Using finite element programs to determine the

ampacity of a single core horizontal cable

Abstract: This experiment determined the ampacity of a horizontally running, single core, electric cable.
Previous results in computer simulations in MATLAB and COMSOL have shown the equations for how cables
heat up under a given set of conditions. These equations were used to create predicted values and they have
helped determine a function for the cable ampacity. The resulting computer model in MATLAB ended with a
20% error bound when compared to a COMSOL simulation. Further refinement must be made before it can be
tested against live cables.
efficient causing it to produce more heat. However,
the heat it produces is diffused into its ambient
surrounding, and as a result, the temperature of the
cable reaches a steady state. In a closed system, the
heat produced by the electric cables can be determined by equation 1

Introduction
Throughout New York City, the Consolidated
Edison electric company runs its cables beneath the
streets to all buildings to supply them with power.
Many of these cables are single core cables carrying
direct current. As current is sent through a cable, its
natural resistance causes the electrical energy to be
converted into heat energy. This heat causes the
cable to rise in temperature. Should the temperature
get too high, the cable can burn or melt causing
electrical failures. Determining a function for how
much current can safely be sent through these
cables can prevent this.
The performance of a cable during times of high
load is dependent on its ampacity. A cables
ampacity is the maximum amount of current it can
handle before it burns. In single core cables with a
rubber jacket, ampacity is determined by sending
current through and letting the temperature of the
cable core reach a steady state. This process is
continued by slowly increasing the current in the
cable until the temperature of the core at a steady
state reaches its maximum safe operating temperature. The current passing through the cable at this
time is then defined as the ampacity of the cable
(Anders, 1997). A cables temperature reaches a
steady state when the heat energy being put into the
system matches the heat energy coming out in to the
ambient environment and the resulting temperature
is constant (de Leon, 2005).
Heat is produced from a cable when a current is
sent through it. This is a result of energy losses that
come from the natural resistance of the copper
cable. As the cable heats up, it becomes less

Equation 1

where H, measured in Joules, is the heat given off

from the cables electrical resistance, t, measured in
seconds, is the time of operation, R, measured in
Ohms, is the electrical resistance of the copper core,
and I, measured in Amperes, is the operating current
running through the core (Purushothaman, 2013).
To determine the final temperature of the inner
core, as shown in Figure 1, the system must be
modeled as a thermal (not electrical) circuit where
the Voltage across a point
Figure 1
Simple thermal circuit model of single core cable
system

represents its temperature (T), the electrical resistance (R) of a point represents a thermal
resistance, the electrical capacity (C) of a point
represents an items specific heat, and the current

represents the input energy as determined by the

H/t or the power as determined in the equation 1
(Sandraz, 2013). The temperature at a given point is
modeled by equation 2 for the thermal circuit shown
in Figure 2, where C represents the specific heat of

tive of a logistic curve. To test the validity of this

scripts predictions, the set of inputs are tested in a
COMSOL file which will solve for the maximum
temperature for the same given set of inputs.
COMSOL yields more data points rendering it more
accurate in most cases, but it takes several days to
find the same numbers as the MATLAB script,
making it difficult to use (Sandraz, 2013).

Equation 2

Methodology

Figure 2
Reference for variables in Equation 2

The system is made up of many components that all

are solved simultaneously in the matrix equation

where [M] is the mass matrix, [A] is the resistance

equation matrix, [T] is the temperature matrix, [B]
is the complement of [A] and [u] is the matrix
containing initial conditions.
This differential
equation is solved by a script in MATLAB by using
equation 2 to derive the temperature at each point
for each T step. To determine the underlying
equations to get the resistances and capacities, a
thermal circuit, as shown in Figure 3, needs to be
created for the system.

the object to which it corresponds measured in

Joules per Kelvin, R represents thermal resistance
measured in meters squared Kelvin per Watt
(m2K/W), and T represents temperature measured in
Kelvin. This is created as a differential equation
because the temperature changes with time, t, as the
amount of time current runs through the cable
changes. Because this is a differential equation, a
finite element program is required to solve each
temperature point with a function. Over time it will
reach a steady state and that maximum temperature
is what is used to compute the ampacity of the cable
(Shoham, 2006).
This experiment is intended to create a more
efficient system by which to determine a cable's
ampacity. Currently, in order to test a cable's
ampacity, one must either run a live test in which
the dangers of a burning cable exist or to run a
computer simulation which can take longer than
live experimentation. This MATLAB script takes a
few seconds to run making it preferable for use over
most alternative options. This script, given a set of
inputs will solve for the maximum temperature of
the cable under those conditions using the deriva-

Figure 3
Full thermal circuit model used to solve for temperature over time

each time step and the result of each temperature for

each time step yields the temperature at the given
point.

