5/26/2014 CR4 - Thread: Calculating Earth Strip Size

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raj007
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3
Calculating Earth Strip Size
08/16/2008 5:39 PM
1.how to calculate earth strip size to be used for grid earthing,because we are using 50x8 GI strip for earthing
2.how to calculate copper cable size used for connecting 500 kv transformer neutral to NGR
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#1 "Re: CALCULATION FOR EARTH STRIP SIZE" by bwire on 08/16/2008 7:20 PM (score 1)
#8 "Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size" by Anonymous Poster on 11/20/2008 8:15 AM (score 1)
#9 "Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size" by ovide brudo on 11/20/2008 3:31 PM (score 1)
bwire
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Re: CALCULATION FOR EARTH STRIP SIZE
08/16/2008 7:20 PM
Your state or country authority is the source for this info.
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Sparkstation
Re: CALCULATION FOR EARTH STRIP SIZE
08/16/2008 7:28 PM
bwire
Re: CALCULATION FOR EARTH STRIP SIZE
08/16/2008 11:58 PM
joeconed
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Location: New York City
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Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
08/18/2008 3:49 PM
Unless you are experienced in the field of grounding, which I believe you are not based on your questions, it is best left
to someone who is.
Generally a soil conductivity test is performed first for the area intended to be used to place the ground mat. If the
conductivity proves to be too low for the amount of available area for the mat, it may require amending the soil to
increase its conductivity.
Once soil conductivity is determined, ground mat configuration can be calculated based on fault current available.
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Anonymous
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Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
08/18/2008 9:22 PM
If you know the answer of the above question. Then give a correct answer with complete formula of earthing.beacuse
soil resistivity is first thing and after soil resistivity what we do.
cnpower
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Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
08/18/2008 11:08 PM
you can measure this soil resistance with a high resistance meter. the way of the test can be found in the cr4. I
remember I posted some of it.
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5/26/2014 CR4 - Thread: Calculating Earth Strip Size
http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/25452/Calculating-Earth-Strip-Size 2/4
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ovide brudo
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Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
08/24/2008 1:26 PM
Hello Raj : You can try to solve/calculate this by yourself using IEEE 80 ( substation grounding ) or I could try to help in
some of the steps .
1st : what do you mean by 'earth strip size' ? do you mean area ( square meters ) of earth grid ?
2nd : what is 50 x 8 GI ? 3rd : is this a transformer substation ? and can you describe the single line diagram ?
Anonymous
Poster
Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
11/20/2008 8:15 AM
If you use GI strips for earth grid then the Cross sectional area of the conductor A
A=I*sq root of time/K
k=80 FOR GI strips
I= The fault current
t= Duration of fault current
So if system fault level is 65 ka for 1 sec
Then cross sectional area will be 65000*1/80 =812 sq mm
So the cross sctional area of the earth strip will primarily depend on the system fault level whereas the soil resistivity
decides the total length of the strips required,
Again when we get 812 sq mm strips from the formula we have to add suitable corrosion allowance to get the actual
cross sectional area of the earth strip.Here soil resistivity is important as lower the resistivity more will be the
corrosion allowance.
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ovide brudo
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Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
11/20/2008 3:31 PM
Hi Raj : Your calcs for size of "earthing conductor" is fine but it has nothing to do with sizing the "earth grid" and its
conductors( all of which are presumably direct buried in good low resistivity soil).What you have calculated is okay
for above-ground ( earth soil) conductors that are used to connect electrical equipment to earth. Also, you haved
assumed all of the fault current, 65kA, to be flowing thru this earth conductor 'A'.
1st: this sounds like a 3 phase max fault current at some point? Since I don't have your single line diagram, I will try
to guess one : you mention 500kV transformer : I'll assume 500kV primary delta/25kV secondary wye, resistance
neutral ground(NGR)/200MVA/Z=12%. This gives a 3phase max fault, on secondary side of 38kA ! So, your
transformer is somewhere in this category or magnitude.
2nd: Now this 38kA ( or your 65kA) is NOT the fault current that one uses for the earth grid sizing and its
underground conductors! You have to use the available " earth fault current ( line-to-ground)" on the primary side,
coming from the utility or power company towards your substation transformer! Usually, this would be around 3kA to
8kA ( much less).
