Grounding, Bonding, Lightning & Surge Protection for Electrical Network

Course Overview

This course provides a comprehensive illustration of the various elements of design and practical installations associated with Earthing, Bonding, Lightning and Surge protection employed in electrical systems. There are practical examples provided for up-to-date theory, practice and knowledge necessary for design, construction, personal safety, operations, power quality, and problem solving and managing electrical facilities. The course offers a comprehensive coverage of grounding and bonding procedures, electrical code requirements, substation and safety grounding, sensitive electronic equipment and lightning / surge protection. Everyday case studies are used to reinforce knowledge of the grounding and bonding principles studied during this course.

The principles of touch and step voltage are explained in detail. Personnel are generally in contact with ground (earth), so if other parts of the installation which are open to touch become charged at a different voltage from earth, then, a shock hazard exists. This course examines the importance of bonding in engineering systems for the protection and safety of personnel.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the essential aspects and fundamentals of grounding systems and the terminologies of earthing systems.
• Appreciate and deal with potential differences, electric currents and their effects on the human body.
• Be aware of what precautions should be taken to prevent electric shock and accidents.
• The soil characteristics, structure, resistivity and the principles of design of grounding system.
• Understand the principles of residual current devices (RCDs).
• Implement all design aspects of lightning and surge protection for electrical systems and buildings.

Who Should Attend?

Electrical Engineers, Facilities Managers, Energy Professionals, Maintenance Engineers, Electrical design consultants, Engineering Contractors. This course is designed also for employees that perform operation or maintenance work on Electric Utilization Equipment and Power Generation, Transmission, or Distribution installations.

Various disciplines of engineers working in Industrial Plants who require knowledge of earthing systems employed to ensure the safety of people, electrical equipment and buildings.

Course Outlines

Module (01) Networks Structures

1.1   General structure of the private distribution network

1.2   The supply source

1.3   MV power supply

1.4   Different MV service connections

• MV consumer substations
  • MV networks inside the site
  • MV switchboard power supply modes
  • MV network structures
• LV networks inside the site
  • LV switchboard supply modes
  • LV switchboards backed up by generators
  • LV switchboards backed up by an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)

1.7   Industrial networks with internal generation

Module (02) Earthing Systems

2.1   The need for earthing systems

2.2   Step and touch voltage

• Earthing systems at low voltage
  • Different earthing systems – definition and arrangements
  • Comparison of different earthing systems in low voltage

2.4   Unearthed or impedance-earthed neutral (IT system)

2.5   Directly earthed neutral (TT system)

2.6   Connecting the exposed conductive parts to the neutral (TNC – TNS systems)

• Medium voltage earthing systems
  • Different earthing systems – definition and arrangements

2.7.2   Comparison of different medium voltage earthing systems

2.8   Direct earthing

2.9   Unearthed

2.10 Limiting resistance earthing

 Module (03) Soil Investigation

3.1   Soil characteristics

3.2   Soil as a grounding medium

3.3   Effect of voltage gradient

3.4   Effect of current magnitude

3.5   Effect of moisture, temperature, and chemical content

3.6   Use of surface material layer

3.7   Soil structure and selection of soil model

3.8   Investigation of soil structure

3.9   Classification of soils and range of resistivity

3.10 Resistivity measurements

3.11 Interpretation of soil resistivity measurements

Module (04) Earthing System Design

4.1   Simple earthing system design

• Earthing system components
  • Ground roads
  • Bare wiring
  • Clamping
  • Welding

4.2.5   Inspection pit

4.3   Techniques and method for ground system construction

4.4   Ground resistivity measurements according to IEEE 81

4.5   Grounding system resistivity measurements according to IEEE 81

• Evaluation of ground resistance
  • Usual requirements
  • Simplified calculations
  • Note on ground resistance of primary electrodes
  • Soil treatment to lower resistivity
  • Concrete-encased electrodes

4.7   Bonding

4.8   Transients and High Frequency Bonding and “Grounding”

4.9   Sample calculations

Module (05) Substation Grounding Design

5.1   Primary and auxiliary ground electrodes.

5.2   Basic aspects of grid design.

5.3   Design in difficult conditions.

5.4   Connections to grid.

5.5   GIS characteristics

• Enclosures and circulating currents
  • Grounding of enclosures
  • Cooperation between GIS manufacturer and user
  • Other special aspects of GIS grounding
  • Notes on grounding of GIS foundations
  • Touch voltage criteria for GIS
• Design criteria
  • Critical parameters
  • Index of design parameters
  • Design procedure
  • Calculation of maximum step and mesh voltages
  • Refinement of preliminary design

5.8   Use of computer analysis in grid design (ETAP application)

Module (06) Grounding of Electronic Equipments

6.1   Equipment room wiring and grounding

6.2   Electrical power system selection considerations

6.3   Equipment selection and installation considerations

6.4   Grounding considerations

6.5   380 Hz to 480 Hz systems

6.6   Grounding and bonding

6.7   Noise considerations

6.8   Recommended practices for grounding, shielding and isolation of clean & dirty ground systems

6.9   Distance, long power cable runs

Module (07) Lightning Protection

7.1   Principles of Protection

7.2   Integral Protection System.

• Accessories and equipments
  • Air Terminals
  • Size and Materials
  • Roof and down Conductors
  • Fasteners

7.4    Location

7.5     Grounding Conductors

7.6     Separately Mounted Protection Systems

7.7     Mast Type

7.8     Overhead Ground Wire Type

7.9     Waveguide Installation and Grounding

7.10   Cable Installation and Grounding

7.11   Lightning-Generated Transient Surge Protection

7.12   Transient Source and Equipment Damage

7.13    Frequency of Transient Occurrence

7.14    Transient Definition, AC Service Conductors

7.15    Methods for Transient Protection on AC Service Conductors

7.16    Use of Ferrous Metal Conduit

7.17    Use of Overhead Guard Wires

7.18 Sample design

Module (08) Surge Protection

8.1   What is Surge?

8.2   Bonding of different ground systems as a means of surge proofing

8.3   Surges and surge protection

8.4   Principle of surge protection

8.5   Surge protection of electronic equipment

8.6   Achieving graded surge protection

8.7   Positioning and Selection of Lightning/Surge Arrestor

8.8   A practical view of surge protection for sensitive equipment

Module (09) Noise Mitigation

9.1   Definition of electrical noise and measures for noise reduction

9.2   How are sensitive circuits affected by noise?

9.3   Frequency analysis of noise

9.4   Categories of Noise

9.5   Disturbances from other equipment in the same distribution system

9.6   Earth loop as a cause of noise

9.7   The ways in which noise can enter a signal cable and its control

9.8   Shielded Isolation Transformer

9.9   The use of insulated ground (IG) receptacle

9.10 Zero signal reference grid and signal transport ground plane

9.11 Harmonics in Electrical Systems

Module (10) Special Considerations

10.1    Hazardous Areas

10.2    Insulation Monitoring

10.3    Ground Fault Protection