5.

0 EARTHING CALCULATIONS :

A) Basis & Assumption :

1. Maximum single line to ground fault current (I) = 25 kA As per approved SLD
2. Current Rating factor for steel for 1 sec (k) = 80 A/mm2 For 1Sec. Rating
(IS 3043, Page 31, Table 6D)
3. Corrosion allowance = 10% (Assumed)
4. Soil resistivity (ρ) = 4 ohm-m (As per Soil Test Report)

The overall grounding resistance shall be limited to less than 1 ohm.

B) Input Data :

1. Material of earthing conductor = G.I. Strip As per Project Scope document

2. Fault Current = 25 kA
3. Fault duration = 1 sec
4. Depth of burial (w) = 30 cm For complete burial of earth rod.
5. Length of electrode (L) = 300 cm Standard rod length under consideration.
6. Diameter of pipe electrode (d) = 4 cm As per Project Scope document
7. Length of ground grid (l) = 21000 cm Refer 'Overall Plant Earthing layout'
Drg No -
C) Calculations :

I Size of conductor :

Cross-sectional area of G.I strip selected as 75mm X 6mm for process plant is verified & calculated as below:

A = (I x √t ) / k (I in Amps) k: 80 from Table 6D of IS:3043, Page 31

= (25000x √1) / 80
= 312.50 mm2

Taking Corrosion allowance of 10% total area would be: 218.35x1.10 = 343.75 mm2
Area of selected G.I. Strip = 450 mm , i.e.( 75 x 6) which is greater than required.
2
II Ground grid resistance :

i Resistance of pipe electrode :

Re = ((100 x ρ) / (2 x π x L ) ) x loge (4 x L / d)
= ((100 x 4) / (2 x π x 300 ) ) x loge (4 x 300 / 4)
= 1.11

Considering nos. of electrodes = 4

RE = Re / 4 = 0.277 Ohm

Since, the required resistance is obtained through pipe electrodes, the resistance of ground grid will be added benefit.

ii Resistance of ground grid :

where, t = width of the selected G.I. Strip = 0.06 cm

Rs = ((100 x ρ) / (2 x π x l ) ) x loge (2 x l2 / wxt)

= ((100 x 4) / (2 x π x 21000 ) ) x loge (2 x (21000)2 / (30 x 6))
= 0.061 ohm

iii Overall equivalent ground grid resistance :

RT = (RE x RS) / (RE + RS)

= (0.277 x 0.061 / (0.277+0.061)
= 0.050 Ohm

III CURRENT DISSIPATION CHECK

Maximum Permissible Current Density
I= 7.57 xl03 A/m2 .
Sqrt (ρ x t)
Where, t = Duration of earth fault (in sec)
ρ = Soil resistivity (Ohm-m)

I= 3785.0 Amp/m2
Total Length of GI strip in contact with ground = 210 m
Total area of 75 x 6 mm GI strip in contact with ground = 2x(.075+.006)x1000 34.02 m2
Fault current dissipitated by GI Strip = 34.02 x 3785 128.8 kAmps
Total area of pipe electrode in contact with ground = 3.14 x d x l x n 1.51 m2
Fault current dissipitated by pipe electrode = 1.51 x 3785 5.7 kAmps
Hence Total Fault current dissipitated = 128.8+5.7 134.5 kAmps

Conclusion :
1 The grounding resistance should be less than 1 ohm. The ground grid resistance (0.05 ohm)
obtained from above grounding calculations is well within the permissible limit of grounding resistance.
2 All earthing pits shall be interconnected through earth grid.
3 Number of Earth Pits (Pipe Electrode) required = 4
4 Length of GI Earth strip of Size 75 x 6 required = 210m