Low voltage switchgear - Power distribution (by MEC Electrical Engineering)

Introduction
In the early power systems were mainly Neutral ungrounded due to the
fact that the first ground fault did not require the tripping of the system. An
unscheduled shutdown on the first ground fault was particularly undesirable
for continuous process industries. These power systems required ground
detection systems, but locating the fault often proved difficult. Although
achieving the initial goal, the ungrounded system provided no control of
transient over-voltages.
A capacitive coupling exists between the system conductors and ground in
a typicaldistribution system . As a result, this series resonant L-C circuit
can create over-voltages well in excess of line-to-line voltage when
subjected to repetitive re-strikes of one phase to ground.
This in turn, reduces insulation life resulting in possible equipment failure.
Neutral grounding systems are similar to fuses in that they do nothing until
something in the system goes wrong. Then, like fuses, they protect
personnel and equipment from damage. Damage comes from two factors,

how long the fault lasts and how large the fault current is. Ground relays
trip breakers and limit how long a fault lasts and Neutral grounding resistors
limit how large the fault current is.
Top
Importance of Neutral Grounding
There are many neutral grounding options available for both Low
and Medium voltage power systems. The neutral points of transformers,
generators and rotating machinery to the earth ground network provides a
reference point of zero volts.
This protective measure offers many advantages over an
ungrounded system, like:
1. Reduced magnitude of transient over voltages
2. Simplified ground fault location
3. Improved system and equipment fault protection
4. Reduced maintenance time and expense
5. Greater safety for personnel
6. Improved lightning protection
7. Reduction in frequency of faults.
Top
Methods of Neutral Earthing
There are five methods for Neutral earthing:
1. Unearthed Neutral System
2. Solid Neutral Earthed System
3. Resistance Neutral Earthing System

Low Resistance Earthing

High Resistance Earthing

2. Resonant Neutral Earthing System
3. Earthing Transformer Earthing
Top
1. Ungrounded Neutral Systems
In ungrounded system there is no internal connection between the
conductors and earth. However, as system, a capacitive coupling exists
between the system conductors and the adjacent grounded surfaces.
Consequently, the ungrounded system is, in reality, a capacitive
grounded system by virtue of the distributed capacitance.

Under normal operating conditions, this distributed capacitance causes no

problems. In fact, it is beneficial because it establishes, in effect, a neutral
point for the system; As a result, the phase conductors are stressed at only
line-to-neutral voltage above ground.
But problems can rise in ground fault conditions. A ground fault on one line
results in full line-to-line voltage appearing throughout the system. Thus, a
voltage 1.73 times the normal voltage is present on all insulation in the
system.
This situation can often cause failures in older motors and transformers,
due to insulation breakdown.

Ungrounded neutral system

Advantages
After the first ground fault, assuming it remains as a single fault, the circuit
may continue in operation, permitting continued production until a
convenient shut down for maintenance can be scheduled.
Disadvantages
1. The interaction between the faulted system and its distributed
capacitance may cause transient over-voltages (several times normal)
to appear from line to ground during normal switching of a circuit

having a line-to ground fault (short). These over voltages may cause
insulation failures at points other than the original fault.
2. A second fault on another phase may occur before the first fault can
be cleared. This can result in very high line-to-line fault currents,
equipment damage and disruption of both circuits.
3. The cost of equipment damage.
4. Complicate for locating fault(s), involving a tedious process of trial
and error: first isolating the correct feeder, then the branch, and
finally, the equipment at fault. The result is unnecessarily lengthy and
expensive down downtime.
2. Solidly Neutral Grounded Systems
Solidly grounded systems are usually used in low voltage applications at
600 volts or less. In solidly grounded system, the neutral point is connected
to earth.
Solidly Neutral Grounding slightly reduces the problem of transient over
voltages found on the ungrounded system and provided path for the ground
fault current is in the range of 25 to 100% of the system three phase
fault current..
However, if the reactance of the generator or transformer is too great, the
problem of transient over voltages will not be solved.
While solidly grounded systems are an improvement over ungrounded
systems, and speed up the location of faults, they lack the current limiting
ability of resistance grounding and the extra protection this provides.
To maintain systems health and safe, Transformer neutral is grounded and
grounding conductor must be extend from the source to the furthest point
of the system within the same raceway or conduit. Its purpose is to
maintain very low impedance to ground faults so that a relatively high fault
current will flow thus insuring that circuit breakers or fuses will clear the
fault quickly and therefore minimize damage.

Solidly Neutral Grounded Systems

It also greatly reduces the shock hazard to personnel!
If the system is not solidly grounded, the neutral point of the system would
float with respect to ground as a function of load subjecting the line-toneutral loads to voltage unbalances and instability. The single-phase earth
fault current in a solidly earthed system may exceed the three phase fault
current. The magnitude of the current depends on the fault location and the
fault resistance.
One way to reduce the earth fault current is to leave some of the
transformer neutrals unearthed.
Advantages
The main advantage of solidly earthed systems is low over voltages, which
makes the earthing design common at high voltage levels (HV).
Disadvantages
1. This system involves all the drawbacks and hazards of high earth fault
current: maximum damage and disturbances.
2. There is no service continuity on the faulty feeder.

