ELECTRICAL

EARTHING

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Special Note:
The approach here is based on standard IEEE
80 (Safety in AC substation grounding)
These discussions are for illustration only
Grounding practices are subject to local
regulations/codes which will take precedence

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Objectives of grounding:
Provides an electrical supply system with a
reference to the groundmass (system grounding)
Protective grounding of electrical equipment
enclosures
Makes them safe to persons who may come into contact with them
Enables the flow of fault current in the event of a failure

Provides a low impedance path for accumulated

static charges and surges (lightning protection
grounding)
Helps in mitigating the generation and
propagation of noise (grounding of shields and
signal reference planes)
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Earthing System
Shall satisfy Safety, Functional requirements of
electrical installation
Shall ensure
Protection against indirect contact
Proper functioning of electrical protective devices
Protective and functional requirements are met under
expected conditions
Earth fault, earth leakage currents can be carried safely
Adequate strength appropriate to external influences
Adequate value of earthing resistance
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Benefits (1)
Fault damage now minimal
Reduces fire hazard (especially in mines)

Lower outage times

Less lost production, less lost revenue

Touch potentials kept within safe limits

Protects human life

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Benefits (2)
Low Fault Currents reduce possibility of
igniting gases
Minimizes explosion hazard

Lower Magnetic or thermal stresses imposed

on plant during fault
Transient overvoltages limited
Prevents stressing of insulation, breaker restrikes

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Fault in an Ungrounded System:

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System grounding
Provides reference for the entire power system
to groundmass
Establishes a path for current to ground during
insulation failure
Provides protection against equipment damage
due to faults
Provides protection against high voltage
transients
Enables detection by circuit protective devices
for isolation
Reduces maintenance time and expenditure
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Fault in Ungrounded system

Single phase ground fault does not result in flow
of high fault currents
Voltage to ground of other two phases rises by
73% - Causes insulation stress
Fault current = Vector sum of capacitive currents
in the distributed capacitive reactance of other
two phases

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Fault in Ungrounded system

Intermittent first fault causes transient voltages
up to 6 to 8 times nominal system voltage
Such high transient voltage can initiate a second
fault at weakest insulation point
Uncleared arcing fault can cause extensive
damage to system
Early detection of first fault therefore of
paramount importance

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Effect of neutral (system) grounding:

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Ground fault current flow:

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Grounding methods 1
Ungrounded System
Neutral connection on Generator/ Transformer is
not connected to earth at all

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Grounding methods 2
Solid grounding
Neutral connection on
Generator / Transformer is
connected to earth by a
solid Conductor
Cost Reductiuons due to
avoidance of sensitive
relays and grounding
device,
Grading
of
insulation towards neutral
end.
But Circulation of third
harmonic
currents
between neutrals
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Grounding methods 3
Resistance grounding
Neutral connection on
Generator / Transformer
is connected to earth (0V)
through a fixed resistance
to limit the earth fault
current
Mainly used below 33 KV
Full line to line insulation
required towards neutral

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Grounding methods 4
Reactance grounding
Neutral connection on
Generator
/
transformer
is
connected to earth (0V)
through
a
fixed
reactance to limit the
earth fault current
Can
be
cheaper
compared to resistance

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Grounding methods 5
Petersen Coil grounding
(arc suppression)
Neutral
connection
on
transformer is connected to
earth (0V) through a variable
reactance to neutralise the
capacitive earth fault current.
Results in arc extinction

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Grounding methods 6
NEC grounding (with and without resistance)
In HV delta systems no earth connection is available. A 3
phase neutral grounding compensator is connected to allow
earth fault currents to flow - allowing detection of these faults

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Protective grounding
Protects personnel against shocks
Personnel do not experience dangerous high
voltages when contacting enclosure accidentally
connected to live parts
Provides a low impedance path for accumulated
static charges and surges (lightning protection
grounding)
Helps in mitigating the generation and
propagation of noise (grounding of shields and
signal reference planes)
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Importance for Earthing

An Electrical equipment is considered dead when

At or about zero potential

Disconnected/ Isolated from live system
Disconnection alone not adequate
Can retain stored charge
Can acquire a static charge
Can accidentally be made alive
Nearby live conductors may induce voltage

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Importance of Earthing
! Ensure earthing before working on electrical

equipment
Earthing
Connect apparatus electrically to general mass of earth in such a
manner as will ensure at all times an immediate safe discharge of
electrical energy
Connect to earthed metal earth bar or spike with good metallic
conductor

Earthing by
Closing of earthing links
Attaching of fixed earthing devices
Affixing of portable earthing straps
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Importance of Earthing
Ensure before applying earth
Earthing connection is mechanically, electrically in
good condition
No broken strands
Clamps should be rigid and without defect
Applied properly in intimate contact with conductors
and earth-bar/ spike
Earthing cable tails as short as possible
Connect to earth first when installing earthing,
disconnect earth last while removing earthing
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Hazards of improper Earthing

Electrocution
Burns from arcing
Electric shock leading to falls

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Bonding
Connecting of various grounding systems and
non current carrying parts
To achieve potential equalization between
different accessible conducting surfaces
Potential
difference
between
different
accessible conducting surfaces, different
grounding systems hazardous

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Typical Earthing System

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Touch, Step, Transferred Voltages

