Proceedings of the 7th WSEAS International Conference on Power Systems, Beijing, China, September 15-17, 2007 153

Verification of the calculation procedures for evaluation of short-circuit

currents in 220 VDC auxiliary system of TPP Rijeka
Sejid Tešnjak, Javor Škare, Nikola Švigir
Department of Power Systems
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing,
Zagreb, Unska 3
Republic of Croatia
sejid.tesnj http://www.fer.hr

Abstract: - DC auxiliary systems are usually relied upon as the last source of reliable electric power at an installation of
power plants and substations. Because DC auxiliary systems and battery power sources differ from AC systems, it is
important that DC system protection designer is aware of their special considerations. In Standard IEC 61660-1 is
given mathematical model for dynamics analysis in DC auxiliary systems of power plants and substations. In this
paper, the authors performed short-circuit currents calculation in real DC auxiliary system of TPP Rijeka using
mathematical mode defined in standard IEC 61660-1. Calculation results were verified on site during DC circuit
breakers selectivity testing.

Key-Words: - DC auxiliary systems, thermal power plant (TPP), substations, mathematical model, short-circuit, circuit-
breaker, selectivity.

1 Introduction Feeder Power Transformer Commutation

Feeder connection cable
point
reactor
Three-
phase
bridge
Smoothing reactor Line

RS LS RDL L DL
DC auxiliary systems are usually relied upon as the last Z N = RN + j X N

source of reliable electric power at an installation of RQ,X Q Q Rp ,X p RT ,X T RR X R

Un

power plants and substations. That is the reason why the RN = RQ + Rp + RT + RR

transient behavior of DC auxiliary systems has recently X N = X Q+ X p + X T + X R

gained great interest. The greatest effort in Rectifier branch

Line Common branch

standardization of DC short-circuit current calculation is RB LB RBL L BL RY LY

represented by standard IEC 61600-1, Calculation of Lead-acid battery EB

+
Fx Fy
Short-Circuit Currents in DC auxiliary installations in
power plants and substations. Using mathematical Line

model for dynamics analysis in DC auxiliary systems RC RCL L CL

defined in this IEC Standard, short-circuit currents Capacitor EC

+
C
calculation in real DC auxiliary system of TPP Rijeka -

was performed. Calculation results were verified on site Field Armature

during 220 VDC circuit breakers selectivity testing.

Line

RF LF RM LM RML L ML
+
+
DC motor
EF EM M
-
-

2 Evaluation of short-circuit currents

Fig. 1 – equivalent circuit diagram of the DC auxiliary system
The approximation function for each short-circuit current
2.1 Mathematical model for dynamics analysis of the above-mentioned four sources is describe by
in accordance with the IEC 61600-1 −
t

Mathematical model for short-circuit current evaluation 1−e τ1

(1)
in DC auxiliary systems considers following items that i1 (t) = i p tp
, 0 ≤ t ≤ tp
−
are sources of possible contribution to the fault current: 1−e τ1

• rectifiers in three-phase AC bridge t −t p

−
• stationary lead-acid battery (2)
i 2 (t) = i p ⋅ [(1 − p) ⋅ e τ2
+ p], t p ≤ t
• smoothing capacitors
• DC motors. Ik
p =
The equivalent circuit diagram of DC auxiliary systems Ip (3)
under study is shown in Fig.1.
 Proceedings of the 7th WSEAS International Conference on Power Systems, Beijing, China, September 15-17, 2007 154

