Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PROGRAM
Based on
NEHER-McGRATH AND IEC 60287 & 60853 METHODS
Steady-State and Transient Analysis
EDSA MICRO CORPORATION
16870 West Bernardo Drive, Suite 330
San Diego, CA 92127
U.S.A.
Copyright 2008
All Rights Reserved
Version 5.25.00 October 2008
Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
EDSA MICRO CORPORATION
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword....................................................................................................................................................... 1
Overview ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
Background................................................................................................................................................... 2
General Data ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Cable in Air ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Solar Radiation.......................................................................................................................................... 4
Heat Source/Sink....................................................................................................................................... 5
Installation ................................................................................................................................................. 5
Possible Cable Installation Conditions ...................................................................................................... 5
Backfill ....................................................................................................................................................... 6
Conductor Material .................................................................................................................................... 6
Conductor Construction............................................................................................................................. 6
Dried And Impregnated ............................................................................................................................. 7
Conductor Losses...................................................................................................................................... 7
Cable Insulation......................................................................................................................................... 7
Skid/Concentric Neutral Material ............................................................................................................... 9
Bonding Arrangement................................................................................................................................ 9
Loss Factor Constant ................................................................................................................................ 9
Jacket/Pipe Coating Material................................................................................................................... 10
Armor/Reinforcement Material ................................................................................................................ 10
Armor Bedding, Serving Material ............................................................................................................ 10
Armor Permeability.................................................................................................................................. 10
Insulation Shielding ................................................................................................................................. 10
Sheath/Reinforcing Material .................................................................................................................... 11
Cable Transposition................................................................................................................................. 11
Pipe Material and Configuration.............................................................................................................. 11
Material and Construction of the Ductbank or Duct ................................................................................ 12
Cable Dimensions ................................................................................................................................... 12
Running Cable Ampacity Program.............................................................................................................. 16
Loading Sample Cable/Project Library ....................................................................................................... 16
Provided Sample Projects........................................................................................................................... 17
Step by Step Instructions for Adding a New Cable Type............................................................................ 19
Using the Drop-Down Menu........................................................................................................................ 20
Adding/Creating a New Cable Type Using the Wizard............................................................................... 22
How to Add/Create a Project/Study ............................................................................................................ 37
How to Run a Steady-State Simulation....................................................................................................... 46
Program Validation and Verification for Steady-State Analysis.................................................................. 50
Transient Analysis- Cyclic and Emergency Loading................................................................................... 51
How to Run a Transient Simulation......................................................................................................... 51
Defining Load Curve (Loading Pattern)................................................................................................... 53
Program Validation and Verification for Transient Analysis .................................................................... 58
References Bibliography.......................................................................................................................... 62
APPENDIX I: IEC & Neher-Mcgrath Cable Ampacity Calculations Methodology....................................... 64
APPENDIX II: Some Useful Diagrams and Figures.................................................................................... 68
APPENDIX III: Tables of Material Properties.............................................................................................. 74
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Comparing Results of Neher McGrath and EDSAs Cable Ampacity Program............................ 50
Table 2: V&V of the EDSAs Transient Simulation Program....................................................................... 60
Table 3: Specific Inductive Capacitance of Insulation ................................................................................ 74
Table 4: Thermal Resistivity of Various Materials....................................................................................... 74
Table 5: Pipe Constants.............................................................................................................................. 74
Table 6: Conductor Material........................................................................................................................ 75
Table 7: Dielectric Loss............................................................................................................................... 75
Table 8: Resistivities of Materials ............................................................................................................... 75
Table 9: Absorption Coefficients of Solar Radiation ................................................................................... 76
Table 10: Constants For Ducts Or Pipes .................................................................................................... 76
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Selecting Cable Ampacity Program from Design base 2.0 Main Dialog ..................................... 16
Figure 2: Main Menu of Cable Ampacity program...................................................................................... 16
