Training Course on Building Services Engineering

9. Electrical Services Part 2

9.2 Lightning protection and earthing
systems
Ir Dr. Sam C. M. Hui
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Hong Kong
E-mail: [email protected]
Jul 2021
Contents 內容

• Electrical safety 電力安全

• Earthing & bonding 接地和接駁

• Lightning protection system 避雷系統

• Operation & maintenance 操作和維修

Electrical safety

• Typical electrical safety devices:

• 1. Fuse 熔斷器
• A copper wiring with a set current fusion value, if
exceeded, the fuse will blow & the current is cut-off
• 2. Circuit breakers 斷路器
• The current enables the coils of the circuit breaker to
magnetise & disconnect the electric source, e.g. air
circuit breaker (ACB), miniature circuit breaker (MCB)
• 3. Earthing 接地
• Provides a low resistance way of discharging electricity
to the ground in case of current leakage
Electrical safety

• Typical electrical safety devices: (cont’d)

• 4. Earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB or RCD)
接地漏電斷路器 / 剩餘電流動作保護器
• Monitor the operation of “neutral” or “live” wires &
detect an imbalance to cut-off the electrical source
• 5. Double insulation 雙重絕緣
• An electrical appliance protected by a supplementary
insulation layer in addition to basic insulation
• 6. Extra-low voltage (ELV) 特低壓
• Voltage of less than 50 V (AC) to minimise injury in
case of electric shock
Safety devices: fuse, circuit breakers (MCB), double insulation, earthing

[Source: http://www.oshc.org.hk/oshc_data/files/books/2017/B25217-Electrical-Safety-Eng.pdf]
 Electricity supply voltage & installations for extra low voltage
Voltage range AC RMS voltage (V) DC voltage (V) Defining risk
High voltage > 1000 > 1500 Electrical arcing
Low voltage 50 to 1000 120 to 1500 Electrical shock
Extra-low voltage < 50 < 120 Low risk

FELV = Functional extra low voltage; PELV = Protective extra low voltage; SELV = Safety extra low voltage
(Source: Extra-low voltage - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extra-low_voltage)
Electrical safety

• Steps to handle fault & emergency repair:

• 1. Assign qualified repair personnel
• 2. Shut down & isolate the affected area/parts
• 3. Properly isolate other live parts
• 4. Inspect the fault part & identify main causes
• 5. Confirm the part that needs repair/replacement
& the required components/parts
• 6. Arrange the necessary tools, materials for repair
• 7. Perform final testing & resume power supply
 3 steps to electrical work safety

[Source: Labour Department, Hong Kong https://www.labour.gov.hk/]

Electrical safety

• Precautions for inspection on fixed electrical

installations
• 1. Use of lockable switches (to prevent accidental
switch-on of circuit breakers)
• 2. Permit-to-work shall be issued for carrying out
electrical work on de-energised equipment
• 3. Electrical safety assessment shall be carried out
for live work
• 4. Working on 3-phase 4-wire AC system shall
disconnect its neutral conductor
 Locking Device 鎖類設備

[Source: http://www.ksmak-sir.com/pdf/EIT.zip]
 Risk assessment report on electrical live work 帶電工作風險評估報告

[Source: EMSD]
 An example of electrical risk management for portable tools

[Source: https://www.emsd.gov.hk/filemanager/tc/content_1431/sem20210126-Topic2.pdf]
 Specification of electric plugs in Hong Kong

[Source: http://www.oshc.org.hk/oshc_data/files/books/2017/B25217-Electrical-Safety-Eng.pdf]
 Earthing & bonding

• Earthing system (or grounding system)

• It connects parts of the electric circuit with the
ground, thus defining the electric potential of the
conductors relative to the Earth's conductive
surface
• Purposes:
• To protect a structure from lightning strike (direct the
lightning into the earthing rod in the ground)
• Form part of the safety system of mains electricity
• Common ground plane for radio antenna
(See also: Earthing system -- Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthing_system)
Basic concepts of earthing and bonding
 Earthing & bonding

• Earthed equipotential bonding and automatic

disconnection 接地等電位接駁和自動斷電
• To bond all the exposed and extraneous
conductive parts to earth in order to create a zone
at earthed potential so that the potential difference
(touch voltage) between those parts are minimized
in the event of an earth fault inside the zone (touch
voltage would be reduced by bonding), and then to
cut the supply within the maximum safe time
duration
(See also: Earthing system -- Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthing_system)
[Source: De Saulles, T., 2001. The Illustrated Guide to Electrical Building Services]
[Source: De Saulles, T., 2001. The Illustrated Guide to Electrical Building Services]
[Source: De Saulles, T., 2001. The Illustrated Guide to Electrical Building Services]
[Source: De Saulles, T., 2001. The Illustrated Guide to Electrical Building Services]
Earthing & bonding

• Four types of protective conductors:

• 1. Circuit protective conductors (CPC)
• 2. Main equipotential bonding conductors
• 3. Supplementary bonding conductors
• 4. Earthing conductors
• Local supplementary bonding to metal parts to
maintain the equipotential zone (to prevent a
hazardous potential difference)
• (a) Extraneous conductive parts
• (b) Simultaneously accessible with exposed conductive
parts or other extraneous conductive parts
 Earthing and supplementary bonding protective conductors

[Source: https://www.emsd.gov.hk/]
Earthing & bonding
• Earthing arrangements: letter coding
• First letter – type of earthing (at the source of energy)
• T: at least one point of the supply is directly earthed (Terra)
• I: the supply is not directly earthed, but connected to earth through
a current limiting impedance
• Second letter – installation earthing arrangement
• T: all exposed conductive metalwork is directly earthed
• N: all exposed conductive metalwork is connected to an earth
provided by the supply company
• Third and fourth letters – earth conductor arrangement
• S: earth and neutral conductors separate
• C: earth and neutral conductors combined
• C-S: earth and neutral conductors combined in part of system only
• Three common types of earthing systems
• TN-S system, TN-C-S system, TT system
 TN-S system
Separate neutral conductor and protective earth conductor
within the supply to the building.

