Electrical Power Supply System For

Underground Coal Mines

Dr. Ananda Shankar Hati
Assistant Professor & Chartered Engineer (Electrical)
Department of Mining Machinery Engineering.
Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad
Power Supply System in U/G Mines
The general conditions and requirements of electrical supply system
for coal mine should have the following desirable features
• Reducing damage to equipment and danger of fire and methane explosion to a
minimum.
• Minimizing danger of electrical shock from exposed metal work or from
touching live conductors.
• Achieving maximum series and parallel discrimination between faulty and
healthy circuits.
• Attaining high reliability of protection schemes incorporated.
• Economic points.
 Standard Modes of Neutral Grounding
The three standard modes of neutral grounding for
electrical power supply system used in coal mines
all over the world can be broadly classified into
three types
1. Solidly-earthed neutral system
2. Restricted-neutral system
3. Insulated-neutral system
Possibility of Electric shock hazard from machine frame
during E/F in solidly earthed neutral system
 Calculation of Earth Fault Current
550ൗ
3
𝐼𝐹 =
𝑍𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠 + 𝑍𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 + 𝑍𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛

317.54
=
0.01 + 𝑗0.25 + 0.075 + 𝑗0.02 + 0.15 + 𝑗0.04
= 817 𝐴
 Hazard of large fault current
Large earth fault current causes the following hazard
1. Shock Hazard
2. Fire Hazard
3. Explosion Hazard
 Calculation of Rise in Voltage
Rise in Voltage = 𝐼𝐹 ∗ 𝑍𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑓𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑡
= 817 ∗ 0.15 + 𝑗0.04
= 127 𝑉
The rise in voltage occurs at the end of the equipment.
The rise in voltage should be less than 100V to prevent shock
hazard.
 Limiting fault current
Thereby, the fault current in the underground mines must be restricted to
maximum of 750 mA.
To limit the fault current resistance has been introduced in the circuit.
Therefore, the resistance value RN should be
𝑍𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠 , 𝑍𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 & 𝑍𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑑
550ൗ
3
IF =
RN
−3
317.54
or 750 × 10 =
RN
317.54
or R N =
750 × 10−3
therefore, R N = 424Ω
Reduction of electric shock hazard from machine
frame in restricted-neutral system.
 Calculation of Rise in Voltage for restricted
neutral system
Rise in Voltage = 𝐼𝐹 ∗ 𝑍𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑓𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑡
= 750 × 10−3 ∗ 0.15 + 𝑗0.04
= 0.12𝑉
Therefore, the following hazard that has been minimized are
1. Shock Hazard
2. Fire Hazard
But, explosion hazard still remains.
 Comparison between Solidly-earthed, Restricted
and Insulated neutral system
Solidly-earthed neutral Restricted-neutral Insulated-neutral
system system system
Earth fault currents Approximately 750 mA
Approx 250 mA with ten
released with a 550 V, 300 Around 700 to 1000 A with a 424 ohm neutral
standard circuits in parallel
KVA transformer resistor
Voltages of healthy phases May rise above rated phase Rises to 1.73 times phase
Remains at rated phase volt
under earth fault condition volt voltages
In parallel-yes; in series In parallel-yes; in series In parallel-no; in series
Selectivity
with time grading with time grading with time grading
Earth Fault relay operating
Sluggish Faster Faster
time
Transient over-voltages due 5-6 times normal-voltage
Does not occur provided
to switching on to an earth Does not occur may occur during repetitive
RN ≤ Xc
faulted line earth fault
 Solidly-earthed Restricted-neutral Insulated-neutral
neutral system system system
Effective lighting surge diversion Maximum Not so adequate Poor
Damage to equipment/cables due
High probability Nil Nil
to earth fault
Chances of degeneration of earth
Maximum Very remote Very remote
fault into solid dead short circuits
ARE earth fault relay fail-safe? No Yes No
Earth fault relay setting (at 550 V) 5A 80 mA 9 mA
Fire danger High risk Nil Nil
Shock hazard from machine casing
High risk Nil Nil
during earth fault
Shock hazard from live conductors Dangerous Dangerous Dangerous

Gas ignition risk Very high risk Lesser risk Lesser risk
 Solidly-earthed Restricted-neutral Insulated-neutral
neutral system system system
Early warning of an would be
Not possible Not possible Possible
earth fault
Is On-line continuous insulation
No No Yes
monitoring possible?
Chances of arcing ground fault Nil Nil Possible
Over-load relay operates as
back-up unit during solid earth Yes No No
fault
Much higher
Transient over-voltage problems Not excessive Not excessive
probabilities
Hybrid System operation Possible Possible Possible
Flow of earth fault current in Insulated
neutral system