s.ganesh babu.

1
Earthing System -
Maintenance
S.Ganesh Babu

The primary objectives of a grounding system
are to:

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Protects personnel and sensitive equipment.

Dissipates lightning strikes.

Discharges short circuit currents.

Prevents damage from power and switching
surges.
Provides stable reference.

Safety to human life, appliances, machines,
equipments etc.)
The primary objectives of a grounding system are to:

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Control Radio Frequency (RF) Emissions
& Electromagnetic Interferences.

Provide a stable reference potential for
instrument accuracy.

Provide a discharge path for short circuits
and lightning strikes (fault current /surge
protection
What are the risks?
s.ganesh babu. 4
20+ fires a day are caused by faulty electrical
installations

Fires are 12 times more likely to be caused by
faulty electrics than, say, by gas

2000+ people are injured through electrocution
every year

As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
of India, around 15 people die every day due to electrical
accidents, which account for nearly 3% of total
accidental deaths.

What are the risks?
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The majority of deaths, injuries and damage
would have been prevented by an installation
inspection.

Older properties (10+ years old) are most
at risk.

The danger is increased, as it is usually
out-of-sight, under floorboards, behind
walls.
The function of the earthing system is two-
fold.
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Purpose of protective earthing


To ensure the safety of the people and
property within the zone served by it.
It requires a high current capacity path with
relatively low impedence at the fundamental
frequency.
To ensure that the voltages developed under
high fault conditions are not hazardous.
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Effectively earthed system is one in
which:

--The ratio of zero sequence reactance
to that of positive sequence reactance
is less than 3.

-- The ratio of the zero sequence
resistance to that of positive
sequence resistance is less than 1.
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NEED FOR A RELIABLE LOW IMPEDENCE
CONNECTION.
A GOOD LOW IMPEDENCE CONNECTION
TO GROUND CONSISTS OF:
A high conductivity.
Corrosion resistant conductor (copper is a good
choice).
To be buried at a depth in the earth that it will not
freeze nor dry out.
Large enough to contact a suitably a large volume of
earth covering a large area.
Located in such a position that it is not influenced by
other earthing system.




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Effect of large earth volume and area.

A large volume of earth reduces the current density in
the soil and so the resistance to the earth.
A large area connection allows the shaping of the
electric field to be accomplished, reducing the touch and
step voltage.
It is hence, called a clean earth, atleast as clean as it gets.
The traditional thought of providing a low impedence
path to earth is now dispensed with.
Modern practice requires shaping of the field in the
ground to control voltage gradients around the eartrh
electrode.
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EARTH AS A SPHERE WITH DIFFERENT
LAYERS OF EARTH RESISTIVITY
CORE
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VARIATION OF SOIL RESISTIVITY WITH
TEMPERATURE.
TEMPERATURE
DEG.C
Clay mixed with sand, 15% moisture.
Resistivity in ohm-meter
20 72
10 99
0 (water) 138.
0 (ice) 300
minus 5 790
minus 15 3,300
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VARIATION OF SOIL RESISTIVITY WITH
MOISTURE CONTENT.
MOISTURE
CONTENT
%AGE BY WEIGHT.
RESISTIVITY OF
CLAY WITH
SAND.
RESISTIVITY OF SAND
0 10 TO POWER 7 -
2.5 1500 3x 10 to power 6
5 430 50,000
10 185 2100
15 105 650
20 63 270
30 42 -
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REDUCTION OF EARTH RESISTIVITY:
METHODS.
Chemicals traditionally used for changing
resistivity are:
-- sodium chloride, NaCl (salt)
-- magnesium sulphate MgSo4,
-- Copper Sulphate CuSo4,
-- Sodium Carbonate,NaCo3, (Washing Soda),
-- Calcium Chloride, CaCl.
Earth resistivity can be reduced to:
-- 0.2 ohm meter using NaCo3,or
-- 0.1 ohm meter using salt.
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1.2 grams per liter of salt in dissolved water has a
resistivity of 5.0 ohm meter, while 6 grams per
liter of salt in dissolved water has a resistivity of
10 ohm meter.
GYPSUM:
has water retention property.
Low solubility.
Resistivity of 5 10 ohm meter.
Neither acidic nor alkaline with Ph value between 6.2 to
6.9.
BLAST FURNACE SLAG:
Use of blast furnace slag on the granulated form is on an
experimental stage.
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BENTONITE:
-- Mixed in the ratio of 1 : 6 with black
cotton soil.
-- Is a volcanic product.
-- Is acidic by nature, with Ph value of 10.5.
-- Absorbs 5 times of water.
-- Swells upto 13 times its dry volume.
-- Non corrosive.
-- resistivity is 5.0 ohm meter.
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MARCONITE:

