EARTHING SYSTEM

PRESENTATION BY…

PIC EARTHING TECHNOLOGY

 ELECTRICAL EARTHING

ELECTRICAL
EARTHING

GENERATION TRANSMISSION DISTRIBUTION

SIDE SIDE SIDE

Generators, Overhead Lines, SUPPLIER SIDE CONSUMER END

Alternators, Under Ground
Switchgears Cables, Tr. Towers
Switchyard etc. etc

Dist. Transformer, Meter, Meter Box

LT panel Earthing, and other eqp.
MSP Earthing Earthing
 CONTENTS OF EARTHING SYSTEM

 WHAT IS EARTH ?
 WHAT IS EARTHING & EARTHING CODE ?
 OBJECTIVES OF EARTHING.
 BASIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR GOOD EARTHING.
 TYPES OF AN EARTHING
 STATUTORY PROVISIONS FOR EARTHING
 TYPES OF EARTHING ELECTRODE .
 LATEST TECHNOLOGY OF EARTHING .
 WHAT IS PIC TECHNOLOGY ?
 WHY PIC TECHNOLOGY ?
 NOTIFICATION AND IE RULES RELATED TO EARTHING .
 INSTALLATION OF PIC EARTH ELECTRODE.
 WHAT IS EARTH?

 The conductive mass of the earth,

whose electric potential at any point
is conventionally taken as zero.
 Electrical means, Earth is a Low
impedance return path of fault current.
 The whole world may be considered as a vast conductor
which is at reference/zero potential.
In India, we refer to this as “EARTH”, while in USA, it
is called “GROUND”.
 ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF EARTH

 The Earth does not have a homogeneous structure,

but is formed of layers of different materials.
 The resistivity of a given type of Earth varies widely
and is very dependent on moisture content.
 E.g.: Type of Earth Resistivity (ohm m )
Boggy Earth 2-50
Adobe Clay 2-200
Silt & Sandy Clay 20-260
Sand & Sandy Earth 50-3000
Peat Earth >1200
Gravel (moist) 50-3000
Rocky Earth 100-8000
Concrete (1:3) 50-300
WHAT IS EARTHING
& EARTHING CODE?

 Earthing is a connection done through a metal link

between the Body of any Electrical appliance, or
Neutral point, to the deeper Earth soil or electrode.
 It covers the problems relating to conduction of
electricity through Earth.
 As a matter of fact, the Earth now rarely serves as a part
of the return circuit but is being used mainly for fixing
the voltage of system neutrals.
 IS : 3043-1987 is the Indian Standard Code of Practice
for Earthing.
 OBJECTIVES OF EARTHING

 Safety of Life/Personnel
By operating Safety devices
By limiting Step and Touch potential
Save lives during heavy S/C or abnormal fault
 O/V Protection - Safety of Apparatus
Against system Residual and Harmonics
Against abnormal Faults and Tripping
 Improves Service Continuity
By correct operation of electricity supply N/W
Voltage Stabilization by common Earth
 POPULAR ( MIS ) CONCEPTS ABOUT
EARTHING

• EARTH IS A GOOD CONDUCTOR

• GROUND POTENTIAL IS ALWAYS ZERO
• PROTO TYPE EARTHING DESIGN IS SUFFICIENT
• EARTHING IS JUST BURYING CONDUCTOR
• EARTHING IS ONLY FOR ACHIVEING LOW RESISTANCE
VALUE
• USE OF COPPER FOR EARTHING WILL GIVE LOW
RESISTANCE
 REASONS WHY EARTHING PROBLEMS
ARE COMPLEX

• EARTH IS A POOR CONDUCTOR

• NON HOMOGENEOUS
• CONDUCTORS BURIED IN SOIL HAVE COMPLICATED
SHAPE
• ACTIVE ONLY DURING FAULT CONDITIONS
• MOST OF THE ANALYSIS OF EARTHING IS BY
EMPIRICAL FORMULAE
 BASIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR GOOD
EARTHING
 Sensitivity & Selectivity of Ground Relaying
1. Low resistance to Earth or Good conductivity.
2. Good Corrosion resistance.
 Limitations of the magnitude of the E/F Current
1. Ability to carry high current repeatedly.
 Safe and Reliable long life system
 Required degree of Surge Voltage Protection with
arrestor.
 TYPES OF AN EARTHING

