AREVA T & D INDIA LTD.

(TRANSFORMER PLANT)
AT
KOTAMBI, VADODRA

EARTHING SYSTEM DESIGN

CALCULATIONS

ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT:
SN CONSULTANTS
B-246A, GREATER KAILASH PART ONE
NEW DELHI 110 048
PH. : 011-2923 7746,2923 3249
FAX : 011- 29235497

JANUARY 2008

EARTHING SYSTEM DESIGN CALCULATIONS

Reference: IEEE 80
1.

System Fault Current (If)

25

KA

2.

Duration of Fault (tc)

Sec

3.

Length of Switchyard (LI)

46.25

Mtrs.

4.

Breadth of Switchyard (BI)

28

Mtrs.

5.

No. of Ground Rods (nR)

37

Nos.

6.

Length of each ground Rod (Lr)

2.75

Mtr.

7.

Soil Resistivity (p)

34.87 OHM Mtr

8.

Ground Conductor (I)

25

mm dia MS Rod

9.

Depth of Burial of Conductor (hs)

0.6

Mtr

10.

Ambient Temperature (Ta)

50

Deg. C

11

Diameter of the Electrode

0.075 Mtr.

12.

Tm = Max. Allowable Temp. Rise

(for Welded joints)
(Zinc coated steel rods)

419

13.

Tca = Thermal Capacity Factor

3.931

14.

r = Thermal Coefficient of resistivity at Tr

0.0032

15.

Tr = Reference Temp. for Material Constant

20

16.

Ko = (1/r)-Tr

293

17.

pr = Resistivity of Ground Conductor at Tr

20.1

18.

A = Minimum Area of Ground Conductor in

Sq.mm.
1
A mm2 = I
TCAP . 10 -4 In
Tcr Pr

Ko + Tm
Ko + Ta

Grid Earthing Conductor Size :

374.00 Sq.mm

The Actual size of earthing conductor

Selected is (D) 25 mm TT D2/4
Hence Adequate

491 Sq.mm.

Calculation for Length of Earth strip

Distance Between Parallel conductor (D)

3.5

Mtr.

No. of Grid Conductor in X-Axis (nx)

10

Nos.

No. of Grid Conductor in Y-Axis (ny)

15

Nos.

Length of Switchyard in Y-Axis(L2)

Mtr.

Length of Switchyard in X-Axis(B2)

Mtr.

No. of Grid Conductor in X-Axis (nx1)

No.

No. of Grid Conductor in Y-Axis (ny1)

No.

Length of Additional Conductor, if any L3

Less Uncovered Area (if any)

Lc = (((nx*(L1+2))+(ny*(B1+2))+L3)-((nx1*L2)+(ny1*B2)))
Total Length of Grid Conductor in Mtr (Lc)

932.5 Mtr.

Lm= (LC+LR)
Where
Lm= Effective Buried Length
Lc= Total Length of Grid Conductor
LR= Total Length of Grounding Rods
Lx = Maximum Length of Grid in X Direction

48.25 Mtrs.

Ly = Maximum Length of Grid In Y Direction

30

Mtrs.

LR= (Lr*nR)

101.75 Mtr.

Lm= (Lc+((1.55+1.22(Lr/((Lx2+Ly2))) * LR)

1096

Mtr.

3000

Ohm- Meter

Lr = Length of Each Ground rod in M

Calculation for Mesh and step potential
Tolerable Mesh Potential
Em50 = ((1000+(1.5*Cs*ps))*(0.116)/sqrt(ts)
Cs = (1-a1*(((1-(p/ps))/(2*hs+a1))))
Where
Ps = Resistivity of Crushed Rock

Cs = Surface layer resistivity de-rating factor

0.772
= -1 for crushed stone resistivity equal to soil resistivity
= 1-a1 (1-(p/ps)/(2*hs+a1))
a1 =

