SYSTEM NEUTRAL EARTHING

THE PURPOSE OF EARTHING

 A number of points from Generators to consumer’s installations are

earthed (or Grounded).

 In our country we have an effectively grounded system.

 The purpose of earthing is:

 To provide a low impedance path to facilitate satisfactory

operation of protective schemes during fault conditions.

 To ensure that living beings in the vicinity of sub stations are not
exposed to unsafe potentials under steady state or fault
conditions.

 To retain system voltages within reasonable limits under fault

conditions and ensure that insulation breakdown voltages are not
exceeded.

 To provide an alternative path for induced current and there by

minimize electrical noise in communication circuits.
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 SYSTEM NEUTRAL
EARTHING
• UNGROUNDED SYSTEM

• A system, circuit, or apparatus without an

intentional connection to ground.
• Though called ungrounded, this type of system is
in reality coupled to ground through the distributed
capacitance of its phase windings and conductors.

• In the absence of a ground fault, the neutral of an

ungrounded system under reasonably balanced
load conditions will usually be close to earth
potential, being held there by the balanced
electrostatic capacitance between each phase
conductor and earth.
 SYSTEM NEUTRAL
EARTHING
• GROUNDED SYSTEM

• A system of conductors in which at

least one conductor or point(neutral
point of transformer or generator
windings) is intentionally grounded,
either solidly or through an impedance.
 SYSTEM NEUTRAL
•
EARTHING
EFFECTIVELY GROUNDED

• Grounded through a sufficiently low impedance such

that for all system conditions the ratio of zero
sequence reactance to positive sequence reactance
(X0 / X1) is positive and less than 3, and the ratio of
zero sequence resistance to positive sequence
reactance (R0 / X1) is positive and less than 1.

• The effectively grounded system permits the

application of surge arresters with less than line- to-
line voltage ratings. Ground fault currents will be
approximately of the same magnitude as three –
phase fault currents.
 SYSTEM NEUTRAL EARTHING
• Advantage of neutral grounding
• The system is not subjected to over
voltage surges due to arcing grounds
during earth faults as the current flowing
through the neutral to ground connection
will be almost equal and opposite to the
capacitive current from healthy lines to
ground.

• During a line to ground fault the voltage

of healthy line do not increase beyond √3
times normal value as in the case of
ungrounded system.
 SYSTEM NEUTRAL
• EARTHING
Advantage of neutral grounding

• Earth fault relaying is simple and isolation of faulty

circuit is quick and fast.

• Earth fault can be located easily as compared with

ungrounded system.

• Improved service reliability.

• Due to stable neutral point, the voltages are held

nearer the declared voltages.

• The over voltage due to lightning is discharged to

earth as an easy earth path is provided.
 SYSTEM NEUTRAL
• EARTHING
EQUIPMENT GROUNDING

• Equipment grounding is different from system neutral

grounding.

• Equipment grounding is to ground the non-current carrying

parts with ground connection.

• The objective of equipment grounding is to ;

1. To ensure freedom from dangerous electric shock voltage

exposure to persons in the area.
2. To provide current carrying capability both in magnitude and
duration, adequate to carry ground fault current permitted
by over current protective system without creating a fire or
explosive hazard.
3. To contribute to better performance of the electrical system.
 SUB STATION EARTH

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 SUB STATION EARTH

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 SYSTEM NEUTRAL EARTHING
• INSULATION CO-ORDINATION

• Transformers are subjected to over voltages.

• The insulation level of a transformer should co-ordinate with

the protective level of the surge arrester.

• Neutral grounding at each voltage level from generation to

distribution is necessary from the view point of over voltages.

• The transformers experience the over voltage at power

frequency and also impulse voltage due to lightning and
switching surges.

• Switching transients and travelling waves are the major cause

for over voltages.

• The surge arresters (lightning arresters) divert the transient

over voltages to earth and protect the transformer insulation.
 SYSTEM NEUTRAL
EARTHING
• INSULATION LEVEL OF A TRANSFORMER

• Basic insulation level is a term which includes

the following characteristics of a transformer;

1.Power frequency voltage withstand level

2.Lightning impulse voltage withstand level

3.Switching impulse voltage withstand level

 SYSTEM NEUTRAL
EARTHING
• Insulation co-ordination is correlation of
insulation of equipment and circuit with the
characteristics of protective devices such that
the insulation is protected from over voltages.

• The surge arrester provided for transformer

protection should spark over at a voltage less
than the insulation withstand voltage of the
transformer. In other words , the protective
device must have a lower break down voltage
than insulation to be protected.
 SYSTEM NEUTRAL
• STANDARDEARTHING
VALUES OF WITHSTAND
VOLTAGES
Normal voltage Highest system Impulse One minute
kV voltage kV withstand power
standard wave frequency
kV (peak) withstand kV
(rms)
11 12 75 35

33 36 170 75

66 72.5 325 140

110 123 550 230

132 145 650 275

220 245 1050 450

400 420 1550 680