Figure 3: Opening a cable/project library.................................................................................................... 17
Figure 4: Main Cable Menu after a cable/project library is loaded.............................................................. 17
Figure 5: Cable Type Dialogs ..................................................................................................................... 19
Figure 6: Cable Conductor Dialog............................................................................................................... 20
Figure 7: Selecting an Item from the Dropdown Menus ............................................................................. 20
Figure 8: Cable General Data Dialog.......................................................................................................... 22
Figure 9: Conductor Data Dialog ................................................................................................................ 23
Figure 10: Conductor Dimension Data Dialog ............................................................................................ 24
Figure 11: Cable Insulation Data Dialog ..................................................................................................... 25
Figure 12: Cable Insulation Dimension Data Dialog................................................................................... 27
Figure 13: Cable Sheath Data Dialog ......................................................................................................... 28
Figure 14: Reinforcing Tape Data Dialog.................................................................................................... 29
Figure 15: Reinforcing Tape Dimension Data Dialog ................................................................................. 30
Figure 16: Concentric Neutral/Skid Wire Data Dialog................................................................................. 32
Figure 17: Jacket/Pipe Coating Data Dialog............................................................................................... 33
Figure 18: Armor/Serving/Bedding Data Dialog.......................................................................................... 34
Figure 19: Overall Cable Dimension Data Dialog....................................................................................... 35
Figure 20: Project/Study General Data Dialog............................................................................................ 40
Figure 21: Adding a Cable to a Study/Project............................................................................................. 42
Figure 22: Selecting a Cable from the Cable Type Library......................................................................... 43
Figure 23: Report Browser Window Showing the Result of Ampacity Calculation..................................... 47
Figure 24: 138 kV, 2000 MCM high pressure oil-filled, 3-conductor, pipe type cable. ............................... 50
Figure 25: Selecting the Transient Analysis Option.................................................................................... 52
Figure 26: Transient Analysis Main Dialog ................................................................................................. 52
Figure 27: Defining a Load Curve............................................................................................................... 53
Figure 28: Saving of Load Curves to the Transient Library ........................................................................ 54
Figure 29: Graph of Sample Load Curve.................................................................................................... 54
Figure 30: Assigning a Load Curve to a Cable ........................................................................................... 55
Figure 31: Selecting a Load Curve from Transient Load Curve Library ..................................................... 55
Figure 32: Defining the Transient Simulation Parameters.......................................................................... 56
Figure 33: Performing the Transient Simulation ......................................................................................... 56
Figure 34: Inspecting the Transient Analysis Result................................................................................... 57
Figure 35: Graphical Display of the Transient Simulation Results.............................................................. 57
Figure 36: Transient Simulation Results for the program V&V................................................................... 59
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
iv
Figure 37: Cable Installation Screen Defining Final Temperature Obtained in the Transient Simulation .. 59
Figure 38: Basic Thermal Circuit ................................................................................................................ 64
Figure 39: Definition of Thermal-Ohm Units ............................................................................................... 66
Figure 40: Mathematical Model of a Cable Thermal Circuit........................................................................ 66
Figure 41: Cable Topology / General Parameters Self Contained Cables................................................. 72
Figure 42: Typical Pipe Cable Cross-Section ............................................................................................. 72
Figure 43: Configuration of Cable in the Duct/Conduit ............................................................................... 73
Figure 44: Ductbank G
b
Factor ................................................................................................................... 73
Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Foreword
This manual assumes that the user is a Professional Engineer familiar with the concepts of cable
ampacity calculation. Determination of the validity of the results is the user's responsibility.
The IEC (International Electro-technical Commission) and Neher-McGrath cable ampacity program is
undergoing continuous development to make it as comprehensive and as easy to use as possible.
Additional analysis capabilities will be made available as they are developed. Any comments, suggestions
or errors encountered in either the results or the documentation should be immediately brought to EDSAs
attention.
It is recommended that users of the program experiment with the sample job files that are included before
creating their own job files. It is also recommended that users consult the relevant papers on which the
program is based: IEC Standards 60287 & 60853, Neher-McGrath IEEE paper 57-660 and Underground
Transmission Systems Reference Book, Electric Power Research Institute, 1992 Edition.
This program is intended to be a very easy to use tool. However, it is expected that the user of the
program have good knowledge of the cable construction and ampacity calculations.
Overview
Cable ampacity assessment and temperature rise calculations is an important but time consuming task
for cable manufacturers, designers and operators. This is due to the fact the computations often includes
numerous mathematical calculations and extensive table look up and data processing. EDSA has
developed an efficient computer program in order to facilitate such calculations. The EDSA cable
ampacity program utilizes the techniques and formulae suggested in the IEC (International
Electrotechnical Commission) standard publication No. 60287 & 60853 to compute the temperature rise
and ampacity of power cables in the steady-state and transient conditions. This program also offers an
alternative computational method to handle non-unity load factor based on the Neher-McGrath technique.
Several enhancements to both Neher McGrath and IEC 60287 standard have been implemented. These
include:
Simulation of soil drying out in the neighborhood of energized cables
Nonisothermal earth surface
Cables without metallic sheath but with copper concentric neutral that can be single or both ends
bonded and grounded
Steel armoured submarine cables with or without concentric neutral or metallic sheath
Cables on riser poles
Single phase circuits consisting of one single core cable with concentric neutral wires or sheath
serving as the return conductor.
