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Earth Electrode Design
Dr Hendri Geldenhuys PrEng
Eskom Distribution Technology
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SWER in the Karoo (Semi Desert )
Will the Soil conductivity be good enough?
The only way to tell is to measure
The best conducting soil in SA is in the most
dry places!
This is because the salt is not washed out by
the rain.
The most difficult place is where there are a
lot of rain…
Do not guess.. Measure !
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SWER LOAD CURRENT
REMOTELY EARTHED FENCE
V < 32 V
Touch Potential
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Deep Drilled Vertical Electrode
32 V V =32V
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Deep Drilled Vertical Electrode
100 V V =32V
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INSULATION COVERING OR TUBE RATED 1000V
1m DEPTH
1.5m VERTICAL ROD
AS PER DESIGN
GROUND LEVEL
0.2m MAX.
CONDUIT PIPE FOR FIRE AND MECHANICAL PROTECTION
2
50mm COPPER (MIN.)
Insulation of the Earth Down Lead
32 V
20.5 V
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Transformer Earth Electrode Resistance
Table 1: The design resistance required for various transformer sizes. This is based on
a Ground Potential rise of 32V.
Transformer Earth return current SWER Required
resistance
Design resistance
5 kVA 0.26 A 122.2 ohm 30.0 ohm
15 kVA 0.79 A 40.7 ohm 30.0 ohm
25 kVA 1.31 A 24.4 ohm 24.0 ohm
50 kVA 2.62 A 12.2 ohm 12.0 ohm
200 kVA 10.5 A 3.1 ohm 3.0 ohm
400 kVA 20.9 A 1.5 ohm 1.5 ohm
Based on Earth Potential Rise < 32 V
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Insulated Vertical Rod Electrode
Table 1: The design resistance required for various transformer sizes. This is based on
a Ground Potential rise of 100V.
Transformer Earth return current SWER Required
resistance
Design resistance
5 kVA 0.26 A 382.0 ohm 30.0 ohm
15 kVA 0.79 A 127.3 ohm 30.0 ohm
25 kVA 1.31 A 76.4 ohm 30.0 ohm
50 kVA 2.62 A 38.2 ohm 30.0 ohm
200 kVA 10.5 A 9.6 ohm 9.0 ohm
400 kVA 20.9 A 4.8 ohm 4.5 ohm
Based on Earth Potential Rise < 100V
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Notes
1) The main (low resistance) SWER earth electrodes (ME 1 and ME 2) are located outside the
village to overcome the step and touch potential problems.
2) There are two main earth electrodes (ME) per village to give some redundancy.
3) The transformer pole earth (TE) is simply a butt wrapped wire around the bottom of the pole.
It must be small to avoid step and touch potential problems in the town.
4) A clearance of 2m to any conductors in the vicinity (such as fences) should be maintained
around a transformer pole (earth) to avoid step and touch potential problems.
SWER Feeder line Village
25A
25kV
A
3.6A
10W
3.6A
Dis
trib
uti
on
tran
sform
er
50kV
A
16kV
A
10W
The earthing practise and under running neutral conductor for a village.
TE ME 2 TE TE ME 1
2 m clearance
Earth Safety in a Village.
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Dis
trib
uti
on
tran
sform
er
50kV
A
3.2
A
3.2
A
Dis
trib
uti
on
tran
sform
er
32kV
A
15W
15W
Village A
22kV supply
Isolating Transformer
500kVA
25A
25A
10W 10W
Distrib
utio
n
transfo
rmer
25kV
A
3.6A 3.6A Dis
trib
uti
on
tran
sform
er
50
kV
A
2W
Distrib
utio
n
transfo
rmer
16kV
A
Village D
22kV supply
Isolating Transformer
200kVA
10A
10A
9W 9W
Distrib
utio
n
transfo
rmer
25kV
A
5A 5A Dis
trib
uti
on
tran
sform
er
10
0k
VA
2W
Vil
lage
B
Vil
lage
C
SWER Scheme Layout
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Double Down Earth Conductor
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Customer Transformer Installation
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Double Crimp on Earth Connections
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Drilling a Vertical Electrode Hole
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Trench Electrode for Isolation Transformer
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Trench depth
Important points to avoid thermal runaway on SWER electrodes and to
ensure safety around SWER electrodes: 1) Electrode size must comply with safety criteria of 32V for trench and 100V for vertical
20% insulated electrodes (voltage rise at transfomer nominal current)
2) Double down conductors and double clamp connection to the earth conductors including
an underground interconnection. (Redundancy)
3) Vertical rod electrodes should be installed at the beginning and end of trench electrodes
to create the high current density/ stress area away from the point where the down
conductor is connected to the earth electrode. For the same reason it is recommended
that the down conductor to be connected 1m away from the extremities of the earth
electode.
Connection 1m away from
electrode extremity
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End
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Earth Resistivity and
Electrode Resistance
Measurement
Dr Hendri Geldenhuys PrEng
Eskom Distribution Technology
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Earth Resistivity Meter
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Soil-Resistivity Measurement
Resistivity Meter
C1 P1 P2 C2
12.4 ohm
a a a
d
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Resistivity Tests
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Resistivity Measurement- Calculation
Electrode
Separation
[m]
Resistance
[Ohm] Factor Resistivity
1 R1 a x 2.Pi a x 2.Pi x R1
2 R2 a x 2.Pi a x 2.Pi x R2
5 R5 a x 2.Pi a x 2.Pi x R5
10 R10 a x 2.Pi a x 2.Pi x R10
20 R20 a x 2.Pi a x 2.Pi x R20
50 R50 a x 2.Pi a x 2.Pi x R50
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Resistivity At Askham: Kalahari Desert
Askham Resistivity
10
100
1000
10000
1 10 100
Electrode Separation [ m ]
Re
sis
tiv
ity
[ O
hm
.m ]
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Burkina Faso Resistivity
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Electrode Resistance Measurement
Resistivity Meter
C1 P1 P2 C2
2.50 ohm
66% 33%
Electrode Under Test L
Test Electrode Position
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Electrode Resistance Measurement
Test Electrode Position Resistance
.2L
.4L
.6L
.8L
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End