CHAPTER 4- SHORT CIRCUIT STUDY

4.1 Objectives
The objectives of this study are
1. Evaluate the short circuit current ratings of protection devices
a. Close and Latch (Making) rating of MV circuit breakers
b. Interrupting (Breaking) rating of the MV and LV circuit
breakers
c. Short Circuit rating of the bus bars
d. Sizing of the Equipment Grounding Conductors and the
Grounding Electrode Conductors for power transformers
2. In order to perform the evaluation of devices, short circuit
calculation for both Momentary Networks and Interrupting
Networks will be performed for
a. Balanced 3-phase Faults
b. Single Line to Ground Faults
c. Line to Line Faults
d. Double Line to Ground Faults
3. Provide recommendations based on the evaluation
4.2 Methodology
According to Philippine Electrical Code Part 1 2009 Article
1.10.1.9, Interrupting Rating Equipment intended to interrupt
current at fault levels shall have an interrupting rating sufficient for
the nominal circuit voltage and the current that is available at the
line terminals of the equipment. Therefore a short circuit study is
essential in properly selecting the interrupting and making capacity
of circuit breakers and fuses.
Fault points are selected such that the short circuit occur on
the

immediate

vicinity

of

the

downstream

terminals

of

the

protection equipment and is summarized on the table 4.1.

Chapter 4-Short Circuit Calculation

Page 182

Table 4.1 Summary of Fault Points

Fault
Point
F1

Fault Location

Fault Type

Networks

Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG

Momentary,
Interrupting

F3

13.8kV Power Plant Bus

and downstream of
BAC908
Primary terminals of
TRM1
6.9kV switchgear (bus)

F4

Primary terminals TRL3A

F5

Primary terminals TRL3B

F6

MCC8 Bus

Momentary,
Interrupting
Momentary,
Interrupting
Momentary,
Interrupting
Momentary,
Interrupting
Momentary

F7

MCC9 Bus

F8

PE-KM5806 Terminals

F9

PE-YM7601 Terminals

F10

PE-KM8639 Terminals

F11

PE-KM8601 Terminals

F12

PC001 Terminals

F13

GM1412 Terminals

F14

GM1413 Terminals

F15

KM5814 Terminals

F16

GM8103A Terminals

F17

GM8103S Terminals

F18

MNDB Terminals

F19

EMBD Terminals

F20

YM7607 Terminals

F21

SM8645 Terminals

Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,

F2

Chapter 4-Short Circuit Calculation

Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Momentary
Page 183

F22

GM7612 Terminals

F23

7601M1 Terminals

F24

KM8607 Terminals

LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG
Bolted-3ph,SLG,
LL, DLG

Momentary
Momentary
Momentary

F1 is a fault point occurring just downstream of BAC 908

breaker while F2 is fault on High voltage terminal of TRM1. F3, F4
and F5 are fault points on 6.9kV buses while F6 and F7 are fault
points on 480V buses. F8 up to F24 are fault points on critical 480V
loads.
This study will use the detailed recommendations from
7

IEEE Std. 551-2006 Violet Book for calculating the fault currents

and evaluation of equipment ratings as well as ANSI IEEE 8C37.0101999. The calculations will have two major parts namely Momentary
Short circuit calculations and Interrupting short circuit calculations.
Both

momentary

and

interrupting

calculation

will

be

performed. With each calculation, the three phase fault, single line
to ground fault, line to line fault and double line to ground fault will
be calculated. Generally, the E/Z method will be used while
separate X and R network reduction will be utilized to calculate the
X/R ratio at fault point necessary in determining the AC and DC
decrement factors.

IEEE Std. 551-2006 Violet Book Recommended Practice for Calculating ShortCircuit Currents in Industrial and Commercial Power Systems, Chapter 9
8
IEEE Application Guide for AC High-Voltage Circuit Breakers Rated on
Symmetrical Current Basis

Chapter 4-Short Circuit Calculation

Page 184

Table 4.2 Protection Device Short Circuit Rating Evaluation

Summary
SHORT
LV
CIRCUIT
POWER FUSE
MV VCB
LV ACB
MCC
CURRENT
B
I
Rated
MOM,SYM, Interrupting
RMS
Capacity
I
Rated
Rated Making
MOM,ASY
Asymmetrical
(Peak) or
Rated Interrupting
M,PEAK
Interrupting Peak C&L
I
Rated
MOM,ASY
Asymmetrical
M,RMS
Interrupting RMS
I
Rated
INT,ASYM,
Interrupting
RMS
capacity
It should be clearly noted that motors driven by PWM type
VFD are not expected to contribute fault current and therefore not
included in the short circuit impedance network. This is due to the
fact that in standard PWM VFD, no energy can transferred back to
the ac line since the overvoltage condition forces the input rectifier
section of the drive into an off or non-conducting state.
For Capacitor bank, since each capacitor is installed with a
current limiting reactor, the contribution of capacitor during short
circuit condition is also neglected. Moreover, IEEE Violet Book
recommends the exclusion of capacitor contribution on short circuit
studies9.

IEEE Std. 551-2006 Violet Book Recommended Practice for Calculating ShortCircuit Currents in Industrial and Commercial Power Systems, Section 7.4, p165

Chapter 4-Short Circuit Calculation

Page 185