Ductbanks and backfills of any size
PPP (Paper-polypropylene-paper) laminated cables.
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Background
The EDSAs advanced power cable ampacity program supports all AC as well as DC voltages. Cables
can be directly buried, be in ducts, be in steel pipes, as well as in air. The permissible current rating of an
a.c. cable can be derived from the expression for the temperature rise above ambient temperature:
[ ] [ ] [ ] ) T (T W ) 1 ( R I T W ) 1 ( R I T W 0.5 R I
4 3 d 2 1
2
2 d
2
1 d
2
+ + + + + + + + + = n n
Where:
I is the current flowing in one conductor (Amps).
is the conductor temperature rise above the ambient temperature (K). Note: The ambient
temperature is the temperature of the surrounding medium under normal conditions in a situation in which
cables are installed, or are to be installed, including the effect of any local source of heat, but not the
increase of temperature in the immediate neighborhood of the cables due to heat arising there from.
R is the alternating current resistance per unit length of the conductor at maximum operating temperature
(ohm/m).
d
W is the dielectric loss per unit length for the insulation surrounding the conductor (W/m).
1
T is the thermal resistance per unit length between one conductor and the sheath (K.m/W).
2
T is the thermal resistance per unit length of the bedding between the sheath and armor (k.m/W).
3
T is the thermal resistance per unit length of the external serving of the cable (K.m/W).
4
T is the thermal resistance per unit length between cable surface and the surrounding medium (K.m/W).
n is the number of load carrying conductors in the cable (conductors of equal size and carrying the same
load).
1
is the ratio of losses in the metal sheath to total losses in all conductors in that cable.
2
is the ratio of losses in the armoring to total losses in all conductors in that cable.
The permissible current rating is obtained from the above formula as follows:
) T T ( ) 1 ( nR T ) 1 ( nR RT
) 1 ]( ) T T T ( n 0.5T [ W
I
4 3 2 1 2 1 1
4 3 2 1 d
m
Q m
+ + + + + +
+ + +
=
Q is temperature difference between critical isotherm (50 C) and the ambient (critical isotherm is one at
which drying out occurs), m is the ratio of the thermal resistivities of the dry and moist soil zones. The
nonisothermal surface is modeled by introducing an imaginary additional layer of soil d meters thick at the
earth surface, where:
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
0
1
a
d =
a
is the convection coefficient and
0
+
+
Figure 24: 138 kV, 2000 MCM high pressure oil-filled, 3-conductor, pipe type cable.
1. 2000 KCMIL copper conductor - diameter (DC) = 1.632 = 41.453 mm.
2. Insulation thickness (t) - 0.505 = 12.83 mm.
3. Outside diameter of sheath (DS) - 2.661 = 67.589 mm.
4. Inside diameter of pipe (DP) - 8.125 = 206.375 mm.
5. Outside diameter of pipe (DPO) - 8.625 = 219.075 mm.
The EDSA cable ampacity program for the above case produces very close result as those reported in
the IEEE paper as summarized below:
Table 1: Comparing Results of Neher McGrath and EDSAs Cable Ampacity Program
Reference Neher McGrath IEEE Paper EDSAs Cable Ampacity Program
Cable Ampacity (amp) 905 901
Deviance (%) - 0.44
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Transient Analysis- Cyclic and Emergency Loading
The method for calculating cyclic and emergency current power cable ratings has been elaborated for
many years and has been standardized in form of IEC standards based on the application of a step
function. The Transient analysis in the EDSAs power cable analysis program is implemented based on
the principles described in the IEC Publication 60853-2. The program uses the lump parameters and
image methods to calculate the transient temperature variation of cables. The transient analysis module
similar to the steady-state module supports similar/dissimilar cables, equally/unequally loaded cables. In
order to perform transient simulations, the user should assign a load curve (basically a set of steps
functions) to each cable in the study, total simulation time, and the maximum current for which the load
curve (step functions) are to be scaled. Before performing transient analysis, the stead-state program will
automatically run for the study in question. As mentioned before, this is required in order to obtain the
lumped parameters model. Since the mathematical approach of the transient program is adopted from
IEC 60853, the user is referred to this publication for further details.
The transient analysis program should assist the users to seek the answers to the following questions:
What the final conductor temperature would be (with the defined load curve) if cable loading
increases by certain amount and duration?
How long cables in a study can be operated (with the defined load curve) if cable loading
increases by certain amount?
