Short Circuit Study — Most Frequently Asked Questions in 2019!
What is a Short Circuit Study OR Short Circuit Analysis?
“An examination of an electrical framework that decides the magnitude of the currents that flow during an electrical fault.”
Short circuit occurs when part of a current carrying conductor touches or comes in contact with another wire or part of the circuit and gives the electricity a path of less resistance to flow. This results in excessive current flow in the power systems through the path of low resistance and may even cause the power source to be destroyed in addition to causing more heat and fires.
Why do we need a Short Circuit Study?
A Short Circuit Study is a major factor for safety, productivity, and economy of any electrical power system. It ensures site safety by calculating the interrupting ratings and identifying hazardous areas.
When a short circuit exceeds the interrupting rating of the protective device, the outcomes can be shocking, including damaged electrical equipment, and costly downtime.
Why a Short Circuit is dangerous?
The point at which two nodes of an electric circuit, planned to be at different voltages, form an abnormal connection that causes:
· Circuit Damage
· Flames
· Blasts
· Overheating
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How can you perform a complete Short Circuit Study?
Short Circuit Study includes all the electric framework changes that happen after the underlying plan. Factors that usually change in the execution of a system are: the usefulness of accessible fault dimensions, estimate or potentially transformer impedance values, conductor length/type, expansion of motors, and the framework working parameters.
In order to conduct a complete short circuit analysis, these steps are comprehensively discussed according to the latest industry standards.
How often do you require a Short Circuit Study?
Usually, over the life of a facility, you may require a complete Arc Flash study every 5 years as recommended by the latest standard of NFPA 70E 2018 and OSHA requirements for the electrical safety of every employee in the field.
How are Short Circuit Currents calculated?
The short circuit currents can then be calculated on the basis of the impedance represented by the “equivalent circuit”. This impedance may be calculated after separately summing the various resistances and reactance’s in the fault loop, from (and including) the power source to the fault location.
Find out what other questions have been posed by engineers primarily about short circuit study over the recent years.
Let us know if you have any queries regarding this topic and do provide us with your feedback in the comments.
About The Author
Abdur Rehman is a professional electrical engineer with more than eight years of experience working with equipment from 208V to 115kV in both the Utility and Industrial & Commercial space. He has a particular focus on Power Systems Protection & Engineering Studies.
Abdur Rehman is the CEO and co-founder of allumiax.com and creator of GeneralPAC by AllumiaX. He has been actively involved in various roles in the IEEE Seattle Section, IEEE PES Seattle, IEEE Region 6, and IEEE MGA.
