Short Circuit Current Duties of Circuit Breakers and Fuses Part 2

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Electrical Construction and Maintenance

Frank Mercede

By Frank J. Mercede, P.E., Mercede Engineering LLC

Wed, 2012-08-01 12:28

This is the second part of a two-part series on the methodologies used to find the short circuit current duties of
circuit breakers and fuses. The first part, Short Circuit Current Duties of Circuit Breakers and Fuses Part
1,which ran last month in the July issue of EC&M, provided the necessary background and illustrated the ANSI
methodologies to determine the short circuit current duties of ANSI-rated medium-voltage circuit breakers and
fuses. This part follows the same process steps but focuses on low-voltage circuit breakers and fuses. It should be
noted that other ratings and application considerations beyond the scope of this article must be considered for
the proper selection of low-voltage circuit breakers and fuses. Specifically, the reader is directed to the IEEE
Blue Book (IEEE Std 1015-2006), Chapters 5 and 7 of the IEEE Buff Book (IEEE Std 242-2001), and the latest
edition of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) for comprehensive coverage of this topic.
As discussed in Part 1, the interrupting
ratings of low-voltage circuit breakers and
fuses are classified on a symmetricalcurrent-rated basis. In this context,
symmetrical-current-rated implies that a
multiplying factor (MF) to account for the
DC component of the short circuit current
waveform is unnecessary to adjust the
calculated first-cycle symmetrical RMS
short circuit current whenever the short
circuit X/R ratio is less than or equal to
some limit, because a certain degree of
asymmetry is built into the rating structure.
However, if the short circuit X/R ratio
exceeds the limit, a larger than tested DC
component may exceed the built-in
asymmetry allowance; and the first-cycle
symmetrical RMS current must be
multiplied by an appropriate MF before
comparison with the interrupting ratings
(i.e., 3-phase short circuit current ratings)
in a manufacturers table. Listed below are
the short circuit X/R ratio limit and the
formula to calculate the MF (in the event
that the short circuit X/R ratio exceeds the

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limit) for several categories of low-voltage

circuit breakers and fuses.

First-cycle duty of unfused low-voltage power circuit breaker = MF first-cycle symmetrical RMS current
MF = 1.0 is applicable whenever the first-cycle short-circuit X/R ratio at the fault point (i.e., source side of
breaker) is 6.6 or less. If the first-cycle short-circuit X/R ratio is greater than 6.6, the following formula from
IEEE Std C37.13-2008 can be used to find the MF.

The 3-phase rated short circuit current in RMS kA must exceed the first-cycle duty in asymmetrical RMS kA.
Note: On 3-phase systems where the voltage across a single pole under a fault condition may exceed 58% of the
rated maximum voltage (e.g., corner-grounded delta under single line to ground fault), the single-pole
interrupting capability shall be 87% of the 3-phase rated short circuit current.

First-cycle duty of fused low-voltage power circuit breaker = MF first-cycle symmetrical RMS current
MF = 1.0 is applicable whenever the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio at the fault point (i.e., source side of
breaker) is 4.9 or less. If the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio is greater than 4.9, the following formula from
IEEE Std C37.13-2008 can be used to find the MF.

The 3-phase rated short circuit current in RMS kA must exceed the first-cycle duty in asymmetrical RMS kA.
Note: On 3-phase systems where the voltage across a single pole under a fault condition may exceed 58% of the
rated maximum voltage (e.g., corner-grounded delta under single line to ground fault), the single-pole
interrupting capability shall be 87% of the 3-phase rated short circuit current.

First-cycle duty of molded- or insulated-case breaker = MF first-cycle symmetrical RMS current

Interrupting ratings 10,000A symmetrical or less:
MF = 1.0 is applicable whenever the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio at the fault point (i.e., source side of
breaker) is less than 1.7. If the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio is greater than 1.7, the following formula can be
used to find the MF.

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Interrupting Ratings between 10,001A and 20,000A symmetrical:

MF = 1.0 is applicable whenever the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio at the fault point (i.e., source side of
breaker) is less than 3.2. If the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio is greater than 3.2, the following formula can
be used to find the MF.

Interrupting ratings exceeding 20,000A symmetrical:

MF = 1.0 is applicable whenever the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio at the fault point (i.e. source side of
breaker) is less than 4.9. If the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio is greater than 4.9, the following formula can
be used to find the MF.

The 3-phase rated short circuit current in RMS kA must exceed the first-cycle duty in asymmetrical RMS kA.
Note: On 3-phase systems where the voltage across a single pole under a fault condition may exceed 58% of the
rated maximum voltage (e.g., corner-grounded delta under single line to ground fault), the single-pole
interrupting capability shall be 87% of the 3-phase rated short circuit current.

First-cycle duty of low-voltage fuse = MF first-cycle symmetrical RMS current

MF = 1.0 is applicable whenever the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio at the fault point (i.e., source side of
breaker) is 4.9 or less. If the first-cycle short circuit X/R ratio is greater than 4.9, the following formula from
IEEE Std C37.13-2008 can be used to find the MF.

The interrupting rating in RMS kA must exceed the first-cycle duty in asymmetrical RMS kA.
Note: The marked interrupting rating of a fuse is the tested single-pole interrupting rating, so derating to assess
single-pole interrupting capability does not apply to fuses.
Example:
Lets put numbers to the formulas above by considering the example from Part 1 of this series for which the

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first-cycle symmetrical RMS current and short circuit X/R ratio for a 3-phase fault at low-voltage Bus 3 are
23.910kA and 7.0, respectively.
First-cycle duty of Bus 3 unfused low-voltage power circuit breaker = MF Bus 3 first-cycle (momentary)
symmetrical RMS current = 1.012 23.910kA = 24.197kA (asymmetrical RMS)
First-cycle duty of Bus 3 molded- or insulated-case breaker = MF Bus 3 first-cycle (momentary) symmetrical
RMS current = 1.073 23.910kA = 25.655kA (asymmetrical RMS)
First-cycle duty of Bus 3 low-voltage fuse = MF Bus 3 first-cycle (momentary) symmetrical RMS current =
1.078 23.910kA = 25.775kA (asymmetrical RMS)
Mercede, P.E., is principal of Mercede Engineering LLC, based in Bryn Mawr, Pa. He can be reached at
fmercede@mercedeengineering.com.
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