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1
• Electrical systems are classified
according to international standard IEC
364 in relation to the neutral distribution
system by two letters
• The first one means the neutral state of
the secondary of transformer, the
second one means the connection to
earth of the masses by the user
TN - TT - IT
2
First Letter (transformer)
• T (star point of transformer connected
to earth)
• I (star point of transformer isolated from
earth)
3
Second letter (masses)
• N (masses connected to star point of
transformer conductor, PE or PEN)
• T (masses connected to dedicated
earth plant)
4
TN System
• One neutral point is connected directly to earth and the
masses of the plant are connected to that point by a
protection conductor (PE or PEN)
• TN system can have following configurations:
– TN-S neutral conductor and protection conductor are separated
– TN-C function of neutral and protection are combined in one
conductor
– TN-C-S function of neutral and protection are combined in one
conductor only for one part of the system
• TN system can be used in plants equipped with its own
transformer substation
5
TN System
L1
L1 L2
L2 L3
L3 N
PEN PE
TN-C TN-S
Mass Mass
L1
L2
L3
N
PE
TN-C-S
Mass Mass
6
TT System
• Neutral connected
directly to earth and L1
connected to one PE
local earthing
system TT
Mass
independent from
the main power
earthing system
7
IT System
• No active parts are
connected to earth L1
(possible only by an
L2
L3
impedance “Z”), PE
masses are
Z
connected to earth IT
Mass
8
Contact to voltage part
• Contacts to voltage parts can be defined as
follow :
Direct contact
• contact with active part (neutral conductor included and PEN
conventionally excluded).
Indirect contact
• contact with on voltage mass due to a fault: this kind of contact
must be carefully taken in consideration. Direct contact can be
easily avoided by using insulation, indirect contact can not be
foreseen as part which are normally not in voltage get to a
potential for insulation fault of some component.
9
Direct contact
L1
L2
L3
Mass
10
Indirect contact
L1
L2
L3
Mass
11
TN System protection
• Characteristics of protective devices and loop impedance in
case of fault to earth in every point of the plant, must be
coordinated in order to automatically disconnect the supply in
the stated time. Following condition must be satisfied:
Zs ⋅ Ia ≤ U0
• where:
– U0 = nominal voltage V (rms value) between phase and earth
– Zs = fault loop impedance Ω
– Ia = current which make the protecting device tripping in the time
stated according to U0. For residual current devices, Ia=I∆
12
Maximum interrupting time
for TN System
13
TN-S fault loop
Fault loop with impedance Zs
L1
L2
L3
PE
Ig
14
TN-C fault loop
Fault loop with impedance Zs
L1
L2
L3
PEN
Ig
15
TT System protection
• For protection by automatically disconnection supply
in TT system, following protecting devices can be
used:
– residual current devices
– overcurrent devices
• Requirements:
– all masses protected by the same device must be connected
to the same earth plant
– neutral point must be connected to earth in a place different
from those of masses
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TT System protection
• Coordination between protecting device and earth
resistance must be done in order to satisfy the following
relation:
Ra ⋅ I a ≤ 50V
where:
– Ra is the sum of resistances (earth system, PE conductor,
masses) in ohm
– Ia is the current which makes the protecting device tripping in A
– 50V is the maximum limit of touch voltage in ordinary condition,
for particular condition (outdoor plant, swimming pool,
hospitals...) the limit is 25V
( Ra ⋅ I a ≤ 25V )
17
TT fault loop
L1
L2
L3
Ig
Rn
Mass Ra
TT System
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Protection
• With residual current devices:
– if residual current devices are used Ia=I∆
• With overcurrent protecting devices:
– With inverse time characteristic protection, Ia must
be the current value which makes the device trip in
a time ≤ 5s
– With instantaneous characteristic protection, Ia is
the minimum current which makes the device trip
19
Overcurrent devices
• This kind of protection, admitted by the standard, in most of
cases can not be used because of the difficult to obtain very low
earth resistance values in such kind of system. Ra value must in
fact satisfy following condition:
50
Ra ≤ [ Ω]
Ia
20
Residual current devices
• Easy to understand that in TT system the
overcurrent protecting device are not indicated for
protection against indirect contacts
• The only safety device is the residual current device
– with 30 mA residual current device, the minimum earth
resistance required is:
50
Ra ≤ = 1666Ω
0.03
21
IT system protection
• With the first fault to earth, only a very
low capacitive current is present, such
value is not sufficient to make the
Ra ⋅ I g ≤ 50V
22
IT system first fault to earth
L1
L2
L3
IT system first
fault to earth
C1 C2 C3
Mass Ra
Ig
23
Second fault to earth
• With the second fault to earth
automatically interruption of the circuit is
strictly required
• Condition depends from the earth
connection of the masses
24
IT system characteristics
• For users with their own transformer substation which
need continuity of service (hospitals, pulp and paper,
and steel plants…)
• Circuit with high impedance loop in order to avoid
tripping due to the first fault to earth
• It is useful to use a monitoring device able to detect
the first fault to earth
25
Interconnection
L1
L2
L3
26
Max. admitted tripping time
Second fault to earth
27
TT System RCD applications
L1
L2
L3
Ig
YES
Rn
Mass Ra
TT System
L3
PE
Ig
YES
Mass TN-S System
L3
PEN
Ig
NO! YES
Ig
L3
IT system first
fault to earth
C1 C2 C3
NO !
Z
Mass Ra
Ig
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Residual current releases
RC222
Sizes for T4 and T5
Type Underneath
Technology with microprocessor
Action solenoid
Primary operating voltage (1) [V] 85...500
Operating frequency [Hz] 45… 66
Self-supply
Test operation range (1) 85...500
Rated service current [A] up to 630 A
0,03 - 0,05 - 0,1 - 0,3 - 0,5 - 1 -
Adjustable trip thresholds [A]
3 - 5 - 10
instantaneous 0,1 - 0,2 - 0,3 - 0,5 -
Adjustable trip times [s]
1-2-3
Tolerance over trip times ± 20%
Local trip signalling
SA with changeover contact for trip signalling
Input for remote opening
NO contact for signalling pre-alarm
NO contact for signalling alarm
Indication of pre-alarm from 25% IDn (tolerance ±3%)
Indication of alarm timing
Automatic residual current relay reset
Type A for pulsed alternating current, AC for alternating current
Type AE for remote release
Selective type
Button for insulation test
Power supply from above and below
Assembly with three-pole circuit-breakers
Assembly with four-pole circuit-breakers
Remote release device
Conversion kit of circuit-breaker with residual current
from fixed to plug-in
(1) Operation up to 50 V Phase-Neutral
33
Tmax T1-T2-T3: Residual current
releases
34
Tmax T4-T5: Residual current
releases
35
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