GROUNDING SOLUTIONS

“ELECTRICITY IS A HUBMLE SERVANT

BUT A DANGEROUS BOSS”
WHY PROTECTIVE
DEVICE DON’T TRIP

• We use protective devices like circuit breakers and fuses to detect and
disconnect faulty portion of the circuit ( commonly referred to as a short
circuit ).

• These devices operate based on sufficient current passing through a faulty

circuit ( loop ) which includes the earthing system ( also called as earth
loop ).

• Under a fault condition, the magnitude of the current flowing through this
loop depends on the impedance of the loop.
GROUNDING SYSTEM
HEALTH ASSESSMENT
Will your
breaker trip
during Fault?
CONSEQUENCES OF HIGH
LOOP IMPEDANCE
If the earthing system impedance is high, it restricts the
amount of fault current in the loop due to which two issues
arise……
• A fault may not be disconnected at all.
• A fault may not be disconnected quickly enough.

Both the above cases can result in a major

accident including electrocution/fire.
STANDARDS

IS : 3043 • Code of practice for earthing

IEEE 
: 80 • IEEE guide for safety in electrical grounding

BS : 7430 • Code of practice for earthing

IEC : 60364 -
• Selection and erection of electrical equipment
5

• Earthing arrangements and protective conductors

IEC : 62561-7 & Earth enhancing compounds.
EFFECTIVE
RESISTANCE
ELECTRODE GEOMETRY-TABLE
9, IEEE 142
Feet Meter Approx. % of Total The resistance geometry of a ground
Resistance electrode (pipe /rod) is explained
as below ,
0.1 0.03 25
Around a grounding electrode the
0.2 0.06 38 resistance of the soil is the sum
of the series Resistances of
0.3 0.09 46
virtual shells of earth located
0.5 0.15 52 progressively outward from the rod.
The shell nearest the rod has the
1.0 0.3 68 smallest circumferential area or
cross section. So it has the
5.0 1.5 86 highest resistance. Successive
shells outside this one have
10.0 3.0 94
progressively Larger area and thus
15.0 4.6 97
lower résistance. As the radius
from the rod increases the
20.0 6.1 99 Incremental resistance per unit of
radius decreases effectively to
25.0 7.6 100 nearly zero.

Experiments with a 10 ft,16 mm rod

shows the readings as in table :
 SOIL TREATMENT
Soil Treatment Is Important Because
30 - 50 % Of The Resistance Occurs Within 75 -
100 Mm

CALCULATION OF EARTH ELECTRODE RESISTANCE AS PER IS : 3043

Pipes or Rods : The resistance of pipe or rod electrode as per IS :
3043 is given by :

Where,

l = length of pipe or rod in cm

d = diameter of pipe or rod in cm, and

Ρ = resistivity of soil in Ω mtr.

SOIL TREATMENT
Calculation Of Earth Electrode Resistance As Per B :7430

Resistance of earth electrode with backfill material as per BS :

7430 is as follows:
MYTHS & FACTS

Does a special electrode like Pipe-In-Pipe / Strip-In-Pipe / Copper help

achieve a lower resistance ?

ØIs such an electrode Maintenance Free ?

HOW TO OBTAIN LOW
OVERALL EARTH RESISTANCE

IS : 3043 • To obtain a low overall resistance, the

(Clause 9.1.1, current density should be as low as possible
Page 19) in the medium adjacent to the electrode.
• It is impossible to achieve the desired
reduction in the ground resistance by adding
more grid conductors or ground rods. An
IEEE 
: 80 alternate solution is to effectively increase
(Clause 14.5, Page the diameter of the electrode by modifying the
68) soil surrounding the electrode. The inner
shell of the soil closest to the electrode
normally comprises the bulk of the electrode
ground resistance to remote earth.
BS 
: 7430 • To obtain a low overall resistance, the
(Clause 9.5.1, Page current density should be as low as possible
37) in the medium adjacent to the electrode.
HOW TO OBTAIN LOW
OVERALL EARTH RESISTANCE
From IS : 3043, IEEE : 80 & BS : 7430, it The lower the
clearly means that a lower earth resistance can soil resistivity,
be obtained by using a good and highly lower is the
conductive backfill compound around the primary earth resistance
electrode and not by using fantasy electrodes and higher is
such as pipe-in-pipe or strip-in-pipe or any the corrosion
other special combination. The only approach to
have a lower earth resistance is backfill
compound and not a special electrode.

