IEEE Color Books Overview

An Overview of the IEEE Color Books

H. Landis Floyd II1 S. Mark Halpin2 Lynn F. Saunders3 Fellow, IEEE Member, IEEE Fellow, IEEEDuPont Co. Mississippi State University General Motors Corp.101 Beech Street Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762 485 West MilwaukeeWilmington, Delaware 19880 USA Detroit, Michigan 48202USA USA

1Chair, I&CPS Power System Engineering Committee2 Secretary, I&CPS Power System Engineering Committee3 Vice-Chair, I&CPS Power System Engineering Committee

Abstract-This paper is intended to serve as an overviewof the IEEE Color Book standards series. Because each ofthe 13 books deals with a different aspect of electricalpower production, distribution, and utilization in industrialand commercial power systems, it can be an intimidatingprocess to sift through each book trying to determine itsapplicability. Furthermore, the rapid globalization of thepower industry now requires familiarity with numeroustechnical standards, including those developed by theInternational Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and theInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).Each of the 13 Color Books is summarized in this paper,with specific coverage of the area(s) of application for eachbook. This paper is specifically intended to serve as acompanion to the Color Book panel session held at the2000 IAS Annual Meeting in Rome, Italy. Persons desiringmore information on the IEEE Color Books are encouragedto contact the persons responsible for each book and visitthe “standards.ieee.org” web site. Information on how tocontact the working group chair for each Color Book, atthe time of the writing of this paper, is provided in theAppendix.

I. INTRODUCTION

The IEEE Color Book standards series include 13books with each one focusing on different aspects ofelectric power. The Working Groups responsible for thedevelopment and revision of the Color Book standards aresponsored by the technical committees of the IASIndustrial and Commercial Power Systems Department. Theobjective of this document is to provide a summary foreach of the books to understand what is entailed in eachbook. The summary will give a general overview of thepurpose of each book and some of the actual topicscontained in the chapters of each book. The differentsections of this document represent the different books bytheir IEEE Standard number and their IEEE Book Color withthe summary following.

II. IEEE STANDARD 141: IEEE RECOMMENDEDPRACTICE FOR ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION

FOR INDUSTRIAL PLANTS(IEEE RED BOOK)

In today’s industrial facilities, continuity of productionand related processes is critical. Any downtime can be acostly expense. That is why industry demands reliableelectrical systems. Reliable electrical systems adhere toIEEE’s Red Book. The Red Book is today’s essentialsource for the most recommended practices for theelectrical design of industrial facilities and powerdistribution in industrial plants.

The IEEE Red Book provides a recommended practicefor the electrical design of industrial facilities. It is likely tobe of value to the power-oriented engineer with limitedindustrial plant experience. It can also be an aid to allengineers responsible for the electrical design of industrialfacilities. It will enable the engineer to better understandthe special requirements of “industrial facilities,” and theCodes that govern them. However, it is not intended as areplacement for the many excellent engineering texts andhandbooks commonly in use, nor is it detailed enough tobe a design manual. It should be considered a guide andgeneral reference on electrical design for industrial plantsand buildings.

The IEEE Red Book provides detailed procedures forplanning the electric power distribution system of anindustrial plant. Moreover, it provides completeinformation on electrical design criteria to ensure safetyand preservation of property. Tables, charts, and otherinformation that have been extracted from codes,standards, and other technical literature are included in thispublication for illustrative purposes. Information onsystem planning, voltage considerations, short circuitcurrent calculations, protection, grounding, and harmonicsare a few of the issues addressed in this book. No otherpublication contains so much useful, authoritativeinformation on electrical design for industrial facilities.

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III. IEEE STANDARD 142: IEEE RECOMMENDED PRACTICEFOR GROUNDING OF INDUSTRIAL

AND COMMERCIAL POWER SYSTEMS (IEEE GREEN BOOK)

The grounding of electrical systems is vital to theefficient and effective operation of industrial andcommercial power systems. That is why electricalengineers charged with planning or modifying electricaldistribution systems need the most current, reliableinformation on grounding today. This information can befound in the IEEE Green Book. The Green Book is today’sessential source for providing up-to-date recommendedpractices and information used throughout industry for thegrounding of industrial and commercial power systems.

