Damping of Inrush Current

in Low-Voltage PFC Equipment

Low-Voltage PFC

Application Note 2001

http://www.epcos.com
 Power Quality

Contents

General 3
The risks of high inrush current 4
Single capacitor connection, inrush current calculation 6
Parallel capacitor connection, inrush current calculation 7
Various solutions for limiting inrush current serial aircoils 7
Detuning reactors, connection cable selection 8
Capacitor contactors with damping resistors
Functionality / comparison 9
Comparison 10
Capacitor bank switching under various conditions 11

2 EPCOS AG
 Damping of Inrush Current
in Low-Voltage PFC Equipment
General
The market trend to reduce losses
in modern low-voltage power-
factor-correction capacitors (LV-PFCs)
and the requirement for high 1
output density result in reduced
xc =
2*π*f*c
ohmic resistance in PFC capacitors.
Especially the switching of capa-
citors in parallel to others of the
bank, already energized, causes
extremely high inrush current,
up to 200 times the rated current,
Eq1:
and limited only by the ohmic Switching operation: f ➝ ∞ ➞ xc ➝ 0 ➞ î ➝ 200 * Ir
resistance of the capacitor itself.
According to the formula (Eq1),
such a capacitor’s AC resistance is
very low and thus contributes to
high inrush current.

M
3~

25 kVAr
25 kVAr

25 kVAr
25 kVAr

25 kVAr
25 kVAr

25 kVAr
12.5 kVAr
187,5 kVAr KLK1709-W

High inrush current for grid,

high balancing currents for capacitors

LV-PFC capacitor bank

Inrush current (pulse) is a factor of:
a Remaining capacitor voltage
due to fast switching in auto-
matic capacitor banks
a Shortcircuit power of supply
transformer
a Output of capacitor switched
in parallel to others already
energized
a Fault level of supply network
a Output of capacitors already
energized
a Ohmic resistance of capacitor
itself and distribution switch
gear, connection cables or con-
ductors

Automatic capacitor bank

with 6 capacitors in parallel

EPCOS AG 3
 Inrush Current by Connecting
Capacitor in Parallel (Energization)
Capacitor connection:
IN = rated current = 21A
Current (A)

4000
i
3000

2000
Capacitor inrush current
1000

-1000

-2000

-3000
73.2 73.8 74.5 75.1 75.7 76.3 77.0 77.6 t (ms)
ON
OFF 5th capacitor connected
i Peak current occurrence
i = 157 * IN = 157 * 21 = 3300 A

The risks of high inrush current

Connecting LV-PFC capacitors with-
out damping to an AC grid stresses
the capacitor like a shortcircuit.
To avoid negative effects and to
improve a capacitor’s life time, ade-
quate damping of inrush current is
highly recommended.

Influence of high inrush current

and resulting distortion:
a High stress on the capacitor
➞ reduced lifetime
a Welding or fast wearing out of
the main contacts of contactors
a Negative effects on power
quality (eg. voltage transients)
a Overvoltage:
– insulation problems
– defects of electronic equipment
– production stop
a Undervoltage/voltage zero
crossing
– measurement failure
– problems with numerical
control equipment
– production stop due to
computer failure
a High cost of maintenance and
production standstill
4 EPCOS AG
 Inrush Measurement
of Capacitor Steps
PFC capacitor cascade connection:
High voltage transients occurrence due to no damping
Voltage (V)

1500
û 1

1000

500

0
û 2

- 500

-1000
û 1
1st step on 2nd step on 3rd step on 4th step on 5th step on 6th step on
-1500
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 100 90
t (ms)
û High peak voltage (transients) occurrence
1 1 1 Û > UINS risk of shortcircuit
2 2 Û ≤ 0 V results in wrong measurements
causing control failures
Voltage at 0.69 kV - busbar

Switching of power factor correc-

tion (PFC) capacitors is not only
related to high currents but also
to high voltage transients (ref.
capacitor switching-on steps 1– 6),
causing degradation of power
quality, if the negative influence
is not prevented by damping.

Capacitor sample,
contact surface damaged
by high inrush currents
High inrush current occurrences
due to insufficient damping
caused high electromechanical
forces within the capacitor. Espe-
cially the contact area between
electrodes (windings) and the
metal-spray layer was extremely Example
stressed by high current forces.
Metal-spray layer
separated from the
The example shows that a fraction
capacitor windings
of metal-spray layer separated
from the windings. Even the MKK
capacitor with excellent pulse
current capability and enhanced
contactability due to wavy cut and
heavy edge design of the film
shows that extensive power can
cause failures.

