Power Systems Technical Articles

Our experts continuously work on power systems problems, and we share solutions with Practical Reference Articles.

The main topics are earthing system modeling, power cable ratings, HV/LV electrical design, protective device coordination, and arc flash studies. We cover IEC and IEEE standards.

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5 mins read
Charging current in power cables is 10-20 times larger than for overhead lines. The maximum length of cable circuits is determined by their capacitance. This report provides equations and shows how critical cable length depends on voltage level, cable size and frequency.
5 mins read
It's difficult to decide on the thermal resistivity of soil or backfill to use for cable rating studies. The typical thermal resistivities of common native soils and engineered materials used as backfills for buried cables are provided in tables.
4 mins read
Earthing rods improve earthing systems when driven into low resistivity soil layers. Due to the proximity effect the rule of thumb is earth rods should be separated by at least their driven length. Rods may be encased in concrete to lower their resistance. Equations are provided for hand calculations and these have been validated with numerical software.
8 mins read
There are several international Standards (AS/NZS, BS and IEC) which cover requirements for protection coordination of low voltage electrical systems and this article provides a summary of those as a reference.
12 mins read
Key earthing design concepts covered including Grid Potential Rise, design to reduce touch and step voltages, fault current distribution, effects of soil resistivity and use of rods to improve safety along with calculation and modelling examples.
6 mins read
Direct lightning strikes to substations causes physical damage and poses hazards for people.
2 mins read
The neutral conductor is required for each primary circuit, and there are rules in the Standards for its sizing.
8 mins read
Explore the factors affecting cable ampacity in trays, including thermal and electromagnetic effects. Learn calculation methods and best practices for safe power cable installations.
The definition of “touch voltage” is the voltage between accessible exposed and extraneous conductive parts that may lead to the risk of electric shock in the event of an electrical fault. This article covers AS/NZS 3000, BS 7671, and NFPA 70E rules concerning touch voltages and provides the equations for calculations.
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