GROUNDING TERMINOLOGY

Ground

A conducting connection, whether

intentional or accidental, by which an
electric circuit or equipment is
connected to the earth or to some
conducting body of relatively large
extent that serves in place of the
earth.
Ground Potential Rise (GPR)
The maximum electrical potential that
a grounding grid may attain relative to
a distant grounding point assumed to
be at the potential of remote earth.
This voltage, GPR, is equal to the
maximum grid current times the grid

GROUNDING TERMINOLOGY
Grounding

Grid

A system of horizontal ground electrodes that

consists of a number of interconnected, bare
conductors buried in the earth, providing a
common ground for electrical devices or metallic
structures, usually in one specific location.
Touch

Voltage

The potential difference between the ground

potential rise (GPR) and the surface potential at
the point where a person is standing while at the
same time having a hand in contact with a
grounded structure. [Also the potential
difference between two different surfaces being
touched with two hands.]

GROUNDING TERMINOLOGY
Step Voltage
The difference in surface potential
experienced by a person bridging a
distance of 1 m with the feet without
contacting any grounded object.
Transferred Voltage
A special case of the touch voltage
where a voltage is transferred into or
out of the substation from or to a
remote point external to the
substation site.

GROUNDING TERMINOLOGY
Remote Earth
A point on earth located at an effectively infinite
distance from the location being analyzed. The
remote earth potential is the reference voltage for
ground potential rise and other voltages developed
during fault conditions.

REASONS FOR
GROUNDING
Personnel (human) safety by
limiting
Touch

Potential
Step Potential
Transferred Voltage
Tolerable Current through the body
Improve Equipment Protection and
Performance

Reduce Liability Exposure

HUMAN TOLERANCES
Tolerable current through body
1 mA- threshold of sensation
6 mA- unpleasant cant let go
current
25 mA- painful, hard to let-go of
energized object, breathing
difficult, death in minutes

100 mA- critical injury, ventricular

fibrillation, heart stops, inability to
breath, death in seconds

HUMAN TOLERANCES

HUMAN TOLERANCES
Tolerable current through body
(calculation)
Dalziels equation- 99.5% of 50 kg
(110 lbs) people can survive with a
body current of:
116 mA for 1 sec
164 mA for sec
367 mA for 0.10 sec
the

For a person weighing 110 lbs,

equation is
IB = 0.116 / (TS)

GROUNDING AND POWER

QUALITY
Over 50% of reported power
quality problems are associated
with improper grounding
schemes.

Missing equipment grounds

Missing or damaged connection
between the
ground conductor (neutral) and the
grounding electrode at the service
entrance.

Multiple connections between the

ground
throughout the system.

SUBSTATION
GROUNDING DESIGN In principle, a safe grounding
IEEE
design80
has the following two
objectives:

To provide means to carry electric

currents into the earth under normal
and fault conditions without exceeding
any operating and equipment limits or
adversely affecting continuity of
service.
To assure that a person in the vicinity
of grounded facilities is not exposed to
the danger of critical electric shock.

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS
Assumptions:
Pad-mount transformers rated 750kVA and
were assumed to have 5.75 percent
impedance.
Top soil resistivity of 2,000 Ohm-m was used.
This is typical for sand, gravel and dry soil.
Lower soil resistivity of 1,000 Ohm-m was
used.
The weight of the person is 50 kilograms.
Thickness of the surface material is 0.5 ft.
Fault duration is 0.5 seconds
Current Distribution Factor equals to 1

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE STEP AND

TOUCH VOLTAGE
The maximum driving voltage of any accidental
circuit
should not exceed the limits defined as follows.

Estep = (RB+2Rf)Ib

(1)

Etouch = (RB+Rf/2)Ib

(2)

Estep(50KG) = 2312.6V

Etouch

= 656.2V