The IEEE Green Book reviews practices and methodsof system grounding in detail. A thorough investigation ofgrounding problems and methods for solving theseproblems are presented. This provides electrical engineersworldwide with the basis for applying fundamentalprinciples to specific work situations and applications.

The IEEE Green Book addresses many differentaspects of grounding. The problems of system grounding,which include connection to ground of neutral, of thecorner of the delta, or of the midtap of one phase, arecovered. The advantages and disadvantages of groundedversus ungrounded systems are discussed. Information isgiven on how to ground the system, where the systemshould be grounded, and how to select equipment for thegrounding of neutral circuits. Connecting the frames andenclosures of electrical equipment to the ground system isaddressed. The fundamentals of making theinterconnection between the electrical equipment andground rods, water pipes, etc. are outlined. Even problemsrelating to static electricity and lightning are covered in theIEEE Green Book, along with a chapter concerningsensitive electronic equipment. No other publicationcontains so much useful, authoritative information ongrounding as IEEE’s Green Book.

IV. IEEE STANDARD 241: IEEE RECOMMENDEDPRACTICE FOR ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS IN

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS (IEEE GRAY BOOK)

Because of the increasing size and complexity oftoday’s commercial buildings, there is a growingdependence on adequate and reliable electrical systems.This reliable information for commercial electric systemscan be found in the IEEE Gray Book. This book will allowthe engineer to better understand the special requirementsof commercial facilities and the Codes that govern them.

The IEEE Gray Book provides extensive information oneach of the various specialized subjects involved inplanning the power system of a new or modernizedcommercial structure. It can be a great aid to the poweroriented engineer with limited commercial building

experience. This comprehensive source will alert theelectrical engineer or designer to the many problemsencountered in designing electrical systems for commercialbuildings.

Extensive information is presented on many differentelectrical aspects. From a power distribution point of view,information is given on load requirements, voltageconsiderations, power sources and distribution systems.Once the power comes into the commercial facility, someissues addressed include services, vaults, electricalequipment rooms, wiring systems, system protection andcoordination, lighting, and electric space conditioning.Other issues associated with the commercial facilitycovered in the IEEE Gray Book include transportation,communication systems planning, facility automation,expansion, modernization, rehabilitation, special occupancyrequirements, and energy management. Thus, the IEEEGray Book focuses on all electrical aspects of commercialfacilities.

V. IEEE STANDARD 242: IEEE RECOMMENDED PRACTICEFOR PROTECTION AND COORDINATION OF INDUSTRIAL AND

COMMERCIAL POWER SYSTEMS(IEEE BUFF BOOK)

System protection and coordination serve to minimizedamage to a system and its components in order to limit theextent and duration of any service interruption occurringon any portion of the system. The IEEE Buff Book dealswith the proper selection, application, and coordination ofthe components which constitute system protection forindustrial plants and commercial buildings. It is an excellentresource for power system protection and coordination.

The IEEE Buff Book presents complete information onprotection and coordination principles designed to protectindustrial and commercial power systems against anyabnormalities which could reasonably be expected to occurin the course of system operation. The information isarranged in a convenient step-by-step format, so it is easilyunderstood. It is a valuable, comprehensive sourcebook foruse at the system design stage, as well as in modifyingexisting operations for better system protection.

The IEEE Buff Book recognizes that the goal of systemprotection is to isolate and remove the problem efficiently.In achieving this goal, certain design features must beutilized. One of the main design features involves the quickisolation of the affected portion of the system whilemaintaining normal operation elsewhere. Another designfeature is to obtain a reduction of the short circuit currentto minimize damage to the system, its components, and theutilization equipment it supplies. Another design feature isthe provision of alternate circuits, automatic throwovers,and automatic reclosing devices. These design features forsystem protection are the focus of the IEEE Buff Book.

