Field Assessment of Earthing System for Aged SS –

Improvement techniques

P.B.Mehta
Ex-EE GETCO ,CEO Persotech Solutions Vadodara
e-mail: pbmehta.persotech@outlook.com
Presentation Content
1. INTORDUCTION
2. SCOPE OF ENARTHING ADEQUACY STUDY FOR EXISITING STATION
3. TESTING TECHNIQUES /METHODS
4. REFERENCES
5. MITIGATING SOLUTIONS
6. Q&A

Checks for auditing

• Out of scope of • Measurement of • Out of scope of subject

subject Resistance of individual
• electrode • Power system

Earthing Adequacy Audit

• Measurement of Grid network study
Resistance
• Earthing System • Tech studies
Energy Audit

Installation & Inspection

• Study of design for
existing system and
noting down the uprating
of systme parameters
• Riser Integrity Test
Major Instruments REQUIRED for technical studies
Sr. No. Major Instrument PURPOSE REMARKS
1 Power Analyzer GENERAL PARAMETERS
AND HARMONICS
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MEASUREMENTS
2 Earth Resistivity Tester EARTH RESISTIBITY AND
RESISTANCE
3 Electrometer
4 Magnetometer
5 True RMS Handheld DMM ELECTRICAL PARAMETER (
6 True RMS Clamp Meter V,I,R,C,HZ)
7 True RMS Digital Clamp On Meter (AC/DC)
8 Digital Insulation Tester IR VALUE
9 Infrared Thermometer TEMPERATURE
10 High Voltage Probe ACCESSORIES
11 Digital Oscilloscope SIGNAL STRENGTH
/WAVEFORM
12 Digital LCR Meter R,L.C PARAMETER
13 Digital Solar Meter SOLAR REDIATION
Instruments for Earthing Adequacy Study
Sr. No. Major Instrument Make Function
1 Earth Resistivity Tester -Digital Earth Resistivity Testing
5 2 True RMS Handheld DMM Voltage / Current / Continuity Tester
3 True RMS Clamp Meter -AC Voltage / Current / Continuity Tester
4 True RMS Digital Clamp On Meter (AC/DC) Voltage / Current / Continuity Tester
5 Analog/Digital Earth Tester Analog/Digital Earth resistance Testing
6 Clamp on Earth Tester Loop Resistance Measurement /
Electrode Resistance Measurement
7 Off freq injection Kit For injecting 70 Hz current
8 Off freq volt meter Off freq voltage measurement
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Major Instruments

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Best Practices (Earthing Competency Check )

 Objectives
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 Review of Existing Earthing Design
 Visual Inspection of Site
 Soil Resistivity Measurement
 Ground Impedance Measurement
 Ground Grid Integrity Verification
 Earth Potential Measurement
 Ground Potential Rise Verification
 Lightning Performance Verification
 Earthing System Enhancements Analysis for Safety and Cost
Best Practices (Earthing Competency Check )

 Testing (i.e. recommended in IEEE 81:2012)

Sr. No. Recommended Test Type of Test Instruments
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1 Diagnostic Test Visual Inspection and Deriving the
Actual Scope
2 Soil Resistivity Measurement Geological Information and Soil Samples ----
Variation of Depth Method  Power supply with ammeter and high
impedance voltmeter
 Ratio ohmmeter
 Double-balance bridge
 Single-balance transformer
 Induced-polarization receiver and
transmitter
Two-Point Method  Shepard-soil resistivity meter or
similar
Four-Point Method  Power supply with ammeter and high
 Equally Spaced or Wenner impedance voltmeter
Arrangement  Ratio ohmmeter
 Unequally-spaced or Schlumberger-  Double-balance bridge
Palmer Arrangement.  Single-balance transformer
 Induced-polarization receiver and
transmitter
Best Practices (Earthing Competency Check )

 Testing (i.e. recommended in IEEE 81:2012)

Sr.
9 No. Recommended Test Type of Test Instruments
3 Ground Impedance Fall-of-Potential Method (62% Rule)
Tagg Slope Method
4 Ground Grid Integrity Current Injection between 2 - points  Direct reading ohmmeters
5 Earth Potential Equipotential Lines ----
Potential Contour Surveys ----
Step and Touch Voltages ----
6 Transient Impedance ----  Impulse generator
7 Ground Potential Rise ---- ----
8 Riser Integrity Resistance Measurement  Direct reading ohmmeters
9 Field Intensity Susceptibility Measurement of Electrical Field Strength  Electrometer
Measurement of Magnetic Field Strength  Gauss / Magnetometer
Best Practices (Earthing Competency Check )

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Best Practices (Earthing Competency Check )