0.09

Mtr

hs = Thickness of crushed rock surface layer in Mtr

0.15Mtr
ts = Duration of shock current
Tolerable Mesh Potential in Volts (Em50)

1 sec.
518.94 Volts

Tolerable Step Potential

Es50 = (1000+(6*Cs*ps))*(0.116)/sqrt (ts)
Es50 = 1727.75 Volts
Tolerable step potential in Volts (Es50)
Grid current lg = Sf x If
Where
lg = rms value of symmetrical grid current
If = Design fault current (25KA)
Sf = Current Division Factor
= 0.6

1727.75 Volts

Ig = 15 kA
IG = Dfx Ig
Df = Decrement Factor for the entire duration of fault trin seconds = 1
IG = 15 kA
Mesh voltage (Em) = (p*IG*1000Km*Ki)/ (Lm)
Where
Em = Mesh voltage in Volts
Lm = (Lc + Lr) =

1096

Mtr

Lc = Length of Grid Conductor

932.5 Mtr

LR = (No. of Ground Rods) *

(Length of Each Ground Rod)

1101.75 Mtr

Km = Spacing factor for mesh voltage

0.388
(In(((D*D)/(16*h*d))+((D+2*h))/(8*D*d)
- (h/4*d))))+(Kii/Kh)*In(8/ (2n1-1))))*(2*)
Ki = Corrected Factor for Grid Geometry
= ( (0.644+0.148*n) =
= na x nb x nc x nd

2.480
12.41

n = Effective no. of parallel conductor in the grid

na = 2xLc/Lp

12.56

Lp = Peripherial Length of the grid in

Mtrs=2xL1+1xB1 =

148.5 Mtrs.

nb= Lp/(4*A)) =

0.99

A = Area of the grid in Sq.mtrs = L1 x B1

1447.5 Sq.mtrs.

nc = 1
nd =1
Kii = Corrected Weighting factor
= 1 for grids with ground rods
Kh = Corrective weighting factor that emphasizes
the effects of grid depth
= sqrt (1+(h/ho))

1.0

1.26

ho = (Reference depth of grid)

1.0

Mtr.

h = Depth of ground grid conductor

0.6

Mtr.

d = Diameter of the conductor

Mesh Voltage in volts (Em):

0.025 Mtr.
459.72 Volts

Step Voltage (Es):

Step Voltage (Es) = (p*IG*1000*Ks*Ki)/Ls)
Where
IG =15 kA
Es = Step Voltage
LS = .75Lc + 8.5 LR =

786

Ks = Spacing factor for step voltage

((1/2*h))+(I/D+h))+ (I+D)*(1-0.5Power n-2)/(1/3.14)

0.434

Step Voltage in volts (Es) :

716.38

Volts

Tolerable Step Potential :

1727.75

Volts

Tolerable Mesh Potential :

518.94

Volts

Actual Step Potential :

716.38

Volts

Design is safe

Actual Mesh Potential :

459.72

Volts

Design is safe

Calculation of Sub Station grid resistance

Total System resistance (Rg) =

R1R2-R2m
R1+R2-2Rm

Where
R1
=

Resistance of Grid Conductors in ohms

R2

Resistance of all ground rods in ohms

Rm

Mutual resistance between the group of grid conductors R1 and group of

ground rods R2 in ohms.

R1

(p/Lc) (In (2Lc/a)+K1 (Lc/A)-K2)

R2

(p/2nRLR) (In (4LR/b)-1+2K1 (Lr/A)(nR-1)2

Rm

(p/Lc) (In (2Lc/Lr)+K1 (Lc/A)-K2+1

Where
K1 K2 =

Constants related to the geometry of the system

K1

1.15

K2

4.75

a*2h =

0.12

Radius of the conductor

0.0125

Radius of rod

0.0375

R1

0.39 Ohm

R2

0.02 Ohm

Rm =

0.36 Ohm

Rg

0.40 Ohm

The substation grounding resistance is less than 1 ohm.

Hence, Design is safe.