[Source: De Saulles, T., 2001. The Illustrated Guide to Electrical Building Services]
 TN-C-S system
Metal sheath of incoming supply acts as both the neutral and the
earthing conductor (PEN conductor). Also known as protective
multiple earthing (PME)

[Source: De Saulles, T., 2001. The Illustrated Guide to Electrical Building Services]
 TT system
Incoming supply does not incorporate an earthing conductor;
local earthing is created on site (e.g. by earth electrode rods)

[Source: De Saulles, T., 2001. The Illustrated Guide to Electrical Building Services]
 Earthing requirements

- Customer provide own effective earthing

system including connection to earth
electrodes

- Exposed conductive parts connected to earth

(CLP Supply Rules & COP for Electricity
(Wiring) Regulations)

- Not less than 70mm² copper or equivalent

earthing conductor to all units via earthing
terminal block at each floor

- For HKE, if the customer main earthing

system is bonded to its main earthing system,
an insulated disconnection link should be
provided
 Earthing & bonding conductors 接地和接駁導體

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 From main earth terminal to different circuits & appliances

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 Examples of bonding connections

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 Lightning protection system

• CoP for the Electricity (Wring) Regulations

• Code 26I Lightning Protection Installation
• Related standards*
• IEC/BS EN 62305, AS/NZS 1768, NFPA 780
• IEC/BS EN 62305
• Part 1: General principles
• Part 2: Risk management
• Part 3: Physical damages to structures & life hazard
• Part 4: Electrical & electronic systems within structures
[*See also: https://www.electrical-installation.org/enwiki/Lightning_protection_standards]
 Lightning effects on electrical installations

[Source: https://www.electrical-installation.org/enwiki/Overvoltage_of_atmospheric_origin]
Lightning protection system

• Basic principles
• Protect structures against direct lightning strokes
• Capture the lightning current & channel it to earth via
the most direct path
• Protect electrical installations against direct &
indirect lightning strokes
• Perform equipotential bonding of the installation,
supplemented by Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) or
spark gaps (e.g., antenna mast spark gap)
• Minimize induced & indirect effects by installing SPDs
and/or filters
 Lightning rod & lightning conductor with meshed cage (Faraday cage)

[Source: https://www.electrical-installation.org/enwiki/Building_protection_system]
Basic principle & components of lightning protection system
 Example of lightning protection for a high-rise building

DC = down conductor
LP = lightning protection rod

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 Comprehensive design of lightning protection system

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 Example of protection of a large-scale electrical installation

[Source: https://www.electrical-installation.org/enwiki/Lightning_protection_-_Electrical_installation_protection_system]
Lightning protection system

• Surge protective device (SPD) 電湧保護器

• To protect electrical devices from surge events by limiting
transient voltages & diverting surge currents
• For electric power supply networks, telephone networks,
and communication & automatic control buses
• Three types of SPD:
• Type 1: in the specific case/area of the building
• Type 2: main protection system for all low voltage
electrical installations (in each electrical switchboard)
• Type 3: supplement to Type 2 SPD & in the vicinity of
sensitive loads
 Principle of surge protective device (SPD)

[Source: https://www.electrical-installation.org/enwiki/The_Surge_Protection_Device_(SPD)]
 Protection distributed levels of surge protective device (SPD)

[Source: https://www.electrical-installation.org/enwiki/Elements_of_the_protection_system]
Lightning protection system

• Test report/certificate
• 1. Inspection items
• Lightning rod base & air termination network
• Down conductor system
• Earth termination system
• Lightning strike counters
• Circuit lightning protection
• Lightning current arresters
• 2. Testing items
• 3. Report & results
 Best Practices for Operation & Maintenance Service

[Source: https://www.emsd.gov.hk/en/publications/emsd_operation_maintenance_best_practices_booklets/]
Operation & maintenance

• Documentation (or asset information) 文檔

• For all major items of electrical installations
• Operation procedures 操作程序
• Standardised checklists
• Safety guidelines & training
• Emergency preparedness 應急準備
• Planning & response, regular review & training
• Preventative maintenance 預防性維護
• Planned maintenance activities, check & testing
 Components of electrical control panel (outer view)

[Source: http://open_jicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12308334_24.pdf]
 Components of electrical control panel (inner view)

[Source: http://open_jicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12308334_24.pdf]
Operation & maintenance

• Typical maintenance & repair works for

electrical installations 典型維護和維修工作
• Lubrication for mechanical operation parts
• Fastening of busbar bolts, nuts & connections
• Cleaning & repair of busbar & connections
• Repair contacts for damaged air circuit breakers
• Replace/repair of damaged/faulty devices
• Inspect & repair faulty control circuits
 Main components for maintenance & inspection (1 of 6)

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 Main components for maintenance & inspection (2 of 6)

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 Main components for maintenance & inspection (3 of 6)

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 Main components for maintenance & inspection (4 of 6)

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 Main components for maintenance & inspection (5 of 6)

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
 Main components for maintenance & inspection (6 of 6)

[Source: https://www.eeunion.org.hk/]
Operation & maintenance

• Corrective maintenance 修復性維修

• Breakdowns of critical plant & equipment
• Maintenance record management 維修記錄管理
• O&M manuals, documents & records
• Filing system & statutory compliance
• Spare parts management 備件管理
• Spare part list & inventory control
• Addition, alternation & replacement 添加, 變更及更換
• Planning & implementation