Protective Earthing

M.K. Abd Elrahman

 Introduction

⚫ The process of transferring the

immediate discharge of the electrical energy
directly to the earth by the help of the low
resistance path
is known as the electrical earthing.

⚫The protective earthing is done by connecting the

non-current carrying part of the electrical equipment
to the earth
The non-current carrying part of the electrical
equipment like their metallic frame is
connected to the earth by the help of a
conducting wire.

If any fault occurs in electrical equipment, the fault

current will be injected to earth which protect

Nearby persons from electrical shocks.

Earthing system components
 Electrodes Configuration

There are several configurations for earthing

electrode.

- Driven rods
Plates
- Grids
Driven rods
Copper Earthing Plate
Earthing grids
 Theoretical analysis
Earthing resistance of hemisphere electrode
Resistivity of Soil
Resistivity of Soil
 Potential Profile
(Voltage Distribution Curve)
 Definitions

Ground Potential Rise (GPR)

The maximum electrical potential that a substation
grounding grid may attain relative to a distant grounding
point assumed to be at the potential of remote earth. This
voltage, GPR, is equal to the maximum grid current
times the earthing resistance

GPR=earthing resistance X fault current

 Definitions

Step Voltage
The difference in surface potential experienced by a person
bridging a distance of 1 m with the feet without contacting
any grounded object

Touch Voltage
The potential difference between the ground potential rise
(GPR) and the surface potential at the point where a
person is standing while at the same time having a hand in
contact with a grounded structure.
 Example 1

Electrical equipment is earthed by using hemi sphere electrode as shown in the next
figure, if the fault current is 100 A and the fault clearing time is 0.5 sec, find:
- The touch voltage for a person standing at point A.

- The step voltage for a person standing with his feet at the points A and B.
 Solution
r0= 0.5m dA= 1m dB= 2m

Earthing resistance from surface of earthing electrode

to infinity (Re ) is given by

Re =  2r0 = 19
GPR = 19 100 = 1900V
Earthing resistance from point A to infinity (RA ) is
given by

RA =  2d A = 9.54
 Potential of point A is given by

VA = 9.54  100 = 954V

Earthing resistance from point B to infinity (RB ) is given by
RB =  2d B = 4.77
Potential of point B is given by

VB = 4.77 100 = 477V

Vt = GPR − V A = 946V Vs = V A − VB = 477V
Earthing resistance of driven rods

Driven rod is one of the

most simplest
and
most economical
form of earthing electrodes.

Its earthing resistance depends on its geometrical

representation.
 If the rod is represented by a cylinder with
a hemispherical end,
its earthing resistance is calculated as follow

dr
dRe =
2r0 l + 2r0
2

 
dr
Re =
2 
r0
r (l + r )

  1 1
Re =  [ −
2l r r l + r
]dr
0


Re = [ln( r ) − ln( l + r )] 
2l
r 0

 r
Re = [ln ]
2l l +r
r 0
 Re =
 ln[
1
]
2l
r0
l
+1
r

Re =
 [0 − ln
1
]
2l l
+1
r0

Re =
 ln(
l
+ 1)
2l r0

Since the length of the rod is much greater than its radius, the
last equation takes the well known form
 2l
Re = ln( )
2l d
 Example 2

Resolve the last example by using driven rod has the following
data: L=2.4 m r0 = 0.02 m

Solution
Earthing resistance from the surface of driven rod
to infinity Re is given by

 l 60 2.4
Re = ln( + 1) = ln( + 1) = 19
2l r0 2 (2.4) 0.02
 GPR = 19 100 = 1900V

Earthing resistance from point A to infinity (RA ) is given by

 l 60 2.4
RA = ln( + 1) = ln( + 1) = 4.87
2l dA 2 (2.4) 1

Potential of point A is given by

VA = 4.87 100 = 487V

Earthing resistance from point B to infinity (RB ) is given by
 l 60 2.4
RB = ln( + 1) = ln( + 1) = 3.14
2l d B 2 (2.4) 2
 Potential of point B is given by

VB = 3.14 100 = 314V

Vt = GPR − VA = 1900 − 487 = 1413V

Vs = VA − VB = 487 − 314 = 173V

Both of the hemisphere electrode and the driven rod have
the same earthing resistance as well as the same GPR

Hemisphere Driven
electrode rod

Touch voltage 946V 1413V

Step Voltage 477V 173V

If the shape of driven rod is approximated to that of an ellipsoid
of revolution having a major axis equal to twice the length of
the rod and a minor axis equal to its diameter d,
Then

 4l
R= ln( )
2l d
 Multiple Driven Rods

Sometimes the earthing resistance obtained by a single

driven rod is not low enough. In this case multiple driven
rods are used.
The total resistance for a set of driven rods depends on the
earthing resistance of each rod as well as the spacing
between them.
Determination of earthing resistance for such set of
electrodes is not easy matter, therefore each driven rod is
replaced by its equivalent hemisphere electrode
Radius of the equivalent hemisphere electrode is determined
by equating its earthing resistance with that of the driven
rod

  2l
= ln( + 1)
2re 2l d
l
re =
2l
ln( + 1)
d
 Two driven rods

In this case, the fault current is divided equally between them.