where section 2.1. Thereby following switching and operating

Ik quasi-steady-state short-circuit current conditions are taken into account:
ip peak current • The conductor resistances are referred to a
tp time to peak temperature of 20 °C;
τ1, τ2 rise and decay time constants • The joint resistance of busbars are
These characteristic values are defined for each different neglected;
source once certain electrical parameters (i.e., resistance, • The control for limiting the rectifier current
reactance, etc.) and nominal voltage are known and by is not effective;
using some correction factors evaluated on an • All sources are connected to busbars but
experimental basis. Detail references about theoretical initial load is neglected;
background can be found in Standard IEC 61600-1 • Any diodes for decoupling parts of system
(1997-06). are neglected;
The total short-circuit current for the location FX in Fig. • The battery is charged to full capacity;
1 is obtained by adding short-circuit current of all • The current limiting effect of circuit
sources without correction factor and for location FY in breakers are taken into account;
Fig. 1 by adding the partial short-circuit current modified • Parallel operation of rectifier and emergency
by means of correction factor σj that is needed because lube oil pump is impossible.
in that case there is a common branch (RY and LY ≠ 0).
AC, 400/230 V, 50 Hz
Formulas for calculation of partial contributions of BATTERY
Powersafe DDm 125-25 M
ST EMERGENCY
LUBE OIL PUMP

different sources can be found in Standard IEC 61600-1

+
105 cl, 1500 Ah 220 V, 19,2 kW
RECTIFIER
I LEVEL

(1997-06), too. LH 220V, 200A

KONÈAR
MCCB, Tmax T5 S "ABB"
TMA 400 A

C=4x9,9 mF

The total short-circuit current is found by superimposing Cu cable

Cu cables
2x95/pol mm2, 15 m
Cu cable
120 mm2, 130 m

the partial short-circuit currents from different sources at 95 mm2, 1 m

the short-circuit location. The approximation function CUBICLE OF RECTIFIER LOAD SWITCH
630 A
220 V DC

for total short-circuit current is described by LOAD SWITCH

630 A

t
− Cu cables
τij
1− e
2x95/pol mm2, 70 m
m
i tot ( t ) = ∑ σ jipj t pj
, 0 ≤ t ≤ tpj (4)
j=1 − MAIN DC DISTRIBUTION LOAD SWITCH
II LEVEL
τ1 j MCCB, NS160N "MG"

1− e 220 V DC F1 630 A TM 125D

II LEVEL
MCCB, NS100N "MG"
TM 40D
⎡ −
( t − t pj )
⎤
i tot ( t ) = ∑ σ jipj ⎢(1 − p j ) e
m
+ pj ⎥
τ2 j F2

tpj ≤ t ≤ TK (5) Cu kabel

j=1 ⎢ ⎥ 6 mm2, 23 m

⎣ ⎦ F3
III LEVEL
MCB
C6A

I kj F4

p = (6)
I pj Fig. 2 – block diagram of the 220 VDC auxiliary system in
TPP Rijeka

where Calculation results which describe time variation of the

i(t) is the total short-circuit current short circuit current in the first 10 ms after short-circuit
j is the numeral of voltage source was occurred are given in table 1 for fault location F1, in
m is the number of source table 2 for fault location F2, in table 3 for fault location
Tk is the short-circuit duration F3 and in table 4 for fault location F4. Since in this case
σj is correction factor of j-voltage source the contribution of rectifier in total short-circuit current
was higher than the contribution of emergency lube oil
pump, in tables 1-4 are shown calculation results only
for short-circuit currents with parallel operation of three
2.2 Calculation of short-circuit currents in the
sources; battery, rectifier and capacitors.
220 VDC auxiliary system of TPP Rijeka
Block diagram of the 220 VDC auxiliary system in TPP In Fig. 3 is shown calculated variation of total short-
Rijeka is shown in Fig.2. Calculation of maximum short- circuit currents during the first 10 ms for fault location
circuit currents are made on fault locations F1, F2, F3, F1-F4.
and F4 by using mathematical model described in
 Proceedings of the 7th WSEAS International Conference on Power Systems, Beijing, China, September 15-17, 2007 155

