Worked example of cable calculation

General rules of electrical installation

design
Connection to the MV utility distribution
network
Connection to the LV utility distribution
network
MV and LV architecture selection guide
for buildings
LV Distribution
Protection against electric shocks and
electric fires
Sizing and protection of conductors

Conductor sizing and protection

Conductors in parallel

General method for cable sizing

Recommended simplified
approach for cable sizing
Sizing of busbar trunking
systems (busways)

Maximum voltage drop limit

Calculation of voltage drop in
steady load conditions

Short-circuit current at the

secondary terminals of a
MV/LV distribution
transformer
3-phase short-circuit current
(Isc) at any point within a LV
installation
Isc at the receiving end of a
feeder as a function of the Isc at
its sending end
Short-circuit current supplied
by a generator or an inverter

Particular cases of short-circuit

current

Location of protective devices

Short-circuit current

Practical values for a protective

scheme

Determination of voltage drop

Overcurrent protection
principles

Practical method for determining the

smallest allowable cross-sectional
area of circuit conductors

Conductor sizing: methodology

and definition

Calculation of minimum levels

of short-circuit current
Verification of the withstand
capabilities of cables under
short-circuit conditions

Protective earthing conductor (PE)

Connection and choice for

protective earthing conductor
Sizing of protective earthing
conductor
Protective conductor between
MV/LV transformer and the
main general distribution board
(MGDB)
Equipotential conductor

The neutral conductor

Sizing the neutral conductor

Protection of the neutral
conductor

Breaking of the neutral

conductor

Isolation of the neutral

conductor

Worked example of cable calculation

LV switchgear: functions and selection

Overvoltage protection
Energy Efficiency in electrical
distribution
Power Factor Correction
Power harmonics management
Characteristics of particular sources and
loads
PhotoVoltaic (PV) installation
Residential and other special locations
ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC)

Contents
[hide]

1- Worked example of cable calculation

2- Calculation using software Ecodial

3- The same calculation using the

simplified method recommended in this
guide

3.1- Dimensioning circuit C1

3.2- Dimensioning circuit C3

3.3- Dimensioning circuit C7

3.4- Calculation of short-circuit

currents for the selection of
circuit-breakers Q1, Q3, Q7
(see Fig. G67)

3.5- The protective conductor

3.6- Protection against indirectcontact hazards

3.7- Voltage drop

Worked example of cable calculation

(see Fig. G65)

The installation is supplied through a 630 kVA transformer. The process requires a high degree of supply continuity and part of the installation can be
supplied by a 250 kVA standby generator. The global earthing system is TN-S, except for the most critical loads supplied by an isolation transformer
with a downstream IT configuration.
The single-line diagram is shown in Figure G65 below. The results of a computer study for the circuit from transformer T1 down to the cable C7 is
reproduced on Figure G66. This study was carried out with Ecodial software (a Schneider Electric product).
This is followed by the same calculations carried out by the simplified method described in this guide.

Fig. G65: Example of single-line diagram

Calculation using software Ecodial

General network characteristics

Number of poles and 4P4d

protected poles

Earthing system

TN-S

Tripping unit

Micrologic 2.3

Neutral distributed

No

Overload trip Ir (A)

510

Voltage (V)

400

Short-delay trip Im /
Isd (A)

5100

Frequency (Hz)

50

Cable C3

Upstream fault level

(MVA)

500

Length

20

Resistance of MV
network (m)

0.0351

Maximum load
current (A)

509

Reactance of MV
network (m)

0.351

Type of insulation

PVC

Ambient temperature 30
(C)

Transformer T1

Rating (kVA)

630

Conductor material

Copper

Short-circuit
impedance voltage
(%)

Single-core or multi- Single

core cable

Transformer
resistance RT (m)

3.472

Installation method

Transformer
reactance XT (m)

10.64

Phase conductor
selected csa (mm2)

2 x 95

3-phase short-circuit
current Ik3 (kA)

21.54

Neutral conductor
selected csa (mm2)

2 x 95

PE conductor
selected csa (mm2)

1 x 95

Cable C1

Length (m)

Cable voltage drop

U (%)

0.53

Maximum load
current (A)

860

Total voltage drop

U (%)

0.65

Type of insulation

PVC

3-phase short-circuit
current Ik3 (kA)

19.1

Ambient temperature 30
(C)

1-phase-to-earth fault 11.5

current Id (kA)

Conductor material

Copper

Switchboard B6

Single-core or multicore cable

Single

Reference

Linergy 800

Installation method

Rated current (A)

750

Number of layers

Circuit-breaker Q7

Phase conductor
selected csa (mm2)

2 x 240

Load current (A)

255

Neutral conductor
selected csa (mm2)

2 x 240

Type

Compact

PE conductor
selected csa (mm2)

1 x 120

Reference

NSX400F

Voltage drop U (%) 0.122

Rated current (A)

400

3-phase short-circuit
current Ik3 (kA)

21.5

Number of poles and 3P3d

protected poles

Courant de dfaut
phase-terre Id (kA)

15.9

Tripping unit

Micrologic 2.3

Overload trip Ir (A)

258

2576

Circuit-breaker Q1

Load current (A)

860

Short-delay trip Im /
Isd (A)

