GROUNDING SYSTEM DESIGN FOR ISOLATED LOCATIONS AND PLANT SYSTEMS

Marcus O. Durham Robert A. Durham THEWAY Corp / U of Tulsa Central & Southwest Srvcs, WTU

GROUNDING Introduction
Common

feature Technology well defined

not always effective application is art

PRESENT TECHNOLOGY Introduction

NEC Green Emerald Lightning Previous

35 pp requirements -- not design RP industrial -- not electronics RP power quality sensitive equip shield & shunt discharges - not devices requirements & design procedures

PRESENT TECHNOLOGY Introduction

NEC Green Emerald Lightning Previous

35 pp requirements -- not design RP industrial -- not electronics RP power quality sensitive equip shield & shunt discharges - not devices requirements & design procedures

PROJECT 10 Case Studies of Ground Problems

Situation

present problem Environment influences effectiveness of system Analysis investigates alternatives & unique Summary brief response to situation

little things mean a lot -- pay attention to detail

REMOTE SENSOR ERRATIC Case 1

Situation very low readings prior to lightning Environment petrochemical plant, Alabama Gulf Coast pipeline station 1/2 mile soil = sand , > 50,000 ohm-cm isoceraunic 80 TSDY , intense combination = one of most difficult

REMOTE SENSOR ERRATIC Case 1

Situation very low readings prior to lightning Environment petrochemical plant, Alabama Gulf Coast pipeline station 1/2 mile soil = sand , > 50,000 ohm-cm isoceraunic 80 TSDY , intense combination = one of most difficult

REMOTE SENSOR ERRATIC Cause

V

diff common (-) to remote gnd signal current fluctuation Cloud crossing creates potential varies w / location under storm Strike = saturate ground system elevated potential to outside

REMOTE SENSOR ERRATIC Effect

Inside

= equipotential Egress = difference Trigger protectors short time Dump excessive transient I on lines Time - delay on response Isolate remote ground , metallic bonding wont

REMOTE SENSOR ERRATIC No Such Thing As Common Ground

AWG 2/0 bond Lo R = 0.0003 / ft L = 0.5 uH / ft XL = 3 ohm / ft I surge > 3000 A
EE

Hi Z to lighting f = 1 Mhz (4 order, 10000X) V drop = 9000 v / ft

UNUSED POINTS INDUCE ERRORS Case 2

Situation unused analog damaged during storm Environment pipeline station S . Texas cap rock soil = rock 15 , 000 to 100 , 000 ohm-cm isoceraunic 38 TSDY

UNUSED POINTS INDUCE ERRORS Cause

Extra

input cards Multi - conductor cable Surges induced on every wire Analog in more susceptible to spurious Digital less prone but surges coupled Never let float

UNUSED POINTS INDUCE ERRORS Connections

Load on unused Join intermediate terminals Open field ends Care to isolate shield from other ground

UNUSED POINTS INDUCE ERRORS Termination

Digital In

Digital Out

Analog In

Analog Out

GND

LOAD

250 W

FAILURE DURING STORM Case 3

Situation sensors commonly failed w/o direct hit Environment power generation, SW Oklahoma pipeline gas yard 200 yds soil = river bottom, 3000 ohm-cm, excellent isoceraunic 55 TSDY

FAILURE DURING STORM What Is It?

Remote

xmitters in yard Existing unshielded cable - entry lightning energy Effective grounds in plant & yard No strike lose DCS input Close strike to towers, tanks severe differential voltage lose transmitter also

FAILURE DURING STORM Fix

Isolate

unshielded cable Common mode DCS Differential mode xmitter In - line both MOV 36 V, 160 J Woops, commercials ground protector
MOV

DATA FAILURE BETWEEN BLDGS Case 4

Situation perimeter comm lines , terminals 5 X Environment petrochemical plant, Alabama Gulf Coast pipeline station 1/2 mile soil = sand , > 50,000 ohm-cm isoceraunic 80 TSDY , intense combination = one of most difficult

DATA FAILURE BETWEEN BLDGS Tap Protection

Different

ground potential Isolate signal & protection Prefer fiber Twisted - pair, shield 1 end 2 Com, 1 Dif MOV

DATA FAILURE BETWEEN BLDGS AC & Remote Protection

Gas

tube MOV or Transzorb Inductor comm type frequency / baud length V & I

PROTECTION Local , AC & Remote

xmitter

+
_ s

+
_

xmitter

+
_ s Isolated Signal Ground

+
_

PROTECTION BLOWS FUSES Case 5

Situation protectors operate , fuses blow Environment petrochemical plant, Alabama Gulf Coast pipeline station 1/2 mile soil = sand , > 50,000 ohm-cm isoceraunic 80 TSDY , intense combination = one of most difficult

