WHAT IS ARCING GROUND PHENOMENA?

Arcing ground is a phenomenon which is observed in ungrounded 3 phase system . In an

ungrounded system capacitance are formed between phase and ground. The voltage across
this capacitance is phase voltage. During fault this voltage reduced to zero in faulted line
where as in other phase increased by a factor of 3.
The arc between the faulty conductor and ground gets extinguished and restarts many times,
this repeated initiation and extinction across the fault causes severe voltage oscillations of
order nearly 3 to 4 times that of nominal voltage. This repeated arcing across the fault due to
capacitance between the conductors and the ground is known as arcing grounds.
MATHEMATICAL EXPLAINATION
Under normal condition the capacitance between lines are negligible compared to line to
ground capacitance.
Here line to ground capacitance CR=CY=CB=C and voltages across capacitors are phase
voltage i.e VRN,VYN and VBN.
The capacitive current IR=IY=IB=Vph/Xc.
The capacitive currents IR ,IY and IB lead their respective phase voltages VRN, VYN and VBN by
90 as shown in the phasor diagram . The three capacitive currents are equal in magnitude
and are displaced 120 from each other. Therefore, their phasor sum is zero, so no current
flows to ground and the potential of neutral is the same as the ground potential. Therefore,
ungrounded neutral system poses no problems under normal conditions.

Under fault condition.

The current across CB is zero since both ends are neutral.The voltage driving IR and
IY through line R and Y are VBR and VBY. Here VBR and VBY are line voltages and IR and IY are
essentially capacitive.
So, IR=IY=3*Vph/Xc
The fault current IC in line B is vector sum of IR and IY,hence IC=IR+IY=3*Vph/Xc.

HOW TO ELIMINATE ARCING?

Arcing ground can eliminate by using Arc suppression coil grounding also known as Peterson
coil. Peterson coil is iron cored coil connected between neutral and ground which induces
inductance in the circuit to neutralize capacitive fault current.