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Touch Voltage
Permissible Touch Voltage
Voltage at any point of contact with
uninsulated metal work
Within 2.5 mtrs from ground surface and
Any point on ground surface within
horizontal distance of 1.25 mtrs from
vertical projection of point of contact with
uninsulated metal work
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Step Voltage
Difference
in
experienced by a
distance of 1 mtr
without contacting
object

surface
potential
person bridging a
with his feet apart,
any other earthed

Shall not exceed twice the value of Touch

voltage

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Touch potentials (Reb =1 )

Person
touches
transformer
tank now live

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Touch potentials (Reb = 10 )

Lower
touch
potential

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Transferred Potential
Make Allowances for
Transferred potential during design,
installation
Voltage drop in conductors (where voltage
rise in earthing system is transferred by
metal work to remote location)
Otherwise regard Transferred potential as
earthing system voltage rise
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Transferred Earth Potential Rise

Earthing system shall be designed to
prevent
Transfer of earth grid potentials to a
remote earth
Transfer of a remote earth potential into a
station
Breakdown of cable over-sheaths due to
voltage differences
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Substation grounding practices-1:

Grounding design approach depends upon:
Voltage class of the system
Type of installation (Utility or consumer)

LV Systems:
Usually solidly grounded
Metallic contact between ground of consumer and
system neutral
Special cases such as SELV power supplies may be
of ungrounded type

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Substation grounding practices-2:

MV Systems:
Self contained systems (E.g., Turbo generators): High
resistance grounding
Industrial systems: Low resistance
Critical systems: Tuned grounding OR Ungrounded
(for small systems)
Utilities: Solid grounding

HV/EHV Systems: Solid grounding

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A typical ground electrode:

Materials
Copper
Copper clad steel
Galvanized steel
Copper clad stainless
steel

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A typical chemical electrode:

Sometimes called a
leach electrode
Chemical mixtures are
added to lower
resistance of soil
Needs regular
maintenance

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Ground Potential Rise-Example:

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Ground Potential Rise-Example:

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Voltages in grounding system:

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Area of ground grid:

HV (outdoor) substations use a buried ground grid for
dissipation of fault current to the soil
Lower grid resistance to earth is preferable
It reduces the ground potential rise with ref. to remote earth
Also reduces mesh voltage. Lower mesh voltage is safer
because it lowers touch/step voltages
Grid of larger area has lower ground resistance and
results in lower grid voltage and mesh voltage
Further reduction by using vertical electrodes welded to the
grid

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Soil resistivity:
Soil resistivity should be based on an average of
measurements done in the substation area
Simple designs assume uniform soil
Non uniform soil involves complex design steps
and requires computer programs
Lower resistivity results
resistance of the grid

in

lower

ground

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Other issues to be taken note of:

Soil layers may differ in resistivity
Two layer soil model to be considered if
variations are found to be high at different
depths
Transferred potential due to buried services
going to/ from the substation (water mains, cable
metallic sheath)
Introduce non-conducting sections where
feasible to avoid transfer of Ground potential
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Special attention to be paid to:

Operating handles of equipment:
Most fatalities occur due to high touch potential at these points
Should be made safe by special arrangements

Substation fence:
Decision regarding keeping isolated vs connecting to substation
ground

Surge arrestors:
Short, direct and low impedance connections

GIS extensions

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Effective substation grounding - 1:

Size ground conductors adequately
Use proper bonding and jointing in ground
conductors. Poor joints cause high temperatures
during a fault to ground
Select appropriate ground electrode system
Pay attention to soil resistivity. Carry out soil
improvement if resistivity is too high. Use
chemical electrodes if situation warrants

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Effective substation grounding - 2:

Pay attention to step and touch potentials
Building foundations can also be used as
grounding electrodes
Integrate fence of outdoor substations as far as
possible. Avoid transferred potential from
services entering or leaving a substation
Pay special attention to operating handles

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Effective substation grounding - 3:

Cable trays to be properly grounded
Surge arrestors to be grounded using short low
impedance connections
Carry out temporary grounding for safety when
personnel have to work on parts which are
normally live

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Rings of equal potential on earth fault

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Recommended maximum grounding

resistance values
Maximum Grounding Resistance ()
Substation Capacity

Below 4.16kV

Above 4.16kV

Below 1000kVA

10

1000kVA ~ 5000kVA

More than 5000kVA

15

25

Small Distribution
Transformer Banks

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Grounding Methods - Comparison

Characteristics

Ungrounded

Solid
Grounding

Low
Resistance
Grounding

High
Resistance
Grounding

Personnel Safety

Poor

Better

Good

Best

Immunity to
Transient Over
voltages

Poor

Good

Good

Best

Voltage stress
during ground fault

Poor

Best

Good

Poor

Potential flashover
to ground

Poor

Worst

Good

Best

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Grounding Methods - Comparison

Characteristics

Ungrounded

Solid
Grounding

Low
Resistance
Grounding

High
Resistance
Grounding

Protection against Arc

Fault damage

Worst

Poor

Better

Best

Ease of providing
Ground fault protection

Worst

Good

Better

Best

Service Reliability

Worst

Good

Better

Best

Continuity of Service

Better

Poor

Poor

Best

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Grounding Methods - Comparison

Characteristics

Ungrounded

Solid
Grounding

Low
Resistance
Grounding

High
Resistance
Grounding

Reduction in Fault
frequency

Worst

Better

Good

Best

Ease of Fault
Location

Worst

Good

Better

Best

Protection device
coordination

Not possible

Good

Better

Best

Maintenance Cost

Worst

Good

Better

Best

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Any questions ?

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