Design and Calculation of 66kV Neutral Grounding Resistor for Main

Transformers in Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex(BIPC) Power Station

Located in South West of IRAN

Hamid.R. Izadfarl, M.R.Farsad2,Davood Andavari3,S.Shokri4

1, 4Department of Power Engineering, University of K.N.T

2Energy Farda consultant Engineers

3Energy Farda consultant Engineers

This substation transforms 132KV overall network of Iran

Abstract Types of grounding system for Industrial
Networks lower than 45kV and upper than 132kV voltage
levels are clearly recommended in standards, but for some
voltage levels in between, such as 66kV, is not specified.
BIPC's step up transformers have dY connected winding,
13.8/66kV rating voltage and secondary side of them has
been solidly grounded. The high intensity current of
frequent Earth Faults in 66kV distributed network in BIPC,
caused disruptive effects. In order to limit the short circuit
current, calculation has been made to change the existing
grounding of step up transformers in BIPC power station.
Obviously, the insertion of a resistor in transformers
neutral grounding system is affected by; short circuit
current protection, unbalance voltages, operation of existing
protections, charging currents, and... .This paper introduces
important scientific and applicable notes witch has resulted
from months of studies and discussions by some power
engineers and experts. These results will be good references
for neutral grounding resistor calculation, in general.
I. INTRODUCTION
BIPC has 4 gas turbine units in its power station. This units
produce 13.8KV voltage. There is one transformer for each
unit with 82.1MVA capacity, dY connected winding and
13.8KV/66KV ratio. Secondary side of them has been
solidly grounded. Output feeders have connected to 66KV
Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS). GIS has 2 bus bars. BIPC's
units have been connected to one of them and the other bus
bar is fed by 2 feeders from KWPA substation. There are 2
parallel transformers in KWPA substation. These
transformers have 30MVA Capacitive; Dy connected
winding with solidly grounded neutral in secondary side.
to 66KV.There are different voltage levels in BIPC such as
66KV, 6.6KV,3.3KV and low
voltage(400V,220,110,.. .).most number of electrical faults
in BIPC is line to ground (LG) fault in 66KV voltage
levels. Solidly grounded neutral of main transformers
causes high current fault. High released energy at these
moments has very danger for human and equipment. For
this reason, improvement of main transformers grounding
system has been studied.
II. SHORT CIRCUIT ANALYSIS
BIPC existing network short circuit analysis gets the
following results: Maximum currents for 3 phase short
circuit (LLL), 2 phases short circuit (LL), 2 phases to
ground short circuit (LLG) and line to ground short
circuit (LG) in 66KV voltage level with neglecting of
motors injecting motors are: 22KA,19KA, 24.7KA,
25.9KA, respectively. When a LG fault is accrued voltage
drop in 66KV network on faulted phase is 75% up to
100% and in medium voltage(MV) network is 47% up to
78% (depended on this fault is on witch feeder and haw
much distance from GIS). There for trouble voltage drop
is accrued in MV motor buses. Neutral grounding resistor
can improve this subject.
III. NEUTRAL GROUNDING SYSTEMS
According to IEEE standard, the types of neutral
grounding systems are: ungrounded system, solidly
grounded system, resistance grounded, reactance
grounded, resonant grounded. Table 1 shows the standard
grounding systems for different voltage levels of Iran
network [1].

