SYSTEM EARTHING

The neutral point of HV 3 phase 3-wire system can be isolated from earth
or earthed either directly or through a resistance.
Each of these possible methods has its advantages and disadvantages.
Isolated Neutral
Isolated neutrals are sometimes used for remote and exposed
overhead line systems.
In the event of a single fault from one phase to earth, there is no heavy
flow of current and the system can be left intact, with no loss of supply,
until the fault is traced and removed.
The protection of long lines, especially lines with T connections, is
simplified. But fault finding is difficult.
Such systems, however, are subject to high dynamic over-voltages
and suitably insulated equipment is necessary.
For this reason, and for safety, normal HV systems in industrial plant
are never operated with an isolated neutral.
This system is no longer applied in hazardous areas.
Solidly Earthed Neutral
Solidly earthing the system neutral ensures that, in the event of an
earth fault, sufficient earth fault current flows to operate the system
protection.
Earth fault currents would normally be high and comparable in
magnitude with phase fault currents.
This is particularly important where the system is protected by fuses,
where a limited earth fault current could fail to blow the fuse.
A fault current only two or three times the fuse rating may result in
excessively long fault clearance times which could result in dangerous
conditions arising.
Since the required insulation level is also reduced, solid neutral
earthing is to be preferred wherever possible for LV systems and low
impedance earthing for HV systems.
Difficulties arise, however, with generator earthing, since heavy fault
currents can cause electrical and mechanical damage to the generator,
it is usual to employ impedance earthing to restrict generator earth
fault currents.
Impedance Earthed Neutral
Earthing the system neutral through a resistance or reactance allows
an earth fault current to flow, and the magnitude of this can be
arranged to be small enough to avoid excessive damage, and yet high
enough to give satisfactory operation of protective relays.
It should be noted that during earth faults the system voltages relative
to the earth will change considerably.
Unfaulted phases for example, could reach a voltage 3 x normal, or
higher.
Since the earthing impedance only has to carry current for the duration
of faults it can be short-time rated and able to carry fault current for say
10 secs.
Impedance limitation of earth fault current also has the advantage that
a contactor can be used to clear the fault, with fuses for back up and
clearing line to line faults.
Resonant Earthed Neutral (Peterson Coil)
The earthing reactor is tuned to be in resonance with the line
capacitance.
During an earth fault, the power frequency inductive current passed by
the reactor neutralises the capacitive component of the earth fault
current.
From the protection point of view, this method is similar to isolated
neutral systems because the only current available for relay operation
is the capacitive current of the healthy phases.
A faulty section can be left in service without any detrimental effect to
the system, and in the case of overhead lines where most of the faults
are of a transient nature, the outage time can be reduced.
Problems with resonant earthing arise if the system capacitance can
be changed by line switching, which may de-tune the coil.
Earthing Transformers
When a supply is taken from a transformer delta winding the problem
of earthing this supply may arise.
Since the delta winding cannot be directly earthed an artificial earth
must be applied to the system.
This is accomplished by the connection of an earthed star/delta or
earthed zig-zag transformer to the system at a point close to the supply
source and where the earthing transformer cannot become
disconnected or separated from the system it is earthing, Refer SLD
Figure below..


Such a transformer behaves normally on an unfaulted system and can
be used to provide an auxiliary supply.
For earthing transformer duty the zig-zag connection is superior to the
star/delta transformer since it provides a lower impedance to earth fault
current.
In addition, it will work without a delta winding which can be omitted if
there is no need for any auxiliary supply.
Generator Earthing
Generator output voltage contain a third harmonic component due to
the non-linear characteristic of the iron flux path.
Where two or more generators are operating in parallel their third
harmonic voltage outputs are unlikely to be exactly equal, owing to
the differing machine characteristics.
If the generator neutrals are also paralleled a low impedance path
exists for third harmonic currents to circulate in the alternators.
To prevent this, it is normal practice to allow only one of the generators
to be earthed at any one time.
This can be arranged by taking the alternator neutrals to a suitably
interlocked neutral earthing switchboard.
To limit damage to the generators by earth faults, neutral earthing
should be through an impedance.
This is generally a resistance, to provide more exact control over earth
fault magnitudes, and would be sized to limit earth fault current to the
continuous current rating of the smallest alternator.
With this arrangement it would be necessary to have an alarm to alert
the operator in the event of the earthed machine being disconnected,
either through routine operation or a fault.
This is to minimise the time during which the system could be running
effectively unearthed.
Where earthed star-windings of transformers are connected to the
same busbars as the generators, or a short electrical distance from the
generators, as can happen at main intake stations where local
generation is paralleled with a public supply, the earthing of the
transformers should conform with the generator earthing practice of
restricting the magnitude of earth fault currents.
If necessary, the transformer neutral point should be earthed through
the generating station neutral earthing switchboard.
Computer System Earthing
Power supplies to computer installation must be isolated as far as
possible from the adverse effects of other loads on the systems.
This applies also to the neutral earthing of computer power supplies
the neutral earth should be isolated from the harmonic noise,
transients and capacitive currents that always exist on the plant
earthing system.
The computer manufacturer will usually have his own requirements for
system earthing but a typical arrangement would be that the neutral
earth point on the computer system isolation transformers is earthed to
a separate computer earthing system.
This computer earthing system is only connected to the plant earthing
system through a high-frequency choke.