Type

Compact

Cable C7

Reference

NS1000N

Length

Rated current (A)

1000

Maximum load
current (A)

255

Number of poles and

protected poles

4P4d

Type of insulation

PVC

Tripping unit

Micrologic
5.0

Ambient temperature 30
(C)

Overload trip Ir (A)

900

Conductor material

Short-delay trip Im /
Isd (A)

9000

Single-core or multi- Single

core cable

Tripping time tm
(ms)

50

Installation method

Phase conductor
selected csa (mm2)

1 x 95

Switchboard B2

Copper

Reference

Linergy
1250

Neutral conductor
selected csa (mm2)

Rated current (A)

1050

PE conductor
selected csa (mm2)

1 x 50

Cable voltage drop

U (%)

0.14

Circuit breaker Q3

Load current (A)

509

Total voltage drop

U (%)

0.79

Type

Compact

3-phase short-circuit
current Ik3 (kA)

18.0

Reference

NSX630F

1-phase-to-earth fault 10.0

current Id (kA)

Rated current (A)

630

Fig. G66: Partial results of calculation carried out with Ecodial software (Schneider Electric)

The same calculation using the simplified method recommended in this guide

Dimensioning circuit C1
The MV/LV 630 kVA transformer has a rated no-load voltage of 420 V. Circuit C1 must be suitable for a current

of:

per phase

Two single-core PVC-insulated copper cables in parallel will be used for each phase.These cables will be laid on cable trays according to method F.
Each conductor will therefore carry 433A. Figure G21a indicates that for 3 loaded conductors with PVC isolation, the required c.s.a. is 240mm.
The resistance and the inductive reactance, for the two conductors in parallel, and for a length of 5 metres,

(cable resistance: 22.5 m.mm /m)

are:
X = 0,08 x 5 = 0,4 m (cable reactance: 0.08 m/m)
Dimensioning circuit C3

Circuit C3 supplies two 150kW loads with cos = 0.85, so the total load current is:

Two single-core PVC-insulated copper cables in parallel will be used for each phase. These cables will be laid on cable trays according to method F.
Each conductor will therefore carry 255A. Figure G21a indicates that for 3 loaded conductors with PVC isolation, the required c.s.a. is 95mm 2.
The resistance and the inductive reactance, for the two conductors in parallel, and for a length of 20 metres, are:

Dimensioning circuit C7

Circuit C7 supplies one 150kW load with cos = 0.85, so the total load current is:

One single-core PVC-insulated copper cable will be used for each phase. The cables will be laid on cable trays according to method F.
Each conductor will therefore carry 255A. Figure G21a indicates that for 3 loaded conductors with PVC isolation, the required c.s.a. is 95mm 2.
The resistance and the inductive reactance for a length of 20 metres is:

(cable resistance: 22.5 m.mm2/m)

(cable reactance: 0.08 m/m)

Calculation of short-circuit currents for the selection of circuit-breakers Q1, Q3, Q7 (see Fig. G67)

Circuit components

R
(m)

X
(m)

Z
(m)

Ikmax
(kA)

Upstream MV network, 500MVA fault

level (see Fig. G34)

0,035

0,351

Transformer 630kVA, 4% (see Fig. G35)

2.9

10.8

Cable C1

0.23

0.4

Sub-total

3.16

11.55

Cable C3

2.37

1.6

Sub-total

5.53

13.15

Cable C7

1.18

0.4

Sub-total

6.71

13.55

11.97

20.2

14.26

17

15.12

16

Fig. G67: Example of short-circuit current evaluation

The protective conductor

When using the adiabatic method, the minimum c.s.a. for the protective earth conductor (PE) can be calculated by the formula given in Figure

G58:

For circuit C1, I = 20.2kA and k = 143.

t is the maximum operating time of the MV protection, e.g. 0.5s

This gives:
A single 120 mm2 conductor is therefore largely sufficient, provided that it also satisfies the requirements for indirect contact protection (i.e. that its
impedance is sufficiently low).
Generally, for circuits with phase conductor c.s.a. Sph 50 mm2, the PE conductor minimum c.s.a. will be Sph / 2. Then, for circuit C3, the PE
conductor will be 95mm2, and for circuit C7, the PE conductor will be 50mm 2.

Protection against indirect-contact hazards

For circuit C3 of Figure G65, Figures F41 and F40, or the formula given page F25 may be used for a 3-phase 4-wire circuit.

The maximum permitted length of the circuit is given by:

(The value in the denominator 630 x 11 is the maximum current level at which the instantaneous short-circuit magnetic trip of the 630 A circuit-breaker
operates).
The length of 20 metres is therefore fully protected by instantaneous over-current devices.

Voltage drop
The voltage drop is calculated using the data given in Figure G28, for balanced three-phase circuits, motor power normal service (cos = 0.8).
The results are summarized on figure G68:

c.s.a.

C1

C3

C7

2 x 240mm

2 x 95mm

1 x 95mm

U per conductor
(V/A/km) see Fig.
G28

0.21

0.42

0.42

Load current (A)

866

509

255

Length (m)

20

Voltage drop (V)

0.45

2.1

0.53

Voltage drop (%)

0.11

0.53

0.13

Fig. G68: Voltage drop introduced by the different cables

The total voltage drop at the end of cable C7 is then: 0.77%.