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Steel Distribution Poles - The Material of The Future: American Iron and Steel Institute's Technical Session

The document summarizes an American Iron and Steel Institute technical session presentation on the electrical considerations of using steel distribution poles. The presentation covers topics such as grounding, lightning and basic insulation levels, and touch and step potentials. It notes that steel poles provide numerous grounding and safety benefits compared to wood poles, such as enhanced grounding capability, acting as the main grounding conductor, and providing multiple grounding paths that reduce potentials at each structure.

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391 views

Steel Distribution Poles - The Material of The Future: American Iron and Steel Institute's Technical Session

The document summarizes an American Iron and Steel Institute technical session presentation on the electrical considerations of using steel distribution poles. The presentation covers topics such as grounding, lightning and basic insulation levels, and touch and step potentials. It notes that steel poles provide numerous grounding and safety benefits compared to wood poles, such as enhanced grounding capability, acting as the main grounding conductor, and providing multiple grounding paths that reduce potentials at each structure.

Uploaded by

bill1022
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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American Iron and Steel Institute’s Technical Session

Steel Distribution Poles - The Material of the Future

Electrical Considerations

- presented by -

Brian Lacoursiere, P.Eng.


Product & Technical Support Manager
IUSI (International Utility Structures Inc.)

American Iron and Steel Institute


Electrical Considerations

Topics to be discussed:
• Grounding

• Lightning & BIL

• Touch & Step Potential

American Iron and Steel Institute


Grounding

American Iron and Steel Institute


Grounding

Objective:
The NESC Handbook states that “the
object of protective grounds on electric
circuits or equipment is to keep some
point in the electric circuit or equipment
at, or as near as practical to, the
potential of the earth in the vicinity.”

American Iron and Steel Institute


Grounding

Designed to Achieve Two Main Criteria:


• Safeguard utility employees and the
public from injury
• Minimize property damage caused by
accidental contact with live conductors,
electrical equipment, or lightning strikes

American Iron and Steel Institute


Grounding

Components of Typical Grounding System:

• Grounding Conductors (Down-Ground)

• Grounding Electrodes

• Soil Resistance

American Iron and Steel Institute


Grounding
Grounding Conductors (Down-Ground):
• