

Mine underground
distribution protection
12.1 GeneraI
A typical colliery underground network is shown in Figure 12.1. The protection required
for the medium-voltage (11 kV) network from the surface substation to the mobile
transformer will require considerations about the trailing cable. However, this could be
the standard protection that is followed in a normal industrial substation, taking care of
short-circuit and overcurrent conditions.
Underground
substation
Mobile
flameproof
transformer
Surface 11kV substation
Flexible
trailing
cable
11 kV cable couplers
(flameproof)

Figure 12.1
Typical colliery UG network
However, it is important to pay particular attention to the protection of the low-voltage
'front-end electrics` - especially at the coalface where most activity takes place,
increasing the possibility of electrical faults occurring.
170 Practical Power Systems Protection
In coal mining, the normal protection found in the flameproof gate-end boxes comprises:
 Earth-leakage protection
 Pilot wire monitors (ground continuity monitors)
 Earth fault lockout
 NERM (neutral earthing resistor monitors).
These features will now be discussed in detail point by point.
12.2 Earth-Ieakage protection
Earth-leakage protection is primarily employed to protect life. It must therefore detect and
isolate faulty equipment as soon as possible to protect the rest of the system and to
minimize fault damage.
Consequently, it needs to be as sensitive and as fast as possible. However, ultra-sensitivity
and high speeds can lead to nuisance tripping so a compromise is necessary. Generally, one
only needs to consider protecting against indirect contact. This is considered justified, as only
qualified persons should have access to live terminals, equipment and interlocks being
designed accordingly (see Table 12.1).
Earth-Leakage Protection
 Primarily employed to protect human life
 Isolates faulty equipment asap: to (a) protect rest of the system; and
(b) minimize fault damage
 Needs to be sensitive and fast as possible
 Ultra-sensitivity and high speeds may lead to nuisance tripping - hence
compromise necessary
 Protects against indirect contact only but considered justified as only
qualified persons should have access to live terminals. Equipment/
interlocks designed accordingly.
Table 12.1
Earth-leakage protection
12.2.1 Sensitivities
The factors that influence relay sensitivities are:
 Stray capacitance
 Unsymmetrical mounting of core balance CTs
 Motor starting in-rush currents
 Transients:
- Switching surges/point-on-wave switching
- Lightning
- Voltage dips
- Harmonics (especially 3rd and 9th, etc.).
Mine underground distribution protection 171
Unbalances can be caused by one or more combinations of the above. Relay sensitivities
of 250 mA were found to be immune from the above whereas levels of 100 mA were
susceptible so they had to be time delayed by 100 ms to ride through the transient
disturbances.
Using 250 mA instantaneous sensitivity, typical relay coordination for earth-leakage
protection is shown in Figure 12.2 and Table 12.2.
2.5 A
1 A
500 mA 375 mA 250 mA
M

Figure 12.2
Typical earth-leakage current sensitivities
Earth-leakage Sensitivities
 Factors influencing relay sensitivities:
- Stray capacitance
- Unsymmetrical mounting of core balance CTs
- Motor starting in-rush currents
- Transients
(a) Switching surges/point-on-wave switching
(b) Lightning
(c) Voltage dips
- Harmonics (especially 3rd, 9th, etc.): Unbalances could be
caused by one or more combinations of the above.
- Relay coordination: Grading is achieved on a current/time
basis as shown in the diagram.
Table 12.2
Earth-leakage sensitivities
12.2.2 CIearance times
Typical clearance times for South African equipment compared to UK equipment are
shown in Table 12.3.
The faster speeds are desirable as they are much less than the 'T` phase resting period
of the heart.
172 Practical Power Systems Protection
Earth Fault Clearance Times
 South African equipment:
Earth leakage (250 mA instantaneous) = 30 ms
Industrial type contactor = 30 ms
Total 60 ms

 UK equipment (NCB):
Earth-leakage (80 or 100 mA delayed) = 100 ms
*British contactor = 50 ms
Total 150 ms

*Industrial type contactors are not used because these are outside the
operating limits laid down in the British standard specification.
Table 12.3
Clearance times
12.3 PiIot wire monitor
This is a very important and sophisticated relay as it carries out the following functions
(see Figure 12.3):
 Prevents on-load uncoupling of cable couplers
 Ensures continuity and measures earth bond resistance
 Detects pilot-to-earth short-circuit
 Permits remote start/stop of contactor using pilot
 Unit has to be fail safe.
EL
PWM
Motor
R
S
T
Pilot
Earth
Gate end box
Stop
Start
RM