Table 4 – Short-circuit current in F4

Table 1 – Short-circuit current in F1
Contrib. Contrib. Contrib. of itot Contrib. Contrib. Contrib. of itot
of rectifier of battery capacitor (A) of rectifier of battery capacitor (A)
ik (A) t=1 ms 73 3245 2194 5513 ik (A) t=1 ms 6 655 233 894
ik (A) t=2 ms 138 4975 1320 6433 ik (A) t=2 ms 11 654 216 882
ik (A) t=3 ms 196 5897 794 6886 ik (A) t=3 ms 16 654 200 870
ik (A) t=4 ms 246 6388 477 7112 ik (A) t=4 ms 20 654 185 859
ik (A) t=5 ms 291 6650 287 7228 ik (A) t=5 ms 24 653 172 849
ik (A) t=6 ms 331 6790 173 7293 ik (A) t=6 ms 27 653 159 839
ik (A) t=7 ms 365 6864 104 7333 ik (A) t=7 ms 30 653 147 830
ik (A) t=8 ms 396 6902 62 7361 ik (A) t=8 ms 32 652 136 821
ik (A) t=9 ms 423 6898 38 7359 ik (A) t=9 ms 35 652 126 813
ik (A) t=10 ms 447 6895 23 7365 ik (A) t=10 ms 36 652 117 805

Table 2 – Short-circuit current in F2

A
Contrib. Contrib. Contrib. of itot 8000
of rectifier of battery capacitor (A) i tot (loc. F1)
ik (A) t=1 ms 33 2318 1010 3361 7000

ik (A) t=2 ms 62 2940 750 3751 6000

ik (A) t=3 ms 87 3107 556 3750 5000

ik (A) t=4 ms 110 3146 413 3669 4000

ik (A) t=5 ms 130 3144 306 3580

i tot (loc. F2)
3000

ik (A) t=6 ms 147 3142 227 3516

2000
ik (A) t=7 ms 163 3140 169 3471 i tot (loc. F3)
1000
ik (A) t=8 ms 177 3137 125 3439 i tot (loc. F4)
ik (A) t=9 ms 189 3135 93 3417 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ms

ik (A) t=10 ms 199 3133 69 3402

Fig. 3 – Time variation of total short-circuit current in
locations F1-F4 during first 10 ms
Table 3 – Short-circuit current in F3
Contrib. Contrib. Contrib. of itot
of rectifier of battery capacitor
3 Testing of circuit-breakers selectivity
(A)
ik (A) t=1 ms 15 993 354 1362 and recording of short-circuit currents on
ik (A) t=2 ms 29 1017 316 1361 site
ik (A) t=3 ms 40 1017 281 1338
Circuit breaker selectivity testing was performed on site
at the end of reconstruction of 220 VDC auxiliary
ik (A) t=4 ms 51 1016 251 1318
system in TPP Rijeka. Short circuit was generated in all
ik (A) t=5 ms 60 1016 223 1299 fault locations where short circuit currents were
ik (A) t=6 ms 68 1015 199 1282 calculated (Fig.2, fault locations from F1 to F4). Time
ik (A) t=7 ms 75 1015 177 1267 variations of short circuit currents were recorded by
oscilloscope.
ik (A) t=8 ms 82 1014 158 1254
Circuit breaker selectivity was checked for characteristic
ik (A) t=9 ms 87 1014 141 1242 disposition of circuit-breakers in 220 VDC installation.
ik (A) t=10 ms 92 1013 126 1231
• 1. level; Tmax T5 S, TMA 400, I1=0,7xIn, I2=7,5
xIn, “ABB”
• 2. level; NS100N, TM40D, I1=0,8xIn, I2=12,5xIn,
“Merlin Gerin”
• 3. level; C32HDC, C-6 A
 Proceedings of the 7th WSEAS International Conference on Power Systems, Beijing, China, September 15-17, 2007 156

s C32H-DC-C6A NS100/TM40 T5-TMA 400

10000
7000
5000
3000
2000

1000
700
500
300
200

100
70
50
30
20

10
7
5
3
2

1
0.7
0.5
0.3
0.2

0.1
0.07
0.05
0.03
0.02

0.01
0.007
0.005 fig.
5 – time variations of short-circuit current in location F1
0.003
0.002

