International Journal of Latest Technology in Engineering, Management & Applied Science (IJLTEMAS)

Volume VIII, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2278-2540

Short Circuit Analysis of 33/11/0.4 kV Distribution

System Using ETAP
Dr. Aung Zaw Latt
Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Technological University (Maubin), Maubin, Myanmar

Abstract— There are two major problems that can occur in system. The maximum steady-state short circuit current is
power system; these are open circuits fault and short circuits used to determine minimum device ratings. The minimum
fault. Of the two, short circuit is the most dangerous because it steady-state short circuit value is used for relay coordination
can lead to very high fault currents and these currents can have purposes in preventing the occurrence of nuisance trips and
very substantial effects such as electromechanical forces and
loading deviations.
thermal heating on equipment that may need replacement of
equipment and may even cause fires and other similar ensuing In this paper, the short circuit characteristic of 33/11/0.4 kV
effects in the power system. Building systems are particularly at distribution system (Maubin) has been analyzed for various
risk. To prevent problems from short circuits, it is required to fault conditions at different fault locations using IEC 60909
design electrical protection systems that will be able to detect
abnormal fault currents that may occur and then take remedial
and IEC 61363-1 standards in ETAP. The detailed
action to isolate the faulty section of the system in as short a time descriptions about the short circuit current calculations are
as is consistent with the magnitude of the short circuit fault presented in this paper. ETAP is the most comprehensive
current level. This requires that the fault current be predicted solution for the simulation, design and analysis of generation,
for a fault in any particular location of the power system. This transmission, distribution, and industrial power systems.
paper described the short circuit analysis of 33/11/0.4 kV
Maubin distribution system for various types of symmetrical and II. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CALCULATION METHODOLOGY
unsymmetrical faults at different locations. This analysis is done In IEC short circuit calculation method; an equivalent
by using Electrical Transient Analyzer Program (ETAP) and has
voltage source at the fault location replaces all voltage
been performed based on International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) – 60909, IEC 61363-1 standards. All the data sources.
is collected from 33/11/0.4 kV substation under Ese Maubin. A voltage factor c is used to adjust the value of the
Keywords— short circuit, fault current, ETAP, IEC-60909, IEC equivalent voltage source for minimum and maximum current
61363-1, Maubin distribution system calculation. All machines are represented by their internal
impedances. Transformer tap can be set at either an operating
I. INTRODUCTION position or at the nominal position, and different schemes are
available to correct system voltages and transformer

A fault on a power system is an abnormal condition that

includes an electrical failure of power system equipment
operating at one of the primary voltages within the system.
impedance if off-nominal tap setting exists. System
impedances are assumed to be balanced three phase, and the
method of symmetrical components is applied for unbalanced
Generally, two types of failure can occur. The first is an fault calculations. Zero sequence capacitances of transmission
insulation failure that results in a short-circuit fault and can lines, shunt admittances and cables can be considered for
occur as a result of overstressing and degradation of the unbalanced fault calculations (LG and LLG) if the option in
insulation over time or due to a sudden overvoltage condition. the study case is selected to involve branch Y and static load.
The second is a failure that results in a cessation of current This means that the capacitances of static load and branches
flow or an open-circuit fault. A short circuit may lead to are considered based on IEC 60909-0. The calculations
stability problem, electromagnetic interference, mechanical consider electrical distance from the fault location to
and thermal stress. synchronous generator. For a far-from generator fault,
Short circuit faults can take place between phases, or calculations assume that the steady-state value of the short-
between phases and earth, or both. Short circuits may be one- circuit current is equal to the initial symmetrical short-circuit
phase to earth, phase to phase, two-phase to earth, three-phase current and only the DC component decays to zero. However,
clear of earth and three-phase to earth. The three-phase fault for a near-to-generator fault, calculations count for decaying
that symmetrically affects the three phases of a three-phase in both AC and DC components. The equivalent (R/X) ratios
circuit is the only balanced fault whereas all the other faults determine the rates of decay of both components, and
are unbalanced. Short circuit analysis is carried out to ensure different values are taken for generator and loads near the
the safety of the general public, and to determine the ratings fault.
of protective equipment to ensure the stability of the power

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 International Journal of Latest Technology in Engineering, Management & Applied Science (IJLTEMAS)
Volume VIII, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2278-2540

