CIRED 20th International Conference on Electricity Distribution
Paper 0158
ACTIVE EARTHING SYSTEM FOR MV NETWORKS BY MEANS OF POWER
ELECTRONICS
F. J. PAZOS A. AMEZUA I. GUTIÉRREZ
Iberdrola - Spain Oldar Electrónica. - Spain
fj.pazos@iberdrola.es ama@ormazabal.com igu@ormazabal.com
ABSTRACT
This paper describes a new technology, the active earthing
system, based on a multi-frequency power converter, which
combines a new power electronic device with a protection
and control system.
This system allows network enhanced operation and
maintenance, overcoming some of the limitations of the
traditional earthing systems, giving rise to relevant
improvement in supply continuity.
INTRODUCTION
The type of neutral treatment has an important influence in
the behaviour of Medium Voltage (MV) networks. It
particularly affects voltage dips, swells and interruptions
and also fault location, since earthing system determines
several aspects of earth-faults such as fault current, duration
and, to a certain extent, their probability of occurrence.
So far, traditionally the MV neutral has been earthed by
means of passive elements, such as feeders' capacitances
and/or discrete elements namely reactors and resistors or,
simply, solidly earthed. In any case, when a fault happens,
conventional earthing systems are not able to modify the
current that flows through the fault or network neutral. It
does not provide any other function while there is no fault
in the network.
As a simplified summary of the state of the art, it can be
assumed that traditional earthing systems are divided into
the following categories:
• Solid earthing, i.e. null earthing impedance and earth-
fault current limited, basically, by the transformer (and
feeder) impedance. It gives rise to high fault currents
and low overvoltages
• Low impedance earthing. Earth-fault current limited by
the impedance value and the transformer impedance.
Lower fault currents and higher overvoltages.
• Isolated networks. Variable earth-fault current,
depending on feeders’ capacitance. Low fault currents
and high overvoltages
• Compensated (or resonant) networks. Earth-fault current
is kept below some tens of amperes, with high
overvoltages and longer fault durations.
The new active earthing system has the traditional
advantages of a resonant network, such as arc suppression
or low step and touch voltages. However, additional
features are achieved by the injection of a controlled
current.
CIRED2009 Session 1 Paper No 0158
Prague, 8-11 June 2009
G. SANTAMARÍA J. M. GARCÍA V. VALVERDE
Jema – Spain Ingeteam T&D-Spain EHU/UPV-Spain
g.santamaria@grupojema.com juanmari.garcia@ingeteam.com victor.valverde@ehu.es
THE “ACTIVE EARTHING” CONCEPT
“Active Earthing” means that any zero-sequence voltage
can be created injecting the appropriate current. When
desired and with the desired angle or frequency.
• In normal operation conditions, with no fault in the
network, neutral voltage can be modified, thus reducing
or increasing one phase-to-earth voltage to any value, as
shown in figure 1.
• During an earth-fault phase-to-earth voltages can be
modified as well, being able to eliminate the voltage in
the affected phase.
• Different frequencies can be injected in order to
improve the protection system behaviour.
3
1
3
2
1
3
2
1
2
Figure 1: Any phase to ground voltage can be created by
adding the appropriate zero-sequence voltage
The aim in developing the active earthing system is to
incorporate new features, related to system maintenance and
operation.
For maintenance purposes, it will improve weak insulation
detection, while the operation will take advantage of a
better detection of high impedance faults. A particular
improvement in this area will be the identification of
dangerous situations such as a direct contact of live
conductors to earth.
The enhanced earth-fault location will be useful for both
purposes.
As a consequence, some faults will be prevented from
appearing in the distribution network and those that happen
will be promptly detected and located, thus improving
continuity of supply and power quality.
To achieve that, the active earthing system comprises an
innovative protection system for the enhancement of earth-
CIRED 20th International Conference on Electricity Distribution
fault detection, faulted phase and feeder identification and
location. Consequently, the operation of the active earthing
system will limit the effects of interruptions, in terms of
reduction of both the number of users affected and duration.
This active system will behave as a low earth-fault current
earthing network, but with additional features which
dramatically improve the weak features of isolated or
compensated networks.
Regarding material stress due to overvoltages, the system
isolation can be periodically checked so the duration of the
overvoltage will be limited, leading to a reduced impact on
material.
ACTIVE EARTHING SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
This new active earthing system for the MV distribution
network, as shown in Figure 2, bases its operation on power
electronics and combines them with a protection and control
system, which obtains the necessary measurements to detect
and locate the fault.
It is the use of the power electronics what provides the
active system with the capacity to control the neutral current
and voltage throughout time.
The control of the neutral voltage and current is a key
feature in the system. Both magnitudes are related by
means of the zero-sequence impedance. This impedance
value needs to be calculated and updated in order to
maintain a proper system operation. Different criteria are
used to periodically perform the measurement, by injecting
a low current value of a chosen frequency, not characteristic
in the network. This injection allows calculating accurately
the value of the zero-sequence impedance. If they exist, the
value of the earthing impedance and the inherent unbalance
of the network are borne in mind.
HV/MV Transformer
By-pass
Figure 2. Active earthing system real-scale prototype and scheme
CIRED2009 Session 1 Paper No 0158
Prague, 8-11 June 2009
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As stated, the main feature allows controlling neutral
voltage and current, obtaining desired phase-to-earth
voltages, which can even be cancelled.
As a result, the system provides the network with an active
operation by injecting earth current (zero-sequence current)
controlled in value, angle and frequency.
Changing the value of neutral voltage does not affect users,
since the zero-sequence voltage is not transmitted to low
voltage networks.
Another key feature is the ability to choose the instant in
which each function is carried out. For instance, fault
extinction can be carried out after fault location, in order to
seek points of a feeder with repetitive failures.
Timing Control permits to obtain the advantages of each
earthing system, which allows performing the functions of
the active system: fault detection, location and extinction or
insulation testing.
In order to obtain more accurate magnitude calculations,
non-characteristic frequencies are injected for impedance
measurements.
• The value of the injected current is chosen depending on
the range that the active system has for the most
accurate measurements.
• Network configuration determines the way that current
flows. Being controlled current injection, it is known
how the current flows in normal operation situation. So,
injecting another controlled current when a fault
appears, it is possible to make accurate measurement
comparisons.
• The injected current frequency is determined by the
magnitude to be measured, so when capacitances are
measured, the selected frequency can be lower than the
one of the network and, when inductances need to be
measured accurately, higher one could be used
MV Busbar
MV Feeders
R-S-T
N ACTIVE EARTHING SYSTEM
Protection and Control System
(Converter control and relaying)
MV System Earth
CIRED 20th International Conference on Electricity Distribution Prague, 8-11 June 2009