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VI. IEEE STANDARD 399: IEEE RECOMMENDED PRACTICEFOR INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL POWER SYSTEMS

ANALYSIS(IEEE BROWN BOOK)

Today’s intensely competitive business environmentforces plant and building management to be very aware ofthe total owning cost of the power distribution systems.Further, they demand assurance of maximum return oncapital investments in the power system. Power systemstudies are used to assure that this maximum return isachieved, and the IEEE Brown Book is a valuable source ofinformation about the purpose for and techniques involvedin power system studies.

The IEEE Brown Book ties together the essentialfundamentals of power system studies, the most commonstudies for design or operation of a power system, and thebasic computational methods with key information on thevarious types of computer systems and their requirements.Combined with the engineer’s experience in power systemengineering, computers can help perform detailed studieson both existing and proposed power systems which iswhy computer studies are a focus in the IEEE Brown Book.This book will help ensure high standards of power systemreliability and maximize the utilization of capital investment.It is to be used in conjunction with the other IEEE ColorBooks.

The planning, design, and operation of industrial andcommercial power systems require several studies to assistin the evaluation of the initial and future systemperformance, system reliability, safety, and the ability togrow with production and/or operating requirements. Thepower system analyses discussed in the IEEE Brown Bookcan help answer many questions about an existing system,such as the impact of expansion, the stability of the system,the load distribution of the system, etc. Chapters aredevoted to different types of studies and indicate what isneeded and how to prepare for the different studies. Someof the studies discussed are load flow studies, short-circuitstudies, stability studies, motor-starting studies, harmonicanalysis studies, switching transient studies, reliabilitystudies, cable ampacity studies, ground mat studies,coordination studies, and DC auxiliary power systemanalysis. Therefore, the IEEE Brown Book is an excellentsourcebook for power system analyses.

VII. IEEE STANDARD 446: IEEE RECOMMENDED PRACTICEFOR EMERGENCY AND STANDBY POWER SYSTEMS FOR

INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS(IEEE ORANGE BOOK)

Today, the demand for continuous, reliable, high-quality electric power is critical. Many installations requireuninterruptible power, virtually free of frequencyexcursions and voltage dips, surges, and transients.However, the nature of electric power failures,interruptions, frequency excursions, voltage dips, and their

duration can cover a wide range in time and may be due toelements out of human control. This led to the need for theIEEE Orange Book which would provide guidance toindustrial users and suppliers of emergency and standbypower systems.

The IEEE Orange Book presents the recommendedengineering practices for the selection and application ofemergency and standby power systems. It providescommercial and industrial facility designers, operators, andowners with guidelines for assuring uninterrupted power.In this aspect, it addresses the uses, power sources,design, and maintenance of emergency and standby powersystems.

The IEEE Orange Book addresses practically allaspects of emergency power. One chapter is a generaldiscussion of the needs for and the configuration ofemergency and standby power systems. Another chapterlists the power needs for specific industries. Severalchapters deal with the selection of power sources.Recommendations are also given for protecting both powersources and switching equipment during fault conditions,for the design of system grounding, and for designing toreliability objectives. Thus, the IEEE Orange Book is anexcellent source for emergency and standby powersystems.

VIII. IEEE STANDARD 493: IEEE RECOMMENDEDPRACTICE FOR THE DESIGN OF RELIABLE INDUSTRIAL AND

COMMERCIAL POWER SYSTEMS(IEEE GOLD BOOK)

The design of reliable industrial and commercial powerdistribution systems is important because of the high costassociated with power outages and their significant impacton society. It is necessary to consider the cost of poweroutages when making decisions for new power distributionsystems as well as to have the ability to make quantitative“cost-versus-reliability” trade-off studies. The IEEE GoldBook aims to provide credible data concerning equipmentreliability and the cost of power outages so that thesetrade-off studies can be conducted.

The purpose of the IEEE Gold Book is to providesufficient information so that reliability analysis can beperformed on power systems without requiring crossreferences to other texts. Information included in the bookis the result of extensive surveys of reliability of electricalequipment in industrial plants and also the costs of poweroutages for both industrial plants and commercialbuildings. The reliability survey provides historicalexperience to those who have not been able to collect theirown data.

