SUB STATION EARTHING DESIGN

THE PURPOSE OF EARTHING

A number of points from Generators to consumers installations are earthed (or Grounded).

In our country we have an effectively grounded system.

The purpose of earthing is: To provide a low impedance path to facilitate satisfactory operation of protective schemes during fault conditions. To ensure that living beings in the vicinity of sub stations are not exposed to unsafe potentials under steady state or fault conditions. To retain system voltages within reasonable limits under fault conditions and ensure that insulation breakdown voltages are not exceeded. To provide an alternative path for induced current and there by minimize electrical noise in communication circuits.

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SUB STATION EARTH SYSTEM DESIGN

Design of earthing system for an AC sub station has to fulfill the safety requirements during earth fault conditions in the electric system. This involves ; Determination of the maximum permissible magnitude of dangerous voltages to which the personnel may be exposed during earth fault conditions. Selection of material , size, type, layout, depth etc of earth conductors to keep the dangerous voltages with in the maximum permissible limits without adversely affecting safety of equipment and their performance.
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SUB STATION EARTH SYSTEM DESIGN

The layout of equipment/structures make it imperative to provide the earthing system for AC power stations in the form of a grid earth electrode consisting of linear earth conductors and rod/pipe/plate electrodes buried close to earth surface and interconnected with each other. The earthing system for AC power stations also include earth electrodes that are provided and connected to stations earthing system in accordance with specified requirements of ; System (neutral)earthing Electronic equipment earthing
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SUB STATION EARTH SYSTEM DESIGN

The design of earthing system for AC power stations requires systematic analysis of various factors and application of proper methodology and criteria for determining; Type of earth conductors and their material and size. Maximum permissible dangerous (touch and step) potential differences for human beings in the station area. Lay out of horizontal grid conductors to keep touch and step potentials with in permissible limits. Location of rod/pipe/plate electrodes for control of potential differences to meet statutory requirement.
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SUB STATION EARTHING DESIGN

Fault current division and grid current

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SUB STATION EARTHING DESIGN

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SUB STATION EARTHING DESIGN

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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

The main grid electrode is installed only after it is ensured by design that the attainable touch and step voltages are less than the respective permissible values. The other important factors in construction of earth system are connection to the transformer neutral, capacitive voltage transformer, lightning mast, surge arrester, sub station fence, switch operating handles, rails,pipelines,and cable sheaths.
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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

The earth mat/earth grid The efficacy of the earthing system is entirely dependent on the electrical continuity of the earthmat which in turn depend on proper welding work. While installing the earth mat, the conductors are laid in rows and columns duly interleaving them like an woven mat to obtain better mechanical strength and electrical continuity.
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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

A station earthing system is typically composed of the five key components; The soil. Vertically installed bare metal rods/pipes/plates and horizontally installed bare conductors buried in soil. Over head shield wires and lighting masts A layer of high resistivity gravel on the top of soil. Conductors which connect various non current carrying parts and in turn connected to the horizontal buried conductors. This forms the earth grid system.
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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

Power transformer neutral Two distinct continuous earth conductors are run from the transformer neutral in opposite directions and are connected to the vertical electrode provided for the same and in turn the electrode is connected to the buried conductor of the earthmat. As the fault current either enters or exits through the neutral this connection is the most important earth connection.
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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

Switch gear A separate earth bus is run along the switch gear on the cable entry side and cable sheath earths and switchgear earth points are connected to this bus which in turn is connected to the earthmat through the vertical electrodes. Control room panels also are connected to the earthmat similar to the switchgear as above.

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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

Lighting mast A separate earth conductor is run from the top of the mast and connected to the earthmat. Non current carrying metal parts All non current carrying metal parts such as transformer body, circuit breaker body, CTs, PTs, isolators and structures are connected to the earthmat with two distinct connections in opposite directions.
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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

Power cables Three core cables The sheath of the cables are to be directly connected to the earthmat at their terminations and joints, i.e., at both switchgear and terminating pot heads. Single core cables Single core cables are to be earthed at only one end preferably transformer end.
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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN THE FIELD

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Earthing system-Measurement
Performance of an earthing system can be evaluated by measurement of earth resistance of the earthing system.