Paper 0158

oriented maintenance guaranteeing the correct operation of

SYSTEM GENERAL OPERATION the distribution network.
The multi-frequency power converter works differently
depending on the needs.
• For fault extinction, it injects zero-sequence power
frequency current (i.e. 50 or 60 Hz) to cancel the voltage
of the faulted phase.
• For impedance calculations (capacitance calculation,
feeder identification or fault location), the converter
injects non-fundamental frequencies during some
milliseconds. These non-fundamental frequencies,
different from any other signals that can be found in
actual networks, allow measurements without external
influences, which leads to more precise fault location
and better high impedance fault detection.
• For insulation checking, the converter injects both
fundamental and non-fundamental frequency currents. Figure 3: customer supplies (phase-to-phase voltages) do
Fundamental current is necessary to shift the neutral, not suffer any change while an overvoltage is provoked in
while non fundamental currents are used for impedance the selected phase for condition-oriented maintenance.
calculations
Fault detection and location
Several functions are gathered together in one system The network is earthed through a converter, thus allowing
allowing functionality exceeding that achievable with detection of earth-faults by means of a zero sequence
conventional earthing systems. With all these new features: voltage.
• Insulation can be checked, even with the substation in When detecting the fault, the neutral voltage and current
normal operation.
The Active Earthing System is able to simultaneously control permit to maintain the fault for a short but enough
increase a phase-to-earth voltage and inject the time to locate it. For faulted feeder identification and fault
necessary signals for the protection system. location current is injected in the neutral, which a different
Thus, the protection system is able to detect and locate frequency, f0, from the network, i.e. 50 or 60 Hz, as shown
weak insulation points in overhead lines or in figure 4. As can be seen, the behaviour of the faulty
insufficiently rated surge arresters, allowing the feeder and sound feeders are completely different.
condition based maintenance of MV feeders. Therefore, the device identifies the faulted phase by
• During a feeder fault, the enhanced fault location can be comparing the f0 frequency zero-sequence voltage angle to
applied for both for transient and permanent earth-faults. that of the reference voltage.
A comparison between the proportion of the resistance and
The transient ones can be firstly located, for
maintenance purposes, and then extinguished without inductance will be also made for each feeder to find out the
opening the circuit breaker. faulted one and the distance from the bus-bar to the fault.
In case of permanent faults, it can be identified if the
fault is due to a contact (fallen line or a tree touching the
conductor) or if it is a leakage current due to a broken
insulator.
In case of a contact-fault, the point of fault will be also
located and, after that, tripped by the protection system
if necessary.
However, in case of a weak insulation points or partially
damaged underground cables, the new system will give
the chance to reduce faulted phase-to-earth voltage, to
keep the line working while the problem is fixed.