In this paper, IEC 60909 and 61363-1 are being employed Where f is the system frequency, tmin is the minimum delay
to study the short circuit performance of 33/11/0.4 kV radial time of the protective device under concern, and is the
distribution system. The initial symmetrical current (I"k ) is
system value at the faulted bus.
calculated by using the norminal voltage Vn, voltage factor
(C) and equivalent impedance at the fault location (Zk). The Steady-state short circuit current Ik is a combination of
peak current (Ip) is calculated by using the initial symmetrical contributions from synchronous generators and power grid. Ik
current (I"k) and a fuction of system value at fault location for each synchronous generator is calculated using the
following formula:
k.
Ikmax = 𝜆max IrG , in kA (7)
I"k = , (in kA) (1)
Ikmin = 𝜆min IrG, in kA (8)
Ip = √2 k I"k , (in kA) (2) where 𝜆 is a function of a generator’s excitation voltage,
IEC Standards provide three methods for calculating the k ratio between its initial symmetrical short circuit current and
rated current, other generator parameters, and IrG is the
factor: Method (A)- Uniform ratio . The value of the k factor
generator’s rated current.
is determined from taking the smallest ratio of of all the
III. TERMINOLOGY OF SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT WAVEFORM
branches of the network. Only branches that contain a total of
80 percent of the current at the nominal voltage corresponding In order to calculate short circuit current duties on power
to the short circuit location are included. Branches may be a system equipment, it is important to define the terminology
used in characterizing the short circuit current waveform.
series combination of several elements. Method B - ratio at
Short circuit faults are characterized by the short circuit
the short circuit location. The value of the k factor is current and its components. These are the ac or symmetrical
determined by multiplying the k factor by a safety factor of root mean square (rms) short-circuit current, dc short-circuit
1.15, which covers inaccuracies caused after obtaining the current or dc time constant or X/R ratio, and the overall
ratio from a network reduction with complex impedances. asymmetrical short-circuit current. Fig. 1 shows a simple
Method C - Equivalent frequency. The value of the k factor is balanced three-phase electric circuit where L and R are the
calculated using a frequency altered . is calculated at a circuit inductance and resistance for each phase, and Le and
Re are the earth return path inductance and resistance,
lower frequency and then multiplied by a frequency- respectively.
dependent multiplying factor.
𝑣 (𝑡) = √2𝑉 sin(𝜔𝑡 + 𝜑 ) i = r,y,b (9)
For a far from generator fault, the symmetrical short circuit
breaking current (Ib) is equal to the initial symmetrical short where Vrms is rms voltage magnitude, ω = 2πf in rad/s, f is
circuit current. power frequency in Hz and ϕi is voltage phase angle in rad
given by 𝜑 = 𝜑 − , 𝜑 = 𝜑 + 2𝜋/3
Ib = I"k , (in kA) (3)
If a solid three-phase to earth connection or short-circuit
For a near to generator fault, Ib is obtained by combining
fault is made simultaneously between phases r, y, b and earth
contributions from each individual machine. Ib for different
e at t = 0,
types of machines is calculated by using the following
formula: 𝐿
( )
+ 𝑅𝑖 (𝑡) + 𝐿
( )
+ 𝑅 𝑖 (𝑡) = 𝑣 (𝑡) (10)
Ib = 𝜇I"k , (in kA) for synchronous machine (4) Substituting i = r, y, b in Equation (10) and adding the three
equations,
Ib = 𝜇𝑞I"k ,(in kA) for asynchronous machine (5)
𝐿 𝑖 (𝑡) + 𝑖 (𝑡) + 𝑖 (𝑡) + 𝑅 𝑖 (𝑡) + 𝑖 (𝑡) + 𝑖 (𝑡) +
where µ and q are factors that account for AC decay.
( )
The DC component of the short circuit current for the 3𝐿 + 3𝑅 𝑖 (𝑡) = 𝑣 (𝑡) + 𝑣 (𝑡)+𝑣 (𝑡) (11)
minimum delay time of a protective device is calculated based
on initial symmetrical short circuit current and system ratio:

π
Idc = I"k x √2 x exp , in kA (6)

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Volume VIII, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2278-2540

𝑖( ) (𝑡) = −√2 𝐼 sin 𝜑 − 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑥 exp [ ]

( )
(17)
Fig. 2 shows a general asymmetrical short-circuit current
waveform and the terminology used to describe the various
current components as well as the short circuit current
interruption.
tF = Instant of short-circuit fault
∆t1 = Protection relay time.
tA = Instant of ‘initial peak’ of short-circuit
current.
Fig. 1 Basic balanced three-phase electric circuit with earth return t1 = Instant of energisation of circuit-breaker trip
circuit
Since the three-phase voltage sources are balanced, ∆t2 = Circuit-breaker opening time
𝑣 (𝑡) + 𝑣 (𝑡)+𝑣 (𝑡) = 0 , 𝑖 (𝑡) + 𝑖 (𝑡) + t2 = Instant of circuit-breaker contact separation
𝑖 (𝑡) = 𝑖 (𝑡) ∆t3 = Circuit-breaker current arcing time
t3 = instant of short-circuit current interruption
Therefore, substituting in Equations (11), tB = Instant of peak of major current loop
( )
(𝐿 + 3𝐿 ) + (𝑅 + 3𝑅 )𝑖 (𝑡) = 0 (12) 2√2 I"k = Theoretical current at the instant of short-
The solution of Equation (12) is given by circuit fault tF where I"k is the rms short-circuit current at t =
tF
𝑖 (𝑡) = 𝐾𝑥 exp (13)

where K is a constant that satisfies the initial conditions.