What is the maximum current the cables can carry for a specified period of time if the temperature
of the conductor not to exceed by certain amount?
The transient analysis program utilizes the techniques outlined in the IEC 60853. The transient program
requires the steady-state temperature and ampacity of the cables which is used as initial conditions for
the time domain simulations. Therefore, the transient program runs automatically the steady-state
program before starting the transient computations.
How to Run a Transient Simulation
To access the transient analysis module, select the study of the interest (press the left mouse button on
the row where the study is shown) and then select Run option as shown below:
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Figure 25: Selecting the Transient Analysis Option
To start the transient program, select Transient Simulation option as shown above. The main dialog of the
transient program is shown in Figure 26. On the upper left portion of this figure the user will be presented with the
list of the cable(s) in the study (for the case at hand we only have one cable). The loading pattern (load curve) has
been defaulted to Typical which can be changed at the user discretion. In the lower left portion of this figure, the
transient simulation parameters are shown.
Figure 26: Transient Analysis Main Dialog
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
The simulation parameters are:
Load Curve Scaling factor: this factor will be multiplied by all of the step functions defined in the user defined load
curve (pattern).
The simulation period: This is the total simulation time in hours (for example the user can be examine conductor
temperature over a 2 days period, i.e., 48 hours)
Simulation Step: Is the interval for which the transient program will compute the cables response to the load curve.
Also, the reporting of the results will be done at the same interval (step). The simulation step should be provided in
hours.
Figure 27: Defining a Load Curve
Defining Load Curve (Loading Pattern)
The user can define a loading pattern by specifying a series of step functions and then save it in the library for later
use in any simulations. To define a load curve, assign a name to it. For example, in the above figure a load curve has
been given identification of New. Then, a series of step functions should be defined. Figure 28 shows as example
of load curve. Each step function is defined by its period (hours) and magnitude of current (in % of steady state
maximum current defined in the steady-state analysis). It should be noted that the current cannot be more 100%.
The load curve scaling factor defined in the transient simulation parameters will be multiplied by each of these step
functions in the transient analysis. After all of the step functions are defined press the button marked as Save to
Lib to store the newly created load curve to the transient library (see figure below). The graph of a load curve can
be displayed by pressing the button View Curve as shown in Figure 28. Figure 29 shows the graph for the sample
load curve just saved into the transient library.
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Figure 28: Saving of Load Curves to the Transient Library
Figure 29: Graph of Sample Load Curve
To assign a load curve from the library to a cable of the study, select the cable of the interest by double left mouse
button on the row where the cable of interest is shown (see figure below).
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Figure 30: Assigning a Load Curve to a Cable
The dialog for assigning a load curve is shown below. The dropdown shown on the right hand side of the below
figure can be used to select a load curve from the transient library. In the example below there are two load curve
available from the library namely, Typical and New. After selecting the load curve of interest press OK to
confirm the assignment.
Figure 31: Selecting a Load Curve from Transient Load Curve Library
To change the simulation parameters, such as load curve scaling factor, just place the mouse in the data field and
press the left mouse button. The default values can be changed to any value within acceptable limits. In this
example, simulation period is specified to be 48 hours (2 days), load curve scaling factor of 120 % with simulation
step of 1 hour.
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Figure 32: Defining the Transient Simulation Parameters
After the transient data entry is completed, press the button marked as Calculate to start the transient
computations. Once the analysis is performed the options View Result and View Graph becomes accessible.
These buttons are grayed out if the analysis is not performed successfully (see Figure 33).
Figure 33: Performing the Transient Simulation
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Figure 34: Inspecting the Transient Analysis Result
To display the result of a transient simulation, press the button marked as View Graph. The plot of cables
(conductors) temperatures as well as the load curves will be displayed as illustrated in Figure 35.
Figure 35: Graphical Display of the Transient Simulation Results
The text report of the transient simulation result can be examined by pressing the button marked as View Result.
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Program Validation and Verification for Transient Analysis
The validation and verification of the transient analysis program against published technical papers was
not possible due to lack of appropriate references. It was decided to validate the program in the following
fashion.
First, we will perform a transient analysis for a given cable type and installation conditions subject to one
step function lasting for a long period of time (i.e. simulating steady-state) assuming a load curve scale
factor. The cable temperature at the end of the transient simulation run will be noted, say T
f
. Next we will
perform a steady-state simulation by specifying conductor temperature to be T
f
and will compute the
cable ampacity. The computed cable ampacity should be equal to the load curve scale factor specified in
the transient simulation run. It should be noted that the results obtained in this manner will not be 100%
identical since the transient uses the lumped parameters model obtained in the steady-state as per IEC
60853 which is an approximation of the cable model.
