate the R and X values for each.

Where sections are connected in series in the network, all the resistive
elements in the section are added arithmetically; likewise for the
reactances, to give RT and XT.

The impedance (ZT) for the combined sections concerned is then calculated
from

Any two sections of the network which are connected in parallel, can, if
predominantly both resistive (or both inductive) be combined to give a single
equivalent resistance (or reactance) as follows:

Let R1 and R2 be the two resistances connected in parallel, then the

equivalent resistance R3 will be given by:

or for reactances

It should be noted that the calculation of X3 concerns only separated circuit

without mutual inductance. If the circuits in parallel are close togother the
value of X3 will be notably higher.

Determination of the impedance of each component

Network upstream of the MV/LV transformer

(see Fig. G36)

The 3-phase short-circuit fault level PSC, in kA or in MVA[1] is given by the

power supply authority concerned, from which an equivalent impedance can be
deduced.

Psc U20 (V) Ra (mΩ) Xa (mΩ)

250 MVA 420 0.07 0.7
500 MVA 420 0.035 0.351

Fig. G36: The impedance of the MV network referred to the LV side of the MV/LV transformer

A formula which makes this deduction and at the same time converts the
impedance to an equivalent value at LV is given, as follows:

where
Za = impedance of the MV voltage network, expressed in milli-ohms
U20 = phase-to-phase no-load LV voltage, expressed in volts
Psc = MV 3-phase short-circuit fault level, expressed in kVA

The upstream (MV) resistance Ra is generally found to be negligible compared

with the corresponding Xa, the latter then being taken as the ohmic value for
Za. If more accurate calculations are necessary, Xa may be taken to be equal
to 0.995 Za and Ra equal to 0.1 Xa.

Figure G36 gives values for Ra and Xa corresponding to the most common MV[2]
short-circuit levels in utility power-supply networks, namely, 250 MVA and
500 MVA.

Transformers

(see Fig. G37)

The impedance Ztr of a transformer, viewed from the LV terminals, is given by

the formula:

in milli-ohms

where:

U20 = open-circuit secondary phase-to-phase voltage expressed in volts

Sn = rating of the transformer (in kVA)
Usc = the short-circuit impedance voltage of the transformer expressed in %

The transformer windings resistance Rtr can be derived from the total load-
losses as follows:

so that in milli-ohms

where

Pcu = total load-losses in watts

In = nominal full-load current in amps
Rtr = resistance of one phase of the transformer in milli-ohms (the LV and
corresponding MV winding for one LV phase are included in this resistance
value).

Note: for an approximate calculation, in the absence of more precise

information on transformer characteristics, Cenelec 50480 suggests to use the
following guidelines:
 if U20 is not known, it may be assumed to be 1.05 Un
in the absence of more precise information, the following values may be used: Rtr = 0.31 Ztr and Xtr =
0.95 Ztr

Example: for a transformer of 630kVA with Usc=4% / Un = 400V, approximate

calculation gives:
U20 = 400 x 1.05 = 420V
Ztr = 4202 / 630 x 4% = 11 mΩ
Rtr = 0.31 x Ztr = 3.5 mΩ and Xtr = 0.95 x Ztr = 10.6 mΩ

Oil-immersed Cast-resin
Rated Power
kVA) Usc Rtr Xtr Ztr Usc Rtr Xtr Ztr
(%) (mΩ) (mΩ) (mΩ) (%) (mΩ) (mΩ) (mΩ)
100 4 37.9 59.5 70.6 6 37.0 99.1 105.8
160 4 16.2 41.0 44.1 6 18.6 63.5 66.2
200 4 11.9 33.2 35.3 6 14.1 51.0 52.9
250 4 9.2 26.7 28.2 6 10.7 41.0 42.3
315 4 6.2 21.5 22.4 6 8.0 32.6 33.6
400 4 5.1 16.9 17.6 6 6.1 25.8 26.5
500 4 3.8 13.6 14.1 6 4.6 20.7 21.2
630 4 2.9 10.8 11.2 6 3.5 16.4 16.8
800 6 2.9 12.9 13.2 6 2.6 13.0 13.2
1,000 6 2.3 10.3 10.6 6 1.9 10.4 10.6
1,250 6 1.8 8.3 8.5 6 1.5 8.3 8.5
1,600 6 1.4 6.5 6.6 6 1.1 6.5 6.6
2,000 6 1.1 5.2 5.3 6 0.9 5.2 5.3

Fig. G37: Resistance, reactance and impedance values for typical distribution 400 V transformers (no-load voltage = 420 V) with
MV windings ≤ 20 kV

Busbars

The resistance of busbars is generally negligible, so that the impedance is

practically all reactive, and amounts to approximately 0.15 mΩ/metre[3]
length for LV busbars (doubling the spacing between the bars increases the
reactance by about 10% only).

In practice, it's almost never possible to estimate the busbar length

concerned by a short-circuit downstream a switchboard.