 SYSTEM EARTHING or NEUTRAL EARTHING

Deals with the Earthing of System Neutral to ensure system security
and protection.
 Solidly Earthed
Here Neutral is directly connected to the Earth electrode / mat.
E.g. Lighting Earth, Telecom Earth, DT Earthing
 Resistance / Impedance Earthed
Here Neutral is connected through a Resistance or an
Impedance to the Earth Electrode / mat. E.g. Synchronous
Generator Earthing
 EQUIPMENT EARTHING
Deals with Earthing of Non-current carrying parts of equipment to
ensure safety to personnel & protection against lightning.
Function : Protection against Electric Shock, in Telecom Earth -
reduce noise and interference, stabilize DC supply voltage and
prevent electric shock
 EARTHING IN ELECTRICAL
DISTRIBUTION NETWOTK

 The main reason why Earthing is used in electrical

distribution network is the SAFETY.
 When all metallic parts in electrical equipments are
grounded then if the insulation inside the equipments
fails there are no dangerous voltages present in the
equipment case.
 If the live wire touches the grounded case then the circuit
is effectively shorted and fuse will immediately blow.
When the fuse is blown then the dangerous voltages are
away.
 STATUTORY PROVISIONS FOR
EARTHING

 The value of any earth system resistance shall be such as

to conform with the degree of shock protection desired.

 Permissible values of earth resistance

a) Power stations - 0.5 ohms
b) EHT Stations - 1.0 ohms
c) 33KV SS - 2 ohms
d) DTR Structures - 5 ohms
e) Tower foot resistance - 10 ohms
TYPES OF EARTHING ELECTRODE

 Conventional Earthing
+ Plate Type Earthing
+ Pipe Type Earthing

 Earthing in modern trend

+ Pipe in Pipe Earthing
+ Pipe in Flat Earthing

 Latest Technology
+ PIC Earthing Technology
CONVENTIONAL METHOD OF EARTHING

 Plate type Earthing:

 Generally for plate type Earthing people are using Cast
Iron plate of size 600mm x 600mm x 12mm OR
Galvanized Iron plate of size 600mm x 600mm x 6mm
OR Copper Plate of size 600mm x 600mm x 3.15mm .
 Then buried at the depth of 8 feet in the vertical position
and GI strip of size 50mm x 6mm bolted with the plate is
brought up to the ground level.
 These types of earth pit are generally filled with alternate
layer of charcoal & salt up to 4 feet from the bottom of
the pit.
CONVENTIONAL METHOD OF EARTHING

 Pipe type Earthing:

 Generally for Pipe type Earthing people are using GI
pipe [C-class] of 75 mm diameter, 10 feet long welded
with 75 mm diameter GI flange having 6 numbers of
holes for the connection of earth wires.
 Then inserted in ground by auger method.
 These types of earth pit are generally filled with alternate
layer of charcoal & salt or earth reactivation compound.
 MAINTENANCE OF EARTHING
 The following maintenance schedule is mandatory at each of the
substations.
Sr.No Item Periodicity
1. Periodical Check / Test of Earth Electrodes @ Half yearly

2. Periodical visual examination/inspection of all Weekly

earth electrode connections & condition.
3. Watering of earth pits through a pipe where Weekly
fitted along with it.
4. Measurement of earth resistance of individual @ Half yearly
earth pits. Not exceed 2 Years
5. Measurement of combined earth resistance at @ Half yearly
all the earth pits. Not exceed 2 Years
6. Checking of interconnections betweens earth @ Quarterly
pits and tightness of bolts and nuts.
 After 3 to 5 years what is happening

 All Plates OR Pipes used get rusted and corroded

due to oxidation process under the soil.
 Once rusting & corrosion start its resistance
[ohm] value increased and so many issues start
in electrical distribution system.
 e.g. voltage fluctuation, neutral floating and
unbalance current flow from circuits.
 WHAT ARE OUR FINDINGS ?

 After lots of concentration on these types of issues we

thought that there must be improvement in two areas.
 1. Material used as earth electrode should have very
high rust resistive property and good current
conductive property.
 2. Total contact area of electrode with earth should be
as possible as maximum.
 As a result of this thought we tried to develop special
design of earth electrode by which we can get both the
benefits, as PIC.
 WHAT IS PIC Technology?

 The result of more than 24years of R&D

 Pipe In Cage Technology
 The final solution for any Earthing
related problems
 We had developed the electrode with
alloy of Nickel and Stainless Steel
having very high rust resistive property
and good current conductive property.
 COPPER V/S STAINLESS STEEL
IN ELECTRICAL USE

 The permanence of Copper in most soils, its resistance

to chemical attack, and its inherent low resistance,
brings it into widespread use throughout the Electrical
industry around the world.

