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How To Determine Correct Number of Earthing Electrodes (Strips, Plates and Pipes)

The document discusses methods for calculating the number and size of earthing electrodes, such as plates, strips, and pipes, based on factors like soil resistivity, fault current, and electrode dimensions. It also provides examples of calculating the number of plates required to dissipate a given fault current, as well as the resistance and number of electrodes or rods needed to achieve a target earth resistance value. Finally, it lists standard earthing conductor and electrode sizes for different applications.

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Collie
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150 views8 pages

How To Determine Correct Number of Earthing Electrodes (Strips, Plates and Pipes)

The document discusses methods for calculating the number and size of earthing electrodes, such as plates, strips, and pipes, based on factors like soil resistivity, fault current, and electrode dimensions. It also provides examples of calculating the number of plates required to dissipate a given fault current, as well as the resistance and number of electrodes or rods needed to achieve a target earth resistance value. Finally, it lists standard earthing conductor and electrode sizes for different applications.

Uploaded by

Collie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

13.

11 How to Determine Correct


Number of Earthing Electrodes
(Strips, Plates and Pipes)

Installation of vertical electrodes of earthing

2. Calculate Number of Plate Earthing


The Earth Resistance of Single Plate electrode is calculated as per IS 3040:

R=ρ/A√(3.14/A)
Where:

ρ = Resistivity of Soil (Ω Meter),


A = Area of both side of Plate (m2),

Example: Calculate Number of CI Earthing Plate of 600×600 mm, System has Fault current
65KA for 1 Sec and Soil Resistivity is 100 Ω-Meters.

Current Density At The Surface of Earth Electrode (As per IS 3043):

 Max. Allowable Current Density  I = 7.57×1000/(√ρxt) A/m2


 Max. Allowable Current Density  = 7.57×1000/(√100X1)=757 A/m2
 Surface area of both side of single 600×600 mm Plate= 2 x lxw=2 x 0.06×0.06 = 0.72 m2
 Max. current dissipated by one Earthing Plate = Current Density x Surface area of
electrode
 Max. current dissipated by one Earthing Plate =757×0.72= 545.04 Amps
 Resistance of Earthing Plate (Isolated)(R)=ρ/A√(3.14/A)
 Resistance of Earthing Plate (Isolated)(R)=100/0.72x√(3.14/.072)=290.14 Ω
 Number of Earthing Plate required =Fault Current / Max.current dissipated by one
Earthing Pipe.
 Number of Earthing Plate required= 65000/545.04 =119 No’s.
 Total Number of Earthing Plate required = 119 No’s.
 Overall resistance of 119 No of Earthing Plate=290.14/119=2.438 Ω.

3. Calculating Resistance of Bared Earthing Strip


1) Calculation for earth resistance of buried Strip (As per IEEE)

The Earth Resistance of  Single Strip of Rod buried in ground is:

R=ρ/Px3.14xL (loge (2xLxL/Wxh)+Q)


Where:

ρ = Resistivity of Soil (Ω Meter),


h = Depth of Electrode (Meter),
w = Width of Strip or Diameter of Conductor (Meter)
L = Length of Strip or Conductor (Meter)
P and Q are Koefficients
2) Calculation for earth resistance of buried Strip (As per IS 3043)

The Earth Resistance of  Single Strip of Rod buried in ground is:

R=100xρ/2×3.14xL (loge (2xLxL/Wxt))


Where:

ρ = Resistivity of Soil (Ω Meter),


L = Length of Strip or Conductor (cm)
w = Width of Strip or Diameter of Conductor (cm)
t = Depth of burial (cm)

Example: Calculate Earthing Resistance of Earthing strip/wire of 36mm Diameter, 262 meter


long buried at 500mm depth in ground, soil Resistivity is 65 Ω Meter.

Here:

R = Resistance of earth rod in W.


r = Resistivity of soil(Ω Meter) = 65 Ω Meter
l = length of the rod (cm) = 262m = 26200 cm
d = internal diameter of rod(cm) = 36mm = 3.6cm
h = Depth of the buried strip/rod (cm)= 500mm = 50cm

 Resistance of Earthing Strip/Conductor (R)=ρ/2×3.14xL (loge (2xLxL/Wt))


 Resistance of Earthing Strip/Conductor
(R)=65/2×3.14x26200xln(2x26200x26200/3.6×50)
 Resistance of Earthing Strip/Conductor (R)== 1.7 Ω

4. Calculate Min. Cross Section area of Earthing Conductor


Cross Section Area of Earthing Conductor As per IS 3043

(A) =(If x√t) / K


Where:

t = Fault current Time (Second).


