Section 2 - Grounding Principles

Grounding is very important, ensuring smooth operation of our control systems and to minimize upon
electrical shock hazards, noise, static electricity etc. Therefore, we always should create two separate
paths to ground for our Protection Earth (PE) and our Instrumentation Earth (IE).

Basically, we should have four types of grounding systems in our industrial electrical installations:

1 - Functional Earth (FE) grounding

2 - Protection Earth (PE) grounding

3 - Instrumentation Earth (IE) grounding

4 - Lightning Earth (LE) grounding/protection

5 – Static Electricity

It is very important that our grounding systems will be verified on regular bases (at least once a year),
ensuring a proper path to ground at any time/circumstances.

When having multiple buildings, using one combined MCC or buildings that are within 5 meters of each
other, then the grounding systems of corresponding buildings should be bonded/connected with each
other to prevent potential differences among our equipment/instruments etc (see also sheet 5).

In the next two slides, two schematic grounding system drawings will be shown: 1) standard grounding
system; 2) grounding system for plants/sites installed on bed-rock (i.e. no soil in which we could install
grounding rods).

Next Slide 2.0.1

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 Lightning Earth (LE)

The lightning protection consists of 1) an

LE antenna, to extract the lightning hit, and 2)
LE a grounding cable, which is isolated from
corresponding object that needs to be
LE protected against lightning hits.
LE

LE LE

= Zn+Fe or Zn+Cu bar to prevent it from

rusting and/or corroding
Buidling Steel
FE = Functional Earth
GG = (common) Ground Grid
IE = Instrumentation Earth
IG = Instrumentation Ground
LE = Lightning Earth PE
PE = Protection Earth
PLC/ MCC
DCS

Lightning Earth (LE): IE PE PE

An separate grounding rod will be used as PE Electrical

Lightning Earth (LE). The grounding rod Equipment: motors,
must be installed 4 to 5 meters away from control panels etc. Transformer TK-XXXX
Static LE FE
the nearest Ground Grid (GG) point. Equipment:
LE cable-trays,
Impedance must be smaller than or equal GG piping, GG
to 5-ohm, otherwise extra grounding rods LE
4--5M tanks etc.
will be installed. 4--5M
IG Functional Earth (FE):
GG LE
GG An separate grounding rod will be used as
4--5M 4--5M Functional Earth (FE). The grounding rod
Instrumentation Ground (IG): Ground Grid (GG):
must be installed 4 to 5 meters away from
Lightning Earth (LE): the nearest Ground Grid (GG) point.
An separate grounding rod will be used as Piling bar steel grounding by connecting
Instrumentation Ground (IG). The the grounding zinc steel bar to the bar An separate grounding rod will be used as Impedance must be smaller than or equal
grounding rod must be installed 4 to 5 steel ring inside the foundation. Lightning Earth (LE). The grounding rod to 5-ohm, otherwise extra grounding rods
meters away from the nearest Ground Grid must be installed 4 to 5 meters away from will be installed.
(GG) point. All ground connections to columns will be the nearest Ground Grid (GG) point.
thermal (MIG (Metal Inert Gas)) welded.
Impedance must be smaller than or equal Impedance must be smaller than or equal
to 1-ohm, otherwise extra grounding rods Impedance must be smaller than or equal to 5-ohm, otherwise extra grounding rods
will be installed. to 5-ohm, otherwise extra grounding rods will be installed.
will be installed.

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Section 2 Index
 Lightning Earth (LE)

The lightning protection consists of 1) an

antenna, to extract the lightning hit, and 2)
a grounding cable, which is isolated from
corresponding object that needs to be
protected against lightning hits, pulled all
LE the way to the ground.

LE LE Lightning protection isn't required in case

corresponding building is installed on
LE
bedrock alone with no soil-layer on top of
the bedrock whatsoever.

LE

= Zn+Fe or Zn+Cu bar to prevent it from

rusting and/or corroding
Buidling Steel
FE = Functional Earth
GG = (common) Ground Grid
Electrical
IE = Instrumentation Earth
Equipment: motors,
IG = Instrumentation Ground
PE control panels etc.
LE = Lightning Earth
PE = Protection Earth
PLC/ MCC
DCS

Horizontal Lightning Earth (LE) Rod IE PE

PE
In case there's a soil layer on top of the PE
bedrock, a horizontal lightning earth (LE)
rod of 4-5 meters in length should be Static TK-XXXX
burried underneath the soil, 8-10 meters Equipment:
away of the building. LE 4--5M Transformer
cable-trays,
GG piping, FE
It is not necessary to bury the horizontal tanks etc.
rod more than 0.5 meter underneath the GG
GG LE 4--5M
soil.
IG 4--5M GG

4--5M

4--5M

Horizontal Lightning Earth (LE) Rod Functional Earth (FE):

Instrumentation Ground (IG):
An separate grounding gird will be used as
Instrumentation Ground (IG). The
grounding grid must be installed 4 to 5
meters away from the nearest Ground Grid
(GG) point.
The grounding grid should be installed at
the ceiling, 3 meter above the ground,
inside the basement of corresponding
building.
Impedance must be smaller than or equal
to 1-ohm.
Ground Grid (GG):
In case there's a soil layer on top of the An separate grounding gird will be used as
bedrock, a horizontal lightning earth (LE) Functional Earth (FE). The grounding grid
The grounding grid should be installed at
rod of 4-5 meters in length should be must be installed 4 to 5 meters away from
the ceiling, 3 m eter above the ground,
burried underneath the soil, 8-10 meters the nearest Ground Grid (GG) point.
inside the basem ent of corresponding
away of the building.
building.
The grounding grid should be installed at
It is not necessary to bury the horizontal the ceiling, 3 meter above the ground,
All ground connections to colum ns w ill be
rod more than 0.5 meter underneath the inside the basement of corresponding
therm al (M IG (M etal Inert G as)) w elded.
soil. building.
Im pedance m ust be sm aller than or equal
Impedance must be smaller than or equal
to 5-ohm . to 5-ohm.

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