Current 5 Cycles – 0.

1 second
1
kA
Top Envelope2
13

22Ik

ip

22Ik =22Ik
A
5
Time (s)

4
Bottom Envelope

Figure1. Short circuit current of a generator short circuit with constant a.c. component.

Where: ip = the peak current in kA

I”k = the initial RMS symmetrical short circuit current
1. = decaying d.c. component, i d.c. of the short circuit current
A = initial value of the d.c. component i d.c. of the short circuit current

2. DESIGN CRITERIA FOR HV CABLE SADDLES AND STRAPS

2.1. The ability of the cable fixing to support the weight, and curvature, of the installed cable.

Generally, HV cables which are installed ‘in air’ in underground tunnels are simply supported at pre-
determined fixing centres. The cables are fixed in position at e.g. 8m centres, and the cable is designed
to ‘sag’ between these fixed points. The actual drop of the sag in the cable differs depending on the
cable type and fixing centres. In order to control the thermo mechanical movement of the cable and
restrain the movement of the cable within pre-determined limits, the cables are installed initially in an
approximately sinusoidal formation and this layout obviously brings about a radiused curve in each
cable. [4]

It is undesirable for the cable to leave the cable cleat allowing the cable to be in contact with a sharp
edge. To alleviate the problems various steps can be taken:

a) All sharp edges must be removed as a matter of course from any face which may come into
contact with the cable, either during installation, or when the cable is in its final, fixed position.

b) Generally, the base portion of the cable saddle for this type of installation is a minimum of
600mm long. As the cable is installed over the top of this 600mm long ‘beam’ it becomes curved
when sagged. It is essential that the 600mm long ‘base section’ is also curved along its entire length, to
ensure support is given to the cable over an area which is as large as possible. See figure 2.

Figure 2. Curved saddle elevation to provide maximum support to the cable.

c) On each end of this curved ‘saddle’ section, as the cable leaves the saddle, an additional ‘flare’
should be added to further reduce the possibility of the cable being in contact with a defined edge, and
therefore becoming damaged.