Adopting the above approach to validate and verify the transient program, we use the same pipe type
cable as in the Neher McGrath paper. The corresponding study, which was also used in the steady-state
program validation, is shown below. It can be seen from the below figure that the load curve pattern in
this case is defined as 100 % step function lasting 2000 hours. We have also defined a load curve scale
factor of 120% with simulation period of 1000 hours.
The result of the transient simulation for this study is shown in Figure 36. The result shows that the conductor
temperature reaches approximately 91.2 C.
Next, we will seek the ampacity of the pipe type cable having temperature of 91.2 C in the steady-state module. The
cable installation screen is shown in Figure 37.
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Figure 36: Transient Simulation Results for the program V&V
Figure 37: Cable Installation Screen Defining Final Temperature Obtained in the Transient Simulation
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Finally the steady-state simulation is performed for the modified conductor temperature as shown below:
The result of the simulation is shown below. The cable ampacity in this case is 1119 Amps. Table below summarize
the result of the V&V:
Table 2: V&V of the EDSAs Transient Simulation Program
Reference Steady-state Simulation Transient Simulation
Cable Ampacity (amps) 1119 1.2*904=1084.8
Difference (%) - -3.05
The above table shows that the result obtained by the transient program when simulating a long lasting step
function is in excellent agreement with the results obtained in the steady-state simulation.
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
References Bibliography
AIEE Trans., "Symposium on Temperature Rise of Cables," Vol. 72, Part II, p. 530-62, 1953.
AIEE Committee Report, "A-C Resistance of Pipe-Cable Systems with Segmental Conductors,"
AIEE Trans. Vol. 71, Part III, p. 393-414, 1952.
AIEE Publication S-135-1, Power Cable Ampacity Tables, ICES Publication, pp. 46-426, 1962.
Arnold, A. H. M., "Proximity Effect in Solid and Hollow Round Conductors," Journal IEE, Vol. 88,
Part II*, p. 349-59, Aug., 1941.
Arnold, A.H.M., "Eddy-Current Losses in Multi-Core Paper-Insulated Lead-Covered Cables,
Armored and Unarmored, Carrying Balanced 3-Phase Current," Journal IEE, Vol. 88, Part I, p.
52-63, Feb., 1941.
Beasley, W.A., "Hot Circuits Can Be Expensive," IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl. Vol. 1A-19, July/August
1983.
Bosone, L., "Contribution to the Study of Losses and of Self-Induction of Single-Conductor
Armored Cables," L'Elettrotecnica, p.2, 1931.
Buller, F.H. and Neher, J.H., "The Thermal Resistance between Cables and a Surrounding Pipe
or Duct Wall," AIEE Trans, Vol. 69, Part I, p. 342-9, 1950.
Buller, F.H. and Woodrow, C.A., "Load Factor and Equivalent Hours Compared," Electrical World,
Vol. 92, No. 2, p. 59-60, 1928.
Buller, F.H., Neher, J.H. and Wollaston, F.O., "Oil Flow and Pressure Calculations for Self-
Contained Oil-Filled Cable Systems," AIEE Trans. Vol. 75, Part I, 1959.
Buller, F.H., "Thermal Transients on Buried Cables," AIEE Trans. Vol. 70, Part I, p. 45-55, 1951.
Buller, F.H., " Artificial Cooling of Power Cable," AIEE Trans. Vol. 71, Part III, p. 634-41, 1952.
Burrell, R.W.; Morris, M., "A-C Resistance of Conventional Strand Power Cables in Non-Metallic
Duct and in Iron Conduit," AIEE Trans. Vol. 74, 1955, Part III, p. 1014-23.
Greebler, P.; Barnett, G.F., "Heat Transfer Study of Power Cable Ducts and Duct Assemblies,"
AIEE Trans. Vol. 69, Part I, 1950, p. 351-69.
Heiman, R.H., "Surface Heat Transmission," ASME Trans. Vol. 51, Part I, p. 287-302, 1929.
IEEE Trans. on Ind. Appl., "Neher-McGrath Calculations for Insulated Power Cables," Vol. 1A-21,
No. 5, September/October 1985.
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
IPCA Publication, Ampacity Tables for Solid Dielectric Power Cables Including Effect of Shield
Losses, pp. 53-426 and NEMA Publication WC 50-1976.
Meyerhoff, L. and Eager, Jr., G.S., "A-C Resistance of Segmental Cables in Steel Pipe," AIEE
Trans Vol. 68, Part II, p. 816-34, 1949.
