30/06/2013

SHORT CIRCUIT LEVELS

29th October 2012

SHORT CIRCUIT LEVELS

Simpatico: Im going to ease you into the subject of fault levels. Table 1 from IEC 60076-5 gives recognised minimum values of per unit impedance for transformers. Up to 630kVA 4.0% 631 to 1250kVA 5.0% 1251 to 2500kVA 6.0% 2501 to 6300kVA 7.0% If on the 11kV side we have a 25kA fault level, what is the three phase symmetrical fault level on the 400V side in each of these cases? 630kVA transformer 1250kVA transformer 2000kVA transformer 2500kVA transformer 3150kVA transformer Hint: The mathematics is relatively simple, use a 10MVA base in the per unit system. Simplicio: I have attached the calculation for the 630KVA transformer. I approached it using two methods giving similar answers. But I would like to know if there is anything incorrect with either method I used.

electrical-engineer-guide.blogspot.in/2012/10/short-circuit-levels.html

1/4

30/06/2013

SHORT CIRCUIT LEVELS

[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HD_MOewbbwk/UHU1IFgZd2I/AAAAAAAAAo4/z7YxYQPIahw/s1600/1.jpg]

I forgot to divide the above by 1.732 for a 3 phase system. It then gives us a fault current I = 22kA If I follow the above method for other transformers I see that the fault level increases as I increase the KVA rating of the transformer Values as follows: 630KVA: I = 630/(0.05*400*1.732) kA = 22 kA 1.25MVA: I = 1250/(0.05*400*1.732) kA = 36 kA 2MVA: I = 2000/(0.05*400*1.732) kA = 48 kA 2.5MVA: I = 2500/(0.05*400*1.732) kA = 60 kA 3.15MVA: I = 3150/(0.05*400*1.732) kA = 65 kA However, I did not have to use the 25 kA fault current at the 11kV side for these calculations. I am sure there is another way to do this which is more correct.

electrical-engineer-guide.blogspot.in/2012/10/short-circuit-levels.html

2/4

30/06/2013

SHORT CIRCUIT LEVELS

Also, how did we get a 25kA fault on the 11kV side? Am I supposed to consider it constant? Shouldnt it change if we change the transformer (Since the transformer impedance will limit the maximum fault current) Simpatico: The 25kA fault level on the 11kV side is a figure I have given you. This is a typical fault level contribution from the utility or generation. This would come from a fault level study. You have made life difficult for yourself. One of the beauties of the per unit system, once you appreciate how it works, it that you never have to work out any ohmic values. It also doesnt matter if you use a 10MVA base , 100MVA base, or even a 630kVA base, you will get the same answer. For simplicity I have not made this complex (that is not R+jX). For 25kA at 11kV, the MVA fault level is 476MVA. On a per unit basis to a 10MVA base, this is 0.021p.u. (for info if you take the reciprocal of the 0.021pu and x 10MVA you get back to 476MVA). For a 630kVA transformer with 4% impedance (ie 0.04pu at 630kVA = 10/0.63*0.04 at 10MVA = 0.635pu on a 10MVA base) 0.021+0.635pu = 0.656pu on 10MVA base. From this now tell me the fault level at 400V. Notice I havent used any ohms, voltages or turns ratio in this calculation. You dont need it. The second set of figures you have calculated, although not quite the right answer, do tell you something useful, what is it? Simplicio: Instead of using the 500MVA value from AS 60076.5, I should have used 476MVA. 476 MVA = 1.732*25kA*11kV Calculations done is per unit would be easier as turns ratio, ohmic calculations wouldnt be required. 0.021 pu on a 10MVA base is the impedance contribution from the 25kA fault level To find the actual ohmic value of this impedance, Zfault = 0.021*11kV*11kV/10MVA = 0.2541 (Note that this can be obtained by replacing 500 with 476 in my earlier hand calculations) Obtaining the above formula is easy dimensional analysis and common sense. Pu value represents per unit impedance. More the pu, more the impedance. Hence pu value is multiplied in numerator. And apply S = V2/Z 0.635 pu is the transformer impedance contribution on a 10MVA base. This is equivalent to a 4% (or 0.04 pu) contribution on a 630kVA base Z = 0.635*400*400/10MVA = 0.01016 = 0.04*400*400/630kVA (which is the same impedance obtained in my earlier hand calculations) The formula at the bottom of my hand calculations assume zero contribution of Zfault (referred to 400V side, Zfault = 0.000336 ) This would make sense since looking at above figure shows that Ztransformer/Zfault = 30.23 = 0.635/0.021 Ztransformer is much greater than Zfault
electrical-engineer-guide.blogspot.in/2012/10/short-circuit-levels.html 3/4

30/06/2013

SHORT CIRCUIT LEVELS

-Please share and leave your valuable comments if you like the article Posted 29th October 2012 by Kunal Labels: pu, Short Circuit Level, MVA, Transformer, Transformer Impedance, Maximum Fault Current, kA, IEC 60076-5, per unit system
0

Add a comment

E n t e ry o u rc o m m e n t . . .

Comment as: Google Account Publish Preview

electrical-engineer-guide.blogspot.in/2012/10/short-circuit-levels.html

4/4