ABB Curves Manual

Curves Ver 1.0.0.0008

1.

WARNINGS ......... .................. ................... .................... ................... ................... .................... ................... ................... .................... .................. ........ 3

2.

INTRODUCTION .......... .................... ................... ................... .................... ................... ................... .................... ................... ................ ....... 4

3.

USE CONDITIONS CONDITIONS.......... ................... ................... .................... ................... ................... ................... ................... .................... ............... ..... 4

4.

MENU COMMANDS........... COMMANDS..................... .................... ................... ................... .................... ................... ................... .................... .......... 5

5.

USING CURVES ......... .................. ................... .................... ................... ................... .................... ................... ................... .................... .......... 7

6.

ADVANCED FEATURES .......... .................... ................... ................... ................... ................... .................... ................... ........... .. 17

7.

PRINT COMMANDS ......... .................. ................... .................... ................... ................... .................... ................... ................... .......... 20

Curves – User Guide – page 2

1. Warnings ABB SACE S.p.A. responsibility towards the user necessarily presumes that the program has been used in a professionally correct manner and that the user has followed all the given precautions/instructions. Even in the case of program defects which have been detected and verified, ABB SACE S.p.A. shall only be responsible for repairing the program in a reasonable length of time. ABB SACE S.p.A declines all responsibility for either direct or indirect damages, however caused, to the user or third parties by use or non-use or late availability of the program, magnetic support or documentation supplied. The user must: - check the use of the program supplied by ABB SACE S.p.A. and the reliability and accuracy of the data entered, and also that the data entered fully corresponds with and is consistent with the printed results; - take all necessary precautions to safeguard and preserve data and to allow him to reconstruct data using his own means should the data be lost or destroyed due to an error in handling or entering data and/or an error in using the program, or even an operational defect of the program and/or processor used; - ensure that the program is only used by prof essionally and technically qualified personnel able to use it correctly. The user must follow the instructions and notes given and take all the precautions recommended at all times. ABB SACE S.p.A declines all responsibility if the user does not follow the instructions for operation and use indicated. ABB SACE S.p.A. declines all responsibility for any damages due to destruction of data files or other occurrences caused by not having followed the instructions and precautions indicated, by not having used the program correctly or due to an operational defect of the computer used, whatever the cause of this operational defect may be. ABB SACE S.p.A. declines all responsibility for mistakes by the user concerning the use of the program and any mistakes and/or inaccuracies contained in the d ata and/or data combinations entered. ABB SACE S.p.A. reserves the right to modify and/or update the progr am and relevant instructions, at any such time that it is deemed necessary or opportune, in the light of new provisions of law and technological, management or operational developments. Conditions of use: - The program is protected by Copyright. - No unauthorized copies of the program and relevant documentation are permitted. - Changing, adapting, re-designing or creating applications based on the program itself, on the f iles or documentation supplied is forbidden. - ABB SACE S.p.A. reserves the right to take legal action to p rotect its interests. - The software is not for sale and is distributed for promotional purposes only.

Curves – User Guide – page 3

2. Introduction Curves allows the visualization of the time-current, energy and peak limitation characteristics of ABB low voltage devices. Program features are the guided verifications of the protection of cables, people and discrimination.

3. Use conditions Curves visualizes tripping and limiting characteristics according to catalogues, considering the worst working conditions. The algorithms for the verification of the cable protection are described in the international standards. The algorithms for the verification of discrimination r espect the guidelines provided in ABB SACE Technical Application Papers, specifically “QT1: Low voltage selectivity with ABB circuit-breakers” (QT1 from now on). QT1 is distributed in .pdf format along with Curves and it is available in the Help menu. The indications about the adjustments of the releases are valid for general purposes. For specific combinations of circuit-breakers and for specific installation conditions, ABB SACE may provide indications which do not respect the verifications made in the software.

Curves – User Guide – page 4

4. Menu commands Menu commands allow a simple management of the features of Curves. Frequently used commands are proposed also in the toolbar with the icon represented left of the command described in the following paragraphs. While moving the mouse cursor over an icon, the program will show the description of the command (tool tip).

4.1.

File Menu •

New > Creates a new file.

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Open > Opens a previously saved Curves f ile (extension *.crs).

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Save > Saves the current project. The program will store the list of chosen objects, their status (visible-not visible), the settings of releases and the relations between objects (cable protectiondiscrimination). Save as > Saves the current project with a different filename and/or path. Project data > Enables the user to enter, or change, the data in the project heading (customer, plant, project, board …). Print > Prints a report with the current diagram and the visualized objects (see paragraph 7.1 for details).

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4.2.

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Exit > Closes Curves.

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Copy Diagram > Copies the current diagram in the clipboard; the diagram is available for pasting in the wished format. Copy Values > Copies the descriptions, the reference voltage and all the other useful data of the visualized objects in the clipboard. The information stored vary depending on the object (I.e.: the settings for a circuit-breaker or the sections for a cable). Properties> Opens the control panel of the highlighted object.

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Zoom +.

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Zoom -.

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Zoom Extension > Zoom in/out to automatically fit all the curves displayed in the diagram.

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Ib > Visualizes a vertical line at the Ib of the highlighted object.

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Iz > Visualizes a vertical line at 1,45xIz of the highlighted object.

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Ikmin> Visualizes a vertical line at minimum fault current of the highlighted object.

Edit menu

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4.3.