EPCOS AG 5
 Inrush Current Calculation

Connecting a single capacitor

Circuit and formula

UN
L1
L2

Grid
^ 2*Sk L3

i= *IN
Q
KLK1706-7

Eq 2

Calculation example
Terms Given parameters:
Grid connection of a single 50 kVAr
Peak inrush current ^i A capacitor, no other capacitor connected:
Transformer shortcircuit power Sk kVA a Grid 400 V/50 Hz
Rated capacitor output Q kVAr a Transformer shortcircuit voltage: 5%
Rated capacitor current IN A a Transformer output: 1600 kVA
Rated voltage UN V a Capacitor Q = 50 kVAr; IN = 72 A
Ohmic resistance = XC Ω 1600 kVA
3 * UN2* (1/Q1 + 1/Q2) ^i = 2*
0.05 = 2575 A
*72 A
50 kVAr
Grid impedance = XI Ω
o* L (Ω) including The inrush current is approximately
– contactor 35 times the rated current.
– fuse
– busbars

Result Typical inrush currents are

10–40 times the rated current for
single capacitors during connection.

6 EPCOS AG
 Various Solutions
for Limiting Inrush Current

Parallel connecting of capacitor: Serial air coils

UN
UN
L1 L1
L2

Grid
L2

Grid
L3 L3

i= 2*UN i= 2*UN
Kn K2 K1
^ Contactor
^
Xc*XL C2 C3 C2 C3
Capacitor
Xc*(XL1+ XL2) Ln L2 L1

C1 C1 KLK1707-F Qn Q2 Q1
KLK1708-N
Q1 Q2

Eq 3 Eq 4

Given parameters: Given parameters:

Connection of a 50 kVAr capacitor, other Parallel connection of a 50 kVAr capacitor
300 kVAr capacitors are already connected: with cable turns (serial aircoils) for damping,
a Grid 400 V/50 Hz other 300 kVAr capacitors are already connect-
a Transformer shortcircuit voltage: 6% ed, 400 V/50 Hz, shortcircuit power 10.5 MVA,
a Transformer output: 630 kVAr rated capacitor current 72 A: damping with
a Q1 = 50 kVAr approx. 6 µH with turns.
a Q2 = 300 kVAr a Xc = 11.2 Ω
a IN = 72 A ; VN = 400 V ; f = 50 Hz a XL1 = 2 * π * f * L = 2 * π * 50 * 6 µH = 1.88 mΩ
1 1 a XL2 = 2 * π * f * L = 0.125 mΩ
a XC = 3 * U2N * ( Q + Q ) = 11.2 Ω
1 2 a XL total = 0.125 + 1.88 = 2 mΩ
a L /phase = 0.4 µH (empirical) a L /phase = 0.4 µH (empirical value) 1)
a XL = o * L = 2 * π * f * L = 0.125 mΩ
^i = 2*400 V = 3780 A
^i = 2*400 V = 15118.6 A 11.2 Ω*2 *10–3 Ω
11.2 Ω*0.125*10–3 Ω The inrush current is approximately
The inrush current is approximately 50 times the rated current. This means only
210 times the rated current. about a quarter compared to a capacitor
without damping (turns).

Typical inrush currents are This example shows that some cable
100–250 times rated current for turns in series with the capacitor
single capacitors in parallel connection contribute to reducing inrush current
to other capacitors in operation. (to 50 times rated current).
This improves capacitor life cycle.

This example shows that cable turns in series

between contactor and capacitor reduce the
inrush current. Contactor suppliers recommend
inductivity of 6– 8 µH for damping inrush current.
To achieve this inductivity, the following table pro-
vides tips for selecting the required turns, diame-
ters and cross sections.

1) For switch gear and connected cables

EPCOS AG 7
 Various Solutions for
Limiting Inrush Current
Damping as described is a possible Selection table for connection cables
simple solution, but this method
deals with two contradicting effects: Capacitor Turns Approx. Cable
rating diameter cross-section
a Longer (or additional) cables
cause electrical losses – higher 5 kVAr 10 100 mm 2.5 mm2
losses cause higher inherent 10 kVAr 10 100 mm 4 mm2
temperature within the capacitor. 12.5 kVAr 10 100 mm 4 mm2
a On the other hand, cable turns 16.7 kVAr 7 100 mm 6 mm2
reduce the inrush current and 25 kVAr 7 100 mm 10 mm2
increase the life cycle of capaci-
tors and contactors. 33 kVAr 7 100 mm 25 mm2
Plus, you must make sure that the 50 kVAr 7 100 mm 35 mm2
capacitor works below its maximum
operating temperature. This table should help to find the appropriate cable and required turns.
Our PFC-CDROM (available upon request) contains calculation software
which enhances precise calculation of the application (capacitors and
switch gear).