While both have the same potential.
The potential of point is A can be calculated as follow:

 I  I  re I
VA = + = (1 + )
2re 2 2D 2 2re D 2
The earthing resistance for the two driven rods is
re
1+
VA  D  1+
Re = = =
I 2re 2 2re 2
 Three driven rods (case 1)

For a point A on the equivalent hemisphere electrode of any rod,

 I  I  r I
VA = +2 = (1 + 2 e )
2re 3 2D 3 2re D 3

re
1+ 2
VA  D =  1 + 2
Re = =
I 2re 3 2re 3
Three driven rods (case 2)
Point A on electrode carrying I1 while point B
on electrode carrying I2

  
VA = I1 + I2 + I1
2re 2D 2 ( 2 D )
 
VB = I2 + 2 I 1 ...................( A)
2re 2D

VA = VB
1−
I1 = I 2 ....................( B )

1+ − 2
2
 In the same time,
I=2I1+I2

By solving the last two equations


1+ − 2
I2 = 2 I .........................(C )

3 − 4 +
2

From equations A, B, and C, it can be concluded that

VB  2 +  − 4 2
Re = ==
I 2re 6 − 7
problem

.
Earthing Resistance for Plate Electrodes

A is the area of the plate

Earthing resistance of grids
Potential profile above the earthing grid
Three dimensional voltage profile
Equations for Earthing Resistance of grids
 Example 3
Calculate the earthing resistance for the following grid
Solution
Allowable Touch Voltage
Allowable Step Voltage
To determine the allowable step and touch voltage,
the following two parameters must be determined:

1- Allowable body current

2- Total path resistance
Body Current Versus Time
Tolerable Body Current Limits

the formulae for allowable body current which can be

survived by 99.5% of persons are given for two
weights (50 kg and 70 kg(

where tf is the fault clearing time in seconds (0.03 to 3 sec)

 Total path resistance

1- For Touch Voltage

Rt = RB + RF / 2
2- For Step Voltage

Rt = RB + 2RF
To determine the resistance Rf, assume that the foot area is
equivalent to the area of circular plate with radius 8cm.

The earthing resistance of circular plate is given by:

 
RF = = 3
4(0.08)

RB = 1000
Vt = ( RB + RF / 2) I B = (1000 + 1.5 )0.157 / t

VS = ( RB + 2RF ) I B = (1000 + 6 )0.157 / t

 Example 4

⚫ Find the allowable step an touch voltage for the earthing

electrode given in example 1. assuming that the fault clearing
time is 0.5 sec.
Solution

VSAll = (1000 + 6 )0.157 0.5 = 301.9V

VTAll = (1000 + 1.5 )0.157 0.5 = 242V

 Comparison

Actual values Allowable values

Touch voltage 946 242

Step Voltage 477 301.9

 Improving the values of step
and touch voltage

⚫ For this purpose, a thin layer of high resistivity material,

such as gravel, is often spread on the earth’s surface above
the ground grid to increase the contact resistance between
the soil and the feet of persons in the substation.
⚫ For a thin surface layer with resistivity s and thickness hs
over infinite earth with resistivity , the earthing
resistance of circular plate is given by:

s  s
Rf = Cs = Cs
4 A 4b
 Derating factor

Where Cs is the surface layer derating factor. It is given by

the following equation:

0.09(1 −   S )
CS = 1 −
0.09 + 2hS
 Modified allowable touch an step voltage

The allowable step and touch voltages will be given

by:

Vt = ( RB + RF / 2) I B
= (1000 + 1.5 s C S )0.157 / t

VS = ( R B + 2 R F ) I B
= (1000 + 6  s C s )0.157 / t
 Example 5

For the last example, assuming s=3000.m and

hs=0.12m,
The surface layer derating factor is
Cs=0.73
And the allowable touch and step voltage will be
Vt = 953V
Vs = 3147V
That are more than the actual values