The IEEE Gold Book contains many reliability aspects.The basic concepts of reliability analysis by probabilitymethods, fundamentals of power system reliabilityevaluation, the economic evaluation of reliability, and costof power outage data are included in the book. Reliability

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data as well as electrical preventive maintenance fordifferent types of equipment are provided. Some conceptsof emergency and standby power such as reliabilitycompliance testing are also included in the IEEE Gold Book.Another aspect of the book focuses on the improvementand evaluation of reliability in existing facilities. Voltagesags and a methodology for estimating the frequency ofthese sags are also a topic of discussion in the IEEE GoldBook. Therefore, the IEEE Gold Book is an excellent guidefor reliability issues.

IX. IEEE STANDARD 602: IEEE RECOMMENDED PRACTICEFOR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES

(IEEE WHITE BOOK)

Because of their increasing size and complexity,today’s health care facilities have become more and moredependent upon safe, adequate, and reliable electricalsystems. “Health care facilities” include buildings or partsof buildings that contain hospitals, nursing homes,residential custodial care facilities, clinics, ambulatoryhealth care centers, and medical and dental offices. Mostof the equipment used is sensitive to electricaldisturbances and requires a very reliable power source.The IEEE White Book provides the recommended practicefor the design and operation of electric systems in thesehealth care facilities.

The purpose of the IEEE White Book is to promote theuse of sound engineering principles in the design andoperation of health care facilities. It will probably be ofgreatest value to the power oriented engineer with limitedhealth care experience. It can be an aid to anyoneresponsible for the electrical design of health care facilities,but it should only be considered a guide and not areplacement for many texts and handbooks in use.

The IEEE White Book will aid electrical systemsdesigners in many aspects. One aspect is for achievingsafety of life and preservation of property throughoperational considerations to reduce electrical failures. Italso provides for maintenance with a minimum need forspecialized services. Another aspect is to provide designconsiderations that recognize the flexibility of electricalsystems in terms of layout and placement and to fulfill therequirements for proper electrical installation. Thus, theIEEE White Book serves to alert electrical engineers,designers, and health care operating personnel to the manyproblems that are encountered in the design and operationof health care facilities. This awareness will help in thedevelopment of concern for the professional aspects ofhealth care facility engineering.

X. IEEE STANDARD 739: IEEE RECOMMENDED PRACTICEFOR ENERGY MANAGEMENT IN COMMERCIAL AND

INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES(IEEE BRONZE BOOK)

In today’s society, energy management is a key issuefor commercial and industrial facilities. The IEEE BronzeBook serves as an engineering guide for use in electricaldesign for energy conservation. In this book, electricaloptions are evaluated from an energy standpoint.

The IEEE Bronze Book provides a recommendedpractice for electrical energy management in industrial andcommercial facilities. The intent of the practice is toestablish engineering techniques and procedures to allowefficiency optimization in the design and operation of anelectrical system considering all aspects involved. Byconsidering all aspects, some things needing to beaddressed are safety, costs, environment, and managementneeds.

By stressing energy management, the IEEE BronzeBook embodies engineering, design, applications,utilization, and to some extent the operation andmaintenance of electric power systems to provide for theoptimal use of electrical energy. The book focuses on allthese aspects. One chapter covers the combined efficientuse of electrical and thermal energy in a highly efficient andcost-effective manner. Another chapter emphasizes that areduction of energy in one area can have a negative effecton energy needs in another area, which focuses on loadmanagement. Other topics covered are the effects of fuelcost on electric energy cost, cogeneration and its energysaving potential, and new and existing electrical systems,such as lighting. Thus, the IEEE Bronze Book mainlyprovides information for the conservation of energy.

XI. IEEE STANDARD 902: IEEE GUIDE FOR MAINTENANCE,OPERATION AND SAFETY OF INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL

POWER SYSTEMS(IEEE YELLOW BOOK)

The importance of safety, reliability, maintenance, andoperation of electric power systems cannot be stressedenough. Guidelines must be established to ensure that safeprocedures are followed for routine maintenance andeveryday operation of power systems. The IEEE YellowBook sets forth some recommended practices to providethese guidelines.