-- Developed by Marconi communications Ltd in 1962.
-- Contains crystalline form of carbon with low sulphur
and Chloride content.
-- Used in a concrete form with carbonceous aggregaate
replacing HBG metal.
-- Resistivity of 2.0 ohm meter reduces to 0.1 ohm meter
when mixed with concrete.
-- Retains moisture even in dry / hot climates.
-- Used for anti static flooring and electro magnettic
screening.
-- In slurry state, causes corrosion on metals.
-- Alumunium, tin coated, or galvanised steel not to be
used in marconite.
-- Used in Rocky locations.

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The three demands of an Earth system
LIGHTNING AND SHORT CIRCUIT:
The earthing system should protect:
-- occupants.
-- damages such as fire, explosions, and flash over due to
lightning.
-- over heating due to short circuit.
SAFETY:
-- must conduct lightning and short circuit currents
without introducing intolerable step and touch
potentials.


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EQUIPMENT PROTECTION AND

FUNCTIONALITY:

by providing a low impedance path to the
unbalanced and neutral currents that are generated in
an electrical network.

Should provide proper protective coverage to all the
connected equipments and cables, through
protectinve sheilding and zoning to lightning system.

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Electrical earthing is designed primarily to render
electrical installation safe. The purpose of earthing
are :

1. Protection to the plant
2. Protection to the personnel and
3. Improvement in service reliability

Non- current carrying parts with conducting surface
such as tanks of Power Transformers, and frame
work of circuits breakers, structural steel work in
switch yard instrument transformer cases, lightning
arresters and armored cables armoring should be
effectively grounded for protection of equipments and
operating personnel. Earth connections of all
equipments should be made in duplicate.
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Connecting lead should have sufficient current
carrying capacity.
L A s should have independent earth electrode
which should be inter connected to the station
grounding system.
All paints, enamel, seals should be removed
from the point off contact of metal surfaces
before earth connections are made.
The resistances of earth system should not
exceed 2 ohms for 33/11 KV Sub Stations.
But in the sub stations of Distribution
companies Earth resistance Maximum of 1 Ohm
is maintained.
Suitable grounding mat should be provided in
the sub station yard.

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I n a Sub Station the following shall be earthed.
The neutral point of the systems of different voltages
which have to be earthed.

Apparatus, frame work and other non-current carrying
metal work associated with each system, for example
transformer tanks, switch gear frame work etc.,

Extraneous metal frame work not associated with the
power systems, for example, boundary, fence, steel
structures etc.,

The earthing Means connecting of Electrical
equipment, machinery or an electrical system with the
general mass of earth is termed as earthing or
grounding
s.ganesh babu. 22
The earthing system must provide an environment
which is free from the possibility of fatal electric
shock.
The earthing system must provide a low
impedance path for fault and earth leakage currents
to pass to earth.
The earthing conductors must possess sufficient
thermal capacity to pass the highest fault current
for the required time
The earthing conductors must have sufficient
mechanical strength and corrosion resistance.
A Sub Station earthing system has to satisfy four
requirements:
s.ganesh babu. 23
Earthing can be broadly divided as :

System Grounding ( System
Earthing)

Equipment Grounding (Safety
Grounding).

Discharge grounding.
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System Grounding:

It is a connection to the ground of a part of the plant forming
part of the operating circuits for example the star point of the
transformer or the neutral conductor. The grounding of the
lighting, arrestors also comes under the head of system
grounding. The provision of system ground reduces to
considerable extent the magnitude of the transient over
voltages and there by increases the life of electrical equipment
besides minimizing the services interruptions.

Thus the fundamental purpose of system ground is the
protection of installation and improvement in quality of
service. The system ground also will ensure the safety of the
personnel to some extent, as it helps to clear the fault speedily.
s.ganesh babu. 25

Safety Grounds (Equipment Grounding)

It is a connection to the ground of non-
current carrying parts of the equipments like
Motors, Transformer Tanks, Switchgear
enclosures, Metallic enclosures of all
electrically operated equipments and also the
installations used to carry/ Support electrical
equipments.

