The Calculation of the Temperature Rise and Load Capability of Cable Systems J.H. NEHER (MENBER AEE N 1932 D. M. Simmons! published a series of articles entitled, “Calculation of the Electrical Problems of Underground Cables.” Over the intervening 25 years this work has achieved the status of a handbook on the subject. During this period, however, there have been numer- ous developments in the cable art, and muuch theoretical and experimental work hhas been done with a view to obtaining more accurate methods of evaluating the Parameters involved. The advent of the Pipe-type cable system has emphasized the desirability of a more rational method of calculating the performance of cables in duct in order that a realistic comparison may be made between the two systems, In this paper the authors have en- deavored to extend the work of Simmons by presenting under one cover the basic principles involved, together with more recently developed procedures for han- ling such problems as the effect of the Joading cycle and the temperature rise of cables in various types of duct struc- tures. Included as well are expressions required in the evaluation of the basic Parameters for certain specialized allied Procedures. It is thought that a work of this type will be useful not only as a guide to engineers entering the field and as a reference to the more experienced, but Particularly as a basis for setting up com- putation methods for the’ preparation of industry load capability and a-e/d-c ratio compilations. The calculation of the temperature rise of cable systems under essentially steady- state conditions, which includes the effect of operation under a repetitive load cycle, ‘a5 opposed to transient temperature rises due to the sudden application of large amounts of load, is a relatively simple Procedure and involves only the applica- tion of the thermal equivalents of Ohm's ‘and Kirchofi's Laws to a relatively simple thermal circuit. Because this circuit usually has a number of parallel paths with heat flows entering at several points, however, care must be exercised in the difiering methods are used by various en- gineers. The method employed in this Paper has been selected after careful con- 752 M. H. McGRATH ‘MEMBER AIEE sideration as being the most consistent and most readily handled over the full scope of the problem, All Losses will be developed on the basis of watts per conductor foot. ‘The heat flows and temperature rises due to dielec- triclossand tocurrent-produced losses will be treated separately, and, in the latter case, all heat flows will be expressed in termsof the current produced lossoriginat- ing in one foot of conductor by means of multiplying factors which take into ac- count the added losses in the sheath and conduit, In general, all thermal resistances will be developed on the basis of the per con- ductor heat flow through them. In the case of underground eable systems, it is convenient to utilize an effective thermal resistance for the earth portion of the thermal circuit which includes the effect of the loading eycle and the mutual heat- ing effect of the other cable of the system, All cables in the system will be considered to cary the same load eurrents and to be operating under the same load cycle. ‘The system of nomenclature employed is in accordance with that adopted by the Insulated Conductor Committee as stand- ard,and differs appreciably from that used inmany of the references. This system Tepresents an attempt to wtilize in so far 2s possible the various symbols appearing in the American Standards Association Standards for Electrical Quantities, Me- chanics, Heat and Thermo-Dynamics, and Hydraulics, when these symbols ca be used without ambiguity. Certain symbols which have long been used by cable engineers have been retained, even though they are in direct conflict with the above-mentioned standards, Nomenclature (AF) attainment factor, per unit (pu) Ar=cross-section area of @ shielding tape or skid wire, square inches ermal diffusivity, square inches per hour CIconductor area, circular inches dedistance, inches diz ete. = from center of eable no. 1 to center of cable no. 2 ete. Gq! etc.=from center of cable no. 1 to image of cable no. 2 ete. point of interference i’ ete.=from image of cable no. 1 to a point of interference ameter, inches Dominside of annular conductor De=outside of conductor outside of insulation Dy=outside of sheath Demw=mean diameter of sheath Dymoutside of jacket Di'=effective (circumscribing circle) of several cables in contact Dy=inside of duct wall, pipe or conduit De=diameter at start of the earth portion of the thermal cireuit Deefictitious diameter at which the effect of loss factor commences Extine to neutral voltage, kilovolts (kv) emcotffcient of surface emissivity «= specific inductive capacitance of insula- tion Jefrequency, cycles per second F, Figs products of ratios of distances Fiz) =derived Bessel function of x (Table MI and Fig. 1) cometric factor G,applying to insulation resistance (Fig. 2 of reference 1) Gr=applying to dielectric loss (Fig. 2 of reference 1) Go=applying to a duct bank (Fig. 2) Imconductor current, kiloamperes Ay=skin effect correction factor for annular ‘and segmental conductors bymrelative transverse conductivity factor for ealeulating conductor proximity effect Imlay of a shielding tape or skid wire, inches Le depth of reference cable below earth's surface, inches I=depth to center of a duct bank (or (i) toad