Analysis of grounding grid of substation

Abstract

The grounding system requires for maintaining safety of operators and apparatus and ensuring reliable working of power network. A grounding of substation connects electrical apparatus and the metallic structures to the common ground. Grounding system of substation should be such that it should limit the potential gradients with in and around substation during normal and fault condition. Ground Fault creates potential rise within and around the substation which increases the step and touch potential. These potentials should be less than the permissible human body limit. For examination grounding grid of substation needs to calculate parameters related to earth and grounding for safe operation. In this paper parameters of existing design of grounding grid of substation are calculated with IEEE standard 80-2013 and some techniques are discussed for increasing grounding system safety. ETAP (Electrical power system analysis) software is used for analysis.