The higher the

soil resistivity,
Therefore a good earthing system should
higher is the
ensure a balance between low resistance
earth resistance
value and low corrosion. and lower is the
corrosion
GROUNDING VARIANTS
Conventional Grounding
• The pit is excavated and the electrode is placed in the centre and
it is filled with soil, mixed with Sodium Chloride ( NaCl )
commonly known as salt and charcoal. The conduction of current in
the conventional earthing is electrolytic. Hence regular watering
and charging of the earth pit is very essential to maintain low
earth resistance.

Chemical Grounding
• The electrode is placed in an augured hole and typically backfilled
with Bentonite based back fill compound. The conduction of current
in chemical earthing is electrolytic. Once installed Bentonite
based backfill compound relies on the presence of ground moisture
to maintain / retain its characteristics / properties. Hence
regular watering of the earth pit is very essential to ensure the
backfill doesn’t shrink away from the electrode due to moisture
evaporation.

Carbon Based Grounding

• The electrode is placed in an augured hole and backfilled with
Carbon based conductive concrete type compound which has a
resistivity of less than 0.12 Ohm Mtr as per Clause 14.5D of IEEE :
80 standard. Carbon based compound is electronically conductive
( like in metals ) and hence doesn’t rely on moisture for
conduction.
LIMITATIONS IN
CONVENTIONAL
GROUNDING SYSTEM
No standardization – Neither in electrode nor in backfill

Commercial grade GI Pipes are used as electrode in most cases

The backfill (SALT) reacts with the electrode and causes

corrosion in 4 to 5 years

The salt dissolves in water and conductivity dips over time

thereby increasing the resistance

Not suitable for places with high water table, flowing water
etc.

Plate electrodes are inefficient as compared to rod / pipe

electrodes
CHEMICAL GROUNDING
AS PER IEEE 80

Chemical –type electrodes consist of a copper tube filled with a

salt. Holes in the tube allow moisture to enter, dissolve the salts
and allow the salt solution to leach into the ground. These
electrodes are installed in an augured hole and typically back-
filled with soil treatment.
CHEMICAL GROUNDING
IN INDIA
CHEMICAL GROUNDING
IN INDIA ?
WHAT IS MAINTENANCE
FREE EARTHING ?
IEEE 80

BS 7430
ARTIFICIAL TREATMENT
OF SOIL
CONDUCTION IN
CARBON BASED BACKFILLS
ADVANTAGES OF CARBON
BASED BACKFILL COMPOUND
Carbon is very stable when placed in earth and will not leach /
diffuse into the ground

Is electronically conductive ( like in metals ) and is not dependent

on moisture for conduction

Contains a corrosion inhibitor to protect copper bonding

Will not expand or experience any shrinkage

Positive low resistance electrical connection to the earth

Does not contain any hazardeous chemicals

The carbon based backfill compound confirms to IS, IEEE, BS & IEC
standard
IS CHEMICAL GROUNDING
MAINTENANCE FREE ?

Can we have Maintenance Free

Grounding by using special
electrodes ?
JEF ECO SAFE CARBON
BASED EARTHING
Jef Eco Safe Maintenance Free Earthing set comprises of :
 
a). High tensile low carbon steel rod with 100 / 250 micron (average) molecularly
bonded copper on the outer surface.

b). Highly conductive and Eco-friendly carbon based backfill compound

c). U Bolt Clamp

 COMPARISION OF
BACKFILL
Parameter
COMPOUND
Powerfill PowerSet Ecosafe Carbonfil Ecosolx
Mixure of Carbon, Mixture of Sodium
Treated carbon Carbon based backfill
conductive concrete montmorillonite,hydrous
Type of Backfill Treated carbon compound. compound and compound with
with Sodium aluminium silicate,
Conductive cement conductive concrete.
montmorillonite conductive cement etc.
India
Country of Origin USA USA India India
IEC: 62561 – 7
Applicable standard for backfill IEC: 62561 – 7 IEC: 62561 - 7 IEC: 62561 - 7 IEC: 62561 - 7
Stable
Reliability Very Stable Very Stable Very Stable Stable

