Substation earthing: special considerations for GIs substations

Terry Irwin, J.Lopez-Roldan (VA Tech Reyrolle)

1. G I s in contrast to AIS.

The use of compressed SF, as an insulating medium has led t o the

development of compact gas-insulated substation (CIS) technology (figure
1).
GIs, having many advantages over conventional air-insulated substations
(AIS), have been receiving wide application. However, this alternate
technology has inevitably lead t o a different set of problems t o resolve. in
the case of substation earthing, we can discern three major aspects of the
GIS substation design which need a different approach t o those used in AIS.

1. The use of a 10 times better insulating gas makes it possible t o design a

much more compact substation. This also means a significant reduction
in the grounded area of the substation.
2. This 'compact' design means the phase conductors are much closer than
in AIS and with metal enclosures, for gas containment,
electromagnetically induced currents appear in the earthing system.
3. Compressed SF6 gas insulation facilitates small dielectric clearances in the
GIS. As a result breakdown occurs rapidly in the nanosecond range. The
rapid collapse of voltage results in the generation of very fast travelling
wave transients which propagate throughout the CIS. The coupling of
these transients with the earthing system provokes a transient ground
potential rise (TGPR).

2. Reduced ground area

The area occupied by a GIS substation is typically only 10-25% of that of the
equivalent air insulated installation.
Normally, with an AIS, a single uninsulated copper loop laid around the
perimeter of the site with cross connections t o pick up the individual items
of equipment, will provide a sufficiently low resistance electrode. However,
the smaller area occupied by a CIS means that the size of the main earth
loop will be smaller and therefore the total amount of conducting path will
also be smaller. The possible solutions t o reduce the earth electrode
resistance are (1):

0 High density grid: frequent and short connections from the switchgear
elements t o the earth grid. This reduces the TGPR in the GIS and
contributes t o reduce the total earth electrode resistance, but not in
direct proportion t o the additional length.
0 Connection t o the reinforced concrete mat: connecting the reinforcing
steel mesh and structural steel t o the earth grid will reduce the total
earth electrode resistance. However this is complicated and it has t o be

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 done in a way that avoids problems of overheating and damage of the
reinforced structure due t o excessive circulating currents.
Use of deep driven ground rods: If, after the above methods have been
applied, the earth electrode resistance is s t i l l high, then the use of dee!p
driven ground rods will be required.

3. Induced currents.

Gas Insulated Substations have a grounded outer sheath enclosing the high
voltage inner conductor, unlike conventional equipment whose closest
ground is the earth's surface. At the same time the phase separation is muc:h
smaller.

Depending on the current circulating through the bus-bars there will be a

significant electromagnetic field surrounding the enclosures (figure 2). Thle
alternating variation of this magnetic field induces currents in the grounded
enclosure and other metallic parts in the substation such as steel structures,
inter-phase enclosure connections and ground connections (i.e. earth shunt
connections) etc. (2,4,5). The induced currents in the enclosure can reach
90% of the value of the primary busbar current and they circulate in
opposite direction which reduces the total magnetic field outside thle
enclosure.

Measurements have been performed in a Reyrolle 420 kV substation using a

portable current transformer (CT). This consisted of a 0.5m diameter,
flexible Rogowski coil, an integrator and a digital voltmeter. The accuracy of
the measurement system was first checked in the laboratory which showed
less than 5% error wich was considered t o be adequate for the proposed
measurements.

The Rogowski coil was wrapped around various earthing connections in the
GIS, e.g. grounded chambers, earth straps, inter-phase shunts, steel supports,
ladders etc. The results confirmed a high percentage of current circulating
through the enclosure (in the range from 50 t o 85% of the 2000 A of the
primary current). It was also found that a high level of circulating current
(up t o a 50%) was present in the inter-phase copper earth straps which
shunt the individual phase enclosures.

4. Fast Transients Overvoltages and TGPR

At the beginning of the GIS technology, the grounding design was based in
the classical approach of limiting the power frequency enclosure potentials
t o safe levels based on the maximum expected fault-current conditions. In
contrast t o these relatively low potentials, arcing between the grounded
enclosures and other grounded components which are indicative of much
higher potentials, were routinely observed during breakdown in HV tests or

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 during normal disconnector operation. An exhaustive research was done t o
understand the mechanism of this particular TGPR in CIS.

The reasons for this TGPR were the specific characteristics of the breakdown
in SF6 producing overvoltages with a very fast rise time of 5-20 ns and a t the
same time the specific coaxial arrangement of the bus-duct which happened
to be very good for the transmission of these MHz range voltage surges.

