Lessen 02

System Grounding & Earthing

p1
 Grounding vs Earthing
 Grounding
 Method used to connect power system neutral to earth
mat
 Current limited by source and neutral impedance
 Refer to IEEE Std 142 (1982, 1991, 2007) and
SANS 10200 (1985, 2015)
 Earthing and bonding (safety)
 Connection of equipment enclosures to earth mat, eg
SANS 10142 / 10199 / 10292

p2
 Grounding Methods 1
 Ungrounded System
 Neutral connection on transformer is not connected to earth at all

p3
 Grounding Methods 2
 Solid grounding
 Neutral connection on transformer is solidly connected to earth (0V)

p4
 Grounding Methods 3
 Resistance grounding
 Neutral connection on transformer is connected to earth (0V)
through a fixed resistance to limit the earth fault current

p5
 Low resistance grounding
 Earth fault limited to 300 A to 1000 A max
 This applies to all MV systems in South Africa

p6
 High resistance grounding
 Fault current limited to approximately 10 A
 Used in MV generator applications (power stations)
 Used in large captive MV motor applications
 Used in LV systems in mines

p7
 Grounding Methods 4
 Reactance grounding
 Neutral connection on transformer is connected to earth (0V)
through a fixed reactance to limit the earth fault current

p8
 Grounding Methods 5
 Petersen Coil grounding (arc suppression)
 Neutral connection on transformer is connected to earth through a
variable reactance to neutralize the capacitive earth fault current.
Results in arc extinction.

p9
 Grounding Methods 6
 NEC grounding (with and without resistance)
 In MV delta connected systems no earth connection is available. A three-phase
neutral electromagnetic compensator is connected to allow earth fault currents
to flow - allowing detection of these faults.

Add resistor here

p10
 Approaches in various countries
 USA - low resistive grounding
 UK - solid grounding to max 3500 A
- reactance grounding to 1250 A
- resistive grounding to 1000 A
- Peterson coils
 France, Germany, Sweden & Switzerland - Peterson coils
 Australia - solid grounding and lately low resistance
grounding is some places
 South Africa - low resistive grounding

p11
 Problems (caused by natural system impedances)
 Phase Faults (limited only by positive sequence
impedance of system)
 High Fault Currents.
 Only limited by positive sequence impedance of power system.

 Earth Faults
 Solid grounding means high earth fault currents
 Limited by positive, negative and zero sequence impedance of
power system.

p12
 Consequences
 High fault currents damage equipment extensively.
 Danger of fire hazard.
 This leads to long outage times.
 Lost production and lost revenue.
 High fault currents in earthing/bonding system gives rise to high
touch potentials - dangerous to human life.
 High fault currents are more hazardous in igniting gases.
 Explosion Hazard.

p13
 Solutions
 Phase Segregation (spacing far apart)
 Eliminates phase-to-phase faults.

 Resistance Grounding
 Means lower earth fault currents
 Value can be chosen during design stage to limit current to
desired value - say 350 A

p14
Benefits of low resistance grounding ..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.

p15
 Benefits of low resistance grounding ..2
 Low fault currents reduce possibility of igniting gases.
 Minimises explosion hazard.

 Lower magnetic and/or thermal stresses imposed on plant

during fault.

 Transient overvoltages limited

 Prevents stressing of insulation, breaker restrikes.

p16
p17
NER construction

p18
NECRT construction

p19
 Earthing and touch potentials
 Two examples

p20
Touch Potentials (Reb =1 Ω)

Person touches
motor
enclosure -
now live
1 730 V

p21
Touch Potentials (Reb = 10 Ω)

Lower
touch
1 730 V potential

p22
Any questions ?

p23