By connecting the frames to a low resistance
ground system, a sufficiently high current
will flow into the ground when accidentally
the live parts of the equipment / Machinery
touch the frames, and consequently saves the
operating personnel from fatal accidents.

Safety Grounds (Equipment Grounding)
Thus the equipment grounding is
basically intended to safeguard to a
great extent from the hazards of touch
voltages. The safety ground is so
designed that the potential difference
appearing between the frames and the
neighboring ground is kept within safe
limits.

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Separation of system and safety grounds:

During ground fault conditions, the fault current
flows via the system ground. When the system and
safety grounds are inter connected, the fault current
flowing (via) the system ground rises the potential of
the safety ground. Also the flow of current to safety
ground results in hazardous potential gradient in and
around sub station. In view of the above it is some
times suggested that separate system and safety
grounds will avoid the danger arising due to potential
gradients. The idea is that by connecting the system
ground to a separate earthing system situated in an
accessible spot, the ground fault current does not flow
through the safety ground.
s.ganesh babu. 28
However, this separate system of grounds
has many disadvantages and can be more
hazardous as mentioned below
With separate grounds we can avoid
danger due to potentials only for faults
outside the stations.
Short circuit currents will be more if the
fault occurs in the sub stations.
The resistance may be more and in some
cases sufficient currents may not flow to
operate the relays.
s.ganesh babu. 29
For effective separation of the earthing systems, the
system ground shall be installed at a distance of at
least twice the diagonal length of the sub station
which is covered by safety grounding. The neutral of
the transformer has to be connected to this remote
earthing by means of insulated leads. Even with this
arrangement one cannot always be sure about the
complete isolation of the two systems and there is
always a chance of inadequate electrical connection
through buried neutral pipes etc., Hence, this is
impracticable, complicated and costly. It is therefore
a common practice to install a common grounding
system and design the same for effective earthing and
safer potential gradients.

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System Earthing
System earthing is governed by provisions of Rule -
Of I.E Rules, 1956. Unearthed systems have been
tried and due to the phenomenon of Arcing Grounds
associated with them, theses have been abandoned,
excepting in a few cases of power station auxiliaries
supply systems where other arrangements are made
for indicating earth faults. In an ungrounded system
the insulation of all the equipments, lines etc, will
have to be much higher values as compared to those
of equipments and lines of a grounded system. This
aspect greatly reduces the costs and ensures more
safety.
s.ganesh babu. 31
Types of System Earthing:
Earthing through a resistance.

Earthing through a reactance.

Earthing through a Peterson coil

Earthing directly or solid
earthing.
s.ganesh babu. 32
Sub Station Earthing
Because of the difficulties and disadvantages involved in
marinating the system grounding and safety grounding
separately it is the common practice now to have a combined
grounding system at the sub stations. The impedance to
ground should be as low as possible. The impedance of the
earth system shall not exceed the following limits in the sub
stations
Power Stations 0.5 Ohms
Major Sub stations above 110 KV 1.0 Ohms
Minor Sub Stations below 110
KV
2.0 Ohms
Distribution Transformer Station 5.0 Ohms
Transmission line supports 10.0 Ohms
s.ganesh babu. 33
Touch Potential

Touch potential is the potential difference
between the ground surface potential where
a person is standing and the potential of his
outstretched hand (s) which are in contact
with an earthed structure. It is normally
assumed that a persons maximum reach is
1.0 meter.

Step Potential

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Step Potential is the potential
difference between outstretched
feet, at a spacing of 1.0 meter
without the person touching any
earthed structure

Mesh Potential

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The maximum potential difference
between the centre of a mesh in an
earth grid, and an earthed structure
connected to the buried grid
conductors. It is worst case
scenario of a touch potential.
s.ganesh babu. 36
Transferred potential
The transferred potential is a touch potential
which is transferred some distance by an earth
referenced metallic conductor. For example,
consider a screened cable connecting two sub
stations which are some distance apart. If a
person disconnects the earthed termination at
one end of a screened cable he may be subjected
to the full ground potential rise occurring due to
an earth fault. This can be a very high touch
potential.