Meyerhoff, L., Pipe Losses in Non-Magnetic Pipe, AIEE Trans. Vol. 72, Part III, p. 1260-75,
1953.
National Electric Code, National Fire Protection Association Tables 310-20 through 310-30, 1988.
Neher, J. H., "The Temperature Rise of Buried Cables and Pipes," AIEE Trans. Vol. 68, Part I, p.
9-21, 1949.
Neher, J.H., "The Temperature Rise of Cables in a Duct Bank," AIEE Trans. Vol. 68, Part I, p.
540-9, 1949.
Neher, J.H., "The Determination of Temperature Transients in Cable Systems by Means of an
Analogous Computer," AIEE Trans. Vol. 70, Part II, p. 1361-71, 1951.
Neher, J.H., "A Simplified Mathematical Procedure for Determining the Transient Temperature
Rise of Cable System," AIEE Trans. Vol. 72, Part III, p. 712-8, 1953.
Neher, J.H. and McGrath, M.H., "The Calculation of the Temperature Rise and Load Capability of
Cable Systems," AIEE Trans. on Power Appl. Sys., Pt. III, Vol. 76, pp. 752-772, October 1957.
"NEMA Report of Determination of Maximum Permissible Current Carrying Capacity of Code
Insulated Wires and Cables for Building Purposes," June 27, 1938.
Rosch, S.J., "The Current Carrying Capacity of Rubber Insulated Conductors," AIEE Trans. Vol.
57, p. 155-67, April 1938.
Schurig, O.R. and Frick, G.W., "Heating and Current-Carrying Capacity of Bare Conductors for
Outdoor Service," G.E. Review, Vol. 33, p.141, 1930.
Schurig, O.R., Kuehni, H.P. and Buller, P.H., "Losses in Armored Single-Conductor, Lead-
Covered A-C Cables," AIEE Trans. Vol. 93, No. 1, p. 417, 1929.
Simmons, D.M., "Calculation of the Electrical Problems of Underground Cables," The Electric
Journal, May-November, 1932.
Wedmore, E.B., "The Heating of Cables Exposed to the Sun in Racks," Journal IEE, Vol. 75, p.
737-48, 1934.
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
APPENDIX I: IEC & Neher-Mcgrath Cable Ampacity Calculations Methodology
Traditional cable sizing methods address the issue of maximum allowable ampacity strictly from the point
of view of the cable and system load characteristics. In other words, they are generally limited to factors
such as insulation rating and voltage drop. In reality, cable ampacity is a much more complex concept
that hinges on many other factors.
The allowable conductor temperature for the type of insulation being used is the main factor that defines
the ampacity of a cable. A complete approach to the problem requires the integration of all aspects of
cable system design such as:
Load characteristics
Cable type
Conductor material & size
Insulation thickness and properties
Shield connections
Environment
Installation conditions
Figure 38: Basic Thermal Circuit
Of course, other system conditions and load-flow characteristics may limit the rating of the cable to values
lower than its ampacity. The basic calculation procedure for studying the thermal behavior of an element
corresponds to the thermal equivalent of Ohm's law, which is shown in above Figure. Here we can see
that Heat (Watts) is equivalent to electrical current, and Thermal Resistance (thermal ohm-foot)
corresponds to electrical resistance (ohms). When heat circulates through the circuit's thermal resistance,
64
Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
a temperature drop ( ) is established. Thermal resistance values depend on material properties,
thermal resistivity, and geometric characteristics.
C
65
Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Thermal resistivity is defined in units of watt cm C /
watt /
C 1
for both, the metric and imperial systems. In
Europe, however, is defined as . To illustrate the significance of this unit, consider the
following: a material that possesses a resistivity of
m C
watt cm/
2
/ cm
, will experience a temperature
rise when a heat flow equivalent to 1 flows through a 1 cm section of the material.
C 1
watt
1 Thermal Ohm-Foot
(1 Thermal Ohm-Meter)
1 Watt
dT = 1
o
C
1 Foot
(1Meter)
Figure 39: Definition of Thermal-Ohm Units
In the United States, the ampacity calculations are based on a unit cable length of 1 foot, thus defining a
Thermal-Ohm-Foot (TOF) ( ) as the thermal resistance that causes a -temperature
increase, when 1 watt of heat per foot of conductor is generated. The equivalent metric unit is called the
Thermal Ohm Meter (TOM), and is expressed as (
watt / foot C C 1
watt / m C ). The above Figure illustrates the
concept of Thermal-Ohm-Foot/Meter.
