Design of Optimum Earthing System to Substation Using a Software

Presented by Group C

D V G Chamara L Neelawala D H S Piyumika S L Prabashwara G W V Priyantha E A K Sandakalum T M Weerakkody

Associated Journals

N M Tabatabaei and S R Moetezaeei, Design of Grounding Systems in Substations by ETAP Intelligent Software, International Journal on Technical and Physical Problems of Engineering, Vol 2, No. 4, P 45-49, March 2010 E U Ubeku and F Odiase, Substation Earthing Grid Safety Analysis, International journal of Electrical and Power Engineering, Vol 3, No. 5, P262-267, 2009

Abstract

Journal 1: In a properly designed ground system, under faulty conditions voltage gradient should not exceed the limits that can be tolerated by the human body. maximum tolerable potential deference should be carefully designed. Genetic algorithm was developed to find the optimum grounding system to ensure safety of people even at severe fault.

Abstract (contd..)

Journal 2: The study presents a user interactive program to design a substation earthing grid system. Standard IEEE 80 and 2000 are used to write the program for simulation of touch, step and mesh potentials to avoid trial and error process to ensure accuracy and safety.

Outline
Objective of Earthing Design Key Factors of Earthing Design Algorithm for Grounding Design Advantages of Intelligent Software tools over Manual Calculation Future Milestones Conclusion

Objective of Earthing Design

To provide a direct path for electric currents to flow to the ground under normal and fault conditions without exceeding any operating and equipment limits, or adversely affecting the continuity of service To ensure that persons in the vicinity of grounded facilities are not exposed to the danger of electrical shock maintaining step and touch voltages at tolerable values

Key Factors of Earthing Design

Ground Potential Rise (GPR)

1. Ground Potential Rise (GPR) is a phenomenon that occurs when large amounts of electric current enter to the earth. 2. typically caused when substations or high-voltage towers fault, or when lightning strikes occur (fault current). 3. The voltages produced by a Ground Potential Rise or Earth Potential Rise event can be hazardous to both personnel and equipment.

Key Factors of Earthing Design

Touch and Step Potential

 Touch

Key Factors of Earthing Design

Potential

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
Step

voltage

The difference in surface potential experienced by a person bridging a distance of 1m with the feet without contacting any grounded object

Algorithm for program

Algorithm for program

Design Procedure
Step 1:
Determine the soil resistivity profile and the soil model needed (that is, uniform or two-layer model). Step 2: Determine the conductor size. The fault current should be the maximum expected future fault current, and the time, tc, should reflect the maximum possible clearing time

Amm2 I Tm Ta Tr o

conductor cross section in mm2 rms current in kA maximum allowable temperature in C ambient temperature in C

r r

thermal coefficient of resistivity at reference temperature Tr in 1/C resistivity of the ground conductor at reference temperature 1/o or (1/r) Tr in C duration of current flow in s thermal capacity per unit volume

Ko reference temperature for material constants in tc C TCAP thermal coefficient of resistivity at 0 C in 1/C

Design Procedure
Step 3:
Determine The tolerable touch and step voltages. The choice of time, ts, is based on the judgment of the design engineer Estep = (RB+6Cs) IB Etouch = (RB+1.5Cs) IB Tolerable body current limit

k IB = ts
k = empirical constant related to electric shock energy For a 50kg person, k50=116 For a 70kg person, k70=157

IB = rms value of the current through the body in mA ts = duration of the current exposure in s (from 0.03 3 s)

Effect of a thin layer of surface material Corrective factor Cs used to compute effective foot resistance in the presence of a finite thickness of surface material

Design Procedure
Step 4: The preliminary design should include a conductor loop surrounding the entire grounded area, plus adequate cross conductors to provide convenient access for equipment grounds, etc. The initial estimates of conductor spacing and ground rod locations should be based on the current IG and the area being grounded. 70 m

70 m

Design Procedure
Step 5: Estimate the preliminary resistance of the grounding system. For the final design, more accurate estimates of the resistance may be desired. Computer analysis based on modeling the components of the grounding system in detail can compute the resistance with a high degree of accuracy, assuming the soil model is chosen correctly. Step 6: Determine the grid current. To prevent over design of the grounding system, only that portion of the total fault current, that flows through the grid to remote earth should be used in designing the grid. The current should, however, reflect the worst fault type and location, the decrement factor, and any future system expansion.

Step 7: If the GPR of the preliminary design is below the tolerable touch voltage, no further analysis is necessary. Only additional conductor required to provide access to equipment grounds is necessary.

GPR= If,max.Rg This Should be less than Etouch voltage

Design Procedure
Step 8: The calculation of the mesh and step voltages for the grid as designed can be done by the approximate analysis techniques

Calculated Mesh voltage

Calculated Step Voltage

Design Procedure
Step 9: If the computed mesh voltage is below the tolerable touch voltage, the design may be complete . If the computed mesh voltage is greater than the tolerable touch voltage, the preliminary design should be revised Step 10: If both the computed touch and step voltages are below the tolerable voltages, the design needs only the refinements required to provide access to equipment grounds. If not, the preliminary design must be revised. Step 11: If either the step or touch tolerable limits are exceeded, revision of the grid design is required. These revisions may include smaller conductor spacings, additional ground rods, etc.

Design Procedure
Step 12: After satisfying the step and touch voltage requirements, additional grid and ground rods may be required. The additional grid conductors may be required if the grid design does not include conductors near equipment to be grounded. Additional ground rods may be required at the base of surge arresters, transformer neutrals, etc. The final design should also be reviewed to eliminate hazards due to transferred potential and hazards associated with special areas of concern.

DISADVANTAGE OF MANUAL CALCULATION

1 ITERRATIVE PROCEDURE 2 TIME CONSUMING 3. LACK OF MUTUAL EFFECT CONSIDERATION 4. FREQUENCY RESPONSE IS NOT IN CONSIDARATION 5. NONLINEERITY AND CLIMATE CHANGES ARE NOT IN CONSIDERATION

Sample Stimulation Results

Case-01 :

Sample Stimulation Results

Case-02:

Sample Stimulation Results

Case-03:

Sample Stimulation Results

Case 04: Designing of Earth System Network with the same interval Case 05 : Design of Earth System Network with optimum conductors land base network optimization single variable Case 06 : Designing of Earth System Network with comprehensive multivariate optimization (based on optimizing the number of conductors and earth rod networks

Sample Stimulation Results

Sample Stimulation Results

Advantages over Manual Process

Associated complex equations can be solved more accurately. Mutual effects of adjacent grounding objects can be taken into the account. Facility to simulate under various soil layer models with seasonal effects. Simulate under fast transient and power frequencies. 3D Geometry of the grounding system can be modeled Ability to design cost optimum safe grounding system.

Future Milestones

Substation Grounding is a complex process due to number of involved phenomena. One of major problem is when lightning occur, non-linear and ionization phenomena appear in the soil. Therefore, we should investigate and develop a model to evaluate performance of soil under impulse transient. Thereafter this model can be incorporate to existing software.

Conclusion
Substation earthing grid design is a , Trial and Error Procedure and Large No of parameters involved in the calculation. Therefore, Accurate computation of earthing behavior under steady and transient conditions can only be achieved through advance computer base software only. It has Ability to implement cost optimize design where necessary. And also Advance features like stimulation for different cases can be easily analyzed and modeled. So we highly recommended a advanced computer software such as MATLAB, ETAP, for the Grounding Substation Design.

Thank You