Experiment No.

: 7
Aim: To study about pipe earthing and plate earthing.
Earthing or Grounding
Earthing is important part in Electrical Power System. It is also important from the point of view
of protection and safety to the equipments and human beings. In substation important for, neutral
point of transformers and generators to ground and for connecting non-current carrying metal
part such as structures, overhead shielding wire, tanks, frames etc., to earth. The process of
connecting the metallic frame (i.e. non-current carrying part) of electrical equipment or some
electrical part of the system (e.g. neutral point in a star-connected system, one conductor of the
secondary of a transformer etc.) to earth (i.e. soil) is called Grounding or Earthing. Basic
earthing types are pipe earthing and plate earthing.
Pipe Earthing
Pipe earthing is the most commonly adopted method and is the best system of earthing,
compared to other systems. In this method of earthing, a galvanized iron and perforated pipe of
approved length and diameter is used as earth electrode.
The size of pipe depends upon the current to be carried and the type of soil. Usually pipe used
for this purpose is of diameter 40 mm and 2.5 m in length for ordinary soil or of greater length
in case of dry and rocky soil. The depth at which pipe must be buried depends upon the
moisture of the ground. According to Indian Standards, the pipe should be at a depth of 4.75
m if the moisture content in the soil is moderate. If there is sufficient moisture in the soil, the
depth of the pipe can be reduced up to 3.75 meters (minimum). The pipe is provided with a
tapered casting at the lower end in order to facilitate the driving. Pipe earthing is shown in
figure.

The bottom layer of the pipe should be surrounded by coke and charcoal for a distance of 15
cm around the pipe. Generally alternate layers of coke and salt are used to increase the
effective area of the earth and to decrease the earth resistance respectively. In summer season,
soil becomes dry, in such case, salt water is poured through the funnel connected to the main
G.I. pipe through 19 mm diameter pipe of minimum length 1.25 m. This keeps the soil wet.
The pipe has 12 mm diameter hole drilled in it so that water poured is made to spread in
charcoal layers to decrease the earth resistance. The earth wire (either GI wire or GI strip of
sufficient cross-section to carry fault current safely) is carried in a GI pipe of diameter 12 mm
at a depth of about 60 cm from the ground. Care must be taken that earth wire is well protected
from mechanical injury when it is carried over from one machine to another.

At the top, a cement concrete work is made for the protection of the earth pipe from
mechanical damage and to facilitate water pouring arrangement. A funnel with wire mesh is
provided in the concrete work. The pipe to which funnel is connected is further connected to
main earthing pipe.

The only disadvantage of pipe earthing is that the embedded pipe length has to be increased
sufficiently in case soil resistively is high enough. This increases the excavation work and
hence increased cost. In ordinary soil condition, the range of earth resistance should be 2 to
5 ohms.

In the places where rocky soil earth bed exists, horizontal strip earthing is used. This is
suitable as soil excavation required is difficult in such places. For such soils, earth resistance
is between 5 to 8 ohms.
Plate Earthing

This is another common system of earthing. In plate earthing, the earth connection is provided
with the help of copper plate or galvanized iron (G.I.) plate. According to standards, the
dimensions of G.I. plate should not be less than 60 cm * 60 cm * 6.3 mm and that of the
copper plate should not be less than 60 cm * 60cm

* 3.18 mm. The G.I. plates are commonly used now-a-days. The plate is embedded 3
meters (10 feet) into the ground. The plate is kept with its face vertical. Plate earthing
method is shown in figure.

The plate is surrounded by the alternate layers of coke and salt up to a distance of 15 cm
surrounding the plate. The funnel is provided for wetting the soil, whenever required. The
earth wire is drawn through G.I. pipe and is securely bolted to the earth plate with the help of
nuts, bolts and washers. These nuts and bolts must be copper if copper plate is used and of
galvanized iron if G.I. plate is used.
The earth lead used must be G.I. wire or G.I. strip of sufficient cross-sectional area to carry
the fault current safely. The earth wire is drawn through G.I. pipe of 19 mm diameter at about
60 cm below the ground. If the resistively of soil is high, then it is necessary to embed the
plate vertically at a greater depth into the ground.
The only disadvantage of this method is that method the discontinuity of the earth wire from
the earthing plate below the earth cannot be observed physically. This may cause misleading
and my result into heavy losses under fault conditions. A small masonry brick wall enclosure
with a cast iron cover on the top or an RCC pipe round the earth plate is provided to facilitate
its identification and for carrying out periodical inspection and tests.

Conclusion: