SF6 switchgears

Recommendations for customer-provided earthing

SF6 switchgears
Recommendations for
customer-provided earthing

Administered by

First issued

Written by

Released by

SEH

2003-07-07

W.Bsch / TDH-SEH

R.Stegmann / TAK2-SEH / 2005-12-19

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SF6 switchgears
Recommendations for customer-provided earthing

SF6 switchgears: Requirements for customer-provided earthing apply to all

SF6 switchgear types
Contents

Page

Important notes

Installation examples

GIS earthing system, standard design:

Design of 50 Hz earthing network

Design of HF earthing network

Complete earthing plan:

Design details, system structure

Design details, connections of HF earthing system

GIS earthing system, alternative design:

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Design of earthing network

Earthing plan

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Recommendations for customer-provided earthing

Important notes
These recommendations are suggestions for execution based on many
years experience in the construction of GIS switchgear. Responsibility for
design and implementation of the customer-provided earthing system
rests with the customer unless an agreement to the contrary exists.
The design of the earthing system must take account of fast transients
occurring upon switching operations of the GIS switchgear; that is, it must
also be suitable for high-frequency disturbances.
The standards DIN/VDE 1041 or IEEE 80 shall be considered when determining the design current-carrying capacity of the earthing system.

Design of earth
conductors

To comply with (e.g.) DIN/VDE 0141

Explanations:
For IK1 pol, the initial AC short-circuit current in a single-phase earth fault, for
solidly earthed networks, and IKEE, the double-earth-fault current, for isolated networks and networks with earth-fault compensation, generally
IK3 polig, the three-phase initial AC short-circuit current, is select for design
criterion as the most severe requirement.
Conductor cross sections (QEmin.) required versus short-circuit current and
duration:
Material

Cu
AI
Steel, galvanized

Min. cross section QEmin., mm

25 kA
31.5 kA
40 kA
1s
3s
1s
3s
1s
3s
130
220
160
270
200
350
190
330
240
410
310
530
360
610
440
750
570
970

Allowable final temperature Te = 300 C.

Reduced earth conductor cross sections are used for the earthing network
on the GIS floor:
2
0.5 QEmin. for all earth conductors a), b) and c), but not less than 100 mm Cu.
Earth conductor Copper, bright or tinned.
materials:
Because they behave less well at higher frequencies,
galvanized steel and aluminium are not recommended.

Connections to
switchgear

See the instructions Earthing and shielding of SF6 switchgear: primary

switchgear.
Shape: preferably flat copper, min. width 25 mm, or stranded copper.
Connections to switchgear as short as possible.
Points of contact: remove paint, clean, and coat bright material with L2-62
contact grease (see lubrication instructions).
Terminal: secure with at least M12 bolt.
Customer requirements: take account of customer requirements as to
cross section, material, number, and arrangement of bolts.
If customer requirements deviate, get TDH-SEH agreement to earthing
design ratings.

Earthing terminals
on GIS switchgear

See instructions Earthing and shielding of SF6 switchgear: primary

switchgear.

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SF6 switchgears
Recommendations for customer-provided earthing

Installation examples
GIS earthing system,
standard design

The steel reinforcing meshes of the switchgear floor are fashioned as a

high-frequency earthing network and connected, along with the steel
rebar in the concrete, to the 50 Hz copper earthing network.

GIS earthing system,

alternative design

A densified copper earthing system is constructed.

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SF6 switchgears
Recommendations for customer-provided earthing

GIS earthing system, standard design

Construction of 50Hz This network is preferably built from copper conductors (flat copper or
earthing network
stranded). Stranded copper is preferable for strip conductors.
(see Fig. 1)
An earthing ring bus a) is generally laid around the SF6 switchgear or
switchgear room. The ring bus is connected to building earth at not fewer
than four corner points
. Earth conductors b) are laid longitudinally and
earth conductors c) transversely under the switchgear and connected to
a) and b) respectively. Access should be provided for making connections at points identified by the symbol . For example:

 Circuit breakers, each bay

 Cable sheaths at outgoing feeders
 Base point of outdoor bushing in case of overhead outgoing feeder,






led back by the shortest possible route to the connection point of

the circuit breaker
Transformer box if integrally installed
Control panels, each bay
Building earth
Metal plate at wall penetration for outdoor bushing

The 50 Hz earthing network serves as the connection for all equipment

and devices where an earth-fault current fed from the high-voltage side
can occur. It is mounted to the concrete deck of the switchgear floor in
the basement (see Fig. 2). A connection to the steel reinforcing meshes
in the switchgear floor (HF earthing system) is to be made in the region
of points identified by the symbol . Aligned holes are to be provided in
the floor (see Fig. 1). Spare bays for future expansion must be taken into
account in the first expansion phase, including earth connection points.
Recommended cross Earth conductors a), b) and c): 0.5 QEmin. (min. 100 mm2, Cu)
sections