The IEEE Yellow Book provides plant engineers with areference source for the fundamentals of safe and reliablemaintenance and operation of industrial and commercialpower systems, regardless of system size or complexity.The most effective utilization of the information containedin this guide would be its inclusion in a long-termmaintenance and operation strategy that is tailored to theindividual needs of each power system. This strategywould ensure long-term reliability and would need toinclude a procedure for auditing the performance.

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To ensure the safety, reliability, maintenance, andoperation of systems, the IEEE Yellow Book establishescertain procedures. Information is provided to offerguidance for the establishment of administrativeprocedures, control procedures, and the organizationalcapabilities to ensure reliable system operation. The levelof performance reliability is stressed and severalmaintenance strategies are reviewed including record-keeping, testing and inspection methods, and auditingmaintenance and operation performance. Several chaptersin the book are devoted solely to safety issues, such as areview of safety equipment and recommendations for themanagement of unusual or hazardous activities. Thus,safety and reliability are the key issues of this practice.

XII. IEEE STANDARD 1015: IEEE RECOMMENDEDPRACTICE FOR APPLYING LOW-VOLTAGE

CIRCUIT BREAKERS USED ININDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL POWER SYSTEMS

(IEEE BLUE BOOK)

System protection is an important part of powersystem planning. To provide adequate system protection,the appropriate equipment must be utilized. The IEEE BlueBook focuses on applying the correct low-voltage circuitbreaker for different applications to obtain the bestpossible system protection.

The IEEE Blue Book provides information for selectingthe right circuit breaker for specific applications. Itincludes comparisons between standards for low-voltagepower circuit breakers and molded case circuit breakers tohelp the engineer to make more informed choices. Thesechoices can lead to better system protection and reliability.

The IEEE Blue Book aids the application engineer inspecifying the type of circuit breaker, ratings, tripfunctions, accessories, acceptance tests, and maintenancerequirements. It provides information for applying circuitbreakers at different locations in the power system and forprotecting specific components. Guidelines are given forcoordinating combinations of line-side and load-sidedevices. In addition, acceptance testing and maintenanceguidelines are provided to ensure reliable operation.Therefore, the IEEE Blue Book is an extensive source forlow-voltage circuit breaker information.

XIII. IEEE STANDARD 1100: IEEE RECOMMENDEDPRACTICE FOR POWERING AND GROUNDING SENSITIVE

ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT(IEEE EMERALD BOOK)

Supplying power to and grounding of sensitiveelectronic equipment has been a growing concern forcommercial and industrial power system designers. Withthe proliferation of sensitive electronic loads in industrialand commercial power systems due to rapid changes in theelectronics and communications industry, new power

quality related issues have evolved. As technologyadvances, sources for electrical power disturbancesincrease. The IEEE Emerald Book is today’s essentialsource for providing sound engineering principles andpractices for supplying power to and grounding ofsensitive electronic equipment.

The IEEE Emerald Book presents recommendedengineering principles and practices for power andgrounding sensitive electronic equipment. The purpose ofthe book is to recommend design, installation, andmaintenance practices for powering and groundingsensitive equipment in commercial and industrial facilities.The main objective is to provide a consensus ofrecommended practices in an area where conflictinginformation and confusion have dominated.

Many aspects of grounding are included in the IEEEEmerald Book. Grounding affects power quality, so powerquality issues are discussed. Basic grounding informationis presented, not just information for electronic equipment.Different measurement instruments are presented that helpdiagnose problems related to sensitive equipment.Practical analysis of different sites plus some case historiesare also given in this book. The IEEE Emerald Book, then,is an excellent source for powering and groundinginformation related to sensitive electronic equipment.

XIV. IEEE STANDARDS PROJECT P551: IEEERECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR SHORT CIRCUIT

CALCULATIONS IN INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL POWER SYSTEMS

(IEEE VIOLET BOOK)Note: This is a draft standard in the final stages of the approval process.