Since the three-phase system is symmetrical and balanced,
ie(t)=0. Thus, Equation (13) gives K = 0 and ie(t) = 0. That is,
following a simultaneous three-phase short circuit, no current
will flow in the earth return connection and the three fault
currents ii(t) will flow independently as in single-phase
circuits. Therefore, with ie(t) = 0, the solution of Equation (10)
is given by

𝑖 (𝑡) = √2 𝐼 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜑 − 𝑡𝑎𝑛 −

Fig. 2 Asymmetrical short circuit current waveform

sin 𝜑 − 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑥 exp (14)
IV. SHORT CIRCUIT ANALYSIS RESULTS OF MAUBIN
Where, DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

𝑉 Fig. 3 shows single line diagram of 33/11/0.4 kV Maubin

𝐼 = distribution system. In this system, there has one number of
𝑅 + (𝜔𝐿) 10 MVA main transformer, 3 feeders and the power grid is
Equation (14) can be written as the sum of an ac component supplied by Kyaiklat substation. The current flow under
and a unidirectional dc component as follows, normal operating condition can be seen in Fig. 4. This load
flow analysis is based on Newton- Raphson method under
𝑖 (𝑡) = 𝑖 ( ) (𝑡) +𝑖( ) (𝑡) (15) normal operating condition. In Fig. 4, the total ampere flow at
Where, bus 1 is 133.2 A, the branch current flow at feeder 1 is 180.6
A, at feeder 2 is 118 A , and at feeder 3 is 101.4 A
𝑖( ) (𝑡) = √2 𝐼 sin [𝜔𝑡 + 𝜑 − 𝑡𝑎𝑛 ] respectively.

(16)

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 International Journal of Latest Technology in Engineering, Management & Applied Science (IJLTEMAS)
Volume VIII, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2278-2540

Fig. 3 Illustrate single line diagram of Maubin distribution system

Fig. 4 Illustrate load flow analysis of Maubin Distribution System under normal operating condition

Fig. 5 Illustrates three phase balanced short circuit fault at bus 1 of Maubin Distribution System

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 International Journal of Latest Technology in Engineering, Management & Applied Science (IJLTEMAS)
Volume VIII, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2278-2540

Fig. 6 Illustrates three phase balanced short circuit fault at bus 2 of Maubin Distribution System

Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show three phase balanced short circuit 13. The IEC 60909 standard based short circuit results namely
fault at bus 1, and at bus 2 of the Maubin distribution system. initial symmetrical current (I"k ), peak current (Ip), breaking
The short circuit analysis of this system has been carried out current (Ib ) and steady state current (Ik) for the occurrence of
using ETAP by IEC 60909 standards for all the types of fault at buses 1, 2, 3, 8 and 13 are obtained and described in
symmetrical and unsymmetrical faults at buses 1, 2, 3, 8 and Tables I to V respectively.

TABLE I
FAULT CURRENT WHEN SHORT CIRCUIT FAULT OCCURS AT BUS 1
Fault Current 3-Phase L-G L-L L-L-G
Initial Symmetrical Current (kA, rms) 17.782 17.685 15.399 17.763
Peak Current (kA, method C) 48.279 48.017 48.810 48.228
Breaking Current (kA, rms, symm) 17.685 15.399 17.763
Steady State Current (kA, rms) 17.495 17.685 15.399 17.763

TABLE II
FAULT CURRENT WHEN SHORT CIRCUIT FAULT OCCURS AT BUS 2
Fault Current 3-Phase L-G L-L L-L-G
Initial Symmetrical Current (kA, rms) 7.125 7.066 6.170 7.181
Peak Current (kA, method C) 17.596 17.450 15.238 17.735
Breaking Current (kA, rms, symm) 7.066 6.170 7.181
Steady State Current (kA, rms) 6.136 7.066 6.170 7.181