3. The danger for personnel is high during the fault since the touch
voltages created are high.
Applications
1. Distributed neutral conductor
2. 3-phase + neutral distribution
3. Use of the neutral conductor as a protective conductor with
systematic earthing at each transmission pole
4. Used when the short-circuit power of the source is low

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As the neutral point of an electrical supply system is often connected to
earth ground, ground and neutral are closely related. Under certain
conditions, a conductor used to connect to a system neutral is also used for
grounding (earthing) of equipment and structures. Current carried on a
grounding conductor can result in objectionable or
dangerousvoltages appearing on equipment enclosures, so the installation of
grounding conductors and neutral conductors is carefully defined in electrical
regulations. Where a neutral conductor is used also to connect equipment
enclosures to earth, care must be taken that the neutral conductor never
rises to a high voltage with respect to local ground.
Ground or earth in a mains (AC power) electrical wiring system is a
conductor that provides a low-impedance path back to the source to prevent
hazardous voltages from appearing on equipment. (The terms "ground"
(North American practice) and "earth" (most other English-speaking
countries) are ambiguous, and used synonymously here.) Under normal
conditions, a grounding conductor does not carry current.
Neutral is a circuit conductor that may carry current in normal operation,
which is connected to ground (or earth) only at the main electrical panel.
In a polyphase or three-wire (single-phase) AC system, the neutral conductor
is intended to have similar voltages to each of the other circuit conductors.
By that definition, a circuit must have at least three wires for one to serve as
a neutral.

In the electrical trade, the conductor of a 2-wire circuit connected to the

supply neutral point and earth ground is also referred to as the "neutral."

[1]

The United States' National Electrical Code and Canadian electrical code only
define neutral as the first of those. In North American use, the second
definition is used in less formal language but not in official specifications. In
the United Kingdom the Institution of Engineering and Technology defines a
neutral conductor as one connected to the supply system neutral point,
which includes both these uses.
All neutral wires of the same electrical system should have the same
electrical potential, because they are all connected through the system
ground. Neutral conductors are usually insulated for the same voltage as the
line conductors, with interesting exceptions.[2]
Combining neutral with earth[edit]
Stray voltages created in grounding (earthing) conductors by currents
flowing in the supply utility neutral conductors can be troublesome. For
example, special measures may be required in barns used for milking dairy
cattle. Very small voltages, not usually perceptible to humans, may cause
low milk yield, or even mastitis (inflammation of the udder).[3] So-called
"tingle voltage filters" may be required in the electrical distribution system
for a milking parlour.
Connecting the neutral to the equipment case provides some protection
against faults, but may produce a dangerous voltage on the case if the
neutral connection is broken.
Combined neutral and ground conductors are commonly used in electricity
supply companies' wiring and occasionally for fixed wiring in buildings and
for some specialist applications where there is little alternative, such
as railways and trams. Since normal circuit currents in the neutral conductor
can lead to objectionable or dangerous differences between local earth
potential and the neutral, and to protect against neutral breakages, special
precautions such as frequent rodding down to earth (multiple ground rod
connections), use of cables where the combined neutral and earth
completely surrounds the phase conductor(s), and thicker than
normal equipotential bonding must be considered to ensure the system is
safe.

Fixed appliances on three-wire circuits[edit]

In North America, the cases of some kitchen stoves (ranges, ovens), cook
tops, clothes dryers and other specifically listed appliances were grounded
through their neutral wires as a measure to conserve copper from copper
cables during World War II. This practice was removed from the NEC in the
1996 edition, but existing installations (called "old work") may still allow the
cases of such listed appliances to be connected to the neutral conductor for
grounding.
This practice arose from the three-wire system used to supply both 120 volt
and 240 volt loads. Because these listed appliances often have components
that use either 120, or both 120 and 240 volts, there is often some current
on the neutral wire. This differs from the protective grounding wire, which
only carries current under fault conditions. Using the neutral conductor for
grounding the equipment enclosure was considered safe since the devices
were permanently wired to the supply and so the neutral was unlikely to be
broken without also breaking both supply conductors. Also, the unbalanced
current due to lamps and small motors in the appliances was small compared
to the rating of the conductors and therefore unlikely to cause a large
voltage drop in the neutral conductor.
Portable appliances[edit]
In North American practice, small portable equipment connected by a cord
set is permitted under certain conditions to have merely two conductors in
the attachment plug. Apolarized plug is used to maintain the identity of the
neutral conductor into the appliance but it is never used as a chassis/case
ground. The small cords to lamps, etc., often have one or more molded
ridges or embedded strings to identify the neutral conductor, or may be
identified by colour. Portable appliances never use the neutral conductor for
case grounding, and often feature "double-insulated" construction.
In places where the design of the plug and socket cannot ensure that a
system neutral conductor is connected to particular terminals of the device,
portable appliances must be designed on the assumption that either pole of
each circuit may reach full voltage with respect to ground. This connection is
made using "unpolarized" plugs.
Technical equipment[edit]

