Earthing

Guide
Document Number :
(4)-CMIA00-16035-SGN010-0

Project : CGL-2
Customer : CMI SA, Belgium
End Customer : TAT Metal,
Turkey
 Earthing Guidelines

Version Control

Revision Date Prepared Checked Remarks Distribution

00 Jan 2017 Rahul Vikram Initial Version All stake holder

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 Earthing Guidelines

1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................3
2. PLANT LEVEL EARTH NETWORK. ..........................................................................................................4
3. TYPICAL EXAMPLES .............................................................................................................................9
4. EARTH CONNECTION CHART............................................................................................................. 14
5. GENERAL GUIDELINES ...................................................................................................................... 15

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1. Introduction

This Document gives information on the General Requirements for the Earthing systems to be used for the
different products of TATCGL2 project.

In this document three chapters are given.

Plant Level Earth Network.

Typical Examples.

Earth connection Chart.

General Guidelines.

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2. Plant Level Earth Network.

A. Earth Electrodes

There are commonly three types of Earth Electrodes are Used Worldwide.

1. Buried Ring

The conductors may be:

Copper: Bare cable ( 25 mm2) or multiple-strip ( 25 mm2) and ( 2 mm thick)

Aluminium with lead jacket: Cable ( 35 mm2)
Galvanised-steel cable: Bare cable ( 95 mm2) or multiple-strip ( 100 mm2 and 3 mm
thick) The approximate resistance R of the electrode in ohms:

B. Earthing Rod

The rods may be:

Copper or (more commonly) copper-clad steel. The latter are generally 1 or 2 metres long
and provided with screwed ends and sockets in order to reach considerable depths, if
necessary (for instance, the water-table level in areas of high soil resistivity)
Galvanised[1] steel pipe 25 mm diameter or rod 15 mm diameter, 2 metres long in each
case.

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The approximate resistance R obtained is: if the distance separating the rods > 4L

where

L = the length of the rod in metres

= resistivity of the soil in ohm-metres
n = the number of rods

C. Vertical Plates

Rectangular plates, each side of which must be 0.5 metres, are commonly used as earth
electrodes, being buried in a vertical plane such that the centre of the plate is at least 1 metre
below the surface of the soil.

The plates may be:

Copper of 2 mm thickness
Galvanised[1] steel of 3 mm thickness The resistance R in ohms is given (approximately), by:

B. Earth Networks

The Earth network in plant can be distributed in Different levels.

Earth Loop on Plinth level under concrete structure

The Steel structure under concrete foundation is interconnected with each other so that the
entire structure is at same potential.
This structure is connected through the different earth pits located at different points
The interconnection is done through exothermic welding methods.

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D. Primary Earth network on floor level

A separate Earth connection strip shall be routed on floor.

This Earth strip shall be connected to the Earth pits.
Frames of motors and other electrical machinery shall be connected to this earth strips.

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E. Equipment Protective Earth Connection

For Equipment and personnel safety all body of equipment shall connect to earth.
All Electrical cabinets and Field Equipments shall have separate earth connection points.
This earth connection point shall be connected to main earth strips connected to Earth pits.
These connections shall be of Star type with the main earth conductor.

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F. Signal and Electronics Earth.

o Electronic earth pit should be separate but equipotential of the protective earth.
o All shields and ground terminals of sensors and communication equipment shall
connect to this earth.

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3. Typical Examples
A. Typical Sinamics Drives Earth Connection System.

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B. Typical Cable Connection in Drive Panel.

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C. Typical Cable Connection in Motor.

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D. Typical wiring on Field.

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E. Typical Screened Motor Cable for Drives.

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4. Earth Connection Chart.

Separate Earth Cable

from Drive to motor
Connection Through
Lightning protection

Dedicated Earth Pit

Hard Copper strap

Concrete renforce
Earthing Through
Contact Washers

Steel Connection
Earth plate floor

Breaded Copper
Protective Earth

Electronic Earth

Crimped Earth
Welded Earth
Connection

Connection
Cables

Wire
level
Equipement Description

MCC Panels y y y y
Drive panels y y y
Operator Stations on Field y y
Mat in Control Rooms y
Tables in Control room y
Motors connected on MCC y y y
Motors Connected to
Drives y y y y
Rotating Machines y y y
Sensors y y y
Machine foundation y y
Transformer y

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5. General guidelines
The earth electrode shall be made of high tensile low carbon steel circular rods, molecularly
bonded with copper on outer surface to meet the molecularly bonded with copper on outer
surface to meet the requirements of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 467-2007 or latest. Such
copper bonded steel cored rod is preferred due to its overall combination of strength, corrosion
resistance, low resistance path to earth and cost effectiveness.
The earth electrode shall be UL listed and of minimum 17.0mm diameter and Minimum 3.0mtrs.
Long.
The minimum copper bonding thickness shall be of 250 microns.
Marking: UL marking, Manufacturers name or trade name, length, diameter, catalogue number
must be punched on every earth electrode.
Earth electrode can be visually inspected, checked for dimensions and thickness of copper
coating using micron gauge. The supplier shall arrange for such inspection at the time of supply,
if so desired.
Conductors used as grid conductors, grounding electrode conductors, equipment ground
conductors, or bonding conductors in grounding systems shall:
o Be soft or annealed copper.
o If larger than 35 mm (#2 AWG) be stranded.
o Except for grid conductors used in substations for potential control purposes be
insulated when used in direct contact with soil less than 70 ohm-meters resistivity.
o If used for grid conductors in substations for potential control purposes be bare and if
used in soils less than 70 ohm-meters resistivity be tinned.
o If insulated have a green jacket or a green jacket with yellow stripes. When isolated
ground equipment grounding conductors are installed per IEEE 1100, they must be
labeled or color coded to distinguish them from standard equipment grounding
conductors.
o If exposed above grade in a severe corrosion area be insulated.
o If buried and used for grids and/or interconnection of ground rods be minimum 70 mm
(2/0 AWG).
o If used for connection of equipment to ground rods or ground grid be minimum 25 mm
(#4 AWG).

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