31

C
H
E
C
K
I
N
G

T
H
E

T
H
E
R
M
A
L

S
T
R
E
S
S
E
S

P
E
R
M
I
T
T
E
D

B
Y

C
O
N
D
U
C
T
O
R
S

cross-section of the protective conductor (S
PE
) according to the cross-section
of the phase conductors (Sph)
For equipment with high permanent leakage currents (>10 mA),
the cross-section SPE of the protective conductor must be
at least 10 mm
2
for copper or 16 mm
2
for aluminium, or even
twice thenormal cross-section by the provision of a second
conductor parallel to the first installed up to the point in the
installation where a cross-section of 10 mm
2
(copper)
or 16 mm
2
(aluminium) is reached.
Use of the TN system is recommended when there are high
leakage currents.
2
PROTECTIVE CONDUCTORS
It is not necessary to check the thermal stresses
if the cross-section of the protective conductor has
been selected in accordance with the table below.
In TN-C systems, the cross-section of the PEN
conductor must not be less than 10 mm
2
for copper
and 16 mm
2
for aluminium.
If the cross-section of protective conductors is
determined by the calculation, the short-circuit
current to be taken into account for checking the
thermal stress is the minimum fault current (I
f
). In this
case it is determined between a live conductor and the
Cross-section
of phase
conductors Sph
Cross-section
of protective
conductors SPE
Sph < 16 mm
2
Sph
16 mm
2
< Sph < 35 mm
2
16 mm
2
Sph > 35 mm
2
5 Sph
protective conductor, at the end of the circuit
in question, irrespective of the type of protection.
The cross-section is calculated for breaking times
of less than 5 s using the following formula:
PdC Iccmax
I
2
t =K
2
S
2
S =
I
2
t
K
If = 0,8
U0
RPh +RPE
K =
C
V
B
0
+20
( )

20
10
12
ln 1+

f

1
B
0
+
1






0,8 U= Z
d
Ikmin
L
max
=
0,8 U
0
S
2 I
a
PE
S
PE
: cross-section of the protective conductor in mm
2

I: rms value of the fault current in A
t: operating time of the breaking device
K:factor depending on the permissible temperatures,
the metal of which it is made and the insulation mate-
rial (see actual value in the table on p. 29).
Calculating If
The conventional approximate method can
be applied, in view of the distance of the power
supply. The phase/earth fault current If can
be taken (ignoring the reactances) as being:
PdC Iccmax
I
2
t =K
2
S
2
S =
I
2
t
K
If = 0,8
U0
RPh +RPE
K =
C
V
B
0
+20
( )

20
10
12
ln 1+

f

1
B
0
+
1






0,8 U= Z
d
Ikmin
L
max
=
0,8 U
0
S
2 I
a
PE
U0: simple phase/neutral voltage
RPh: resistance of the phase conductor
RPE: resistance of the protective conductor
The value 0.8 is based on the hypothesis that the
voltage at the origin of the circuit is 80% of the
nominal voltage or that the impedance of the
part of the fault loop upstream of the protection
devices represents 20% of the total impedance
of the loop.
Calculation of the K factor
K expressed as As
0.5
/mm
2
is calculated using the formula:
PdC Iccmax
I
2
t =K
2
S
2
S =
I
2
t
K
If = 0,8
U0
RPh +RPE
K =
C
V
B
0
+20
( )

20
10
12
ln 1+

f

1
B
0
+
1






0,8 U= Z
d
Ikmin
L
max
=
0,8 U
0
S
2 I
a
PE
where:
CV: thermal capacity per unit volume in J/Cm
3
CV = CM x MV
CM: specific heat of the conductor in J/Ckg
MV: density in kg/m
3
B0: inverse of the resistance factor at 0C
20: resistance the material at 20C in m
1: initial temperature of the conductor in C
f: final temperature of the conductor in C