AN INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICAL EARTHING

9/8/2017 1
9/8/2017 2
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Very early use of electricity was with ungrounded
systems.

The electrical systems were generally localised systems.

The first AC Transmission in 1886 paved the way for

growth of electrical systems.

Fatal accidents were reported when persons came in

contact with live parts due to insulation damage.

A need was felt to provide an alternate easy path for

fault currents to prevent accidents.

9/8/2017 3
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Earth being a huge mass (mean radius 6371 Km) was
thought to be the best sink.

Metal rods were driven into the earth and non current
carrying metal parts (enclosures) of electrical apparatus
were connected to these rods called electrodes.

The famous Horse and Dairy accidents.

Investigation of these accidents revealed that the

safety of human/animal life around electrical facilities
depend on the body currents caused by the potential
gradients during an electrical fault.
9/8/2017 4
 ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOUR OF EARTH
The electrical behaviour of earth is heterogeneous and it behaves
as differently as;

A conductor having resistance.

An electrolyte.
A dielectric.
The behaviour of a ground electrode buried in soil can be analysed by
the soil model shown here.

Soil Model

C C C

r1 r2 r3

9/8/2017 5
 ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOUR OF EARTH

Soil behaves both as conductor having resistance and

dielectric.

For power frequency currents the charging current is

negligible in comparison to the leakage current, and
the earth can be represented by a pure resistance.

For high frequency current (lightning current) the

dielectric behaviour becomes predominant.
9/8/2017 6
 ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOUR OF EARTH

The voltage gradient experienced by the soil immediately

surrounding the electrode does not cause any variation in the
soil resistivity.

Only when the gradient exceeds some critical value depending

on the minerals present in the soil, arcs would develop at the
surface of the electrode and progress into the earth so as to
increase the effective size of the electrode.

9/8/2017 7
 EARTH AS RETURN CONDUCTOR

This phenomenon will continue till the gradients are reduced

to values that the soil material can withstand.

This condition is illustrated by the presence of gaps in the soil

model.

9/8/2017 8
 ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOUR OF EARTH

The magnitude of the current flowing from the

electrodes into the surrounding soil can increase the
effective soil resistivity in the vicinity of the electrodes.

This can happen when the current density exceeds 200

A/m2 for 1s.

At such current densities significant drying of the soil

takes place and soil resistivity increases.
9/8/2017 9
 EARTHING - BASIC CONCEPTS

soil resistivity

The concept of Remote Earth.

The earth resistance of an electrode.

Potential gradients and shock potentials

The GI electrode as per IS 3043 1966.

The CI electrode as per IS 3043 1987.

The electrode used in KPTCL sub stations.

9/8/2017 10
 EARTH RESISTIVITY

Electrical Resistivity of earth is an important parameter

for the determination of ;
Earth resistance of earth electrode
Earth electrode potential rise
Earth surface potentials
The three phenomena as above will affect the
magnitude of dangerous voltages and are directly
proportional to the electrical resistivity of the earth
surrounding the electrode system.

9/8/2017 11
 EARTH RESISTIVITY
Dissipation of current from the electrode to the
surrounding mass of earth is radial and the current
flows from the electrode to the current collecting
electrode (the source neutral electrode).

For the purpose of establishing an earth electrode,

variation in resistivity of earth both in the lateral
direction and along the depth below earth surface are
to be considered.
9/8/2017 12
 EARTH RESISTIVITY
Earth consists of chiefly sand or silicon dioxide besides
other metallic oxides and calcium carbonate. The surface
layer consists of clay mixed sand and often mixed with
decayed vegetable matter also.
When dry, this admixture may not conduct much
electricity.
In the presence of moisture, ionic conduction takes place
according to the type of salts present in the water
contained in the soil. As a result soil resistivity is
dependent on physical and chemical composition of soil,
moisture content and even temperature.
Hence, earth conduction is electrolytic in nature.
Resistivity of soil varies very widely and depends on the
nature of soil.
9/8/2017 13
 EARTHING BASIC CONCEPTS
(SOIL RESISTIVITY)

9/8/2017 14
 EARTHING BASIC CONCEPTS
(REMOTE EARTH)

9/8/2017 15
 EARTHING BASIC CONCEPTS
EARTH RESISTANCE OF AN ELECTRODE

Earth resistance of an earth electrode is the resistance offered by the

hemispherical mass of earth surrounding the electrode, for the flow of current
leaking from the electrode into the earth , where the radius of hemisphere is the
distance from the electrode to the remote earth.
9/8/2017 16
 EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION
THE ELECTRIC SHOCK

Effects of an electric current passing through the vital parts

of a human body depend on the duration, magnitude and
frequency of this current.
The most dangerous consequence of such an exposure is a
heart condition known as ventricular fibrillation resulting in
immediate arrest of blood circulation.
Humans are very vulnerable to the effects of electric
current at power frequency, currents of 0.1 Ampere can be
lethal.
Still higher currents can be tolerated at high frequencies.

9/8/2017 17
 EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION
THE ELECTRIC SHOCK
The most common physiological effects of electric current on
the body, stated in order of increasing magnitude, are;
1 mAThreshold of perception Just able to detect a slight tingling
sensation in the hands or finger tips.
1 to 6 mALet go currents Unpleasant to sustain. Generally do not
impair the ability of the person holding the
energized object to control his muscles and
release it.

