FAULT LEVEL CALCULATIONS

- A CASE STUDY
STEP 1 : SINGLE LINE DIAGRAM
TRANSFORMER STANDBY GENERATOR
1600kVA G
1250kVA
PCC
11  ) 12  )
 

)

F 13 F2
21  ) 22  ) 1 23  ) 24  )
   

350A 300A 300A

MCC BUSBAR
31 )
U/G CABLE

) CB
  F   
3

SDF

M1 M2 M3 M4 STARTER
50HP 100HP 30HP 150HP
STEP 2 : SYSTEM DATA

i) TRANSFORMER : 11/0.433kV
1600kVA
%R = 0.94
%X = 5.46
%Z = 5.54

ii) STANDBY GENERATOR :

UrG = 415V
1250kVA
%xd = 20
Cos rG = 0.8
Un = 415V
STEP 2 : SYSTEM DATA

iii) CABLE : R = 0.062 /kM

X = 0.079 /kM
LENGTH OF CABLE,
21 TO 31= 100M

iv) INDUCTION MOTORS : M1, IrM = 70A

M2, IrM = 135A
M3, IrM = 40A
M4, IrM = 200A
(UrM = 415V; ILR = 6 IrM)
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 3: Conversion of %R into Ohmic

values, to obtain RT.

10 x (0.94) x (0.433)2
RT (in Ω) = ----------------------------
1600

= 0.001102 Ω
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 4: Conversion of %X into Ohmic

values, to obtain XT.

10 x (5.46) x (0.433)2
XT (in Ω) = -----------------------------
1600
= 0.006398 Ω
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 5: Conversion %x”d of the generator
into Ohmic values, to obtain XG.

10 x (20) x (0.415)2
XG (in Ω) = ---------------------------
1250

= 0.027556 Ω
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 6: The resistance of the generator,
‘RG’ is:

RG (in Ω) = 0.15 XG

= 0.15 x 0.027556

= 0.0041334 Ω
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 7: Calculating the correction factor

‘KG’.

415 1.05
KG = ------ --------------------------
415 1 + [(0.2 ) (0.6)]

= 0.9375
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Ste p 8 : Fi ndi ng o ut t he C or rec ted

G e n e r a t o r R es i s t an c e ( R G K ) & t h e
Corrected Generator Reactance (XGK):

RGK = 0.9375 x 0.0041334

= 0.003875 Ω
XGK = 0.9375 x 0.027556
= 0.025834 Ω
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 9: Finding out the cable resistance

& reactance for the actual length of cable
used up to the point of fault:

RL = 0.062 x 0.1 = 0.0062 Ω

XL = 0.079 x 0.1 = 0.0079 Ω

 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 10 (F1): Adding of all ‘R’ & all ‘X’

values & finding out ‘Zk’ (for Fault at F1):

Zk(F1) = √[(RT)2 + (XT)2]

= √[(0.001102)2 + (0.006398)2]
= √[(0.000001214) + (0.00004093)]
= √[(0.00004214)]
= 0.006492 Ω
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 11 (F 1 ) : Fi ndi ng out the i ni ti al
symmetrical short circuit current, I”k (for Fault
at F1):

1.05 x 415
I”k(F1) = --------------------
√3 x 0.006492

= 38752 A or 38.75 kA
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 12 (F1): Determining the ‘X’/’R’ ratio

up to the point of fault (for Fault at F1):

(XT) / (RT) = (0.006398) / (0.001102)

= 5.8058
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 13 (F1): Calculating the Asymmetry

Factor‘’ (for Fault at F1):
Factor

(F1) = (1.02 + 0.98 e-3RT / XT)

= 1.6045
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 14 (F1): Calculating the peak current,

(for Fault at F1):

‘ip(F1)’ = 1.6045 x √2 x 38752

= 87932 A or 87.93 kA
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 10 (F2): Adding of all ‘R’ & all ‘X’

values & finding out ‘Zk’ (for Fault at F2):

Zk(F2) = √[(RGK)2 + (XGK)2]

= √[(0.003875)2 + (0.025834)2]
= √[(0.00001502) + (0.0006674)]
= √[(0.0006824)]
= 0.026123 Ω
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 11 (F 2 ) : Finding out the initial
symmetrical short circuit current, I ” k (for
Fault at F2):

