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Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Why do the calculation?
1.2 When to do the calculation?
2 Calculation Methodology
2.1 Step 1: Construct the System Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
2.2 Step 2: Calculate Equipment Short Circuit Impedances
2.2.1 Network Feeders
2.2.2 Synchronous Generators and Motors
2.2.3 Transformers
2.2.4 Cables
2.2.5 Asynchronous Motors
2.2.6 Fault Limiting Reactors
2.2.7 Other Equipment
2.3 Step 3: Referring Impedances
2.4 Step 4: Determine Thvenin Equivalent Circuit at the Fault Location
2.5 Step 5: Calculate Balanced Three-Phase Short Circuit Currents
2.5.1 Initial Short Circuit Current
2.5.2 Peak Short Circuit Current
2.5.3 Symmetrical Breaking Current
2.5.4 DC Short Circuit Component
2.6 Step 6: Calculate Single-Phase to Earth Short Circuit Currents
3 Worked Example
3.1 Step 1: Construct the System Model and Collect Equipment Parameters
3.2 Step 2: Calculate Equipment Short Circuit Impedances
3.3 Step 3: Referring Impedances
3.4 Step 4: Determine Thvenin Equivalent Circuit at the Fault Location
3.5 Step 5: Calculate Balanced Three-Phase Short Circuit Currents
3.5.1 Initial Short Circuit Current
3.5.2 Peak Short Circuit Current
3.5.3 Symmetrical Breaking Current
4 Computer Software
5 What Next?
Introduction
This article looks at the calculation of short circuit currents for bolted three-phase and single-phase
to earth faults in a power system. A short circuit in a power system can cause very high currents to
flow to the fault location. The magnitude of the short circuit current depends on the impedance of
system under short circuit conditions. In this calculation, the short circuit current is estimated using
the guidelines presented in IEC 60909.
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Calculation Methodology
This calculation is based on IEC 60909-0 (2001, c2002)
(http://webstore.iec.ch/webstore/webstore.nsf/Artnum_PK/27387) , "Short-circuit currents in threephase a.c. systems - Part 0: Calculation of currents" and uses the impedance method (as opposed to
the per-unit method). In this method, it is assumed that all short circuits are of negligible impedance
(i.e. no arc impedance is allowed for).
There are six general steps in the calculation:
Step 1: Construct the system model and collect the relevant equipment parameters
Step 2: Calculate the short circuit impedances for all of the relevant equipment
Step 3: Refer all impedances to the reference voltage
Step 4: Determine the Thvenin equivalent circuit at the fault location
Step 5: Calculate balanced three-phase short circuit currents
Step 6: Calculate single-phase to earth short circuit currents
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Network feeders: fault capacity of the network (VA), X/R ratio of the network
Synchronous generators and motors: per-unit sub-transient reactance, rated generator
capacity (VA), rated power factor (pu)
Transformers: transformer impedance voltage (%), rated transformer capacity (VA),
rated current (A), total copper loss (W)
Cables: length of cable (m), resistance and reactance of cable (
)
Asynchronous motors: full load current (A), locked rotor current (A), rated power (W),
full load power factor (pu), starting power factor (pu)
Fault limiting reactors: reactor impedance voltage (%), rated current (A)
Where
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Where
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100MVA, and
can be
.
The zero-sequence impedances need to be derived from manufacturer data, though the voltage
correction factor
also applies for solid neutral earthing systems (refer to IEC 60909-0 Clause
3.6.1).
Transformers
The positive sequence impedance, resistance and reactance of two-winding distribution transformers
can be calculated as follows:
Where
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is the rated current of the transformer at the high or low voltage side (I)
is the total copper loss in the transformer windings (W)
For the calculation of impedances for three-winding transformers, refer to IEC 60909-0 Clause 3.3.2.
For network transformers (those that connect two separate networks at different voltages), an
impedance correction factor must be applied (see IEC 60909-0 Clause 3.3.3).
The negative sequence impedance is equal to positive sequence impedance calculated above. The
zero sequence impedance needs to be derived from manufacturer data, but also depends on the
winding connections and fault path available for zero-sequence current flow (e.g. different neutral
earthing systems will affect zero-sequence impedance).
Cables
Cable impedances are usually quoted by manufacturers in terms of Ohms per km. These need to be
converted to Ohms based on the length of the cables:
Where
The negative sequence impedance is equal to positive sequence impedance calculated above. The
zero sequence impedance needs to be derived from manufacturer data. In the absence of
manufacturer data, zero sequence impedances can be derived from positive sequence impedances via
a multiplication factor (as suggested by SKM Systems Analysis Inc) for magnetic cables:
Asynchronous Motors
An asynchronous motor's impedance, resistance and reactance is calculated as follows:
Where
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Where
Positive, negative and zero sequence impedances are all equal (assuming geometric symmetry).