Results of measurement of an earthing system can be used not only for confirming the adequacy of its design and construction but also for determination of additions/modifications to be carried out in future.
At a station, the measurements are made initially when the station is not energised to determine the earth resistance for comparison with designed value and during station life periodically to monitor the condition of earthing system.

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Earthing system-Measurement
Measurement of ground resistance or impedance and potential gradients on the surface of the earth due to ground currents are necessary to : Verify the adequacy of a new grounding system Detect changes in an existing grounding system Determine hazardous step and touch voltages Determine ground potential rise(GPR)in order to design protection for power and communication circuits

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Earthing system-Measurement
Earth resistivity measurement are useful for: Estimating the ground resistance of a proposed sub station or transmission tower Estimating potential gradients including step and touch voltages Computing the inductive coupling between neighboring power and communication circuits Designing cathodic protection systems Geological surveys
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Earthing system-Measurement
Four point method The most accurate method in practice of measuring the average resistivity of large volumes of undisturbed earth is the four point method. Small electrodes are buried in four small holes in the earth, all at depth b and spaced(in a straight line) at intervals a. A test current I is passed between the two outer electrodes and the potential V between the two inner electrodes is measured with a potentiometer or high impedance voltmeter. Then V/I gives the resistance R in ohms

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Earthing system-Measurement

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Earthing system-Measurement

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Earthing system-Measurement

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Earthing system-Measurement

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Earthing system-Measurement

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Earthing system-Measurement

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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

Modern power stations use a number of sensitive electronic equipment for instrumentation, control and data processing. These equipment have to work satisfactorily in an environment with abundant source of electrical noise. Earthing of electronic equipment is necessary for the safety of personnel and proper functioning of electronic equipment.
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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

Protective earth Earthing of the metallic cabinets housing electronic equipment, essential for the safety of personnel and equipment, is similar to earthing of other accessible metal structures and housing/enclosures in the power station. This is called the protective, safety or equipment earthing.
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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

Functional earth Earthing of electronic equipment for functional reasons is called functional, logic, or circuit/signal reference earthing. It minimises unwanted electrical signals(Electromagnetic Interference or EMI) that might interfere with the functioning of the equipment and cause component damage. It also prevents accumulation of static charge on the equipment by providing a low impedance leakage path to the earth.
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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

Functional earthing The connection of the signal/circuit common of the electronic circuit to the external earth electrode is known as logic, functional, or signal/circuit reference earthing. This earthing stabilises the reference potential, suppress the over voltages due to atmospheric effect and protect the circuit against charges and reduction of noise(unwanted signals).
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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

Noise coupling mechanism In power stations there are a vast variety of noise sources such as; lightning, switching operations, electromechanical equipments, power electronic equipment, arcs and discharges, transformer and motor inrush currents, power system faults, electrostatic discharges, hand held receivers and other RF equipment. Noise from noise sources can be coupled to electronic equipment or signal cables called victim circuits.
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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

Noise coupling mechanism Noise coupling with victim circuit is possible in four ways: Conductive coupling(through power leads and common impedance coupling) Capacitive coupling(electric field coupling) Inductive coupling(magnetic field coupling) Radiation coupling(electromagnetic coupling)
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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

Method of earthing electronic equipment in a power station The connection to earth, for safety (protective earthing) and functional considerations (functional earthing) both, is established with the help of an earth electrode. The manner in which the various connection are made to the earth electrode is of utmost importance for the functional earthing. The functional earthing method can be of three categories: Isolated earthing Single point earthing Multiple point earthing
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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

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Earthing of electronic equipment in power stations

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