Tutorial 3 How does the fault current flow in a single-line-to-

ground fault?
air  air →  I
Air-soil The fault current flows back to each generator or
boundary each transformer’s wye-side with grounded neutral
through earth soil.
soil 
r0

k
a
I Zf
b
Fault
c

+ Generator
E an
I -
n
-
- E bn
+
+ E cn
c b G1 to G10 are the generators.
1
Review on grounding system:

I r I
Potential at neighbouring point: VX = .
2 r
X Potential on the electrode: VE = RG  I
r0
Resistance of a hemisphere grounding These two formulas are general ones, applicable
to any grounding system, either hemisphere or
system: 
RG = single-rod or multiple-rod grounding system. RG
2 r0 is the resistance of the grounding system.

Both I1 and I2 are into the ground in the figure below:

 I 
S V X = I1  + 2
Y
2 r0 2 S
X
I1 I2
r0 soil ρ r0  I
VY = I 2  + 1
2 r0 2 S
S S
X Y X Y
I1 I2
r0 r0
(In terms of computing potential rise due to current I1 and I2 )
2
Symmetry of a grounding system:
Case 1 Three identical rods, E1, E2 and E3 placed on a straight line. Currents into each one are
given.
S S  I2  I3
VE1 = I1  RG + +
2 S 2 (2 S )
E1 E2 E3
 I2  I1
I1 I2 I3 VE 3 = I 3  RG + +
2 S 2 (2 S )
S S I I
VE 2 = I 2  RG + 1 + 3
(1) E1 2 S 2 S
where RG is the resistance of one-rod grounding
I1 system.
+ Above the ground, all three-rods are electrically
S S connected, hence VE1=VE2=VE3.
(2) E2 From VE1=VE3,
I2      
I1   RG −  = I 3   RG − 2 (2 S ) 
 2 (2 S )   
+  I 3 = I1
S S
From VE2=VE3,
(3) E3
I3 4 RG S − 3
 I2 = I1
4 RG S − 2  3
Case 2 Four identical rods, E1, E2, E3 and E4. Cross section is a square. Currents into each rod
are given.  I2  I4  I3
D VE1 = I1  RG + + +
2 D 2 ( 2 D) 2 D
2r

E1
I1 I2 E2
 I1  I4  I3
VE 2 = + I 2  RG + +
D D
2 D 2 D 2 ( 2 D)
 I1  I2  I4
VE 3 = + + + I 3  RG
E3 E4 2 D 2 ( 2 D) 2 D
I3 I4  I1  I2  I3
VE 4 = + + I 4  RG +
2 ( 2 D) 2 D 2 D
D

where RG is the resistance of one-rod grounding system. Above the ground, all three-rods are
electrically connected, hence VE1=VE2=VE3=VE4.
From VE1=VE4, I1 = I 4 From VE2=VE3, I 2 = I3
Then from VE1=VE2, I1 = I 2 Hence I1 = I 2 = I 3 = I 4
I1 I2
E1 E2 E1 E2 E1 E2 E1 E2

E3 E4 E3 E4 E3 E4 E3 E4
I4 I3

(1) + (2) + (3) + (4) 4

Q1. An earth electrode comprises a metallic hemisphere of radius 0.25m, buried flush
with the ground surface. If the soil electrical resistivity is 40 Ω∙m, and a fault causes a
current of 2kA to flow to earth via the electrode, determine the following:
(a) The touch voltage 1m from the electrode.
(b) The transferred voltage 20m from the electrode.
(c) The closest distance a person can be to the electrode without suffering a fatal
electric shock. Assume that the person is walking toward the electrode, with step
lengths of 1m at the instant of the fault. Assume also an effective body resistance of
1kΩ between the feet. The fault clearance time is 2.24s.
With regard to (c), tests have indicated that the threshold for a fatal electric shock
occurs when the specific energy (I2t) deposited in the body by electric current flow is
greater than 0.03A2s (or joules/ohm). I
Vmax = RG  I
I
V (r) =
Vtouch 2 r
=40 Ω∙m; Vstep
r0=0.25 m;
I=2 kA. r0 r

5
Solution: =40 Ω∙m; I
Potential rise at position r: r0=0.25 m; Vmax = RG  I
I=2 kA. I
I V (r) =
V (r ) = Vtouch 2 r
2 r
Touch voltage: Vstep
I f I f
Vtouch = − r0 r
2 r0 2 r r =1m