factor, per unit backfill), inches (LF) loss factor, per unit nnumber of conductors per cable n’=number of conductors within a stated diameter Nenumber of cables or cable groups in a system perimeter of a duct bank or backfill, inches ower factor of the insulation ratio of the sum of the losses in the conductors and sheaths to the losses in the conductors Gemratio of the sum of the losses in the conductors, sheath and conduit to the losses in the conductors Reelectrical resistance, ohms Raemd-e resistance of conductor Reemtotal acc resistance per conductor dee resistance of sheath or of the parallel paths in a shield-skid wire assembly ‘Re thermal resistance (per conductor losses) ‘thermal ohm-feet Rewof insulation yal jacket ‘Eyam between cable surface and surrounding enclosure ee aver 57-600, recommended by the AIBE Tnsslated ondvetors Committe and approved by the ALES J. H. Nenex te with the Pillaelpbia.Esctrie Company, Puladeiphi, Pa. and ht. MeGaare fs “with the ‘General "Cabie" Corporation, ‘Perta Amboy, B. Ocroner 1957MY N Fox ano Fees) chs i | ze: | : & 5 g | Coe : 470 le 8 off : ~ Rack Fig. 1 (above). Fig. 2 (Hight). Gy for & duct bank Re=of duct wall or asphalt mastic covering Ree=total between sheath and diameter Dz including Ry, Rig and Re Ry= between conduit and ambient Rifmefiective between diameter Dy and ambient earth including the effects of loss factor and mutual heating by other cables Re'effective between conductor ‘ambient for conductor loss Ra'=effective transient thermal resistance ‘of cable system ‘Raa! meffective between conductor and am- bbient for dielectric loss Reamof the interference effect Ryembetween a steam pipe and ambient earth peelectrical resistivity, circular mil ohms per foot Jethermal resistivity, degrees centigrade centimeters per watt sedistance in a 3.conductor cable between the effective current center of the conductor and the axis of the cable, inches ‘spacing between adjacent cables, inches 4, T=thickness (as indicated), inches ‘Tatemperature, degrees centigrade Tesof ambient air or earth and S-a Tr=mean temperature of medium AT =temperature rise, degrees centigrade ‘Te=of conductor due to current produced losses ATa=of conductor due to dielectric loss ‘Tiaimof a cable due to extraneous heat inferred temperature of zero resistance, degrees centigrade (C) (used in correcting Rye and Ry to tempera- tures other than 20 C) Veewind velocity, miles per hour Welosses developed in a cable, watts per ‘conductor foot OcroperR 1957 Fx) and F(xp’) as functions of Rax/k We=portion developed in the conductor Wreportion developed in the sheath or shield ortion developed in the pipe or con- duit Wa=portion developed inthe dielectric Xq=mtual reactance, conductor to sheath oF shield, microhmas per foot Yethe increment of a-c/d-c ratio, pu Yendue to loses origiating in the con- ductor, having components Yer duc tovakin effect and Yep due 0 prox: imity effect Yondue to losses originating in the sheath ‘or shield having components Yue die to circulating current effect and Yur due to eddy current effect Ypeedue'to losses originating ia the pipe or conduit Ya=due to losses originating in the armor Wom General Considerations of the ‘Thermal Circuit ‘Tue CALCULATION oF TEMPERATURE Rise ‘The temperature rise of the conductor of acable above ambient temperature may be considered as being composed of a temperature rise due to its own losses, which may be divided into a rise due to current produced (FR) losses (hereinafter referred to merely as loses) in the conduc- tor, sheath and conduit AT, and the rise produced by its dielectric loss ATs Neher, McGrath—Temperature and Load Capability of Cable Systems se ss 7 2 rani L/P Thus Tp— Tam OTet+ATe degrees centigrade a Each of these component temperature rises may be considered as the result of a rate of heat flow expressed in watts per foot through a thermal resistance ex- pressed in thermal ohm feet (degrees centi- grade feet per watt); in other words, the radial rise in degrees centigrade for a heat flow of one watt uniformly distributed ‘over a conductor length of one foot. ‘Since the losses occur at several posi- tions in the cable system, the eat flow in the thermal circuit will increase in steps. It is convenient to express all heat flows in terms of the los per foot of conductor, and ‘thus BTe= We Ret aukies tacks) degrees centigrade (2) in which We represents the losses in one conductor and A; is the thermal resistance of the insulation, qr is the ratio of the sum of the losses in the conductors and sheath to the losses in the conductors, Rasis the total thermal resistance between sheath and conduit, g, is the ratio of the sum of the losses in conductors, sheath and conduit, to the conductor losses, and Re 758is the thermal resistance between the conduit and ambient, In practice, the load carried by a cable is rarely constant and varies according to 4 daily load cycle having a load factor (). Hence, the losses in the cable will vary according to the corresponding daily loss cycle having aloss factor (LF). ‘From an examination of a large number of load eycles and their corresponding load ‘and loss factors, the following general rela- tionship between load factor and loss factor has been found to exist.