Key for figure 3:

Label
q0
T0
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
Tinf
R0
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
R6

R7
C0

C1
C2
C3
C4
C5

Description
Input Power
Temperature of core
Temperature of insulation
Temperature of air inside
concrete tube
Temperature of concrete tube
surface
Temperature of concrete tube
Temperature of ambient surrounding (near)
Temperature of ambient surrounding (far)
Ambient Temperature
Thermal Resistance of core to
insulation
Thermal Resistance of insulation
to concrete surface
Thermal Resistance of insulation
to air in tube
Thermal Resistance of air in tube
to concrete surface
Thermal resistance of concrete
surface to concrete tube
Thermal Resistance of concrete
to ambient surroundings (near)
Thermal Resistance of ambient
surroundings (near) to ambient
surroundings (far)
Thermal Resistance of ambient
surroundings (far) to rest of world
Specific Heat of core

Specific Heat of insulation

Specific Heat of air in tube
Specific Heat of concrete tube
Specific Heat of ambient
surroundings (near)
Specific Heat of ambient
surroundings (far)

Units
Watts
Degrees Kelvin
"
"

Results & Data Analysis

We ran the MATLAB simulations under several
different initial conditions to approximate the
current in the outer core that would set the cable at
its ampacity. We then tested these MATLAB
results against the same conditions in COMSOL.
When tested using approximately 800 Watts, the
graph shown in Figure 4 was produced. The red
line represents the temperature of the inner insulation. The temperature over time graphs are logistic,
and the temperature of the inner insulation is
approximately 90C. Figure 5 shows the results
when the simulation was run in COMSOL with the
same inputs.

"
"
"
"
"
Meters squared
Kelvin (m2K)
"
"

Figure 5
Graph produced by COMSOL of cable showing temperature at steady state

"
"
"
"

"
Joules per
kilogram*
Kelvin
(J/(kg*K))
"
"
"
"

The graph in Figure 5 indicates that measurements for the average temperature in each location
had about a 20% error margin. The average temperatures in the COMSOL simulations were found
by dividing the integral of the temperature of a sub
region and dividing it by the area over which the
temperature was determined.
The inner core
average temperature was about 110 C while the
average jacket temperature was about 96 C. The
MATLAB script output temperatures of 86 C for
the core temperature and 80 C for the jacket
temperature.

"

To derive the equations for thermal resistance, it

requires the knowledge of which type of heat
interaction occurs between the two objects exchanging energy. The three types of interactions are
conduction (solid to solid), convection (solid to
liquid), and radiation (surface to surface not touching). Each resistance is calculated separately for

Figure 4
Graph produced by MATLAB script showing temperature over time in various points in the system

between the currents of the two cores of the cable

that will yield its ampacity. This function will be
tested by burning the cable using one of the predicted values. Following all of the experiments, model
making, and testing, all of the data found by the lab
will be sent to Con-Edison. Con-Edison will use
this data to maximize the effectiveness of their
cables and to minimize the possibility of a burning
cable causing equipment malfunctions, power
outages, and fires.

Conclusion & Discussion

This MATLAB script is intended to be able to
determine the approximate input power at which the
cables temperature would exceed a safe level.
From this, the ampacity can be determined without
the need for many days to run a COMSOL simulation. This simple MATLAB script is able to
determine the ampacity of cables in seconds.
Although the script has not yet been refined to the
point where it is accurate enough to make safe
predictions, the capability of the script is demonstrated by the proper logistic curves it makes. This
means that the problem does not lie in how the
script is executed but instead indicates that one of
the values it determines for thermal conductivity is
off. A minor adjustment to this problem would
likely result in more accurate results.

Works Cited
Anders, G. (1997). Rating of electric power cables:
Ampacity computations for transmission, distribution, and industrial applications. Choice
Reviews Online, 35-0926.

Future Direction of Research

De Leon, F. (2005). Calculation of Underground
Cable Ampacity. The Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers.

After this research is completed, a script will be

made in MATLAB that will determine a function

Purushothaman, S., de Len, F., Terracciano M.

(2013). Calculation of cable thermal rating considering non-isothermal earth surface. IET
Generation, Transmission & Distribution.
Sandraz, J., Cultera, J., & De Len, F., PhD. (2013).
Validated Transient Heat-Transfer Model for
Underground Transformer in Rectangular Vault.
IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.
Shoham, O. (2006). Mechanistic modeling of gasliquid two-phase flow in pipes. Richardson, TX:
Society of Petroleum Engineers.