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Busbar Sizing Calculation

There are three main factors that can cause fires - accidental, natural, and incendiary. Accidental fires caused by electricity are the most common and dangerous. Electricity can provide the necessary heat component to initiate a fire when three elements are present - oxygen, fuel, and heat. Common sources of heat in electrical systems include short circuits, overloads, poor earthing design, lack of ventilation, and undersized cables or busbars. Proper busbar sizing calculation considering factors like current rating, temperature rise, clearances, and installation is important to prevent fires caused by undersized busbars. Thumb rules for sizing are not sufficient and can lead to busbar melting if undersized.

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302 views

Busbar Sizing Calculation

There are three main factors that can cause fires - accidental, natural, and incendiary. Accidental fires caused by electricity are the most common and dangerous. Electricity can provide the necessary heat component to initiate a fire when three elements are present - oxygen, fuel, and heat. Common sources of heat in electrical systems include short circuits, overloads, poor earthing design, lack of ventilation, and undersized cables or busbars. Proper busbar sizing calculation considering factors like current rating, temperature rise, clearances, and installation is important to prevent fires caused by undersized busbars. Thumb rules for sizing are not sufficient and can lead to busbar melting if undersized.

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Code Jon
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© © All Rights Reserved
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BUSBAR SIZING

CALCULATION
Published on December 21, 2015
LikeBUSBAR SIZING CALCULATION

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V.R V
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Head of Engineering - Renewables & Switchyard ( 400KV )

Generally there are 'THREE' Factors are involved for the Fire Causes.
They are"

I) Accidental.

II) Natural.

III) Incendiary.

Comparing 'THREE', the most dangerous one is 'ACCIDENTAL'. Here


Electricity plays major role for the Fire Accident most of the Times.

There are 'THREE' Elements must be present, for a 'FIRE' to initiate.


These are Oxygen, Fuel and Heat. Electricity Plays major role to provide
'HEAT' most of the Times.

SOURCES for the 'HEAT' in the 'ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS' :

Most of the Time, Fire happens in the Electrical Panels, Which we


observed from the Existing Cases. So it is better to mention that, Sources
for the 'HEAT' in the Electrical Panels.

a) SHORT CIRCUIT.

b) OVER LOAD.

c) POOR QUALITY IN EARTHING DESIGN.

d) ABSENCE OF VENTILATION IN THE PANELS.


e) POOR QUALITY IN DESIGNING. [Ex. Under Sized Cables].

Anything else apart from the Above,...........................................Yes.


That Source should be Top in the above list.

What is that 'Important Factor'??... It is none other than 'UNDER SIZED


BUSBAR IN THE PANELS'...

This Article Gives Clear Picture of 'BUSBAR SIZING


CALCULATION' and What Care We should have to take 'Sizing of
Busbar'. Here I will like to describe Busbar Sizing of LT & HT Panel
System. While This Methodology doesn't have any relation with
'CALCULATION OF CONDUCTOR BUS SIZING [ACSR]' for the
Switch yard Projects. Both Calculations having different Steps &
Procedure to find Final Results.

The 'Electrical Design Engineer' Should have in-depth knowledge of


'Sizing of BUSBAR for the Electrical Panels [Both HT & LT]. I have
seen many times in my past experience, Most of the Engineers doing
Busbar Sizing Calculation by 'Thumb Rule' Method, Even though Some
of the Senior Engineers in the Consultant offices & Leading Panel
Fabricator will Practice the Same 'THUMB RULE' method.

There are methods are exist in the world, To determine Proper sizing of
Busbar for the Electrical Systems. People not have that much Patience
for the Practicing Calculation. Now Software available to determine
Proper Size of Busbar for the panels. I would like to add more inputs in
this article, which I had experienced in my past years.
THUMB Rule for Busbar :

For Aluminium : 0.7 Amps / 1 Sq.mm of Bar.

For Copper : 1.2 Amps / 1 Sq.mm of Copper.

Here the above mentioned rules are not standard. Because some case
people will add Tolerance in the Positive End. i.e They used 0.75 Amps
/ 1 Sq.mm of Bar & 1.4 Amps / 1 Sq.mm for Aluminium & Copper
Respectively.