* (LF)=0.3 (If) 40.7 (If) per unit @ In order to determine the maximum temperature rise attained by a buried cable system under a repeated daily load cycle, the losses and resultant heat flows are calculated on the basis of the maxi- mum load (usually taken as the average current for that hour of the daily load cycle during which the average current is the highest, ie. the daily maximum one- hour average load) on which the loss factor is based and the heat flow in the last part of the earth portion of the thermal cireuit is reduced by the factor (LF). If this reduction is considered to start at a point in the earth corresponding to the diameter Dz} equation 2 becomes ATe= Well guitee+ a4 Res +(LF)Reza)] degrees centigrade (4) In effect this means that the tempera- ture rise from conductor to Dz is made to depend on the heat loss corresponding to ‘the maximum load whereas the tempera ture rise from diameter D; to ambient is ‘made to depend on the average loss over a 24chour period. Studies indicate that the procedure of assuming a fictitious eriteal Giameter Dz at which an abrupt change ‘occurs in loss factor from 100% to actual will give results which very closely approximate those obtained by rigorous transient analysis, For cables or duct in air where the thermal storage capacity of the system is relatively small, the maxi- mum temperature rise is based upon the heat flow corresponding to maximmtim load without reduction of any part of the thermal circuit. When a number of cables are installed close together in the earth or in a duct bank, each cable will have a heating effect upon all of the others, In calculating the temperature rise of any one cable, it is convenient to handle the heating effects of the other cables ofthe system by suitably modifying the last term of equation 4, This is permissible since it is assumed ‘that all the cables are carrying equal cur- rents, and are operating on the same load eyele. Thus for an N-cable system Tod AT em We Ret glee} el Res H(LP)X (ea) +(W—1)Rpal) (8) a WaRetakret oR) degrees centigrade (5A) where the term in parentheses is indicated by the effective thermal resistance R,’, ‘The temperature rise due to dielectric loss is a relatively small part of the total temperature rise of cable systems op- erating at the lower voltages, but at higher voltages it constitutes an appre- clable part and must be considered. Al- though the dielectric tosses are dis- tributed throughout the insulation, it may be shown that for single conductor cable and multiconductor shielded cable with round conductors the correct temperature rise is obtained by considering for tran- sient and steady state that all of the dielectric loss Wz occurs at the middle of the thermal resistance between conduc- tor and sheath or alternately for steady- state conditions alone that the tempera- ture rise between conductor and sheath for @ given loss in the dielectric is half as much as if that loss were in the conductor. In the case of multiconductor belted cables, however, the conductors are taken as the source of the dielectric loss. The resulting temperature rise due to dielectric loss ATs may be expressed ATa=Weltga! degrees centigrade (6) in which the effective thermal resistance Rec! is based upon Ry, Rye, and Re(at unity loss factor) according to the particular case. The temperature rise at points in the cable system other than at the con- ductor may be determined readily from the foregoing relationships, ‘Tue Cavcutarion oF Loap Capapnary In many cases the permissible m: mum temperature of the conductor is fixed and the magnitude of the conductor current (load capability) required to produce this temperature is desired. Equation 5(A) may be written in the form Tem TRed(1+ Yolen! degrees centigrade (7) in which the quantity Ree (1+Y.) which will be evaluated later represents the effective electrical resistance of the con- ductor in microhms per foot, and which when multiplied by J? (J in kiloamperes) will equal the loss WV; in watts per condue- tor foot actually generated in the conduc- tor; and Re.’ is the effective thermal resistance of the thermal circuit, Feca! Ret q.Rre+gelte! thermal obm-feet @) From equation 1 it follows that [Fe=CeFaTe) RAF TOR Mloamperes (9) Neher, McGrath—Temperature and Load Capability of Cable Systems Table I. Electrical Resistivity of Verious Ma Material ne — Seppe 100% TCS)... 10.972... 204.5 ‘Aluminues (81% TAGS). 37-002, 11! 2ae't Commercial Bronze (48.69)..) 25.8 0. 804 TACs) (90 Corto 2a) ‘ease (27.3% TAC). 88.0 .....912 (G0 Gu-20'20). Lend (7.84% TACS).» 192.3 ....298 ‘Toternational Annealed Copper Standard Calculation of Losses and ‘Associated Parameters Catcutation of D-C Resisrances ‘The resistance of the conductor may be determined from the following expressions which include a lay factor of 2%; see Table I. LO2pe 4e= HEP microbms per foot a Raat per foot at 20 C (20) 223 tor 100% IACS copper conductor at 75 (10A) 212 cr for 61% IACS aluminum at 75 C (10B) where CI represents the conductor size in circular inches and where p. represents the electrical resistivity in circular mil ‘ohms per foot. To determine the value of resistance at temperature T multiply the resistance at 20 C by (r+T)/(r+20) where r is the inferred temperature of zero resistance. ‘The resistance of the sheath is given by the expressions R ‘microhms per foot at 20 (11) Dnt 37.9 Ran F for lead at 50.6 (ara) for 61% aluminum at 50 C (1B) Where Dem is the mean diameter of the sheath and 1 is its thickness, both in inches (az) ‘The resistance of intercalated shields or skid wires may be determined from the microhms per foot at 20 (13) Re (per path) =: where Az is the cross-section area of the Ocroser 1957