9 to 25 mA--Painful Difficult or impossible to release energized

objects grasped by the hand. Breathing
may be difficult. The effects disappear
when current is interrupted. Person may
respond to resuscitation.

60 to 100 mA--Dangerous Ventricular fibrillation, stoppage of heart,

inhibition of respiration, injury, burning or
death.
9/8/2017 18
 EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION

THE ELECTRIC SHOCK

The magnitude and duration of the current conducted through a human body at 50 or 60
Hz should be less than the value that can cause ventricular fibrillation of the heart.
Duration formula:

The tolerable body current limit that persons can safely withstand without ventricular
fibrillation, with passage of current with magnitude and duration is determined by the
following formula;
IB = K / ts where K = SB

For a person weighing 50 Kg the value of S B is 0.0135 as per the findings of

Mr. Dalziel.
Thus, for 50 Kg body weight, K = 0.116
Therefore IB = 0.116 / ts

ts
This results in a value of 116 mA for = 1 second and 367mA for
ts = 0.1 seconds.

9/8/2017 19
 EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION
THE ELECTRIC SHOCK
If shock currents can be kept below fibrillating Threshold value by a carefully
designed grounding system, Injury or death may be avoided.
IB
The non fibrillating current of magnitude at durations ranging from 0.03 to
3 seconds is related to the energy absorbed by the body is described by the
following equation;

SB=(I )2*t
2 B
SB = (IB) ts s
Where,
IB = rms magnitude of the current through the body in Amps.

ts = duration of current exposure in seconds.

SB
= is the empirical constant related to the electric shock energy tolerated
by a certain percent of a given population.

9/8/2017 20
 EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION

THE ELECTRIC SHOCK

THE SHOCK POTENTIALS (THE ACCIDENTAL GROUND CIRCUIT)

TOUCH VOLTAGE

Touch voltage is the potential difference between a grounded metallic

structure and a point on the earths surface equal to the normal
maximum horizontal reach, approximately one meter.

STEP VOLTAGE

Step Voltage is the potential difference between two points on the

earths surface, separated by a distance of one pace which will be
assumed to be one meter, in the direction of maximum potential
gradient.

9/8/2017 21
 EARTHING BASIC CONCEPTS
(TOUCH POTENTIAL)

9/8/2017 22
 EARTHING BASIC CONCEPTS
(STEP POTENTIAL)

9/8/2017 23
THE PIPE ELECTRODE
IS-3043-1966 Many shortcomings in the specification

9/8/2017 24
 SUB STATION EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION

9/8/2017 25
 SUB STATION EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION

9/8/2017 26
 EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION
The Indian Electricity Rules, together with the
supplementary regulations of the state electricity
departments and undertakings, govern the electrical
installation work in generating stations, sub stations,
industrial locations, buildings etc, in our country.
The subject of earthing covers the behaviour relating to
conduction of electricity through earth.
Earth itself provides a low impedance path for fault
currents. The earth now rarely serves as a part of the return
circuit but is being used for fixing the voltage of system
neutrals.
The earth connection improves service continuity and
avoids damage to equipment and danger to human life.

9/8/2017 27
 EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION
Earthing associated with current-carrying conductor is
normally essential to the security of the system and is
generally known as system earthing.

Earthing of non-current carrying metal work and

conductor is essential to the safety of human life,
animals and property, and is generally known as
equipment earthing.

9/8/2017 28
 EARTHING AN INTRODUCTION

BS 7671 and IS 3047 lists five types of earthing system:
the system will either be TN-S, TN-CN-S(PME), TT,
TN-C and IT.
T=Earth (from the French word Terre)
N=neutral
S=separate
C=combined
I=isolated(the source of an IT system is either
connected to Earth through a deliberately introduced
earthing impedance or is isolated from Earth. All
conductive parts of an installation are connected to an
earth electrode.
9/8/2017 29
9/8/2017 30
 EARTHING SYSTEM

TN-C-S

9/8/2017 31
9/8/2017 32
 EARTHING SYSTEMS
TN-SYSTEM has one or more points of the source of
energy directly earthed , and the exposed and
extraneous conductive parts of the installation are
connected by means of protective conductors to the
earthed points of the source, that is, there is a metallic
path for fault currents to flow from the installation to
the earthed points of the source.

TT SYSTEM has one or more points of the source of

energy directly earthed and the exposed and
extraneous conductive parts of the installation are
connected to a local earth electrode or electrodes and
are electrically independent of the source earth.
24-Aug-09 33
 EARTHING SYSTEMS
IT- SYSTEM has the source either unearthed or
earthed through a high impedance and the exposed
conductive parts of the installation are connected to
electrically independent earth electrodes.

In our country TN SYSTEM is used for 240 V single

phase domestic and commercial supply. For 415 V
three phase domestic/commercial supply an
independent earth electrode at the consumers
premises is necessary.

TT-SYSTEM and IT-SYSTEM are very uncommon in

our country.
9/8/2017 34
9/8/2017 35