K = Material Constant.
Example: Calculate Cross Section Area of GI Earthing Conductor for System has 50KA Fault
Current for 1 second. Corrosion will be 1.0 % Per Year and No of Year for Replacement is 20
Years.

Cross Section Area of Earthing Conductor (A) =(If x√t) / K

Here:

If = 50000 Amp
T = 1 Second
K = 80 (Material Constant, For GI=80, copper K=205, Aluminium K=126).

 Cross Section Area of Earthing Conductor (A) = (50000×1)/80


 Cross Section Area of GI Earthing Conductor (A) = 625 Sq.mm
 Allowance for Corrosion = 1.0 % Per Year & Number of Year before replacement say =
20 Years
 Total allowance = 20 x 1.0% = 20%
 Safety factor = 1.5
 Required Earthing Conductor size = Cross sectional area x Total allowance x Safety
factor
 Required Earthing Conductor size = 1125 Sq.mm say 1200 Sq.mm
 Hence, Considered 1Nox12x100 mm GI Strip or 2Nox6 x 100 mm GI Strips

Thumb Rule for Calculate Number of Earthing Rod


The approximate earth resistance of the Rod/Pipe electrodes can be calculated by:

Earth Resistance of the Rod/Pipe electrodes:

R= K x ρ/L
Where:

ρ = Resistivity of earth in Ohm-Meter


L = Length of the electrode in Meter.
d = Diameter of the electrode in Meter.
K = 0.75 if 25< L/d < 100.
K = 1 if 100 < L/d < 600
K = 1.2 o/L if 600 < L/d < 300

Number of Electrode if find out by Equation of R(d) = (1.5/N) x R

Where:
R(d) = Desired earth resistance
R = Resistance of single electrode
N = No. of electrodes installed in parallel at a distance of 3 to 4 Meter interval.

Example: Calculate Earthing Pipe Resistance and Number of Electrode for  getting Earthing
Resistance of 1 Ω ,Soil Resistivity of ρ=40, Length=2.5 Meter, Diameter of Pipe = 38 mm.

Here:

L/d = 2.5/0.038=65.78 so K = 0.75

 The Earth Resistance of the Pipe electrodes R= K x ρ/L = 0.75×65.78 = 12 Ω


 One electrode the earth resistance is 12 Ω.
 To get Earth resistance of 1 Ω  the total Number of electrodes required = (1.5×12)/1 = 18
No

Calculating Resistance & Number of Earthing Rod


Reference: As per EHV Transmission Line Reference Book page: 290 and Electrical
Transmission & Distribution Reference Book Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Section-I
Page: 570-590.

Earthing Resistance of Single Rods:

R = ρx[ln (2L/a)-1]/(2×3.14xL)
Earthing Resistance of Parallel Rods:

R = ρx[ln (2L/A]/ (2×3.14xL)


Where:

L = length of rod in ground Meter,


a = radius of rod Meter
ρ = ground resistivity, ohm-Meter
A = √(axS)
S = Rod separation Meter
Earthing rod arrangements

Factor affects on Ground resistance


The NEC code requires a minimum ground electrode length of 2.5 meters (8.0 feet) to be in
contact with the soil.  But, there are some factor that affect the ground resistance of a ground
system:

 Length / Depth of the ground electrode: double the length, reduce ground resistance by
up to 40%.
 Diameter of the ground electrode: double the diameter, lower ground resistance by only
10%.
 Number of ground electrodes: for increased effectiveness, space additional electrodes at
least equal to the depth of the ground electrodes.
 Ground system design: single ground rod to ground plate.

