1/4/2016 AnOverviewOfGroundingSystem(Grounded)|EEP

AnOverviewOfGroundingSystem
(Grounded)

An Overview Of Grounded Grounding System (on photo: Grounded solar panel by J.E.M. Solar
jemsolar.com)

Continuedfromtechnicalarticle: AnOverviewOfGroundingSystem(Ungrounded)

Topicscovered
1. Solidlygroundedsystem
2. Resistancegroundedsystem
3. Reasonforresistancegrounding
4. SystemearthingatEHVlevel

Solidlygroundedsystem
Get
Figure
PDF 3 Solidly grounded system

TOP
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LetusassumethatRphase(Phase3infigure3)
SHARE isshortedtogroundthan:

If=Currentthroughshortedpath(Faultcurrent)
In=Currentthroughneutralto earthconnection
Icy=Capacitivecurrentreturningviathenetwork
Phase2(Yphase)earthcapacitances
IcB=Capacitivecurrentreturningviathenetwork
Phase1(Bphase)earthcapacitances

Wecanwrite:

If = In + IcY + IcB + Ir // Equation08

WhereIr=Currentreturningvianetworkinsulationresistancewhichisalways
negligible

IncaseofLV,systemvoltageavailablebetweenphaseandearthis415/1.732=
240V.Resistanceofearthplate,groundingconnectionsetcisoftheorderof1.5
Ohmssotheearthcurrentislimitedtoapproximately240/1.5=160Amperes.
Thisisnotveryhighmagnitudehenceanyintentionalimpedanceisnotrequiredin
neutraltoearthconnection.

Asperequation08forIfonecanseethatifIcYandIcBisnegligiblethanIf=In
whichisthecaseinLVsystem.At415Vlevelcapacitivegroundcurrentsarenot
significanthencewecanwrite:

If = In for solidly earthed LV system // Equation09

GobacktoIndex

Resistancegroundedsystem

Figure 4 Resistance grounded system

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IncaseofMVsystem(3.3kVonwardsto33kV)voltagebetweenphase
andearthishigh.Alsocapacitivechargingcurrentisnotlargeenough
tocompensatethesame,soearthfaultcurrentislikelytobeexcessive.

Henceresistanceisconnectedbetweenneutraltogroundconnection.Current
throughneutralislimitedto100400Amperes.

Restrictingtheearthfaultcurrent/currentthroughneutral

AlthoughallthecomponentofpowersystematMVlevelareratedatfullMV
systemfaultlevel,forinstance:

Windingoftransformer,
Cables,
Busducts,
Rotatingmachinewinding,etc.

Thanwhatisgettingprotectedbyrestrictingtheearthfaultcurrent/current
throughneutral?

Theneutraloftransformerorgeneratoraregroundedthroughimpedance,the
principalelementofwhichisresistance.Thismethodisusedwhentheearthfault
currentwouldbetoolargeifnotrestricted(e.g.)MVGenerators.Here,aresistoris
connectedintentionallybetweentheneutralandearth.Thisistolimittheearthfault
current.

GobacktoIndex

Thereasonstolimittheearthfaultcurrent

Thereasonstolimittheearthfaultcurrentare:

1. Inrotatingelectricalmachineslikemotorsandgenerators,iftheearth
faultcurrentishigh,asinthecaseofsolidearthing,thecoredamagewould
behigh.Tolimitthedamagetothecore,machinemanufacturersallowonlya
limitedgroundfaultcurrent.

Thisisgivenintheformofacoredamagecurve.
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2. Atypicalvaluewouldbe25A100Afor1second.Thisvalueisusedasa
guideinselectingNGRandsettingstatorearthfaultrelaysingenerator
protection.

3. Windingdamageinrotatingelectricalmachinesisnotofserious
concern(Thoughwindingsareratedforfullfaultlevel).Therepairstowinding
damagescanbedonebythelocalrewinder.But,incaseofcoredamage,
repairscannotbecarriedoutatsite.Themachinehastobesentbacktothe
manufacturersworksforrepairsthusresultinginprolongedperiodsoflossof
production.