Construction of
HF earthing network
(see Fig. 2)

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Switching operations, flashovers and lightning overvoltages in the SF6

switchgear cause high-frequency disturbances which may by induced to
the earthing system. In order to minimize the impedance of the earthing
system and provide a large-area equipotential surface, a close-meshed
earthing system is needed (see Fig. 2). For this purpose, steel reinforcing meshes (2) (conductor diameter approx. 5 mm, max. clear opening
200 mm x 200 mm) are built into the concrete floor above the structural
reinforcement (3); these are welded together (2a) to form an electrically
conductive network and also conductively connected (4) to the structural
reinforcement (3) at points not more than 5 m apart in both directions.
For full effectiveness, the HF earthing network is conductively connected
to the 50 Hz copper earthing network (see Fig. 1) by suitable coupling
pins (5, Fig. 2) at the points identified by the symbol
. The coupling
pins are welded to the HF network and bolted to the copper network.
Parts to be connected to the HF earthing network include all control
panels , high-voltage cable sheaths , GIS housings and support
frames, cable ducts and duct covers, metal plate at wall penetration for
outdoor bushing , and so forth. See Fig. 3 for installation examples of
connections to the HF earthing system.

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SF6 switchgears
Recommendations for customer-provided earthing

GIS earthing system, standard design: earthing plan

Fig. 1

E1
E2
E3
E4

Overhead line bay

Cable bay (transformer)
Cable bay
Coupler bay

E5
E6
E7

Cable bay
Cable bay (transformer)
Overhead line bay

Connections to steel reinforcing meshes (HF earthing system)

Access for connections

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Holes in floor

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SF6 switchgears
Recommendations for customer-provided earthing

GIS earthing system, standard design: details, system structure

Fig. 2

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50 Hz copper earthing network

HF earthing network (steel reinforcing meshes)

2a

Wires welded to form lattice network

Structural reinforcement

Connection of HF earthing network to structural reinforcement

(welded), at least every 5 m in both directions

Connection of 50 Hz copper network (bolted) to HF network (welded)

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GIS earthing system, standard design: details, connections of HF earthing

system
Fig. 3

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SF6 switchgears
Recommendations for customer-provided earthing

GIS earthing system, alternative design:

Design of earthing
network (see Fig. 4)

A grid-type earthing network is constructed. The clear opening of the grid

in the region of the SF6 switchgear and local control cubicles in the
switchgear room should be not greater than half the bay width. Outside
this region, a grid opening roughly twice the bay width is adequate.
Copper is the preferred conductor material, with stranded copper preferred for strip conductors. Where the copper strips cross, they should
be soldered or otherwise connected in an equivalent manner suitable for
junctions subject to high-frequency currents.
The outer earthing ring bus a) is connected to building ground at not
fewer than four corner points
(see Fig. 4). Access should be provided
for making connections at points identified by the symbol
. For example:

 Circuit breakers, each bay

 Cable sheaths at outgoing feeders
 Base point of outdoor bushing in case of overhead outgoing feeder,







led back by the shortest possible route to the connection point of

the circuit breaker
Transformer box if integrally installed
Control panels, each bay
Building earth
Metal plate at wall penetration for outdoor bushing
Rebar in floor (potential equalization)

As a rule, the grid earthing network is emplaced under the GIS floor
deck. Aligned holes should be provided in the floor (see Fig. 4). Care
should be taken, however, that the existing iron rebar in the concrete
GIS floor is conductively connected to the copper earthing system at
multiple points. If this is not possible, the floor rebar floats, which may
contribute to unduly high touch voltages on the GIS. If this is the case,
the copper earthing network should be installed over the floor rebar or
the GIS floor should have an insulating covering.
Cable ducts to local control panels installed separately from the GIS
should be laid under the earthing network if possible.
The alternative design option should be regarded as a minimum form of
an earthing system for SF6 switchgear. It is suitable chiefly for existing
station buildings where it is generally no longer possible to incorporate
the structural reinforcement.
Recommended cross Earth conductors: 0.5 QEmin. (min. 100 mm2, Cu)
sections

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SF6 switchgears
Recommendations for customer-provided earthing

GIS earthing system, alternative design: earthing plan

Fig. 4

E1
E2
E3
E4

Overhead line bay

Cable bay (transformer)
Cable bay
Coupler bay

E5
E6
E7

Cable bay
Cable bay (transformer)
Overhead line bay

Access for connections

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Holes in floor

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