The GI earthing conductor sizes for various equipment


No Equipment Earth strip size
HT switchgear, structures, cable trays &
1 55 X 6 mm (GI)
fence, rails, gate and steel column
2 Lighting Arrestor 25 X 3 mm (Copper)
3 PLC Panel 25 X 3 mm (Copper)
4 DG & Transformer Neutral 50X6 mm (Copper)
5 Transformer Body 50×6 mm (GI)
6 Control & Relay Panel 25 X 6 mm (GI)
7 Lighting Panel & Local Panel 25 X 6 mm (GI)
8 Distribution Board 25 X 6 mm (GI)
9 Motor up to 5.5 kw 4 mm2 (GI)
10 Motor 5.5 kw to 55 kw 25 X 6 mm (GI)
11 Motor 22 kw to 55 kw 40 X 6 mm (GI)
12 Motor Above 55 kw 55 X 6 mm (GI)

Selection of Earthing System:

Installations/Isc IR Value
Soil Type/Resistivity Earth System
Capacity Required
8 ohm Normal Soil/ up to 50 ohm-meter Single Electrode
House hold
Sandy Soil/ between 50 to 2000 ohm-meter Single Electrode
earthing/3kA
Rocky Soil/ More than 2000 ohm-meter Multiple Electrodes
Commercial 2 ohm Normal Soil/ up to 50 ohm-meter Single Electrode
premises,Office / Sandy Soil/ between 50 to 2000 ohm-meter Multiple Electrodes
5kA Rocky Soil/ More than 2000 ohm-meter Multiple Electrodes
Transformers, less than 1 Normal Soil/ up to 50 ohm-meter Single Electrode
substation earthing, ohm Sandy Soil/ between 50 to 2000 ohm-meter Multiple Electrodes
LT line equipment/ Rocky Soil/ More than 2000 ohm-meter Multiple Electrodes
15kA
less than 1 Normal Soil/ up to 50 ohm-meter Single Electrode
LA, High current ohm Sandy Soil/ between 50 to 2000 ohm-meter Multiple Electrodes
Equipment./ 50kA
Rocky Soil/ More than 2000 ohm-meter Multiple Electrodes
PRS, UTS, RTUs, less than Normal Soil/ up to 50 ohm-meter Single Electrode
Data processing 0.5 ohm Sandy Soil/ between 50 to 2000 ohm-meter Multiple Electrodes
centre etc./5KA Rocky Soil/ More than 2000 ohm-meter Multiple Electrodes

Size of Earthing Conductor


Ref IS 3043 and Handbook on BS 7671: The Lee Wiring Regulations by Trevor E. Marks.

Size of Earthing Conductor


Area of Earthing conductor Area of Earthing conductor
Area of Phase Conductor S
(mm2) When It is Same (mm2) When It is Not Same
(mm2)
Material as Phase Conductor Material as Phase Conductor
S < 16 mm2 S SX(k1/k2)
16 mm2<S< 35 mm2 16 mm2 16X(k1/k2)
S > 35 mm2 S/2 SX(k1/2k2)
K1 is value of Phase conductor,k2 is value of earthing conductor
Value of K for GI=80, Alu=126,Cu=205 for 1 Sec

Standard earthing strip/plate/pipe/wire weight


GI Earthing Strip:

Size (mm2) Weight


20 x 3 500 gm Per meter
25 x 3 600 gm Per meter
25 x 6 1/200 Kg Per meter
32 x 6 1/600 Kg Per meter
40 x 6 2 Kg Per meter
50 x 6 2/400 Kg Per meter
65 x 10 5/200 Kg Per meter
75 x 12 7/200 Kg Per meter

GI Earthing Plate

Plate Weight
600 x 600 x 3 mm 10 Kg App.
600 x 600 x 4 mm 12 Kg App.
600 x 600 x 5 mm 15 Kg App.
600 x 600 x 6 mm 18 Kg App.
600 x 600 x 12 mm 36 Kg App.
1200 x 1200 x 6 mm 70 Kg App.
1200 x 1200 x 12 mm 140 Kg App.

GI Earthing Pipe

Pipe Weight
3 meter Long BISE 5 Kg App.
3 meter r Long BISE 9 Kg App.
4.5 meter (15′ Long BISE) 5 Kg App.
4.5 meter (15′ Long BISE) 9 Kg App.
4.5 meter (15′ Long BISE) 14 Kg App

GI Earthing Wire

Plate Weight
6 Swg 5 meter in 1 Kg
8 Swg 9 meter in 1 Kg

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