Figure 12.3
Pilot wire monitor (earth continuity monitor)
It is designed to meet very fine tolerances as shown in Figure 12.4. As it is continuously
monitoring the resistance of the earth bond to keep equipment within safe touch - potential
limits, it can be regarded as important, if not more so, than the earth-leakage relay.
Mine underground distribution protection 173
Control relay
Must
Must
Must not
Pick up with 30
run resistor in
circuit at 120%V
Pick up with 23
in circuit all
conditions
Pick up with 3
in circuit all
conditions
Hold in at 20%V
or less
Pick up 75%V
and hold in at
60%V
Pick up with 21
in circuit at 120%V
Pick up with 10
in circuit at 100%V
Pick up with 30
run resistor in
circuit at 120%V
Pick up with 3
in circuit at 75%V
Pick up with
19.5 in circuit
at 100%V
Pick up with
10-12 in circuit
at 100%V
Hold in at 20%V
or less Hold in at 50%V
Must not
NCB P130 & BS3101 Requirement parameters
Operate parameters
Setting parameters

Note: The contactor must be capable of following the relay under all of the above conditions.
Figure 12.4
Pilot wire monitor operating characteristics
12.4 Earth fauIt Iockout
As an additional safety measure, an earth fault lockout feature is installed, typically as
shown in Figure 12.5. After the contactor has been tripped, a DC signal is injected onto
the power conductor via the resistor bank to monitor the insulation. Closing is prevented
if this drops below the pre-set value. As an example, this would ensure safety on start-up
should a rock fall have occurred during the off-shift period.
12.5 NeutraI earthing resistor monitor (NERM)
The final element in the protection system is this relay, which ensures the integrity of the
neutral earthing resistor. If this latter device should open or short-circuit, the NERM will
operate to either alarm on trip (see Figure 12.6). The problems experienced with solid
earthing are as shown in Figure 12.7, namely:
 High fault currents - only limited by inherent impedance of power system
 Solid earthing means high earth fault currents
 This damages equipment extensively
 Leading to long outage times - lost production, lost revenue
 Heavy currents in earth bonding gives rise to high touch potentials - dangerous
to human life
 Large fault currents are more hazardous in igniting gases (explosion hazard).
174 Practical Power Systems Protection
Blocks
closing
ELO
DDO
T
R R R
R
Earth fault lockout

Figure 12.5
Earth fault lockout
R NERM
Alarm
or
trip

Figure 12.6
NER monitor
M
Pilot
wire
monitor
Pilot

Figure 12.7
Problems
Mine underground distribution protection 175
These can be overcome by introducing an earth barrier between the phases so that all
faults become earth faults then controlling the earth fault current levels by the neutral
earthing resistor (see Figures 12.8-12.10 and Table 12.4).
M
Pilot
wire
monitor
Pilot
R
2.5A
1.25 A 1.25 A

Figure 12.8
Solutions
Copper/nylon
screens
Multi-strand
cores
Polychloroprene
rubber sheath
Pilot line
core

Figure 12.9
Screened trailing cable
Air Creapage
paths

Figure 12.10
Investigation
176 Practical Power Systems Protection
Grave Concern
Over failure of 11 kV cable couplers
1. Government mining engineer
1.1 Possible ignition of methane
1.2 Giving rise to a disaster of horrendous magnitude
1.3 Considering banning this type of equipment
2. Mine authorities
2.1 Same concerns as above
2.2 Alternatives increase production downtime:

- Initial installation takes longer and is more difficult
- Lose facility to quickly extend network
- Lose facility to quickly locate faults
3. Manufacturers
3.1 Same concerns as 1 and 2
3.2 Business reputation threatened
Table 12.4
Concerns over failures
 Phase segregation eliminates phase-to-phase faults
 Resistance earthing means low earth fault currents
 Fault damage minimal - reduces fire hazard
 Lower outage times - less lost production, lost revenue
 Touch potentials kept within safe limits - protects human life
 Low earth fault currents reduce possibility of igniting gases (explosion hazard)
 No magnetic or thermal stresses imposed on major plan during fault
 Transient overvoltages limited - prevents stressing of insulation, MCB restrikes.
Air ionizes to cause phase-to-phase flashover. Hence, phase segregation is achieved by
insulation barriers, which are made of silicon rubber (see Figure 12.11).
Phase Barriers
 Moulded out of silicon rubber
 Material has suitable dielectric strength and insulating properties; no carbon
content so it has minimal tracking capabilities
 Flexible - allows push-on fit over insulator ports and gives a cleaning action
 Is compressed as coupler halves bolt together
 Acts as a 'heat sink` for any arc that occurs, thereby assisting quenching
 Can be easily retro-fitted to existing couplers in service.
Proving tests
Fault energy formula =
2
I R t  
Where
= fault current
= resistance of fault arc
= time in seconds fault is on.
I
R
t

Mine underground distribution protection 177

Figure 12.11
Solution-rubber phase barrier
KhutaIa fauIt throwing tests
Fault current = 4000 A
Clearance time = 350 ms
Assume arc resistance of 1
Fault energy =4000 4000 1 0.35   
= 5.6 MJ
If clearance time reduced to 100 m/s
Fault energy =4000 4000 1 0.1   
= 1.6 MJ
70% reduction
If steps could be taken to also reduce level of fault current then major strides would be
made.
FauIt Iocation
In mining industries, identification of a fault location is a critical requirement. The
following sketches/ pictures show how couplers are useful in identifying the fault location
(see Figures 12.12-12.14 and Tables 12.5-12.8).
Flags to Identify Fault Location
 Flags indicate path to earth fault
 Flags automatically reset on restoration of normal load current
 Just plugs in between new or existing couplers
 Obviates uncoupling and recoupling cable couplers in wet polluted
environment when fault-finding.
178 Practical Power Systems Protection
Major probIem

Figure 12.12
Great difficulty in locating earth faults
CÌNDÌ
Half couplers

Figure 12.13
Fast fault location
Mine underground distribution protection 179
EWA
Audible alarm
'Check CÌNDÌs'
Ìnterrogate digital read-out to
determine level of E/F current
Highly sensitive
early warning alarm relay
+
core balance CT

Figure 12.14
Early warning alarm system
Features
 Universal Voltage independent
Any voltage up to 3.3 kV (500 V, 1000 V, 3300 V)
 High sensitivity 250 mA earth fault, 40 ms
Coordinates with upstream relays
Operates when closing onto a fault
 Self-reset Automatically resets of restoration of normal load current
 Self-powered No separate power supply required
 Stable flag Magnetic disk pulse operated
Can be mounted in any position
Retains status through shock, vibration and power
failures, etc.
 Installation Quick and easy
Just plugs in between two half couplers
Ideal for retro-fitting
No special tools required
No breakdown of prepared joints
 Tamperproof Electronics potted in epoxy-resin
Intrinsically safe circuitry
 Flameproof AS/SABS/BS tested
GME certificate obtained
Table 12.5
Features
180 Practical Power Systems Protection
'CINDI`
Cable Earth Fault Indicator System
Offers
Major advantages
 Fast fault location
- Less production downtime
- Less lost revenue
 Fast payback period
- Savings integrate as time goes by
 Increased safety and equipment reliability
- Obviates the need to uncouple and recouple cable couplers in dirty environment when fault
finding.
Table 12.6
Advantages
CINDI-Major Advantages
Other factors
Economics
 Potential to save mining industry millions of dollars in lost revenue due to production down time
 Cost-effective Same price as a half coupler
 Fast payback period Cost of one extended outage would more than pay for equipping mine
with these units
 Return on investment Excellent. Benefits integrate as time goes by
New developments
 Field experience so far has been excellent and requests have been received to develop:
11 kV (1 A) model This is the network that grows. Prototypes now in the field
3.3 kV (80 mA) model For transformer and continuous miner
To coordinate with 100 mA E/L relay
Prototypes also in field.
Table 12.7
Other factors
Summary
 Phase segregation a must
 System earthing - restricts neutrals currents to a low value with a resistor
 Install fast, highly sensitive, earth-leakage protection
 Pilot wire monitor, an essential and equal partner
 Fit an earth fault lockout system
 Install phase barriers and cable earth fault indicators to reduce production downtime and improve
safety levels.
Table 12.8
Summary of recommendations