PROTECTION BLOWS FUSES Follow Through Current

Gas

tubes Zener MOV

Shorts

long short 15 sec

transmitter 90 fuses per storm

PROTECTION BLOWS FUSES Non - Incendive Resistor

Small Large Power

minimize loop compliance limit I continuous

- 20 ma, 24 VDC ~ 600 ohm In positive lead

PROTECTION BLOWS FUSES Resistance

+24V fuse indicator limiting wire P X protector

-24V (gnd)

wire

xmitter

Total = Sensor + Wire + Add = 250 + 17 /kft + 330 > 580

PROTECTION BLOWS FUSES Loop Compliance

Resistor = 24V / 50 ma > 480 ohm
I loop = ( 600 / Total R) * 20 ma < 20 P = (0.020) 2 * 330 = 0.13 W

PROTECTION BLOWS FUSES Semiconductor Failure

Generally

shorts Positive lead Negative lead

blow fuse ground loop

I S D I S

CURRENT IN ELECTRODES Case 6

Situation I = 14 A in both ground beds Environment petrochemical plant, Alabama Gulf Coast pipeline station 1/2 mile soil = sand , > 50,000 ohm-cm isoceraunic 80 TSDY , intense combination = one of most

CURRENT IN ELECTRODES Non - Isolation

Marshalling Chassis Each 1400

panel

digital inputs

pos, neg, gnd short to shield small circulating I large I

CURRENT IN ELECTRODES Shields

Shorted

together Do not crop to jacket Insulate individual ends Do not touch metal Terminate on shield strip Single point ground

CURRENT IN ELECTRODES Single Point

Supply 24+ 24PLC 24+ 24s 24+ 24s Xducer + _

+ _

Source H N G

120V

Load H N G

FAN MOTOR ON TOP OF BOILER Case 7

Situation Fails when lightning hits surrounding Environment power generation, W Texas soil = shallow top soil on rock, ~ 100,000 ohm-cm isoceraunic 43TSDY

FAN MOTOR ON TOP OF BOILER Equipment

4160

V motor 70 ft above earth 5 kv unshielded triplex In tray & conduit Acts as antenna 2 grounding conductors

FAN MOTOR ON TOP OF BOILER Gnd Conductor Z ( AWG 4 )

L = 0.279 uHy / ft L = 56 uHy / 100 ft L = 0.5 uHy / ft typical

XL = 220 ohm @ 1 MHz XL >> R

FAN MOTOR ON TOP OF BOILER Fix

Lightning
MOV Bond

arrestors on terminals

all metal Shield cable

STRUCTURE ATTRACTS LIGHTNING Case 8

Situation Damages xmitters & boards Frequent hits Environment research facility NE Oklahoma soil = loam, 6500 ohm-cm isoceraunic 55 TSDY

STRUCTURE ATTRACTS LIGHTNING Dissipate Energy

Not

tallest structure More conductive than others Bond around base pins Bond framework 1 / 0 AWG Non - corrosive terminals Gound guy wires

STRUCTURE ATTRACTS LIGHTNING Ground Network

Rat

- race ring If > 50 ft, criss - cross Bond to existing grid Radials 1 / 0 AWG 5 ft rods, 20 ft spacing

HIGH RESISTIVITY SOIL Case 9

Situation Single motor from distribution system Environment pump SE New Mexico soil = 6500 ohm-cm on rock at 4 ft isoceraunic 47 TSDY

HIGH RESISTIVITY SOIL 5 / 8 x 8 Rod

Dwights

formula R = [ p / 191.5 b] [ ln ( 48 b / a ) - 1 ] R = 177 ohm , 1 rod R = 76 ohm, 3 rods > 25 ohm >> 5 ohm

HIGH RESISTIVITY SOIL Concrete

Retain

moisture Alkalinity free ions Resistivity 3000 ohm - cm 1 rod 10.6 ohm 3 rod 4.6 ohm
ACME CONCRETE

SHOCK ON GROUNDED PANEL Case 10

Situation Grounded panel permitted shock Environment pumping panel, NE Oklahoma soil = loam, 6500 ohm-cm isoceraunic 55 TSDY

SHOCK ON GROUNDED PANEL System

Power

panel outdoors Overhead distribution, 277 / 480 Y gnd 5 / 8 x 8 rod Occasional shocks Inspected returned to service

SHOCK ON GROUNDED PANEL Problem

Secondary

pinch ~ 50 ohm Circulating I = 1 amp Two ground paths Gnd rod ~ 25 ohm Body ~ 40,000 to 1,000 ohm

SHOCK ON GROUNDED PANEL

277/480 v

120 v

SHOCK ON GROUNDED PANEL Body Current

0.6 ma 24.4 ma 341 ma 40 K 1K 14 A

Install lo Z ground

SHOCK ON GROUNDED PANEL GFCI

Personnel

6 ma Equipment 30 ma Not required for this

CURRENT IMPACT
MA 1 8 15 20 50 100 Physiology sensation painful shock cant let go possible damage ventricular fibrillation probable death

REVIEW
Grounding systems Various environments Diverse problems Common solutions Little things mean a lot

SUMMARY
1. 2. 3. 4. Environment - thunderstorms vs hits Earth resistivity - multiple in concrete Equipotential network Single point connection power neutral signal common shield

SUMMARY
5. 6. 7. 8. Bond metal Protection devices Bond to chassis vs isolate remote Terminate unused short in load out bond wires