Cable Dimensioning

Prepared by: Ahmed Fahmy ,Senior Technical Promoter, 2014

© ABB Group
February 9, 2014 | Slide 1
Main Objective

Selection of cables based on IEC 60364.

Agenda

Selection of Cables based on :

Cable Type(Copper or Aluminium).
Type of Conductor(Singlecore,multicore,…etc.).
Method of installation.
Cable Protection and circuit breaker selection:
Overload Protection.
Short circuit protection.
 Cable
dimensioning
Standard : IEC 364

Current-carrying capacity (of a conductor) Iz (A)

The maximum current which can be carried continuously by a conductor

under specified conditions without its steady-state temperature exceeding a
specified value.

For a correct dimensioning of a cable,it is necessary to:

Choose the type of cable and installation according to the environment;

Choose the cross section according to the load current Ib and carriying
capacity Iz;

Verify the voltage drop.

Cable dimensioning
SELECTION OF THE CABLE
IEC 364-5-52

The following parameters are used to select the cable type:

Conductive material (copper or aluminium):

the choice depends on cost, dimension and weight requirements, resistance to
corrosive environments (chemical reagents or oxidizing elements). In general, the
carrying capacity of a copper conductor is about 30% greater than the carrying
capacity of an aluminium conductor of the same cross section. An aluminium
conductor of the same cross section has an electrical resistance about 60% higher
and a weight half to one third lower than a copper conductor.

Insulation material (none, PVC, XLPE-EPR):

the insulation material affects the maximum temperature under normal and short-
circuit conditions and therefore the exploitation of the conductor cross section.
Cable dimensioning
SELECTION OF THE CABLE
IEC 60364-5-52

The type of conductor

(bare conductor, single-core cable without sheath, single core cable with sheath,
multi-core cable) is selected according to mechanical resistance, degree of
insulation and difficulty of installation (bends, joints along the route, barriers...)
required by the method of installation.

•Methods of installation
To define the current carrying capacity of the conductor and therefore to identify
the correct cross section for the load current, the standardized method of
installation that better suits the actual installation situation must be identified
among those described in the mentioned reference Standard.
 Cable dimensioning
HOW TO DETERMINE THE Iz?
The cable carrying capacity of a cable that is not buried in the ground is obtained by
using this formula:

IZ = I0 K1 K2

Where:

I0 is the current carrying capacity of the single conductor at 30 °C reference

ambient temperature;

K1 is the correction factor if the ambient temperature is other than 30 °C;

K2 is the correction factor for cables installed bunched or in layers or for

cables installed in a layer on several supports.
 Cable
dimensioning
SOME TYPE OF INSTALLATIONS:
Cable dimensioning
SOME VALUES OF I0:
Cable dimensioning
SOME VALUE FOR K1:
Cables dimensioning
SOME VALUES OF K2:
 Protection and CBs selection

OVERLOAD PROTECTION IEC 364

•Protection against overcurrent

specifies coordination between conductors and overload protective devices (normally placed at
the beginning of the conductor to be protected) so that it shall satisfy the two following conditions:

1. Ib <= In <= Iz 2. I2 <= 1.45.Iz

Where:
Ib I z 1,45 Iz • Ib is the load current;
• Iz is the current carrying capacity of the
Cable cable;
• In is the rated current of the protective
Ampere device; for adjustable protective releases,
Circuit Breaker
In I2 the rated current In is the set current;
• I2 is the current ensuring effective
operation in the conventional time of the
protective device.

According to condition (1) to correctly choose the protective device, it is necessary to check
that the circuit-breaker has a rated (or set) current that is:
• higher than the load current, to prevent unwanted tripping;
• lower than the current carrying capacity of the cable, to prevent cable overload.
When using breakers in compliance with IEC 898 and/or
IEC947-2, the relation (1) is enough
Protection and CBs selection

Example
-U1 P = 35 kW Ib = 56,1A
U Vref = 400 V
LLLN / TN-S
Plf = 35 kW
Qlf = 17 kvar

-QF1
T1B 160 TMD63-630

Iz = 75A
-WC1
Conductor: Cu
4x(1x10)+1G10
Insulator: XLPE/EPR
XLPE/EPR Cu
dV = 2.15 %
Ib = 56.1 A
Iz = 75.0 A
L = 45 m
-L1
L Sr = 38.89 kVA
Cosphi = 0.90 Ib (56,1) <= In (63) <= Iz (75)
Ir = 56.1 A
UF = 100%
dV = 2.15 %
Protection and CBs selection

SHORT CIRCUIT PROTECTION IEC364

Protection against overcurrent

A cable is protected against short-circuit if the specific let-through energy of the
protective device is lower or equal to the withstood energy of the cable:

1. I2 t <= k2 S2

Where:
• I2 t is the specific let-through energy of the protective device which can be read on
the curves supplied by the manufacturer;
• S is the cable cross section [mm2]; in the case of conductors in parallel it is the cross
section of the single conductor;
• k is a factor that depends on the cable insulating and conducting material.
Protection and CBs selection

Some value for k:

Protection and CBs selection

Some value for k2 S2 [(kA)2s]:

Protection and CBs selection

Protection against short circuit

The short circuit protecting device must have breaking capacity (Icu) higher
than the maximum short circuit current (rms) in the point of installation (IkLLL)

1. Icu (catalogue) > IKLLL (calculated)

The let trough energy of the short circuit protecting device

must be withstoodd by the cable installed downstream so that:

2. I2 t (catalogue) <= k2 S2 (cable)

Protection and CBs selection

This verification can be simplified by comparing only the let-through energy value
of the circuit-breaker at the maximum short-circuit current with the withstood
energy of the cable

Specific let through energy curve LLL

100MA²s Ikmin=2.2kA Ikmax=14.4kA

10MA²s

cable

1MA²s

breaker

0.1MA²s

1E-2MA²s

0.1kA 1kA 10kA

Summary

Selection of Cables based on :

Cable Type(Copper or Aluminium).
Type of Conductor(Singlecore,multicore,…etc.).
Method of installation.
Cable Protection and circuit breaker selection:
Overload Protection.
Short circuit protection.
© ABB Group
February 9, 2014 | Slide 20