Resistivity of the compound
Formation of thin film over the
electrode providing additional
protection against corrosion of
electrodes
Effect in dry condition
Will it set permanantly like
No
concrete?
Life Expectancy
Maintenance
Cost
≤ 0.12 Ohm Mtr ≤ 0.12 Ohm Mtr ≤ 0.5 Ohm Mtr ≤ 1 Ohm Mtr ≤ 2.5 Ohm Mtr
Yes Yes Yes No No
No Effect in dry No Effect in dry
No Effect in dry conditions
conditions subject to conditions subject to Needs moisture to
subject to permitted Needs moisture to function
permitted seasonal permitted seasonal function
seasonal variation
variation variation
Yes Yes Moderately No
Life of Installation* Life of Installation* 15+ years 7+ years 7+ years
Will be required
Not required at all Not required at all Not required at all Will be required
intermittently
Slightly costlier than Slightly costlier than Slightly costlier than
Ecosafe. However, if we Ecosafe. However, if we Carbonfil. However, if
consider the long life it consider the long life it we consider the long life Very economical. Very economical.
offers, it is very cost offers, it is very cost it offers, it is very cost
effective. effective. effective.

ANSI/NSF 60 Certification Yes No No No No

*Subject to Electrode or the surrounding areas remain as installed
LIFE CYCLE COST
COMPARISON
Conventional - GI EARTHING Cost JEF ECOSAFE EARTHING Cost

Initial Cost of Materials (75mm-100

2,000 Initial cost of Materials 6500
bore)
Labour cost 1500 labour cost for installation 1500

Total 3,500 8000

Annual maintenance cost for 5

4000
years @ Rs 1200 per year

Life cycle cost for 5 years. 11,000 Life cycle cost for 10 years. 8000

Cost of ownership over 5 year cost of ownership over 5

11,000 8000
period - CONVENTIONAL year period - Jef Eco safe.

TOTAL SAVINGS OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD BY SWITCHING OVER TO Jef Eco safe
– Rs.3,000 per earth pit.
Also, the no of earth Electrodes in JEF ECOSAFE for a given site can be
reduced by 35 to 40 %.
JEF Earth electrodes are MAINTENANCE FREE
EARTH ELECTRODE

The earth electrode is the main component of the earthing system.

The electrode shall be of, high tensile – low carbon steel rod
having diameter not less than 14.2 mm.

The outer surface of the electrode shall be molecularly bonded with

copper having a thickness of 100 / 250 micron ( average ).

Length of the electrode shall either be 1.2 Mtr / 2 Mtr or 3 Mtr and
may be increased to reduce the earth resistance if required by using
a coupler.

Earth electrode confirms to IS & IEC standards

MAINTENANCE FREE
EARTHING ARRANGMENT
AS PER NBC 2016
JEF ECO SAFE
EARTHING
MISCONCEPTION
Misconception of “dedicated”, “independent”, or “isolated”
earth electrodes
MISCONCEPTION
The concept of a single earth electrode
MISCONCEPTION
Bonding necessary for multi- storey structures
GLOBAL EARTHING
All Earthing Systems shall be interconnected to reduce earth
resistance
EQUIPOTENTIAL
EARTHING/BONDING

LIGHTNING IMP CURRENT --

100KA
RESPONSE VOLTAGE -- ≤ 10KV
PROTECTION LEVEL -- ≤ 5KV
CONNECTOR – COPPER LUGS
COMPUTER AIDED
SOFTWARE
SOFTWARE EMPLOYED: SOFTWARE CAPABILITIES:
I. Multi Layer Soil Modeling.
CDEGS
II. Touch and Step Potential Calculation.
Current, III. Earth Grid Impedance.

Distribution, IV. Transient Analysis for Lightning &

Switching Transients.
Electromagnetic Fields,V. Transfer Potential.

Grounding and VI. Above Ground Structure Modeling.

VII. GIS - Metal to Metal Voltages.
Soil Structure AnalysisVIII.GIS - Enclosure & Circulating
Potential.
COMPUTER AIDED
SOFTWARE
SOFTWARE EMPLOYED: SOFTWARE ADVANTAGES:
I. Accuracy
CDEGS
II. Optimization of Earthing Materials.
Current, III. Non Uniform Grid Spacing.

Distribution, IV. Non Uniform Grid Shapes

Electromagnetic Fields,
Grounding and
Soil Structure Analysis
 COMPUTER AIDED
SOFTWARE
Metal to Metal Touch Voltage (GPD on
Modelling of GIS & Above Ground structures:-
400kV GIS Equipment in GIS room):-
 COMPUTER AIDED
SOFTWARE
Step voltage with color gradient in Grid
Touch Voltage with color gradient area:
 COMPUTER AIDED
SOFTWARE
Step Voltage 1m outside grid:
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