PEKEPALEAL LANE daly Snguse 1999 Conductive Concrete Electrodes: A New Grounding Technology Eres arousing is well esoy- nized as fundamental (0 the ef vient and safe operation of electtival equipment and systems. Among its many benefits ate increased equipment lite, Fewer fhilures, tess downtime and, of course, enhanved satety for operat ing personnel. Now, with the profusion of today’s sensitive equipment in the workplace, the need tor effective elee- vival grounding systems for industr business, and even in the home, Ins never been greater Traditionally, grounsling has been limited to the use of ground rods and grids, but these methods ean often be Inetfective in dealing with the protec ton needs of today’s complex mivro- eleciranie digital and iibreoptic equip: ment whieh is extremely susceptible to the slightest eleciical surge ‘And nothing exposes thar suseeptibil- ity faster, and at times more disas- tuously, than an electrical storm, Sinee Benjamin Franklin invented the grounled lightning rod inthe 1750's ¢ conduct lightning strikes fom the rooftop safely 1 earth, grounding has been eovried our in much the same way What Ben wouldn't have discovered is that when lighting sivikes ic does not aaavel vertically bur dissipates harigon- tally across the surtace of the earth, ‘This phenomenon is often referred to as “skin effect", and ir is the reason why vertical ground systems provide poor lighming protection, Whar happens during a lightning stike is analogous co the charge and Sischarge of a capacitor Predomi- nantly, the base ot the thundereloud is negatively charged while the earth's surface exhibits an equal and opposive positive charge. The moist atmospheric aie beoween the «vo surlaces aers as the digleetrie which eventually breaks dows, producing the Masi of lightning and voltage gradient at the instant of discharge. AC the discharge point, the vollnge drops to almost zero while the povential at the outer perimeter of the gradient may be milions of volts. The charge is noutalized as the eleewons Now across the surfass ofthe earth. Wis this horizontal distibution and dissipa- tion af the charge onthe coth'ssucice tha. makes it evtieal thatthe grounding system be configured in the horizontal plane ‘A systean that accomplishes this is the revolutionary now grounding toch- nolagy using horizontal conductive eonerete electrodes. The technology ‘was developed in une early 19708 by the Japanese power industry and has been pioneered on this eantinent by Shave ‘Acres Fnterprses ine, (SALE) of Busrie, Oniavio Company president Brisa Sirola, salu), "Grounulrod based systems sill continue to be the most common ‘method for grouncling and drey're elfeotive for steady state ground fault rerum eoutions, bul not for dissipat- ing high rise time surges sueh as result trom lightning discharges. ‘The proper use of our new (echiology renders direct lightning stikes harmless, and eliminates elocwical and electronic equipment damage.” The SAE teclunology takes advantage o the skin effect phenomenon, withthe conductive horizontal electrodes pro- Ving 2 low impedance path to ground for the surface electrical curren created by the lightning stike. The system is economical and exsy to install, even in difficult vooky tera: ‘The procedure is as follows: Prepace the vleswoue bed by digging 1 trench 05 1m 20") wit, 0m 24") deep and 10a designed length (deter ined according 10 soil resistivity at the site and forthe sequiced R value) Smioa she botioun af the tenels an lay down a bare conper wiee, typi cally a standed No. 4/0 AWG. + Cover the wire with the conductive jesment 19 a depth of ern (15°) + Carafully hand shovel 10cm (4") of loose buckfill over the conductive ‘eonerere and tump down. The con- duetive concrete absorbs moisture from the surrounding soi) and hard- + aselfil wench with the remainder of ihe excavated sol L'space is limised, and depending ‘on soil resistivities and R value require- ments, the conductive conerete elec tuode technology can be used vertically but it will not be as effeerive for light- ning protection. Fora vertical electrode, ‘hole is dvilled to the appropriere depth and diameter, as determined by soil resistivity and required R value, A cop- per wire or ground rod is placed in the centre of the hvle, and conductive con- crete filed around itin either & slurry or dey format. SAB's vice president, Todd Sirol, said, “The wohnology