3rd: Maybe you are the utility? Okay, in that case, you could use the fault current on the secondary side but it
would not be the 3phase fault; it would be the line-to-ground fault current(which is the only current that could flow
into your earth grid) and in your case the NGR is limiting it to some small value like 300A ? So, even if you are the
utility, you would NOT size the earth grid based on the secondary side line-to-ground fault current( too small), but
rather based on the primary side line-to-ground fault current. What is this current? You have to calculate it! It
certainly will not be 65kA or 38kA but will be more like 3kA or 6kA ? ( you must find this out).
4th: Now, assuming that the earth fault current, on the primary side, that can possibly flow into the earth grid is,
say, 5.8kA, you can proceed with the earth grid sizing based upon IEEE80 ! You need to know the resistivity of the
soil. Let's assume that it is average of 200 ohm-meters.
5th: Next, typically, all underground conductors in North America are copper-stranded #4/0 awg ( 120 mm sq).
6th: Next, typically, all substation earth grids have a 150 mm thick top layer of crushed stone and/or concrete.
7th: Typically, our ( Canada) electrical safety code requires the following to be met :(for 0.5 sec fault) E(step) <
3105 volts; E(touch) < 885 volts; and GPR < 5000 volts.
8th: A typical earth grid will have a grid pattern of conductors, as well as some earth rods ( 19 mm dia copper-clad
steel, 3 meters long, buried vertically).
9th: The most influential parameters in a low-resistance and safe ( to humans) grid are the resistivity and the area
covered by the grid.
10th: Let's assume : fault duration = 0.5 sec; grid depth = 0.75 meters; grid conductor spacing = 2.4 meters ( both
directions); Area of grid = 100m x 100m; # of ground rods = 60 .
11th: Based on IEEE80 equations : Rg( grid) = 0.645 ohms ; GPR = Ig x Rg = 5768 A x 0.645 ohms = 3722 volts ; Es
= 3014 volts; and Et = 148 volts
These all meet the code safety requirements; I had to go thru several parametric iterations to get these optimum
results.
Next time, with your permission, we'll look at the NGR conductor sizing.
Cheers, Ovide.
5/26/2014 CR4 - Thread: Calculating Earth Strip Size
http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/25452/Calculating-Earth-Strip-Size 3/4
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Anonymous
Poster
Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
12/30/2008 4:35 AM
Anonymous
Poster
Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
05/30/2009 2:34 AM
Dear sir thanx for your vital information will u plz confirm me what is the value of K for copper strip. thanx raja sen
Anonymous
Poster
Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
01/24/2010 12:30 AM
material constant k for copper is 205 for current rating 1 sec..
and k for copper is 118 for current rating 3 sec..
these values are for bare conductors..
Regards..
Shridhar Patel
(India)
Anonymous
Poster
Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
02/17/2010 12:46 AM
Really good info, can u plz provide the K value for Aluminum & Galvanized iron. Plz provide the info at
mayank.mishra15@gmail.com. Best Regards Mayank
Anonymous
Poster
Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
07/23/2010 5:39 AM
k factor of aluminium is:
for 1 sec current ratinginA/mm2= 126
for 3 sec current ratinginA/mm2= 73
k factor for steel
for 1 sec current ratinginA/mm2= 80
for 3 sec current ratinginA/mm2= 46
Anonymous
Poster
Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
12/08/2010 2:41 AM
thanks for your answers. please help how the no of electrodes and length of GI strip can be evaluated?
Anonymous
Poster
Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size
01/08/2010 10:27 AM
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Comments rated to be "almost" Good Answers:
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#1 "Re: CALCULATION FOR EARTH STRIP SIZE" by bwire on 08/16/2008 7:20 PM (score 1)
#8 "Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size" by Anonymous Poster on 11/20/2008 8:15 AM (score 1)
#9 "Re: Calculating Earth Strip Size" by ovide brudo on 11/20/2008 3:31 PM (score 1)
Users who posted comments:
Anonymous Poster (9); bwire (2); cnpower (1); joeconed (1); ovide brudo (2); Sparkstation (1)
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