Because of the low operating speed of the disconnector, each closing and
opening operation will produce tens of pre-strikes and re-strikes (figure 3).
Each pre-strike generates a fast transient wave of half the value of the
voltage across the contacts which is transmitted in both directions away
from the pre-strike point (3). When the travelling wave arrives a t the aidSF6
termination, the vertical bushing and the overhead line define external
surge impedances which allow the incident travelling wave t o "refract" out.

In figure 4, the aidSF6 termination is modelled as a junction of three

transmission lines each with i t s own surge impedance:
1. the internal coaxial GIS bus duct.
2. the overhead line-to-ground transmission line.
3. the bus enclosure t o ground transmission line.

One part of the incident wave is reflected back into the bus duct, another
part continues through the overhead line-to-ground transmission line and
the rest forms the TGPR a t the bushing-enclosure junction (6). This TGPR is
soon attenuated by the enclosure ground straps which act as other
transmission lines.

Just t o give an idea of the order of magnitude of the TGPR these are the
results of the measurements performed in a 525 kV GIS by Ontario-Hydro (6):
Voltage across contacts during disconnector closing: 526 kV(Vs)
0 Voltage propagate through GIS bus : 0.5 Vs = 263 kV
0 Arrives a t bushing A (17.7 m from Vs) : 172 kV (33% attenuation by T of
bushin9).
0 TGPR a t bushing A: 45 kV (26% V input t o bushing)
0 Maximum TGPR measured in substation building: 3 kV

Some of the reported experiences of TGPR in GIS are :

0 TGPR is of relatively high magnitude but lasts only microseconds with
frequencies t o above 30MHz.
0 Personal safety : no injuries reported but possible dangerous reactions
against the spark or tingling when working in the GIS .
Inadvertent operation of protective devices.
0 Destruction of electronic components in secondary equipment and
temporary measurement equipment used for commissioning etc..
Sparking in air, between the grounded parts of the system i.e. between
earth straps in close proximity.

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 Short, straight and low inductance connections to the earth grid contribute
t o reduce the TGPR. If the GIS is inside a building, then connecting the
enclosure [via short earth straps] t o the building structure when crossing the
walls will help t o attenuate the TGPR inside the substation.

Finally, special care must be taken when dealing with discontinuities in the
gas enclosure as encountered with an external CT, cable sealing end:s,
transformer connections etc. At these points the enclosures are separated bly
an insulating spacer and the associated earth strap connections are often too
long and too inductive for effective grounding of high frequency transient
potentials. Therefore significant voltages of several kV develop across the
insulated flange which may cause sparking in the surrounding air. In this
case the use of surge suppressers, such as metal oxide varistors (MOV) is
highly advisable.

5. Summary

When designing the grounding of a CIS, together with the classical

approach of limiting the power frequency enclosure potentials t o safe levels
based on the maximum expected fault-current conditions, it is also necessary
t o be aware of the specific problems related to the GIS design.
Consideration must be given t o induced currents which may cause
overheating in the earthing system even under normal load flow conditions.
The effects of the TGPR produced by fast transients overvoltages must also
be considered and the associated impact on high frequency earthing
techniques especially a t enclosure discontinuities.

6. References:

1. J. Lewis, "Earthing of GIs-An application guide". ELECTRA No. 151, December

1993.
2. ANSI / IEEE Std 80-1986, ' I IEEE Guide for Safety in AC Substation Grounding"
3. J.Lopez-Roldan, T.lrwin, S.Nurse, C.Ebden and J.Hansson. "Design, Simulation
and Testing of an EHV Metal-Enclosed Disconnector". Eleventh International
Symposium in High Voltage Engineering, Vol 3, 520, London 1999.
4. T. Dodds and H.Spindle. "Grounding of Gas Insulated Substations". IEEE
Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems, PAS-94, No 4, July/August 1975.
5. T.Yoshida, TSakakibara, K. Terasaka and I. Miwa. "Distribution of induced
grounding current in large-capacity GIS using multipoint grounding system".
IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Vol. PWRD-1, No4, October 1986.
6. N.Fujimoto, E.Dick, S. Boggs and G.Ford, "Transient Ground Potential Rise in Gas
Insulated Substations-Experimental Studies", IEEE Transactions on Power
Apparatus and Systems, Vol. PAS-101, No 10, October 1982.

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 Figurel. GIs double bus-bar
section view

CB: Circuit Breaker

D: Disconnectors
ME: Metal Enclosure
BB: BusBars
CT: Current Transfomers
VT: Voltage Transformers
S: Steel structures

Figure 2. Magnetic flux density distribution around

the three phase enclosures in a GIS bus-duct

Figure 3. Pre-strikes during a disconnector closing operation

OVERHEAD LINE CONDUCTOR OF BUS

S R *?-9z2%zwA~~

GR0T.N) PLAN SHEATH OF BUS

Figure.4. Transmission line model of the TGPR in the air/SF6termination (6)

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