s.ganesh babu. 37

Earthing in a sub station must conform
to the requirements of the Indian
Electricity Rules and follow the
directives laid down in section I and III
of IS : 3043-1966. the earthing system
has to be designed to have a low overall
impedance, and a current carrying
capacity consistent with fault current.
s.ganesh babu. 38
The factors which influence the design
are:
Duration of fault.
Magnitude of the fault current.
Resistivity of the underlying strata.
Resistivity of the surface material
Material of the earth electrode.
Material of earthing mat conductor.
Shock duration.
Earth mat geometry.
s.ganesh babu. 39
Steps to be taken for design purpose:
Finalize lay out plan of the substation.
This gives the area to be covered by the earth mat.
Obtain the earth resistivity of the location where
substation is to be located.
Determine the fault current likely to develop at the SS
through system studies. A correction factor of 1.2 to
1.5 may be used for the determined value.
Assumption of duration of fault is taken as 1.0 sec
For calculating safe step and mesh potentials, a
duration of 0.5 sec may be assumed.
s.ganesh babu. 40
A uniform corrosion allowance of 0.12 mm per year
is considered for steel as ground conductor.
Life of a substation is taken as 40 years.
Steel corrodes 6 times faster than copper.
The electrodes spacing shall not be greater than twice
that of the length of the electrode.
The spacing of the mesh earth conductors shall be
between 3 to 5 meters.
Various specifications such as the area of the earth
mat, Number of electrodes, size of the earth
conductors shall calculated based on the
mathematical formulae and conductor constants.
s.ganesh babu. 41
The number of electrodes is given by the following thumb
rule:
N = I (fault) / 250,
for a earth resistivity of 500 ohm meters.
N = I (fault) / 500,
for a earth resistivity of 5000 ohm meter.
The current density of the unbalanced current in a normal
system shall not exceed 40A / Mtr.sq.
Short time over load under fault condition is given by
I = (7.57 *10cube) / root of rho * t, where t is the
duration of fault in secs.
Safe step potential : (116 + 0.7 rho) / root t
Safe touch potential : ( 116 + 0.17 rho ) / root t.
where rho refers to surface earth resistivity and t , the
duration of fault current in secs.
s.ganesh babu. 42
The size of the earth bus and earth conductor
are given by
A = 0.0054 I x root t,
for sweated and rivetted joints.(250deg)
A = 0.0044 I x root t,
for brazed joints.(450 deg.)
These values are applicable for copper only
and higher values are to be taken for steel.
s.ganesh babu. 43
100 X 16 mm and 75 X 8mm size MS steel flats are
being ordered for forming the earthing system for
EHT Sub station and 33/11 KV Sub Stations
respectively

Earth mat shall be formed with the steel flats buried
in the ground at a depth of 500mm.
The earth mat shall extend over the entire switchgear
yard and beyond the security fencing of structural
yard by at least one meter.

The outer most peripheral earthing conductor
surrounding the earth mat shall be of 100 x 16 mm
size MS flat.
s.ganesh babu. 44
The intermediate earthing conductors forming the
earth mat shall be of 75 x 8 mm size flat.
All the risers used for connecting the equipment
steel structures etc., to earth mat shall be of 50 x6
mm size excepting for earthing of L A s and
transformer neutrals for which 100 x 16 mm or 75
x 8 mm size shall be used.
All Junctions (crossing of the steel flats while
forming the earth mat and taking risers from the
earthmat for giving earth connections to
equipments, steel structural conducts, cable
shearths shall be propersly welded.
Proper earthing lugs shall be used for connecting
the earth terminals of equipments to the earthing
steel flat.
s.ganesh babu. 45
Provisions shall be made for thermal expansion of the
steel flats by giving suitable bends.
The earth mat shall be formed by placing 75 x8mm MS
flat at a distance 5 meters along the length & breadth of
the sub station duly welding at crossing.
All the equipments, steel structural, conduits, cable
sheaths shall be solidly grounded by connecting to the
earthing mat at least two places for each.
The ground mat of the switchyard shall be properly
connected to the earth mat of the control house at least
at two points.
welding is done shall be given a coat of black
asphalitic varnish and then covered with hessain tape to
avoid rusting.


s.ganesh babu. 46
All paints, enamel and scale shall be removed from
point of contact in metal surfaces before applying
ground connections.
The risers taken along the main switchyard structures
and equipment structures up to their top) shall be
clamped to the structure at an interval of not more than
one meter with ground connectors.
75 X 8 mm ground conductor shall run in cable trenches
and shall be connected to the ground amt at an interval
of 5 meters.
Grounding electrodes 2.75 Mtrs length 100 mm dia 9
mm thickness CI Pipes shall be provided at all their
peripheral corners of the earthiong mat and also at
Distance of 10 Mtrs along length & width of switch
gearand in the entire switch yard.
s.ganesh babu. 47
The grounding electrodes shall be drived into the
ground and their tops shall be welded to a clamp and
the clamp together with the grounding shall be
welded to the ground conductor.