Detuning reactors
Conventional capacitor Detuned capacitor
(series anti-harmonic reactors)
without damping with series reactors
In detuned capacitor banks the
inductivity of filter circuit reactors
provides an excellent damping i = 500 A
effect for limiting inrush current. î > 4000 A
The following diagrams show
the connection of a detuned and
non-detuned (reactor and capac-
itor) system.
î = 190 * IN
î = 24 * IN
The peak current of a conventional
capacitor is higher than 4000 A.
The peak current of detuned capac- Fig. 1: 25 kVAr (21 A /690 V) Fig. 2: 25 kVAr (21 A / 690 V)
itors is only approx. 500 A. The vertical: 2000 A /div vertical: 200 A / div
horizontal: 0.625 ms /div horizontal: 10 ms / div
purpose of filter circuit reactors is
of course not the damping of
inrush current, but this example Because of the high inductance in Examples for detuned
shows that in the case of detuned the circuit, the breaking quality capacitor banks (ref. page 2)
capacitors no additional damp- of the contactor is important to
ing measures are required. avoid restriking during switch-off.
Especially large contactors (over-
sized motor contactors) may be
too slow and are therefore critical.

8 EPCOS AG
 Capacitor contactors with damping resistors

Damping
resistor

Pre-switching
aux. contacts

How does it work?

Auxiliary switched
The series damping resistors are contact with serial
switched by socalled precontacts Grid/ resistor (precontacts)
or auxiliary contacts. The precon- Mains
tact closes before main contacts Capacitor contactor
(main contacts)
and preloads the capacitor.

a Reduced voltage differences.

a The peak current is limited.
a The resistor is temporarily in the Capacitor
circuit and has no thermal losses.
a The total resistance of the resistor
wires is mainly ohmic in nature,
its inductance can be neglected.
The coiling up of the damping
Functional diagram
resistors is only a matter of con-
struction. on
off
a During operation (main contacts Main contacts
are closed) the resistor wires are on
off on
disconnected or shorted out, and Precontacts
do not cause any permanent 2...10 ms
losses at all. Due to the very short
operation time (a few milliseconds Note:
only) during switch-on of the Due to pre-loading via aux.
contactor, a long life cycle of the contacts the capacitor’s
^ d
damping resistors is ensured.
voltage difference will be
i = C* V
reduced. Consequently
also the capacitor current
dt
according to the formula:

Eq 5

EPCOS AG 9
 Comparison

The following two diagrams show

Without With
the difference between a capa-
damping resistors damping resistors
citor’s inrush current without and
with damping series resistors
when a capacitor is switched in i = 1200 A
parallel to an already energized
capacitor bank/unit:
i = 260 A

Fig. 3: 12.5 kVAr (18 A /400 V) Fig. 4: 12.5 kVAr (18 A /400 V)
vertical: 250 A /div vertical: 250 A /div
horizontal: 0.5 ms /div horizontal: 0.5 ms /div

Facts and conclusion

a Rated current of a 12.5 kVar/400 V capacitor is 18 A
a Peak inrush current without series resistors is 1200 A
a Peak inrush current with series resistors is only 260 A
a 1200 A is equal to 66 times the rated current
a Inrush current with series resistors is only one fifth
of that of the standard contactor
a Substantial difference also in terms of power
(integrated area)
a Superior switching behavior of contactor with series
resistors compared with a standard contactor, results in
extended life cycle of contactors as well as of capacitors
a Improved power quality ensures trouble-free and safe
operation of the PFC system and application

10 EPCOS AG
 Comparison
Capacitor bank switching under various conditions

Without precontacts Without precontacts With precontacts

(non-detuned capacitor) (detuned capacitor) (detuned capacitor)

i > 4000 A i = 500 A

i < 200 A

Fig. 5: 25 kVAr (21A /690 V) Fig. 6: 25 kVAr (21 A /690 V) Fig. 7: 25 kVAr (21 A /690 V)
vertical: 2000 A /div vertical: 200 A /div vertical: 200 A /div
horizontal: 0.625 ms /div horizontal: 10 ms /div horizontal: 10 ms /div

Facts and conclusion

The peak current during switching without using precontacts
(Fig. 5) exceeds 4000 A
If capacitors are detuned (Fig. 6) the peak is only 500 A
The latter case shows the influence of inductivity and
precontacts of a “capacitor contactor”, the peak current
(Fig. 7) is reduced to approx. 200 A

EPCOS AG 11
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