View menu

Curves – User Guide – page 5

4.4.

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Ikmax > Visualizes a vertical line at the maximum fault current of the highlighted object.

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Objects > Switches to panel “Objects”.

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Relations > Switches o panel “Relations”.

Help Menu The “Help” menu contains the links to the Help file, QT1, the About window, the Warnings and Use conditions.

4.5.

Toolbar specific options The following options are available only in the Curves Toolbar. • Show related > Shows the objects linked to the highlighted object for protection or discrimination relations. Relations dialog > Opens the “Relations” window, where it is possible • to assign: 1) the protection of a specific cable to a circuit-breaker or fuse 2) a discrimination link between two circuit breakers • Toggle ID > Toggles ON – OFF the visualization of a user made ID for the highlighted object • Coordinates > Opens the “Coordinates” window for the highlighted object •

Voltage > Defines the diagram reference voltage

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Color > Changes the color of the curve of the highlighted object

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Thickness > Changes the thickness of the curve of the highlighted object

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Pattern > Changes the pattern of the curve of the highlighted object

WARNING The icons aren’t available for each object (I.e.: the Iz for circuit breakers). When an icon is not available it will be marked in grey.

Curves – User Guide – page 6

5. Using Curves Example of Curves Workflow: 1) Choice of the object(s) to be visualized 2) Definition of the verifications to check (cables protection – discrimination between circuit breakers) 3) Choice of the curve (Time-current, Energy limitation, P eak limitation) 4) Setting of the object(s) (if available) 5) Printout of the finished job

5.1.

Curves main window The Curves main window is divided into 4 sections: 1) Toolbar > Containing menus and toolbars; 2) Objects > Showing the list of objects in the current file; 3) Diagram > Showing the diagram with the curves of the objects; 4) Relations > Showing the list of discrimination and cable protection r elations.

(Figure 1) – Main window

Moving the diagram To move the visualized area drag & drop the diagram with the right mouse button .

Curves – User Guide – page 7

5.2.

Objects Click on “New” button to choose a product. ABB products (circuit breakers, fuses) will be selected via a specific selection window. Once chosen and selected, the wished product will be added to the list of the visualized objects. The available objects are: • Cable: choice of a generic cable. The default data shown in cable window refers to a cable with 3 conductors loaded, method of installation B2 (installation in cable trunking, standard IEC 60364-5-52). The data are user customizable. • Cb (Circuit breaker) with electronic release: ABB Air or Moulded Case circuit breaker equipped with an electronic release. • Cb (Circuit breaker) with thermomagnetic release: ABB Miniature or Moulded Case circuit breaker equipped with a thermomagnetic release. • Fuse: fuses with gG (general purpose) and aM (Motor start-up) fuse-links; sizes from ‘00’ to ‘3’ (NH sizes) and rated current from 2A up to 630A. Also available fuses defined in the standard IEC 60269-2-1. • RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker): products with Idn from 0,01A up to 1 A; A and AC classes; Instantaneous, Selective and Anti-Perturbance versions. • User defined: definition of a curve with points, supplying abscissa and ordinate. • Area: definition of an area supplying abscissa and ordinate of the perimeter points. The area will be filled in with a pattern (see paragraph 4.5 for details).

(Figure 2) – Circuit breaker selection window

Curves – User Guide – page 8

5.3.

Available curves • • • • • • • • •

5.4.

I-t LLL: time-current devices tripping characteristic for three phase faults. I-t LL: time-current devices tripping characteristic for two phase faults. I-t LN: time-current devices tripping characteristic for single phase faults. I-t LPE: time-current devices tripping characteristic for phase-earth faults. 2 I-I t LLL: specific let through energy for three phase faults. I-I2t LL: specific let through energy for two phase faults. 2 I-I t LN: specific let through energy for single phase faults. I-I2t LPE: specific let through energy for phase-earth faults. Peak: current limitation curve.

Setting the releases

Current object It is the currently selected object. Selecting an object need to: Click on the description in the “Objects” section • Click on the curve • The curve of the current object is dashed.

(Figure 3) – The “red” dashed curve is the current object

Curves – User Guide – page 9

Circuit breaker with electronic release How to set an electronic release? • In the control panel. Double click on the description or the curve of the release to open its control panel. Choose the wished setting in the pop-up menus: the curves are updated in real time. Set ON-OFF functions of the releases by clicking on the corresponding check box. The control panel are floating and it is possible to see more than one at the same time. • Dragging the curve directly in the diagram. Move the mouse cursor on the edge of a curve until it changes its shape into an horizontal double headed arrow for current thresholds, and a vertical double headed arrow for time thresholds. Click and, keeping the left mouse button pressed, drag the curve in the wished position.

(Figure 4) – Electronic release control panel

Curves – User Guide – page 10

Setting a release directly in the diagram The position of the mouse cursor defines the threshold that will be set. As a general indication it is suggested to refer to the picture proposed in the release control panel.

(Figure 5) – Position of thresholds

While dragging the curve, the cursor changes in real time into the current setting.

(Figure 6) – Current setting when dragging a curve

WARNING The program verifies in real time the coherency of the settings. Therefore it is not possible to set thresholds which do not satisfy the condition:  I1 < I2 < (I2-S2) < I3 Eventual incoherencies are marked with a warning message, or highlighting in red the current setting while dragging the curve.

Curves – User Guide – page 11