Sincerotatingelectricalmachinesarenotpresentinvoltagelevelsfrom22kV
onwards,thesesystemsareusuallysolidlygrounded.

4. X0/X1ratioofthesystemalsodecidestypeofneutralearthing.Ifthe
correspondingX0/X1ratiofallsunderthatpredefinedrange.Itisachoice
betweentoweathertodealwithhighervoltageorhighercurrentwhileunder
shortcircuit.Effectivelyearthedlowerstheovervoltagelimitofthehealthy
phaseswhileanotherphaseisshortcircuitedtoearth.Butthegroundfault
currentisveryhigh.

Thatmeanssystemwillneedahighcapacitybreakerbutinsulation
systemhastobemoderateBILrating.

Butastheneutraltoearthimpedanceincreasesgroundfaultcurrentreduces
butdoingsotheovervoltagefactorwillriseevenupto1.73times!So
requiresabreakerwithlowcurrentcapacitybuta
HIGHBILforallinsulationsystem.

LetusassumethatRphase(Phase1infigure4)isshortedtogroundthan:

If=Currentthroughshortedpath(Faultcurrent)
In=Currentthroughneutraltoearthconnection
Icy=CapacitivecurrentreturningviathenetworkPhase2(Yphase)earth
capacitances
IcB=CapacitivecurrentreturningviathenetworkPhase3(Bphase)earth
capacitances

Repeatingequation8wecanwrite:

If = In + IcY + IcB + Ir

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NeglectingIrandsubstitutingthefollowing:

In = -V1/Rn (Negativesignindicatesthatcapacitivecharging&discharging
currentareinphaseoppositiontocurrentthroughneutral)

IcY + IcB = Totalcapacitivecharginganddischargingcurrentofhealthyphase=

j3CwV1fromequation07

Phasordiagramrepresentationwillbe:

Figure 5 Phasor Diagram

SofinallyaftersubstitutionofInandIcY+IcBexpressionforgroundfaultcurrentin
MVsystemwouldbe:

If = -V1/Rn + j3CwV1 // Equation 10

Magnitudeofgroundfaultcurrentwillbe:

|If| = |V1|(I/Rn)2+ 9C2w2

GobacktoIndex

SystemearthingatEHVlevel

IncaseofHVsystem(above33kV)Capacitivegroundcurrentislargeenoughto
neutralizetheearthfaultcurrentshencenoresistanceisrequiredinneutralto
earthconnection.

Solidgroundingisuniversallyadoptedforfollowingreasons:

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1. Aswealreadyunderstoodthatitisachoicebetweenweathertodealwith
highervoltageorhighercurrentwhileundershortcircuit.AtEHVlevelifweoptfor
highervoltagethanduetohighercostofinsulationatEHVselectionofhigher
voltagewillnotbeaviableidea.

Itisbettertooptforhighercurrentbyselectingsolidgrounding.

2. RotatingmachinesarenotpresentatEHVsystemsothereisnouseoflimiting
thegroundfaultcurrentaswedoinMVsystem.Evenifrotatingmachinesare
presentbecauseofhighervoltagecapacitivegroundcurrentisalsolargeenoughto
neutralizetheearthfaultcurrent.

GobacktoIndex

REFERENCES:

1. IndustrialelectricalnetworkdesignguideBySchneiderelectric
2. Switchgearprotection&powersystemBySunilSRao,Khannapublications
3. EARTHING:YourquestionsansweredByGeoffCronshaw
4. IEEERecommendedPracticeforElectricPowerDistributionforIndustrial
Plants

RecommendedEEstuff//

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AboutAuthor//

Asif Eqbal
AsifEqbalBachelorofEngineeringinElectrical&
Electronicsengineering,fromManipalUniversity,
(Karnataka),Indiain2006.Presentlyinvolvedinthedesign
ofEHVoutdoorsubstationandcoalfiredthermalpower
plantsformorethansevenyears.MottoofjoiningEEPasa
contributoristosharemylittleengineeringexperienceand
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