Circuit conductors

The resistance of a conductor is given by the formula:

where

ρ = the resistivity of the conductor material at the normal operating

temperature

ρ has to be considered:
at cold state (20°C) to determine maximum short-circuit current,
at steady state (normal operating temperature) to determine minimum short-circuit current.

L = length of the conductor in m

S = c.s.a. of conductor in mm2

PR/XLPE PVC 70
20 °C
90 °C °C
Copper 18.51 23.69 22.21
Alu 29.41 37.65 35.29

Fig. G38: Values of ρ as a function of the temperature, cable insulation and cable core material, according to IEC60909-0 and
Cenelec TR 50480 (in mΩ mm2/m).

Cable reactance values can be obtained from the manufacturers. For c.s.a. of
less than 50 mm2 reactance may be ignored. In the absence of other
information, a value of 0.08 mΩ/metre may be used (for 50 Hz systems) or
0.096 mΩ/metre (for 60 Hz systems). For busways (busbar trunking systems) and
similar pre-wired ducting systems, the manufacturer should be consulted.

Motors

At the instant of short-circuit, a running motor will act (for a brief

period) as a generator, and feed current into the fault.

In general, this fault-current contribution may be ignored. However, if the

total power of motors running simultaneously is higher than 25% of the total
power of transformers, the influence of motors must be taken into account.
Their total contribution can be estimated from the formula:

Iscm = 3.5 In from each motor i.e. 3.5m In for m similar motors operating
concurrently.

The motors concerned will be the 3-phase motors only; single-phase-motor

contribution being insignificant.

Fault-arc resistance
Short-circuit faults generally form an arc which has the properties of a
resistance. The resistance is not stable and its average value is low, but at
low voltage this resistance is sufficient to reduce the fault-current to some
extent. Experience has shown that a reduction of the order of 20% may be
expected. This phenomenon will effectively ease the current-breaking duty of
a CB, but affords no relief for its fault-current making duty.

Recapitulation table

(see Fig. G39)

Parts of power-
R (mΩ) X (mΩ)
supply system
Xa = 0.995 Za
Supply network
Figure G34

where

Transformer with
Figure G35
Rtr is often negligible compared to Xtr
for transformers > 100 kVA

Circuit-breaker Not considered in practice

Negligible for S > 200 mm2, below use
Busbars the formula: Xb = 0.15 mΩ/m
[a]

Circuit [a] Cables: Xc =

conductors[b] 0.08 mΩ/m
Motors See Motors (often negligible at LV)
Three-phase
maximum
circuit current
in kA

[a] ρ = resistivity at 20°C

[b] If there are several conductors in parallel per phase, then divide the resistance of one conductor by the number of
conductors. The reactance remains practically unchanged.
U20: Phase-to-phase no-load secondary voltage of MV/LV transformer (in volts).
Psc: 3-phase short-circuit power at MV terminals of the MV/LV transformers (in kVA).
Pcu: 3-phase total losses of the MV/LV transformer (in watts).
Sn: Rating of the MV/LV transformer (in kVA).
Usc: Short-circuit impedance voltage of the MV/LV transfomer (in %).
RT : Total resistance. XT: Total reactance

Fig. G39: Recapitulation table of impedances for different parts of a power-supply system
Example of short-circuit calculations

(see Fig. G40)

RT XT
LV installation R (mΩ) X (mΩ)
(mΩ) (mΩ)
MV network
0.035 0.351
Psc = 500 MVA

Transformer 20
kV / 420 V
Pn = 1000 kVA
2.35 8.5
Usc = 5%
Pcu = 13.3 x
103 watts
Single-core
cables Xc = 0.08
5 m copper x 5 = 2.48 9.25 Isc1 = 25 kA
4 x 240 0.40
mm2/phase
Main circuit-
Not considered in practice
breaker
Busbars 10 m Not considered in practice
Three-core
Xc = 100
cable
x 0.08 = 22 17.3 Isc3 = 8.7 kA
100 m
8
95 mm2 copper
Three-core
cable Xc = 20 x
20 m 0.08 = 59 18.9 Isc4 = 3.9 kA
10 mm2 copper 1.6
final circuits

RT : Total resistance. XT: Total reactance. Isc : 3-phase maximum short-circuit current
Calculations made as described in figure G36

Fig. G40: Example of maximum short-circuit current calculations for a LV installation supplied at 400 V (nominal) from a 1000
kVA MV/LV transformer

Notes
1. ^ Short-circuit MVA: EL Isc where:
EL = phase-to-phase nominal system voltage expressed in kV (r.m.s.)
Isc = 3-phase short-circuit current expressed in kA (r.m.s.)
2. ^ up to 36 kV
3. ^ For 50 Hz systems, but 0.18 mΩ/m length at 60 Hz
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Category: Chapter - Sizing and protection of conductors

This page was last modified on 14 September 2018, at 13:17.