1.05 x 415
I”k(F2) = --------------------
√3 x 0.026123

= 9631 A or 9.63 kA
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 12 (F2): Determining the ‘X’/’R’ ratio

up to the point of fault (for Fault at F2):

(XGK) / (RGK) = (0.025834) / (0.003875)

= 6.6668
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 13 (F2): Calculating the Asymmetry

Factor‘’ (for Fault at F2):
Factor

(F2) = (1.02 + 0.98 e-3RGK / XGK)

= 1.6449
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 14 (F2): Calculating the peak current,

(for Fault at F2):

‘ip(F2)’ = 1.6449 x √2 x 9631

= 22404 A or 22.40 kA
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 10 (F3): Adding of all ‘R’ & all ‘X’

values & finding out ‘Zk’ (for Fault at F3):

Zk(F3) = √[(RT + RL)2 + (XT + XL)2]

= √[(0.007302)2 + (0.014298)2]
= √[(0.00005332) + (0.00020443)]
= √[(0.0002576)]
= 0.0160546 Ω
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 11 (F 3 ) : Finding out the initial
symmetrical short circuit current, I ” k (for
Fault at F3):

1.05 x 415
I”k(F3) = ---------------------
√3 x 0.0160546

= 15670 A or 15.67 kA
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 12 (F3): Determining the ‘X’/’R’ ratio

up to the point of fault (for Fault at F3):

= (XT + XL) / (RT + RL)

= (0.014298) / (0.007302)

= 1.9581
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 13 (F 3 ) : Calculating the Asymmetry

Factor‘’ (for Fault at F3):
Factor

(F3) = (1.02 + 0.98 e-3 (RT + RL) / (XT + XL)

= 1.2318
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 14 (F3): Calculating the peak current,

(for Fault at F3):

‘ip(F3)’ = 1.2318 x √2 x 15670

= 27298 A or 27.30 kA
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach

Step 1515:: Calculating the aggregate of the

rated full load currents of all the motors
(ΣIrM):

70 + 135 + 40 + 200 = 445 A

 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 16
16:: This (445
445A)
A) is definitely more
than 1% of the contribution at:

F1: 38752 x 0.01 = 387.52 A

F2: 9631 x 0.01 = 96.31 A
F3: 15670 x 0.01 = 156.70 A

So, motors’ contribution to faults has to be

considered.
Fault Level Calculations – Direct Method –
A step by step approach
Step 1717:: The R.M.S. Current contribution to
the short circuit, from this group of motors
will be:

I”kM = 1.05 x 5 x 445

= 2336 A

(As cables are involved)

 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 18
18:: And, the peak current contribution from this
motor group would be:

ipM = M √2 I”kM = 1.2980 x 1.414 x 2336

= 4288 A

where,
M = 1.2980 for an R/X ratio of 0.42
42,, as in the
case of LV Induction motors
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 19 (F1) : Now, calculate the total fault level,
both R.M.S. (I”KT) and the Peak (ipT) at the fault
Location (For Fault at F1):

I”KT(F1) = 38752 + 2336 = 41088 A

= 41.09 kA
and

ipT(F1) = 87932 + 4288 = 92220 A

= 92.22 kA
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 19 (F2) : Now, calculate the total fault level,
both R.M.S. (I”KT) and the Peak (ipT) at the fault
Location (For Fault at F2):

I”KT(F2) = 9631 + 2336 = 11967 A

= 11.97 kA
and

ipT(F2) = 22404 + 4288 = 26692 A

= 26.69 kA
 Fault Level Calculations – Direct
Method – A step by step approach
Step 19 (F3) : Now, calculate the total fault level,
both R.M.S. (I”KT) and the Peak (ipT) at the fault
Location (For Fault at F3):

I”KT(F3) = 15670 + 2336 = 18006 A

= 18.01 kA
and

ipT(F3) = 27298 + 4288 = 31586 A

= 31.59 kA
 Total Fault Level

Fault Location IkT ipT

41.09 kA 92.22 kA
F1
(R.M.S.) (peak)
F2 11.97 kA 26.69 kA
(R.M.S.) (peak)
F3 18.01 kA 31.59 kA
(R.M.S.) (peak)