40  2000  1 1
=  −  = 38.2 kV
2  0.25 1 
I f 40  2000
Transferred voltage: Vtransfer = −0= = 637 V
2 r r = 20 m
2  20

 I f  I f 40  2000  1 1 
Step voltage: Vstep = − =  −  Rbody = 1 k 
2 r1 2 r2 2  1 1 
r r + 1
t = 2.24 s
0.03 0.03
I 2t  0.03 A 2s  I  = = 0.1157 A (1)
t 2.24

But Vstep 40  2000  1 1 

I= = −
2  1000  r1 r1 + 1 
(2)
Rbody

From (1) and (2) r12 + r1 − 110.05 = 0  r1  10m

6
Q2 A grounding system consists of two identical rods that are Soil
electrically connected as shown in the R.H.S. figure
d l
Prove that the resistance of such system can be written as
Resistance of the system with two rods in parallel R2 1 + 
= = S
Resistance of one rod system R 2
r     8l  
where  = 0 , r0 = ,R=  ln   − 1 and S is the distance between
S 2 R 2 l   d  
two neighboring rods. Assume that S is larger than twice of r0.

Solution:    8l   
R=  ln   − 1 2 r0
2 l   d  

I
r0
d l

Radius of the hemisphere electrode can be found from

 
R=  r0 =
2 r0 2 R
7
Equivalent to two electrically connected rods system:
S
X Y
I r0 I
r0

S S
X Y X Y
I r0 I r0

The potential on the left hemisphere is

 I I   r0  2 I  1 + 
VX = V1 + V2 = I  + = 1 +  = 
2 r0 2 S 2 r0  S  2 r0 2
r0 
where = and r0 = .
S 2 R
Since two electrodes are connected electrically above ground,
2I  1 + 
VY = VX = 
2 r0 2
The resistance of the grounding system with two electrically connected rods is
VX VY  1+  1+  R2 1 + 
R2 = = =  = R  =
2 I 2 I 2 r0 2 2 R 2 8
Q3 A grounding system is composed of four identical D

conductive rods, each of which is planted in the

earth vertically, and has a diameter of 2r (m) and E1 2r E2

an effective grounding length of l (m). The cross

sections of the four rods form a square as shown in D D

the R.H.S. figure and they are electrically connected

above the earth. The distance between any two E3 E4
neighboring rods is D (m). The resistivity of the
earth is ρ(ohm·m). D

Each rod can be replaced by an equivalent hemisphere with its radius equal
to r0 (m). r0 is calculated by the following expression:
    4l  
= ln   − 1
2 r0 2 l   r  

Derive an expression that can be used to calculate the effective resistance of

this grounding system.
Assume that D is much larger than r0, and the earth soil is homogeneous.
Given that r=0.016(m), l=2.4(m), D=5 (m) and ρ=100 (ohm·m), calculate
the numerical value of the resistance of the grounding system.

9
Solution:
D 2r
In terms of potential calculation on
the first conductor E1, the original E1 E2
grounding structure can be
decomposed into the following four
D D
as shown below.

E3 E4

I I
E1 E2 E1 E2 E1 E2 E1 E2

E3 E4 E3 E4 E3 E4 E3 E4
I I

(1) + (2) + (3) + (4)

10
Solution (Cont’d): (35.79 Ω)
Due to the symmetry of the system, the currents D 2r

flowing into four rods are the same. Assume that

the current flowing into each rod is I. E1 E2

The voltage at electrode E1 is given by:

D D
   
VE1 = I + I + I + I
2 r0 2 D 2  2 D 2 D
I I 
E3 E4
1 
= + 2 +
2 r0 2 D  2  D

The terminals of the four electrodes above the earth are electrically
connected, so I I  1 
VE = VE1 = VE2 = VE3 = VE4 = + 2 +
2 r0 2 D  2 

Thus the resistance of the grounding system is R= E =  +   2 + 1 

V
4I 8 r0 8 D  2 
where r0 is determined by     4l   =
l
=  ln   − 1 or 0 r .
2 r0 2 l   r   ln ( 4l / r ) − 1

Given that r=0.016(m), l=2.4 (m), D=5 (m) and ρ=100 (ohm·m), the
numerical value of the resistance of the grounding system is
   1 
R= + 2 + = 11.1
8 r0 8 D  
2
11