TECHNICAL BRIEF

CABLE GROUP
29brief 5 May, 1998 CENTRILIFT, A Baker Hughes company ! 2210 E. L. Anderson Boulevard, Claremore, OK 74017 ! Phone (918) 341-9600, ! FAX (918) 342-0176

FLAT CABLE BALANCE

Most electrical power is delivered over a balanced, three-phase AC system. This means that each of the three phases is connected to (mostly) equivalent electrical circuits. In some cases, one circuit will not match exactly the other two circuits and draw a current different from the average and this leads to a voltage imbalance. NEMA defines imbalance as: % Voltage Imbalance = Max deviation from the average x 100 average voltage

Voltage imbalance may result from mismatches anywhere in the supply circuit. This includes the supply itself, the power cable and the motor windings. Studies have shown that for normal depths (below 8000 feet) a flat cable imbalance has less effect than is likely found in normal variations in power supplies and the motor windings. Only in very deep wells, where the cable losses are a significant portion of the total losses, do cable imbalance effects need to be considered.

CONCLUSIONS
Factors that affect the system imbalance are: Pre-existing line (power supply) voltage imbalance Load (motor) impedance Cable impedance imbalance (that varies with length and current)

RECOMMENDATIONS
Several methods exist to reduce imbalance conditions: Rotating the three phases until balanced current conditions exist Adjust transformer taps to achieve balance, this can be used in conjunction with rotation of phases Use round cable where clearance is available, consider using cable protectors if tight condition exists Use a mixed string where appropriate (i.e., top round and bottom flat)

Use a higher voltage motor (for a given HP load) thus reducing the current loading on the cable Do a phase transposition splice at 1/3 intervals of the total cable length. Phase transposition allows each of the three conductors to spend an equal amount of time in the center position where the imbalance is created.

TRANSPOSITION SPLICE

A B C

B C A

C A B

The transposition splice is equally spaced at 1/3 intervals of the total length of the cable. This option may reduce overall cable reliability by having two extra splices in the string of cable. The cable is also larger at the transposition, which causes a size problem and the possibility of damage. This area requires cable protectors over the two splices. No single criterion exists for recommendation maximum lengths for flat cables. Any recommendation needs to account for the effect on specific motor sizes, normal variation of conductor resistance ( 1%), conductor size and kV rating. With known or estimated voltage imbalance values, the AutographPC program can quickly estimate the operating motor temperature for proper size of motor and cable systems.

Thomson H. Wallace
Product Development Manager

Walter Dinkins
Senior Staff Applications & Product Engineer