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 Tablel .Standard grounding system for Iran networks
C 0.00736c *10-3 (1)
Nominal Voltage Highest Voltage
(kV rms) (kV rms)
Grounding
system
log10
d)
400 420 effectively
CO=capacitance to ground in ,uF/Feet
D= diameter over insulation for cable
230 245 effectively d = diameter over conductor
132 145 effectively £ =specific inductive capacitance of insulation
effectively Size and length of 66KV cables in BIPC is according to
66 & 63 72.5
ineffectively table 2.
20 24 .effectively
ineffectively
Table 2.Charcteristics of 66KV Cables
Charging
From the different types of systems, reactance Cable Length Y-(Oc)
grounded and resonant grounded is not useful for (in) (ymholkin) Current
BIPC network. But resistance grounded system has 3(1 x95)/Cu/XLPE 13950 0.000041 65.38
good property for it. In this method neutral point is
grounded through one or more resistance. In high 3(1 x240)/Cu/XLPE 3550 0.000058 23.54
resistance grounding (HRG) short circuit current is
less than IOA. This system is used for lower than 3(1 x800)/Cu/XLPE 1400 0.000094 15.4
15KV networks [2]. In low resistance grounding
(LRG) is upper than IOOA [2] (up to IOOOA or
more).HRG is not useful for BIPC network. Because There for 66KV cable charging current is:
this system is used when clearing of the first fault is 3hco = 65.3 8+23.54+15.4=1 04.32A
not necessary. Also it is operational for lower than 6.6KV & 3.3KV CABLES
15KV networks. LRG system I used for 3.45KV up to Charging currents of BIPC MV cables are very small and
69KV networks [3]. neglected
6.6KV & 3.3KV Electric Machines
Iv. CHARGINC CURRENT CALCULATION Charging current for electric machines is equal with[4]
Capacitance between one phase and earth, defines 3Ico = 0.05 * Pn A (2)
network charging current .For each of equipment,
charging current calculated and summation of them is P=out put horse power
total network charging current. In this section, we n= rpm
calculated BIPC network charging current. This current is about 0.4A and neglected.
TRANSFORMERS Total charging current
Charging current for transformers is about [4] BIPC charging current is some of above sequences:
0.05A/MVA 31C0=42.42+104.32=146.74A
Total installed main transformer capacity in BIPC is as
follows: MAX. AND MIN. 66KV FEEDERS CHARGING CURRENTS
- 66KV/3.3KV and 66KV/6.6KV transformers capacity If neutral is grounded through a resistor, its current under
= 460MVA. fault condition must be more than maximum charging
- KWPA transformers capacity = 2*30=60MVA currents of feeders. Although all transformers can be
- BIPC power station transformers capacity grounded with communal resistor, it isn't suitable. Because
=4*82.1=328.4MVA when a fault accrues on each transformer out put, all
There for total transformers charging current with transformers will be tripped. For this reason it is better than
neglecting from minor transformers is: each transformer grounded with particular resistor.
0.05*(460+60+328.4) = 42.42A The examination shows that, in worth case, BIPC electric
66KV CABLES energy supplied by 3 transformers. There for the current
66KV cables charging current be calculated from through each resistance must be bigger than 50A, at least.
flowing equation [4]

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For producing a good protection, earth fault relay 200
:1(A)
sensitivity and it setting must be so that, it is bigger than 200'
charging current in unfaulted feeders. Also it set on 10% of
200/1*0. (Min.tap) =20(A). Minimum pickup current
maximum short circuit current. Fig 3 in appendix shows
Using relay 0.1-1(A) ranges will provide satisfactory
one of different cases for charging currents flow with a LG
pickup range 20-200A and more.
fault in BIPC.
VII. NEW EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION
V. NEUTRAL GROUNDING RESISTANCE (NGR) DETERMINATION
Grounding system modification needs to new equipment
NGR determination affected by following notes:
for installation in BIPC network. This equipment is:
- Maximum trip time of network circuit breakers.
-NGR for each main transformer in BIPC and KWPA
- Current transformers ranges.
-equipping of all GIS output feeders with earth fault relay
- Network short circuit levels.
(50N) if there isn't enough protection under new
- Allowable maximum fault current for network.
conditions.
When a LG fault is accrued, real sequence of LG current
-equipping of input feeders in KWPA switchgear and GIS
must be bigger than the sum of charging current in 3
with Restricted Earth Fault (REF) relay.
phases - equipping of all input feeders in GIS with standby earth
1
IC U XC (3) fault relay such as 5 IN relay if there isn't.
XIC , cX
Also some of relay settings must be modify. Because of
>jIC =3UwC (4) LG fault current reduced about 20 times with respect to
1 solidly grounding system.
E IR >2EIC
Z > >3UwC > R < (5)
R 3woC (5
Minimum current for each NGR must be 50A.Out put GIS VIII. LIMITTER SUBJECTS IN RELAYS SETTING
feeders CT ratio is 200/1A. If each NGR is limited to 200A, NGR causes that unfaulted phases voltages increase when
with setting of over current relay instantaneous element on a fault is accrued. In fault position this voltages may
0.1, perfect protection will produce for LG fault current reach to line voltages (i.e. 1.732 times).Hence one major
more than 20A. limiters are existing voltage relays on HV and MV levels.
For currents of lower than 150A, with attention to existing We must aware these setting relays and new protection
ratio CTs, identification of ground faults in far distance must be set so that before voltage relay operation, fault
from GIS with high impedance isn't capable. Also currents cleared.
of bigger than 200A, is caused unbalance voltage more than IX. VOLTAGE UNBALANCE
1% in MV networks and this reduces efficiency of MV Insertion of NGR in grounding system has effects
electric motors. There for selection of 200A grounding on equipment and network electrical parameters.
resistance for neutral points of transformers is useful. Although using of NGR causes increase voltages when a
LG fault accrued, balancing of voltage in MV and LV
VI. ICALCULATION OF RESISTANCE networks will improve. Figs. 1 and 2 compare unbalance
Resistance must be installed in secondary side of voltages in 2 different case of grounding system on
transformers, where line voltage is 66KV.Resistance several positions of BIPC network with a LG fault in
calculated as follows: 66KV level.
- Voltage rating of ground resistor This figures show unbalance voltage in 66KV networks a
66 few increases. But in MV networks unbalance voltage
VL_N -= 38. KV (6)
very reduces and reaches to zero, nearly. Hence transient
For 82.1MVA,13.8/66KV and 60MVA, 132/66KV, delta- stability in this level of network fortifies. Main electrical
star connected transformers, the current must be limited to motors work in this voltage level.
200A.Hence:
38100
R= 190A (7)
200
200