TABLE III
FAULT CURRENT WHEN SHORT CIRCUIT FAULT OCCURS AT BUS 3

Fault Current 3-Phase L-G L-L L-L-G

Initial Symmetrical Current (kA, rms) 6.981 6.848 6.045 6.940
Peak Current (kA, method C) 16.310 15.999 14.125 16.215
Breaking Current (kA, rms, symm) 6.848 6.045 6.940
Steady State Current (kA, rms) 6.018 6.848 6.045 6.940

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Volume VIII, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2278-2540

TABLE IV
FAULT CURRENT WHEN SHORT CIRCUIT FAULT OCCURS AT BUS 8

Fault Current 3-Phase L-G L-L L-L-G

Initial Symmetrical Current (kA, rms) 6.815 6.616 5.902 6.741
Peak Current (kA, method C) 15.132 14.689 13.105 14.967
Breaking Current (kA, rms, symm) 6.616 5.902 6.741
Steady State Current (kA, rms) 5.895 6.616 5.902 6.741

TABLE V
FAULT CURRENT WHEN SHORT CIRCUIT FAULT OCCURS AT BUS 13

Fault Current 3-Phase L-G L-L L-L-G

Initial Symmetrical Current (kA, rms) 7.002 6.887 6.064 6.984
Peak Current (kA, method C) 16.515 16.243 14.303 16.473
Breaking Current (kA, rms, symm) 6.887 6.064 6.984
Steady State Current (kA, rms) 6.043 6.887 6.064 6.984

Fig. 7 shows the current envelope of the transient fault current (ienv ), AC component of fault current (Iac ) and
current when the fault is occurred at bus 1(grid bus) is percentage DC component of fault current (Idc %) when
obtained using IEC 61363-1 standard. The IEC 61363-1 transient fault is occurred at grid bus is obtained and described
standard based simulation result namely total fault current (i), in Table VI.
DC component of fault current (Idc ), top envelope of fault

Fig. 7 Illustrates fault current envelop during grid bus fault of Maubin Distribution System

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TABLE VI
TRANSIENT FAULT CURRENT AT GRID BUS

T (cycle) i (kA) Idc (kA) ienv (kA) Iac (kA,rms) Idc (%)
0.000 0.000 27.644 55.289 19.548 100.00
0.100 4.770 27.132 54.773 19.545 98.16
0.200 18.104 26.644 54.282 19.543 96.41
0.300 34.717 26.178 53.812 19.540 94.73
0.400 48.083 25.729 53.360 19.538 93.12
0.500 52.923 25.296 52.923 19.535 91.56
0.600 47.224 24.876 52.500 19.533 90.05
0.700 33.003 24.468 52.088 19.531 88.58
0.800 15.536 24.070 51.688 19.528 87.16
0.900 1.342 23.682 51.296 19.526 85.76
1.000 -4.308 23.303 50.914 19.524 84.40
1.100 0.596 22.932 50.539 19.522 83.06

faults at different locations. In addition, this paper described

V. CONCLUSION the current envelope of the transient fault current when the
A power system is not only able to meet the present load fault is occurred at grid bus is obtained using IEC 61363-1
but also has the flexibility to meet the future demands. A standard. This short circuit analysis results can be provided to
power system is planned to generate electric power in determine the optimum size of protective equipments to keep
sufficient quantity, to meet the present and estimated future the users satisfied with reliable service. Short circuit analysis
demands of the users in a particular area, to transmit it to the using ETAP software is an excellent tool for system planning
areas where it will be applied and then distribute it within that and its protection.
area, on a continuous basis. To make sure the maximum
return on the great investment in the equipment, which goes to REFERENCES
make up the power system and to keep the users satisfied with [1] Nasser D. Tleis, Power Systems Modelling and Fault Analysis, Theory
reliable service, the whole system must be maintained in and Practice, Newnes, Elsevier Ltd. USA, 2008.O
operation continuously without major breakdowns. Therefore, [2] ETAP Operations Technology, Inc., Available: http://www.etap.com
[3] Technical documents: single line diagram of Maubin distribution
Short circuit studies are important for planning future system; Ese Maubin.
expansion of power systems as well as in determining the best [4] L.G. Hewitson, Mark Brown, Ramesh Balakrishnan, Power System
operation of protective systems. Protection, Practical, Newnes, Elsevier Ltd. USA, 2004.
[5] P.S.R Murty, Power System Analysis, B.S Publications, Hyderabad,
In this paper short circuit analysis of 33/11/0.4 kV India, 2007.
distribution system using ETAP software based on IEC 60909 [6] P. Kundur, Power System Stability and Control, Power System
is carried out with an approach to calculate short circuit Engineering Series, McGraw- Hill, Inc.USA, 1994.
current for various types of symmetrical and unsymmetrical

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