Conductor
Ohmic Losses
Dielectric Losses Shield Losses Pipe Losses
C
cond
C
ins
C
shield
C
fluid
C
pipe
C
earth
R
earth
R
shield-fluid
R
ins/2
R
fluid
R
fluid-pipe
R
pipe-earth
R
ins/2
T
earth
T
pipe
T
shield
T
cond
Figure 40: Mathematical Model of a Cable Thermal Circuit
Figure above, illustrates a mathematical model that describes the thermal circuit of a self-cooled buried
transmission cable. This model is typical of a pipe-type cable system, which is one of the most common
types of cable used in transmission applications. While conventional models may include conductor and
66
Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
dielectric losses and maybe even shield effect, they fail to take into account crucial thermal elements
such as pipe fluid, and earth losses. Each of the components are summarized as follows:
Temperatures: Conductor
Cable/earth interface
Ambient
Losses: Ohmic ( ) R I
2
Dielectric (insulation)
Shield/sheath (eddy & circulating currents)
Pipe (edddy-current & hysteresis )
Thermal Resistance: Electrical insulation
Dielectric
Pipe covering
Earth
Mutual heating effect of nearby heat sources (steam mains)
Mutual heating effect of other nearby cable systems
Shield - Fluid
Fluid - Pipe
Duct material
Air space
Concrete envelope
Thermal Capacitance: Conductors
Insulation
Shield
Fluid
Pipe
Earth
In the particular case of cables in free air, one must consider the effect of solar radiation, which increases
the temperature rise, and the effect of the wind, which decreases it. As seen from the above list of
elements, the true ampacity of a cable depends on many factors, which are often ignored by traditional
methods. This leads to poor/dangerous design specifications.
Virtually every steady-state ampacity calculation in the United States is performed according to the
Neher-McGrath method. This procedure quantifies with extreme accuracy the added heating effect
imposed by each and every one of the elements previously listed. A non-US practice is to employ the IEC
287 method, which is the metric equivalent to the Neher-McGrath procedure. IEC 287, however, has a
better treatment of sheath losses for single conductor cables. Both methods are applicable to both single
and three-conductor cable in various installations, such as cable in air, cable in duct, and cable buried in
earth.
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
68
APPENDIX II: Some Useful Diagrams and Figures
Cable type: Pipe / Location: In Air
Cable type: Pipe / Location: Buried
Cable type: Duct / Location: Air
Soil
Soil
Air
Air
Duct
Duct
Ground
Ground
Conduit/ Pipe
Air Air
Pipe Type Cable
Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
Cable type: Duct / Location: Buried
So
Ground
Duct
Cable type: No Pipe - No Duct / Location: Buried
Soil Soil
Cable Construction Type
OIL
Triplex Configuration
Single conductor
Oil-filled cable
Cradle
Configuration
3-Conductor
Cables in Duct
Cables in flat
configuration
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Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
70
Magnetic Armor or Reinforcement Type
Non-Magnetic Armor
3-Conductor Cables.
Magnetic pipe/ conduit
3-Conductor Cables.
Magnetic pipe/ conduit
1-Conductor Close
Triangular Cables.
Magnetic pipe/ conduit
1-Conductor Cradled
Cables.
Non-Magnetic Armor
1-Conductor Close
Triangular Cables.
Non-Magnetic Armor
1-Conductor Cradled
Cables.
Thermal Circuit Type
Two Core Belted
Circular Conductor
Three Core Belted
Circular Conductor
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71
Conductor Shield/Screen and Jacket
Conductor
Insulation
J acket
t
C
t
i
D
J
Insulation
Armor, Binder for RI (tai)
Jacket
Belt for RI (tbi)
Core (tci)
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72
External Cover
Armour Type
Armour Bedding
Sheath Reinforcing Material
Concentric Wires
Sheath Type
Insulation Shield
Insulation Type
Conductor Shield
Conductor Material
Figure 41: Cable Topology / General Parameters Self Contained Cables
The figure above is a complete cable topology, which outlines the general range of the information
required for a typical cable ampacity calculation.
Figure 42: Typical Pipe Cable Cross-Section
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73
Configuration of Cable in the Duct/Conduit:
Figure 43: Configuration of Cable in the Duct/Conduit
Figure 44: Ductbank G
b
Factor
Advanced Power Cable Ampacity Program
74
APPENDIX III: Tables of Material Properties
Different types of insulating material are listed below. The user can select specific inductive capacitance
of insulation (
r
) based on the type of cable.