Using a 200/1A current transformer:

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 between neutral point of transformer and NGR its nominal
45 voltage would be 3 8.1KV.
40% In 1st case, although CT is cheaper but if NGR and earth
0) connection omitted CT will destroy. Because of in LG fault
30 moment, neutral point voltage increases to 38.IKVand CT
25
C(
.

20
will see this voltage.
g 15 Voltage and current fault analysis is done in many papers.
10 Readers can refer to [5] and [6].Our goal in this paper was
5 introduction the basic and important operational notes and
0 avoided from mention of done searches and studies.
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27
REFERENCES
66 kV Short Circuit Buses
[1] Ghods Niroo consultant Engineers." standard for
Solid Grounding 132/20(33) KV substation,"
Resistance Grounding (200 A) [2] IEEE Stdl4l-1993.
[3] Dr.Luke, L.Henriks," Selection of System Neutral
Figl. BIPC 66KV buses unbalance voltage Grounding Resistor and Ground Fault Protection
for Industrial Power Systems," IEEE. Paper No.
PCIC-91-5 1.
35
[4] www.ipc-resistor.com"Ground Fault Protection on
30
Ungrounded and High Resistance Grounded
X 25 Systems Application Guide"
0 20 [5] "Resistance Grounded Systems," Copyright 2002
a) 15 Kilowatte classroom,LLC.
X 10
0 5 [6] J.Roberts, Dr.Hector,J.Altuve,Dr.Daqing
O_ Hou"Review"Reviw of Ground Fault Protection
Methods for Ground,Unground and Compensated
1 3 5 7 9 111315171921232527 Distribution Systems"scheitzer engineering
66 kV Short Circuit Buses labratoies,Inc

Solid Grounding -Resistance Grounding (200 A)

Fig2. BIPC 3.3KV buses unbalance voltage

X. CONCLUSION
With NGR, LG fault current and released energy reduces.
There for safety for personal and equipment is improved.
Damping of over voltage and unbalance voltage in MV
reduces. Adding of new equipment may be impossible
because switchgear is GIS type.
Also radio interferences may increase with respect to
solidly grounding systems. Charging currents, voltage relay
settings, sensitivity of current relay for high impedance and
far away fault identification, CTs ratio,...are major
parameter for resistor calculation.
With NGR network needs to new protections. In NGR
cubicle CT is located between NGR and earth. In this case
the nominal voltage of CT is low (400V).If it located

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APPENDIX

1 B1

ifli

233

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1 2_A
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Fig. 1Lcharging current flow in BIPC network

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