has demonstrated aise as a superior system applicable for any grounding requirement. It provides ‘love impedanes connection even under ndverse grounding conditions. Of course there are also many areas in the world where driving rods into the ‘ground isn’t an option.” One of those areas was an SAB pro- {eet in dhe Andes mountains for ENTEL, 4 Bolivian telephone company which ‘was experiencing disruptions to its radio system, The problems were caused by lightning hits and power surges affect- ing tower installations throughout Bolivia, including several locations luigh in the Andes where thunderstorm fclivity is extreme. Some of the radio towers were located on soli rock peaks at elevations up to 5,000 metres with soil resistivity ranging, from high to fexiveme, That it also involved some of the world's most intense lightning activ- ity and difieute terrain required SAE 10 came up with nique design solutions ‘To overcome the high suil resistivi- lies a conductive concrete ground enhancement product that reduces elecpower dissipation capacity was included \bvings weve established aroun Is aad equipment buildin integrated inte the equipotential unling, system, The inside building grounding system was ceca ies encountered licect lughinuny hits, One site foeated close ve La Paz was hut chive times within a 72 our period and the raclio equipaen scontintie 0 fi ion. A sevond location le she installation coatractor mt. As related by Me Sicok the contuact ss standing wathin sts feet of the iawer when it ws r ting 0 find the radio system blown 10 pieces but ro uly surprise the sysiem was Still operational uy a believer ‘Another SAE groundln story closer (© home invel grounding an! protection systems for his, Laven into the equipatcat bu ihe Amteloons die_ conuanunieaion Ne Wark tucation at Cambray, Ontario Amuelvom expereaved wo cate DMS (ligatal nliptes switel) 1D system failures ato iy Cambray. During the «wo oceur Fenses, dhe 1,000 line exchange was ompletely out of setvice for periods in excess of 24 hours while erews coped swath system faults and sastalled replac ment line cards. T are those costly phone subscribers" copy Wath the digit selephon onyersion of analog voice signals (0 Jigital signals for processing, The nes We by lighting e7ig fated power surges entering the switel thom the AC malin and destroying elec one components ta the DMS 10 paral CPU units. jow impedance, high power dis Sipstion ouside grounding electrade, improvements 10 the MIDF (atu digital ame) rounding rettods, avd the dicion of a maser ground bus (MGB) sud an AC nioins suge proteetes. Inthe 7 years siuee the instalation thee has fot been a sepeat of the earher devastat a dirget hit within ambeay olive ing finhures, desp (eo polle Lengths of he Juy Agus 909 awerueas Line 23 fads per year due to power surges. Since the insatiation oF the system, cand ies have daopped to 2 or 3 por yes storms is pretty dramatic proof of how — bund eltective ove 8 counting, POWER & RB DISTRIBUTION PRODUCTS NOW STOCKING TRANSFORMERS OF ALL ‘TYPES ighing Tvansformess to 300K VA + GE Diy Distibution aud il Filled Pole Mount Transformess up to SOOKVA. + Open oF Hnelaved! GE Connol Power Transformers - SUVA (0 SKVA + Cooper Power System, Single Phase, Oil Filled Distibution Transformers fom SKVA 10 SOOKVA, Cooper Power System & GEC Alsthon stasion, and Padmoumt, Oil Filled 1 + 69 10 [38KV Power Translo Reconditioned Tr 3 Phase Secondary Foret WEAL LOW & HIGH VOLIAGE SO STOCK NEW, USED, REBUILT 2QUIPMENT Manufacturers of OES Mine Substations Resistors & Ground Relays sum & Mokled Case Cis + Reduced Voltuge Santeis + HLY Buses IS Bleetsie Moto Distribution Switehgear 1 Breakers stone ng & Bo + Motor Rewinding & Sales + Transformer Servicing & Repairs + Field Services & Testing Prompt, Courteous & Knowledgeable Sales & Service Staff Call Uy Ae 1-800-407-8090 Toll Free iol 27 on Reauer Service Card rant, trom wlecommunics ‘F'50-60 nad wiliies to mining companies and sawrnills and just about everything in ‘nding between, Building contractors are even ting it for residential installations,” "The system must be doing the job ‘tection it gives in lightning because we've designed and installed Js of them in countries through- inode Sirol eu the western emis ‘But part ftom lightning, the sys haven't had & eomplaint yet.” is applicable wherever pood y ol At sisge protection 1s Cele 2B.on Reader Seavco Cars