Other Equipment
Static converters feeding rotating loads may need to be considered, and should be treated similarly to
asynchronous motors.
Line capacitances, parallel admittances and non-rotating loads are generally neglected as per IEC
60909-0 Clause 3.10. Effects from series capacitors can also be neglected if voltage-limiting devices
are connected in parallel.
Where
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Where
Conversely, by re-arranging the equation above, impedances can be referred to the LV side:
If unbalanced short circuits (e.g. single phase to earth fault) will be analysed, then a separate
Thvenin equivalent circuit should be constructed for each of the positive, negative and zero
sequence networks (i.e. finding (
,
and
).
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Where
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Where
Where
More detailed calculations can be made for increased accuracy (e.g. IEC 60909-0 equations 75 to
77), but this is left to the reader to explore.
DC Short Circuit Component
The dc component of a short circuit can be calculated according to IEC 60909-0 Equation 64:
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Where
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Where
and
are the reactance and resistance, respectively, of the equivalent source
impedance at the fault location ()
is a factor to account for the equivalent frequency of the fault. Per IEC 60909-0
Section 4.4, the following factors should be used based on the product of frequency and
time (
):
<1
0.27
<2.5
0.15
<5
0.092
<12.5
0.055
Where
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Worked Example
In this example, short circuit currents will be
calculated for a balanced three-phase fault at
the main 11kV bus of a simple radial system.
Note that the single phase to earth fault currents
will not be calculated in this example.
Parameters
System model for short circuit example
Generator G1
Generator
Cable C1
= 24,150 kVA
= 11,000 V
= 0.255 pu
= 0.85 pu
Length = 30m
Size = 2 parallel
circuits of 3 x 1C x
500 mm2
(R = 0.0506 \km, X =
0.0997 \km)
Motor M1
= 500 kW
= 11,000 V
= 200.7 A
= 6.5
pu
= 0.85 pu
= 0.30 pu
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Motor Cable
C2
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Length = 150m
Size = 3C+E 35
mm2
(R = 0.668 \km, X =
0.115 \km)
= 2,500 kVA
= 11,000 V
= 415 V
= 0.0625 pu
= 19,000 W
= 0%
Transformer
TX1
Transformer
Cable C3
Length = 100m
Size = 3C+E 95
mm2
(R = 0.247 \km, X =
0.0993 \km)
Motor M2
Motor M3
= 90 kW
= 415 V
= 1,217.3 A
=7
pu
= 0.8 pu
= 0.30 pu
= 150 kW
= 415 V
= 1,595.8 A
= 6.5
pu
= 0.85 pu
= 0.30 pu
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Equipment
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Resistance () Reactance ()
Generator G1
0.01785
1.2390
Generator Cable C1
0.000759
0.001496
11kV Motor M1
9.4938
30.1885
Motor Cable C2
0.1002
0.01725
0.36784
3.0026
Transformer Cable C3
0.0247
0.00993
415V Motor M2
0.0656
0.2086
415V Motor M3
0.0450
0.1432
Resistance () Reactance ()
415V Motor M2
46.0952
146.5735
415V Motor M3
31.6462
100.6284
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kA
Peak Short Circuit Current
The constant factor
kA
Symmetrical Breaking Current
The symmetrical breaking current is:
kA
Computer Software
Short circuit calculations are a standard component of power systems analysis software (e.g. ETAP,
PTW, DIgSILENT, etc) and the calculations are far easier to perform with software than by hand.
However manual calculations could be done as a form of verification to confirm that the software
results are reasonable.
What Next?
The results from the short circuit calculations can be used to specify the fault ratings on electrical
equipment (e.g. switchgear, protective devices, etc) and also for protection coordination studies.
Retrieved from "http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=Short_Circuit_Calculation"
Category: Calculations
This page was last modified on 28 February 2011, at 15:26.
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03-08-2011
Page 14 of 14
Computer Software
Short circuit calculations are a standard component of power systems analysis software (e.g. ETAP,
PTW, DIgSILENT, etc) and the calculations are far easier to perform with software than by hand.
However manual calculations could be done as a form of verification to confirm that the software
results are reasonable.
What Next?
The results from the short circuit calculations can be used to specify the fault ratings on electrical
equipment (e.g. switchgear, protective devices, etc) and also for protection coordination studies.
Retrieved from "http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=Short_Circuit_Calculation"
Category: Calculations
This page was last modified on 28 February 2011, at 15:26.
http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=Short_Circuit_Calculation
03-08-2011