In North American practice, equipment connected by a cord set must have

three wires, if supplied exclusively by 240 volts, or must have four wires
(including neutral), if supplied by 120/240 volts.
There are special provisions in the NEC for so-called technical equipment,
mainly professional grade audio and video equipment supplied by so-called
"balanced" 120 volt circuits. The center tap of a transformer is connected to
ground, and the equipment is supplied by two line wires each 60 volts to
ground (and 120 volts between line conductors). The center tap is not
distributed to the equipment and no neutral conductor is used. These cases
generally use a grounding conductor which is separated from the safety
grounding conductor specifically for the purposes of noise and "hum"
reduction.
Another specialized distribution system was formerly specified in patient care
areas of hospitals. An isolated power system was furnished, from a special
isolation transformer, with the intention of minimizing any leakage current
that could pass through equipment directly connected to a patient (for
example, an electrocardiograph for monitoring the heart). The neutral of the
circuit was not connected to ground. The leakage current was due to the
distributed capacitance of the wiring and capacitance of the supply
transformer. [4]Such distribution systems were monitored by permanently
installed instruments to give an alarm when high leakage current was
detected.
Shared neutral[edit]
A shared neutral is a connection in which a plurality of circuits use the
same neutral connection. This is also known as a common neutral, and the
circuits and neutral together are sometimes referred to as an Edison circuit.
Three-phase circuits[edit]
In a three-phase circuit, a neutral is shared between all three phases.
Commonly the system neutral is connected to the star point on the feeding
transformer. This is the reason that the secondary side of most three-phase
distribution transformers is wye or star wound. Three-phase transformers
and their associated neutrals are usually found in industrial distribution
environments.
A system could be made entirely ungrounded. In this case a fault between
one phase and ground would not cause any significant current. In fact, this is
not a good scheme. Commonly the neutral is grounded (earthed) through a

bond between the neutral bar and the earth bar. It is common on larger
systems to monitor any current flowing through the neutral-to-earth link and
use this as the basis for neutral fault protection.
The connection between neutral and earth allows any phase-to-earth fault to
develop enough current flow to "trip" the circuit overcurrent protection
device. In some jurisdictions, calculations are required to ensure the fault
loop impedance is low enough so that fault current will trip the protection (In
Australia, this is referred to in AS3000:2007 Fault loop impedance
calculation). This may limit the length of a branch circuit.
In the case of two phases sharing one neutral, the worst-case current draw is
one side has zero load and the other has full load, or when both sides have
full load. The latter case results in 1 + 1@120deg = 1@60deg, i.e. the
magnitude of the current in the neutral equals that of the other two wires.
In a three-phase linear circuit with three identical resistive or reactive loads,
the neutral carries no current. The neutral carries current if the loads on each
phase are not identical. In some jurisdictions, the neutral is allowed to be
reduced in size if no unbalanced current flow is expected. If the neutral is
smaller than the phase conductors, it can be overloaded if a large
unbalanced load occurs.
The current drawn by non-linear loads, such as fluorescent & HID lighting and
electronic equipment containing switching power supplies, often
contains harmonics. Triplen harmonic currents (odd multiples of the third
harmonic) are additive, resulting in more current in the shared neutral
conductor than in any of the phase conductors. In the absolute worst case,
the current in the shared neutral conductor can be triple that in each phase
conductor. Some jurisdictions prohibit the use of shared neutral conductors
when feeding single-phase loads from a three-phase source; others require
that the neutral conductor be substantially larger than the phase conductors.
It is good practice to use four-pole circuit breakers (as opposed to the
standard three-pole) where the fourth pole is the neutral phase, and is hence
protected against overcurrent on the neutral conductor.
Split phase[edit]
Main article: Split-phase electric power
In split-phase wiring, for example, a duplex receptacle in a kitchen, devices
may be connected with a cable that has three conductors, in addition to
ground. The three conductors are usually coloured red, black, and white. The

white serves as a common neutral, while the red and black each feed,
separately, the top and bottom hot sides of the receptacle. Typically such
receptacles are supplied from two circuit breakers in which the handles of
two poles are tied together for a common trip. If two large appliances are
used at once, current passes through both and the neutral only carries the
difference in current. The advantage is that only three wires are required to
serve these loads, instead of four. If one kitchen appliance overloads the
circuit, the other side of the duplex receptacle will be shut off as well. This is
called a multiwire branch circuit. Common trip is required when the
connected load uses more than one phase simultaneously. The common trip
prevents overloading of the shared neutral if one device draws more than
rated current.

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ng_neutral_with_earth