Table 3: Specific Inductive Capacitance of Insulation
Materials Insulation (
r
)
Polyethylene 2.3
Paper Insulation (Solid type) 3.7 (IPCEA Value)
Paper Insulation (Other type) 3.3 - 4.2
Rubber and Rubber-like compounds 5.0 (IPCEA Value)
Varnished Cambric 5.0 (IPCEA Value)
The thermal resistivities of different materials are listed in table below. The user has the option to select
the material thermal resistivities depending on the type of cable, its protective coverings, and the
materials for duct installations.
Table 4: Thermal Resistivity of Various Materials
Material in Ccm/watt
Paper Insulation (Solid type) 700 (IPCEA Value)
Varnished Cambric 600 (IPCEA Value)
Paper Insulation (other types) 500 - 550
Rubber and Rubber-like 500 (IPCEA Value)
Jute and Textile Protective Covering 500
Fiber Duct 480
Polyethylene 450
Transite duct 200
Somastic (Jacket) 100
Concrete 85
For cables in ducts or pipes, the constants A' and B' from below table are used for calculation of thermal
resistance (R
SD
) of the air space between the cable surface and the duct internal surface. The user needs
to supply the values of the constants from table below depending on the installation of the cable.
Table 5: Pipe Constants
Condition A B
In Metallic Conduit 3.2 0.190
In Fiber Duct in Air 5.6 0.330
In Fiber Duct in Concrete 4.6 0.270
In Transite Duct in Air 4.4 0.260
In Transite Duct in Concrete 3.7 0.220
Gas - Filled Pipe Cable at 200 psi 2.1 0.680
Oil - Filled Pipe Cable 2.1 2.450
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75
Table 6: Conductor Material
Material Resistivity ( )ohm.m @ 20 C. TemperatureCoefficient (
20
) per K at 20 C
Copper 1.7241 x 10
3.93 x 10
8 3
Aluminum 2.8264 x 10
4.03 x 10
8 3
Lead or Lead Alloy 21.4 x 10
4.0 x 10
8 3
Steel 13.8 x 10
4.5 x 10
8 3
Bronze 3.5 x 10 3.0 x 10
8 3
Stainless Steel 70.0 x 10
Negligible
8
Aluminum 2.84 x 10
4.03 x 10
8 3
Brass 6.24 x 10
4.5 x 10
8 3
Table 7: Dielectric Loss
Types of cables U
o
(kV) (line to ground)
Cables insulated with impregnated paper 30
Cables with other kinds of insulation:
Butyl rubber 15
EPR 15
PVC 6
PE 110
XLPE 45
Table 8: Resistivities of Materials
Material Thermal resistivity (K.m/W)
Paper insulation in solid type cables 6.0
Paper insulation in oil-filled cables 5.0
Paper insulation in cables
with external gas pressure 5.5
Paper insulation in cables
with internal gas pressure:
a. Pre impregnated 6.5
b. Mass impregnated 6.0
PE 3.5
XLPE 3.5
Polyvinyl chloride:
up to and including 3 kV cables 5.0
greater than 3 kV cables 6.0
EPR:
up to and including 3 kV cables 3.5
greater than 3 kV cables 5.0
Butyl rubber 5.0
Rubber 5.0
Protective coverings:
Compounded jute and fibrous materials 6.0
Rubber sandwich protection 6.0
Polychloroprene 5.5
PVC:
up to and including 35 kV cables 5.0
greater than 35 kV cables 6.0
PVC/bitumen on corrugated aluminum sheaths 6.0
PE 3.5
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76
Materials for duct installations:
Concrete 1.0
Fibre 4.8
Asbestos 2.0
Earthenware 1.2
PVC 7.0
PE 3.5
Table 9: Absorption Coefficients of Solar Radiation
Materials Absorption Coefficients
Bitumen/Jute serving 0.8
Polychloroprene 0.8
Polyvinylchloride (PVC) 0.6
Polyethylene (PE) 0.4
Lead of Armor 0.6
For the cable diameters in the range of 25 mm to 100 mm, the constants UU, V and Y in following tbale
are used for calculation of thermal resistance of the air space between the cable surface and the duct
internal surface.
Table 10: Constants For Ducts Or Pipes
Installation condition UU V Y
2
In metallic conduit 5.2 1.4 0.011
In fibre duct in air 5.2 0.83 0.006
In fibre duct in concrete 5.2 0.91 0.010
In asbestos cement:
duct in air 5.2 1.2 0.006
duct in concrete 5.2 1.1 0.011
Gas pressure cable in pipe 0.95 0.46 0.0021
Oil pressure pipe type cable 0.26 0.0 0.0026
Plastic ducts Under consideration by IEC
Earthenware ducts 1.87 0.28 0.0036