Short circuit analyses are essential studies in electricpower systems. The focus of the IEEE Violet Book is toprovide the understanding and application of analyticaltechniques of short circuit analysis in industrial andcommercial power systems. However, the sameengineering principles apply to all electrical power systems,including utilities and systems other than 60 hertz.

The IEEE Violet Book covers in more detail the basicsand understanding of short circuit currents than they arediscussed in the other texts of the IEEE Color Book series.Some of the different items covered in this book includechapters on the contributions to the short circuit current ofre-generative SCR drives and capacitors to faults. Thereference chapter in this book is quite extensive and shouldbe very useful for any type of power system analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

A brief synopsis of each of the IEEE Color Books hasbeen provided These books are excellent sources ofinformation for power system analysis and design, but theyare not meant to replace any engineering texts andhandbooks commonly in use. They are considered to beguides and references on electrical design and analysis.

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AppendixFor information on how you can become part of one or more of these Working Groups, contact the Working Group Chair. Theprofessional networking relationships developed through participation provide you immediate access to the most up-to-date,extensive data on implementing power systems in commercial and industrial environments.

Red Book IEEE Std 141-1993Recommended Practice for Electric Power Distributionfor Industrial PlantsChair: William Moylen

Moylen EngineeringTel: 313-582-9880 Fax: 313-582-9884 [email protected]

Green Book IEEE Std 142-1991Recommended Practice for Grounding of Industrial andCommercial Power SystemsChair: Lynn F. Saunders

GM Worldwide FacilitiesTel: 313-974-9919 Fax: [email protected]

Gray Book IEEE Std 241-1990 (Reaff. 1997)Recommended Practice for Electric Power Systems inCommercial Buildings

Chair: R. Gerald Irvine MTA Bridges and Tunnels

Telephone: +1-212-360-3085 Fax: +1-212-360-2935 [email protected]

Buff Book IEEE Std 242-1986 (Reaff. 1991)Recommended Practice for Protection and Coordination ofIndustrial and Commercial Power SystemsChair: Carey J. Cook

S&C Electric Co.Tel: [email protected]

Brown Book IEEE Std 399-1997Recommended Practice for Industrial and CommercialPower Systems AnalysisChair: Guy Jackson

Jackson & AssociatesTel: [email protected]

Orange Book IEEE Std 446-1995Recommended Practice for Emergency and Standby PowerSystems for Industrial and Commercial ApplicationsChair: Charles Hughes

Westinghouse Savannah River Co.Tel: 803-952-4609 Fax: [email protected]

Gold Book IEEE Std 493-1997Recommended Practice for the Design of ReliableIndustrial and Commercial Power SystemsChair: Don O. Koval

University of AlbertaTel: [email protected]

White Book IEEE Std 602-1996Recommended Practice for Electric Systems in Health CareFacilitiesChair: Hugh O. Nash

Nash, Lipsey, Burch, LLCTel: 615-329-4460 Fax: [email protected]

Bronze Book IEEE Std 739-1995Recommended Practice for Energy Management inCommercial and Industrial FacilitiesChair: Carl E. Becker

RAST & AssociatesTel: [email protected]

Yellow Book IEEE Std 902-1998Guide for Maintenance, Operation, and Safety of Industrial andCommercial Power SystemsChair: Michael J. Foley

Technical Consultants Group, Ltd.Tel: 303-797-7125 Fax: [email protected]

Emerald Book IEEE Std 1100-1999Recommended Practice for Powering and GroundingSensitive Electronic EquipmentChair: Doug Dorr

EPRI-PEACTel: 865-218-8005 Fax:[email protected]

Blue Book IEEE Std 1015-1997Recommended Practice for Applying Low Voltage CircuitBreakers Used in Industrial and Commercial Power SystemsChair: George Gregory

Square D Co.Tel: 319-369-6296 Fax: [email protected]

Violet Book IEEE Standards Project P551IEEE Recommended Practice for Short CircuitCalculations in Industrial & Commercial Power SystemsChair: Guy Jackson

Jackson & AssociatesTel: [email protected]

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IEEE Color Books Overview