Post Lab Report # 1

Electrical Power Distribution & Utilization (EE-357)

Zain Alam
EE-072 Page 1 of 3

1. Introduction:
Power cables used for electrical distribution have different area of core (multiple strands)
and number of conductors, both the things varies with the application Our objective was to
understand the construction of power cables and calculation of cross sectional area of a single core.
1.1 Construction:
Power cable is an assembly of two or more stranded copper or aluminum conductors
1
, twisted
together
2
and held together with an overall sheath. The assembly is used for transmission
of electrical power. Cables consist of three major components: conductors, insulation, and
protective jacket (includes serving, bedding, armouring). The makeup of individual cables varies
according to application. The construction and type of materials to be used are determined by three
main factors:
Working voltage, determining the thickness
of the insulation.
Current-carrying capacity, determining the
cross-sectional size of the conductors.
Environmental conditions such as
temperature, water, chemical or sunlight
exposure, and mechanical impact,
determining the form and composition of the
outer cable jacket.
Power cables are classified based upon the rating of
insulation. In KESC, for most application PVC & XLPE are used because of economical reasons
3
. In
three core cables it is necessary to fill the interstial spaces with jute, paper or polyethene bag for
two reasons.
Allowing the formulation of a cable core that is circular in shape.
Preventing an internal passage within the cable from moisture or flammable gases, when
used in hazardous areas.
1.2 International Cable Manufacturing Standards:
In Pakistan, following standards are generally employed:
4

LV Cables:
BS: 6346
BS: 5467









Figure 1.1: Parts of Power Cable
Post Lab Report # 1
Electrical Power Distribution & Utilization (EE-357)

Zain Alam
EE-072 Page 2 of 3

IEC: 60502-1
MV Cables:
IEC: 60502-1


2. Theory/calculation:
Calculating the area of core is essential for the application of power cables, such as for high
current application the area must be sufficient to reduce the power loss, also it depends on the type
of material, as copper conductor uses lesser area as compare to aluminium in same amount of
current application.. The proper sizing of power cable is important to ensure that the cable can:
Operate continuously under full load without being damaged.
Withstand the worst short circuits currents flowing through the cable.
Provide the load with a suitable voltage (and avoid excessive voltage drops).
For calculating the area of the core, we have to calculate the diameter of a single strand
first. For this purpose Screw gauge or Vernier Caliper will be used.
Area of Conductor= * (D/2)
2

And D= (1+2N) * d
Where,
D is diameter of core, N is the no. of strands and d is the diameter of single strand.
Serial No. M.S.R C.S.R FP=C.S.R*LC T.R=M.S.R+FP Mean
(mm) (div) (mm) (mm) (mm)
1 0.325 13 0.13 0.338
2 0.325 12 0.12 0.337 0.338
3 0.325 14 0.14 0.339
Table 2.1: Observation Table for Conductor Diameter
Least Count of screw guage = 0.01mm.
The diameter of a single strand of 3 core cable is found to be d=0.338mm.
The number strands found by us for the given power cable are 19.
Therefore,
D= {1+ (2*19)}*0.338
D=13.182 mm.
Area of Conductor = * (D/2)
2

Area of Conductor = * (13.182/2)
2

Post Lab Report # 1
Electrical Power Distribution & Utilization (EE-357)

Zain Alam
EE-072 Page 3 of 3

Area of Conductor = 136.5 137mm
2
.
3. Results:
The area of core is found to be 137 mm
2
.


4. Discussion:
From our observation of different power cables in the lab, we analyzed that the number of
strands varies from cable to cable, different no. of conductors and variations in insulation thickness.
It has been cleared that these factors varies with the type or the nature of application.
The area of conductor of the observed cable was found to be 137 mm
2
. The copper core
having this much of area is likely to be applicable in low tension (LT) distributions
5
. For HT
distributions in KESC, conductors having cross sectional area of 300 mm
2
are used.

5. Conclusion:
The area of conductor of the observed cable was found to be 137 mm
2
. The copper core
having this much of area is likely to be applicable in low tension (LT) distributions
6
. For HT
distributions in KESC, conductors having cross sectional area of 300 mm
2
are used. If this type of
power cable is use in high tension (HT) then there is higher power losses, and it is not suitable for
industrial consumers.

References:
http://www.openelectrical.org/wiki/index.php?title=Cable_Sizing_Calculation
http://www.ke.com.pk/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-voltage_cable
http://www.pakistancables.com/voltage.html

Figure Captions:
Figure 1.1 taken from www.tradekorea.com