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Optimal neutral ground resistor rating of the medium voltage systems in power generating
stations
Choong-Koo Chang*
Professor, Department of Nuclear Power Plant Engineering, KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School
(Received 25 August 2015; accepted 19 October 2015)
Neutral grounding resistors (NGRs) are used to protect insulation breakdown in faulty electrical equipment. These faults
are caused by transient over-voltages produced by arcing ground on ungrounded systems. NGR also reduces mechanical
stresses in circuits and apparatus carrying fault currents in solidly grounded systems. In the medium voltage auxiliary
power systems of power generating stations, low resistance grounding system is widely used with a NGR. The purpose
of this paper is to present the method determining optimal NGR size for the medium voltage systems in power
generating stations.
Keywords: system grounding; impedance grounding; neutral grounding resistor; phase to ground fault
1. Introduction
To determine optimal neutral grounding resistor (NGR)
size, many items should be considered. The maximum
ground fault current allowed by the resistor has to be
large enough to actuate the applied ground fault protection relay. The allowable fault current must be decided
in accordance with the protection scheme and nominal
current of equipment (generator or transformer). However, the most of literatures related to resistance grounding system design describe only the approximate range
of the NGR rating for low and high resistance grounding
system. And the only existing standard specic for NGR
is the IEEE 32 standards where the allowed temperature rise and time rating are dened. Sophisticated NGR
sizing and verication method is not introduced in any
literature. Therefore, design, construction and operation
engineers in the job eld experience difculties due to
the mismatch of NGR rating and ground protection system during commissioning and operation. Throughout
this study a procedure for the determination of optimal
NGR will be proposed, and it will be veried through a
case study.
2. System grounding
Power system grounding is very important, particularly
because the majority of faults involve grounding. Thus,
it has a signicant effect on the protection of all the
components of the power system. The principal purpose of grounding is to minimize potential transient
overvoltages to comply with local, state, and national
codes for personnel safety requirements; and to assist
in the rapid detection and isolation of trouble or fault
areas.
*Email: ckchang@kings.ac.kr
2015 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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C.-K. Chang
2.2. Solidly grounded systems
There is no intentional impedance between the system
neutral and ground as shown in Figure 3.
The voltage and impedance values indicated in
Figure 4 are the same as those dened originally for
Figure 2. In terms of the applied voltage and the system
impedance values given, the bolted PG fault current
magnitude would be determined as follows:
Figure 1.
Ungrounded system.
IPG
3VPN
2Z1sys 3ZTX 2Z1line Z0line
(3)
3VPN
2Z1sys 2ZTX 2Z1line Z0line XC0
2Z1sys 3ZTX
3VPN
3ZN 2Z1line Z0line
In general, other impedances than the neutral impedance are negligible. Since the neutral impedance is in a
residual portion of the zero sequence current circulation
path, its impedance value is modelled as three times its
actual value and XC0 is negligible in low resistance
grounding system. For this reason, the PG fault current
magnitude is determined by the neutral impedance value
used:
IPG
3ZN
ZN
RN
(1)
3VPN
XC0
(2)
(4)
Figure 3.
(5)
57
Figure 5.
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C.-K. Chang
Figure 6.
10
Capacitive reactance, XCO xC
Ohm per phase,
o
where
x2pf
(6)
x C0 kV
1000
0:652 C0 kV
(7)
Typical values of system-capacitance data are available from the cable manufacturer catalogue or Westinghouse design guide [9] and the GE Data Book.[10]
On the other hand, it is preferable to measure the
magnitude of the charging current on existing power
Figure 8.
systems.
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60
C.-K. Chang
Figure 9.
try to shift to +1 pu, in succession another time overshoot, this time to a potential maximum of +5 pu. This
could continue to 7 pu, meanwhile, the system insulation would no doubt break down, causing a major fault.
Thus, ungrounded systems should be used with caution,
and applied at the lower voltages, where the system insulation levels are higher.[1]
For resistance grounding systems at 15 kV and
below, such overvoltages will not ordinarily be of a
serious nature if the resistance value lies within the
following boundary limits: R0 XC0, R0 2X0. Where,
X0 is zero-sequence reactance. The corresponding
ground-fault current is far less than is normally used for
low-resistance grounding, but is the design criterion for
high-resistance grounding.[5]
4.3. Fault withstand time and temperature rise
Normally, protective relaying will trip within a few
cycles. IEEE 32 denes standard resistor on times. Lowest rate is 10 seconds, but could potentially go less in
order to save material/space. It can go as high as 30 or
60 seconds as required (rare). Extended or continuous
ratings are almost never used in this application due to
the relatively high fault currents. Coefcient of resistivity
typically increases with temperature of the material, thus
resistance of the NGR increases while the unit runs. As
resistance increases, current decreases.[12] Therefore, the
time rating and resistivity coefcient of resistor should
be conrmed when make a ground fault relay setting
calculation.
Figure 10.
Ground fault protection scheme of the class 1E
MV switchgear fed from unit aux. transformer.
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C.-K. Chang
ORCID
Choong-Koo Chang
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5649-6779
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]
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