The switchyard surface area shall be covered by a
layer of crushed rock of size 25 x 40 mm to a depth
of 100mm

Transformers and L A s and single phase potential
transformer shall be provided with earth pits near
them for earthing and these earth pits in turn shall be
connected to the earth mat.
s.ganesh babu. 48
Power Transformers neutral shall be provided
with double earthing. Neutral earthing and
body earthing of power transformers shall be
connected to separate earth electrode.

the entire earthing system shall be laid with
constructional conveniences in the filed,
keeping in view the above points.

The joints and tap-offs where welding is done
shall be given a coat of black asphalitic
varnish and then covered with hessain tape to
avoid rusting.


s.ganesh babu. 49
THE PERMISSIBLE LIMITS OF STEP POTENTIAL AND TOUCH
POTENTIAL SHALL BE
Maximum Acceptable step Voltage
Fault clearance times
Fault clearance times 0.2 Seconds 0.35 Seconds 0.7 Seconds
On soil 1050 V 600 V 195 V
On chippings 150mm) 1400 V 800 V 250 V
Maximum Acceptable Touch Voltage
Fault clearance times
Fault clearance times 0.2 Seconds 0.35 Seconds 0.7 Seconds
On soil 3200 V 1800 V 535 V
On chippings 150mm) 4600 V 2600 V 815 V
s.ganesh babu. 50
EARTH GRID- MATERIAL
The following are the minimum sizes of materials to used.
S.
No
Item Material to be used
1 Grounding Electrodes CI pipe 100 mm (inner dia)
Meters long with a flange at
the top
2 Earth mat 75 X 8mm MS Flat
3 Connection to between
electrodes and earthmat
75 X 8mm MS Flat
4 Connection to between
earth mat and equipment
(Top Connections)
50 x 6mm MS Flat
s.ganesh babu. 51
The size of trench for burying earth mat shall be 300mm X
500mm. The earth mat shall be buried in the ground at a depth
of 500mm. The earth mat shall extend over the entire switch
yard.
All junctions and risers in the earth flat shall be properly
welded by providing additional flat pieces for contact between
two flats
Provision shall be made for thermal expansion of steel flats by
giving smooth circular bends Bending shall not cause any
fatigue in the material.
After welding, the joints and tap offs shall be given two coats
of Bitumen paint
Back filling of earth mat trench to be done with good earth,
free of stones and other harmful mixtures. Back fill shall be
placed in layer of 150mm, uniformly spread along the ditch,
and tampered by approved means

s.ganesh babu. 52
EARTH ELECTRODES
Earth electrodes shall be of CI pipe 100mm (inner dia) 2.75 meters
long with a flange at the top and earth flat already indicated and
shall be connected to earth grid in the Sub Station. All earth pits
are to excavated and the preferred backfill is a mixture of coke and
salt in alternate layers. A suitable size cement collar may be
provided to each earth electrode. All bolted earth mat connections
and strip connections to plant and equipment panel will be subject
to strict scrutiny. Transformer Neutrals shall be connected directly
to the earth electrode by two independent MS strips of 75 X 8mm.
The transformer body earthing shall be done with 75 X 8mm flat.
The independent connections of MS strips with earth mat shall be
given on either side of the Transformer. All contact surface must
be filled or ground flat ensures good electrical connection, and the
contact surface shall be protected with a contact lubricant.
Following this all connections shall be painted with heavy coats of
bituminous black paint so as to exclude moisture.
s.ganesh babu. 53
EARTH GRID WORK DETAILS
Neutral connection earth pipe shall never be used for the
equipment earthing.

A separate earth electrode shall be provided adjacent to the
structures supporting Lightning Arrestors. Earth connection
shall be as short and as straight as practicable. For arrestors
mounted near for protecting transformers earth conductors
shall be connected directly to the tank.

An Earthing pad shall be provided under each operating
handle of the isolator and operating mechanism of the circuit
breakers. Operating handle of the isolator and supporting
structures shall be bonded together by a flexible connection
and connected to the earthing grid.

All equipment and switchgear etc., erected shall be earthed
as per I.E Rules 1956.