Busbar sizing for

substations

Hasala Dharmawardena
Engineer – Designs
LTL Projects PVT. LTD.
Assumptions
Sizing is relevant only for
Al – E91E (6063 T6)
Tubular

No structures are attached to the busbar

Busbar
Contents
1. Minimize bending moment at joints

2. Span width specific requirements

3. Post Insulator Sizing

1. Bending Moments
For equal Span width, the position of minimum bending
depends only on
• Length of a Span
• The Number of Spans
• The Type of support – e.g. Fixed , Pin
Assumptions
S= Slip fit Support

F= Fixed Support

E=Expansion
Support
Points of Zero Bending Moment
Workings of the excel sheet
Example output
Input are showed in RED
boxes
2. Deflection and Stress

Both should be
simultaneously
satisfied
Prerequisites

1. Wind Forces

2. Short circuit Forces

Wind forces

FW  CKGV Id 2

Where K is a constant depending on height and

exposure , G a constant depending on wind speed,
V wind velocity and d external diameter of the tube.
Short Circuit Forces
2
1.6 I SC
FSC  4
10  D

Where Isc is the maximum Short circuit current and

D is the conductor centerline to centerline spacing
2.1 Deflection
384  E  J  YB
LD  C 3
3
5 FG

Where L is the maximum span length, Y maximum

deflection, J cross section moment of inertia and F bus unit
weight.
2.2 Fiber Stress
K  FA  S
LS  C  '

FT

•Where L is the maximum span length, FA maximum fiber

stress of 6063 - T6, S section modulus, K is a constant
which depends on support type and number of supports
and FT is the total force
•Combines both wind forces and gravitational forces
2.2 Fiber Stress ctd…
Total force FT is given by
2
FT  [( FW  FSC )  FG ]
2
Workings of the excel sheet
Get Input data
Span Width Number of Spans

Primary Calculation
LS

Secondary Calculation
LD

Select maximum possible span width to be the minimum of Ls and LD , If not

change Di and Do or If possible the span width to be within the bounds defined
by the above conditions.
Example output
Input are showed in RED
boxes
Example output ctd …
Input are showed in RED
boxes
3. Post Insulator
Total insulator cantilever load is calculated by assuming
vertically mounted insulator with horizontal bus.
Furthermore the effective weight of the mass transmitted
to one bus support depends on the bus configuration and
support conditions.
3. Post Insulator ctd…
FWI ( H i  H f ) FWB ( H i  H f ) FSB
FIS  K [   )]
2 Hi Hi

Where FIS is the load on the insulator, FWI is the wind

force on the PI, FSB is the short circuit force transmitted
to the PI, FWB is the wind force transmitted to the PI.
Example output
Thank You