 However, there are certain soils where it is inadvisable

to use Copper such as in Tidal land, Salt marshes,
Swamps and land filled with ashes, coke breeze and
like materials.

 Pipe in cage Electrode have a high resistance to both

atmospheric and soil corrosion as it made from
Stainless Steel with Nickel.
 WHAT PIC TECH INCLUDES

 Variety of products
E1 Model – For residential use
E2 Model – For commercial use
E3 Model – For industrial use
E4 Model – For Transformer Neutral in
GTD
 High degree of flexibility
 New Technology for better Safety and
Modern Design
REASONS FOR SELECTING PIC
 PIC electrode is made from unique metal with special
alloys as homogeneous material, no bimetal contacts.
 PIC electrode is free from galvanic attack.
 PIC electrode is having very high rust resistive property
and good current conductive property.
 PIC electrode has maximum utilization of available
surface area.
 PIC electrode provides theft proof design.
 PIC electrode is available in wide range in different sizes
to suit all types of need from common man to foreman.
REASONS FOR SELECTING PIC
 PIC electrode is having large surface area compare to
conventional electrodes.
 PIC electrode has capacity to carry high current
repeatedly.
 PIC electrode is easy to install and require less space.
 PIC electrode provides fast dissipation of any fault /
static current due to large surface area, no corrosion
and maintaining require moisture contents
 Eco friendly earth enhancer compound as SFC.
 Cost effective.
 Ensures protection in any season.
 Long life.
 Typical Application of PIC Electrode

 Where the chemical composition of the soil

reacts more unfavorably than copper as per
conditions described above
 Where the earthed item needs to be protected
against galvanic attack and corrosion, eg. lead
sheathed cables, steel poles, etc.
 SUPPORT FILLING COMPOUND

 It is a conductivity improver compound. It is a

specially developed compound having high
conductivity, rust resistance property, absorbing
& retaining the moisture for a long time.
 It reduces the soil resistivity and helps in faster
dissipation of fault current.
 It is also helpful to control fluctuation of
OHMIC value
 INSTALLATION OF PIPE IN CAGE

 Augur / Drill / Bore a hole of 8-10 Inch in diameter at a place where

Earthing is to be done up to appropriate length of PIPE IN CAGE
Earthing Electrode.
 Put the electrode in vertical positions in the pit with the connection
terminal on the top.
It is recommended to fill support filling compound surrounding PIPE
IN CAGE Electrode mixed with proper water pouring simultaneously.
 Normally 1 bags of support filling compound is recommended for our
PIPE IN CAGE Earthing Electrode but in some case i.e., Rocky Area or
filled soil area bag can be varies.
 Make joint with suitable copper wire/Stainless steel strip or G.I.
wire/strips carry for Earthing from your equipment etc. up to the
Earthing terminals provide on the top of the PIPE IN CAGE Earthing
Electrode.
 Put the chamber with the cover over the PIPE IN CAGE Earthing
Electrode & apply petroleum jelly on the exposed part of PIPE IN
CAGE Earthing Electrode i.e., terminal.
 Do proper water pouring up to 6-7 days after Installation
SOME VIEWS OF EARTHING AT SITE
 Notification 10. Ch-3 Clause 3.4 to 3.6

Clause 3.4
 The grounding provided for the equipment and lines and Earthing
grid for substations shall be in accordance with IS: 3043 - Code
of Practice for Earthing.

Clause 3.5
 It is not enough to have a good earth connection at the time of
construction, but it should also be maintained in a sound and
healthy state at all times. The Licensee shall take all necessary
steps for testing of the same and maintain the record of each test
in accordance with Sections- 32, 51, 61, 62, 67, 69, 88(2) and 90
of the Indian Electricity Rules, 1956.
 Notification 10. Ch-3 Clause 3.4 to 3.6

Clause 3.6
 Leakage current means difference between phase current and
return path. The Licensee shall take necessary steps to measure
leakage current at various points in the system.

 In Case of LT Section Earth resistance of Mini Section Pillars are

measured and if found high values. Earthing system is replaced
or reactivated by Mains Department.
 EARTHING

SAVE ME

Electrical Earthing is the

most important though
most neglected part of
the Electrical Safety of
personnel and property.
ELECTRICITY IS THE BEST
FRIEND AND WORST ENEMY.

Thank Q
System Grounding (Equipment Protection)
Equipment Grounding (Personal Safety)
Earth as Equipment Grounding Electrode
CORRODDED EARTHING CONNECTIONS