0.001
1 2 3 4 5 7 10 1 2 3 4 5 7 10 2 2 3 4 5 7 10 3 2 3 4 5 7 10 4
A

Fig. 4 – Breaking I-t curves for circuit breakers situated in

three protection level
I-t curves of three circuit-breakers situated in different
protection levels of 220 VDC auxiliary installation are
shown in fig. 4. We can see that time selectivity is
ensured for “low” short-circuit currents. For verifying
selectivity at “high” short-circuit currents we performed
selectivity testing on site.
Circuit breaker selectivity testing in TPP Rijeka verified
selected circuit breakers disposition up to maximum
short-circuit current 3300 A for circuit breakers situated
in the first and the second level and up to maximum
short-circuit current 680 A for circuit breakers situated in fig. 6 – time variations of short-circuit current in location F2
the second and the third level.
In Fig. 5-8 are shown testing results for variation of total
short-circuit currents during the breaking of fault in all
observed fault locations. In case recorded in fig. 5, short-
circuit current was broken by circuit-breaker situated in
protection level 1 (Tmax, ABB), in fig. 6 and 7 by
circuit-breaker situated in protection level 2 (NS100N,
MG), and in fig. 8 by circuit-breaker situated in level 3
(miniature CB).

fig. 7 – time variations of short-circuit current in location F3

 Proceedings of the 7th WSEAS International Conference on Power Systems, Beijing, China, September 15-17, 2007 157

in Power Plants and Substations, ISCAS 2003,

Bangkok, Thailand, 2003.
[6] S. Skok, A. Marušić, S. Tešnjak: Transient Short –
Circuit Currents in Auxiliary DC Installations in
Power Plants and Substations, PowerTech 2003,
Bologna, Italy, 2003.
[7] S. Skok, S. Tešnjak, M. Vuljanković: Analysis of
Auxiliary DC Installations in Power Plants and
Substations According to Draft International
Standard IEC - 1660, MELECON '98, Tel-Aviv,
Izrael, 1998.
[8] J.P. Nereau: Discrimination with LV power circuit-
fig. 8 – time variations of short-circuit current in location F4
breakers, E/CT 201, 2001.

We can compare time-current curves recorded during the

testing, shown in fig. 5-8, with calculated time-current
curves, shown in fig. 3. They are corresponding in the
first segment of curves before arching voltage on CB
breaking contacts appears. However, the magnitude of
short-circuit currents measured during the test is about 5-
10 % lower than we expected according to calculation
results.

4 Conclusion
This paper has described calculation procedures for
evaluation of short-circuit currents in 220 VDC auxiliary
system of TPP Rijeka. Mathematical model for
dynamics analysis was based on IEC 61600-1.
Calculation results are compared with real short-circuit
currents on site during 220 VDC circuit breakers
selectivity testing. The comparison has shown an overall
agreement between the two sets of results, with a general
overestimation about 5-10% on the safety side by
calculation results.

References:
[1] IEC 61660-1, Short circuit currents in DC auxiliary
installation in power plants and substations – Part
1: Calculation of short circuit currents, 1997
[2] A.Berizzi, A. Silvestri, Dario Zaninelli and Stefano
Massucco, Evaluation of IEC Draft Standard
Through Dynamic Simulation of Short-Circuit
Currents in DC Systems, IEEE transactions on
industry applications, vol. 34, NO. 1,
January/February 1998
[3] IEEE Guide for the Protection of Stationary Battery
System IEEE STD: 1375-1998, 1998.
[4] IEEE Recommended Practic for the Design of DC
Auxiliary Power Systems for Generating Stations,
IEEE STD: 946-1992., 1992.
[5] S. Skok, A. Marušić, S. Tešnjak: Electrical
Protection Selectivity in Auxiliary DC Installations