The Cost of the Aluminium bar in the Market based on the Quality.
While Practicing 'THUMB' Rule people should aware the Quality
Standards of Aluminium & Copper Bar. Sometimes we didn't aware the
bar Quality which is used by the fabricator in the Panel. Panel
Fabricators should not take responsible in case Panel gets fire due to the
Busbar Under Sized. It will directly hit EPC Contractor Market Value in
the Industry.Also it leads to Black Mark in their Industry. He should
have to answer Client, Electrical Inspectorate & Consultant. So People
should take More Care for Busbar Sizing for both LT & HT Panels.

I would like to share one of the Example I experienced in my past.


Consultant given Busbar Size for the Main MV Panel. [That Panel
should cater 10 MW of Power of the IT Building, Panel gets power from
3 Transformers & 6 Generators]. Panel should capable to Carry 6300A.
Busbar Size Should be Equal or More than of 6300A. Consultant
Recommended Busbar Size based on the 'THUMB Rule' We noticed,
Busbar Size is Low to Carry 6300A. Consultant Challenged Contractor
that, His recommended Size of Busbar will carry full load Current, then
Contractor approached 'CPRI Testing for their internal verification.
Finally Busbar gets melted when it carried full load Current [6300A] for
the interval 1 Minute. Here it is not the case for the carrying Short
Circuit Current. If Busbar doesn't able to carry the Full Load Current,
then how it will carry Short Circuit Current for the Second.???

After that we will fabricate the Panel with Proper Sizing of busbar which
we derived from the Proper Calculation. In some cases people only
practicing Calculation with only consider the 'K' Factors. There is
formula exist apart from the 'K' Factors.

The Design Engineer should consider the following points while


doing 'BUSBAR SIZING CALCULATION':

Adequate minimum required clearance between Phases and Phase


to Earth.
Selection of Adequate Busbar Insulator Standoffs.
Bolting Arrangements for Continuous Busbar Connections.
Thermal Effects on Busbar and Insulator Standoffs under normal
and Fault conditions.
Electrodynamic Forces applied to Busbars and Insulator Standoffs
under Fault Conditions.
Avoidance of mechanical resonance under normal operating and
Fault Conditions.

TEMPERATURE RISE:

Maximum Permissible Temperature Rise for bolt - connected devices,


including busbars
Source Reference : IEC 62271 - 1

Co-Efficient Factors 'K' :

The Total 'K' Factor derived from Six 'K' factors, which is listed below :

K = K1 x K2 x K3 x K4 x K5 x K6

K1 is a Function of the Number of Bars per Phase and their space.

K2 is Corresponds to the Surface Finish of the Busbars.

K3 is a Function of the Mounting Arrangement.

K4 is a Function of the Installed Location.

K5 is a Function of any Artificial Ventilation.

K6 is a Function of the Type of Current.

Busbar Clearances as per IS : 4237 - 1967


Example :

Transformer Rating : 11 / 0.433 kv, 800 kVA Transformer. What is the


recommendable size of Copper Busbar in the LT Panel ??

If we consider 80 x 10 mm of Copper Bar, How many bars required to


carry full load current of Transformer Secondary End ?

Transformer Secondary Full load Current = 1066.72A,

Breaker Size Needed = 1250A. [Either ACB or MCCB]

According to Thumb Rule,

For Copper : 1.2 Amps / 1 Sq.mm of Copper.

for the Area 800 Sq.mm [80 x 10 mm], Current Carrying Capacity will
be 960A.., Then additional one Run of Busbar needed to carry the
Current of 1067A.

According to the Formula as per IEC 62271 - I

K = K1 x K2 x K3 x K4 x K5 x K6

K = 1 x 1 x 1 x 0.8 x 1 x 1 = 0.8
According to the Main Formula, Derived Value will be = 1547A

Rated Current = 0.8 x 1547 A = 1238 A

Conclusion:

To Carry the Current of 1067 A, One Run of 80 x 10 mm of Copper


Bar is enough.

Cheers !!!

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