 Model Validation and Analysis

Sr.
11 No. Software Features
1 SES Tech CDEGS – AutoGrid Pro Analysis of arbitrarily shaped grounding design. Computes grounding system resistance and
potential rise throughout any region of interest. Full analysis of the touch and step voltages at
any location inside or outside the grid (As per IEEE-80:2000). Providing 2D & 3D contour
plots of touch and step potential.
Best Practices (Earthing Competency Check )

 Model Validation and Analysis

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Sr. No. Software Features
2 DATAVIEW (Chauvin Arnoux Display and analyse Real time data on PC. Customise views, templates, reports etc. Create and
make Multi-function Ground store complete library of configurations. Download, display and analyse recorded data.
Resistance Tester) Display Fall-of-potential plots, resistance Vs. frequency plots, soil resistivity and bonding
tests. Tabular listings of test result.
Best Practices (Earthing Competency Check )

 Model Validation and Analysis

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Sr. No. Software Features
3 ETAP Automatically detects the system earthing configuration based on source and transformer
grounding or earthing type selection. Sizing of Protective Earthing (PE) Conductors and for
Electric Shock Protection calculations.
Best Practices (Earthing Competency Check )

 Model Validation and Analysis

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Sr. No. Software Features

4 MATLAB Analytical ability with graphical solutions.

5 Gridi Accredited by CBIP (Central Board of Irrigation and Power - New Delhi)

6 Resistance Accredited by CBIP (Central Board of Irrigation and Power - New Delhi)

7 EarthMat Software developed by Persotech Solutions based on IEEE-80:2000.

Best Practices (Earthing Competency Check )

Sr. No. Standard to be Followed

1 IEEE80:2000(IEEE Guide for A.C Substation Grounding)
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2 IEEE 81:2012 (IEEE Guide for Measuring Earth Resistivity, Ground Impedance, and Earth Surface Potentials of a
Grounding System)

3 IEEE 142:2007 (IEEE Recommended Practice for Grounding of Industrial and Commercial Power Systems)
4 IEEE665:1995 (IEEE Guide for Generating station Grounding)
5 BS 7430:2011 (Code of practice for protective Earthing of electrical installations)
6 CBIP Manual on AC System Grounding (Publication Number 311).
7 IS 3043:2006 (Code of Practice for Earthing)
8 BS-EN: 62305(Protection against Lightning)
9 NFPA 780(Standards for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems)
10 NFC17-102(Protection of Structures and open areas against lightning using early streamer Emission Air terminals)
11 IS 2309:2005 (Protection of Buildings and Allied Structures Against Lightning # Code of Practice)
12 BS EN 61000: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Testing and measurement techniques. Electrical fast transient/burst
immunity test

13 IEEE 1100 : Recommended Practice for Powering and Grounding Electronic Equipment
14 APRP 2003: Protection against Ignitions Arising out of Static, Lightning and Stray Currents
Earthing Competency Check – Improvement techniques

 Loss of connection
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 Check throughly the report and note down the point of risers where connection loss is reported.
 Visual Inspection of Site
 Provide the new riser and get proper welded with mesh conductor.

 Higher resistance of individual electrode

 Check throughly the report and note down the point of high
resistance of electrode
 Visual Inspection of Site
 Provide the new electrode and risers properly welded with
mesh conductor.
Earthing Competency Check – Improvement techniques

 High Grid Resistance

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 Check throughly the report and note down the value of grid resistance compare it with the
original design value.
 Provide the earth enhancement compound at the strategic locations
 Provide the peripheral mesh conductor with new one properly weld with rest of grid conductor..
 Check the other grid conductor requires to be strengthen if yes provide the same.

 High value of dangerous potential ( touch –step)

 Check throughly the report and note down the values and compare with the original
design value of touch and step
 Visual Inspection of Site
 It may be possible that due to increase in fualt level this might have happen.Diversify the
grid current by providing satelite mesh or satelite electrodes
Faculty Profile

Mr. P. B. Mehta (Proprietor - Persotech Solutions )

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Mr. Mehta is B. E. (Electrical). He is a member IEEE, member CIGRE, member

of National Study Committee (NSC) C4-CIGRE India, member of Central
Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP) and MIE (Chartered Engineer). Mr.
Mehta has got an experience of more than 30 Yrs in power sector specifically
on transmission and distribution side. His expertise is mainly in
substation & line design in general and specific on earthing design,
lightning protection & system technical performance. He has been
offering the consultancy services for design of substation, lines, fault
analysis, training and research activities to various companies like; Bajaj
Electricals Ltd., Adani Power Ltd., Mundra, MBH Power Pvt. Ltd., EMCO Ltd.,
GETCO, Multi Mantech Pvt. Ltd. and many more.
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