Network insulation testing and condition-oriented

maintenance
Controlled voltage changes are used to check the network Figure 7: Faulted feeder detection by comparison of the
insulation or minimise an insulation leakage problem until it calculated reactance (X) for each feeder, before and
is fixed. The protection features include a detection and during the fault
location of insulation failures. This occasional revision and
the fact that weak insulation points, cable solid insulation
and surge arresters are found, will allow a condition

CIRED2009 Session 1 Paper No 0158

 CIRED 20th International Conference on Electricity Distribution
Fault current control and transient earth-fault
extinction
Finally, the converter injects a neutral current of network
frequency, in a way that the phase-to-earth voltage of the
faulted phase is reduced to zero.
This will allow the fault extinction in case of being non-
permanent faults, which are extinguished when the fault
current is maintained below some tens of amperes.
In case of permanent earth-faults, the voltage of the faulted
phase can be reduced to suppress the arc but limiting the
overvoltages suffered by the sound phases, while the fault is
being isolated and fixed.
The failure of the voltage reduction to suppress the arc
entails the presence of a contact-fault (basically an
extremely short arc). In this case, the line can be
immediately tripped.
The timing of this process can be observed in figure 5. After
a phase-to-earth-fault is detected, the active earthing system
starts the neutral current injection to control the neutral
voltage, cancelling phase-to-earth voltage on the faulted
phase, leading to the extinction of the transient fault.
 
Figure 5: timing of earth-fault extinction
(Fault detection, feeder identification and fault location before
extinction has been removed for the sake of graph clarity)
CONCLUSIONS
The novel earthing system presented allows network
operation and maintenance (O&M) and continuity of supply
of the MV distribution network in which it is installed by
overcoming the limitations of the traditional earthing
systems used currently in distribution network MV
substations due to the capability of controlling the neutral
current and voltage of the network. It is based on the
combination of a multi-frequency power converter and a
protection and control system.
Mentioned improvements, not together achievable by means
of conventional earthing systems, are summarised as
follows:
• Transient earth-fault extinction: neutral current and
voltage control, by the injection of a network frequency
current in the neutral, permits reducing fault current to
the minimum as in resonant earthing
CIRED2009 Session 1 Paper No 0158
Prague, 8-11 June 2009
Paper 0158
• Fault detection: earthing through the converter leads
detecting the fault as easily as in a medium or solid
earthing system
• Faulted feeder identification and fault location: the
injection of multi-frequency currents in the neutral of
the network allows high impedance fault location and
identification of contact-faults.
• Network condition oriented maintenance: when
required by the user, an undervoltage or an overvoltage
is provoked in the selected phase voltage, while
detection and location are accomplished as stated before
• In case of a weak insulation points or partially damaged
underground cables, the new system will give the
chance to reduce faulted phase-to-earth voltage, to keep
the line working while the problem is fixed.
All the functionalities of this patented system lead to an
improved network performance for earth-faults, providing a
real possibility to carry out condition oriented maintenance.
The use of power electronics technology in MV distribution
networks is pointed out as a valuable resource for the
utilities to improve network maintenance and continuity of
supply.
After the corresponding integration tests and preceding the
final operation of the system, several real tests are going to
be held in the MV substation of Guernica. The latest results
of the application of this innovative system will be
presented at CIRED 2009 session.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism of the
Basque Government and the Spanish Ministry of Industry,
Tourism and Commerce are supporting this project.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] W. Petersen, "Protection of Alternating-Elctric-
Current Systems", US Patent, 1925
[2] Lehtonen, Hakolo, “Neutral Earthing and Power System
Protection”, Vaasa, Finland, ISBN 952-90-7913-3, 1996.
[3] G. Druml, A. Kugi, O.Seifert, "New Method to Control
Petersen Coils by Injection of Two Frequencies",
Proceedings of the 18th International Conference CIRED
2005
[4] G. Druml, A. Kugi, B. Parr, “Control of Petersen Coils”,
XI. International Symposium on Theoretical Electrical
Engineering, 2001.
[5] J. Grainger, W. Stevenson, Jr., “Power System
Analysis”, Singapore, 1994.
[6] J. Roberts, H. J. Altuve, D. Hou, “Review of Ground
Fault Protection Methods for Grounded, Ungrounded and
Compensated Distribution Systems, USA, 2001.
[7] G. Druml, O.Seifert, "New Method for the State
Evaluation of the Zero-Sequence System", 15th Power
Systems Computation Conference, Liege, 2005
[8] K. Winter, "The RCC Ground Fault Neutralizer – a
Novel Scheme for Fast Earth Fault Protection”, Proceedings
of the 18th International Conference CIRED 2005.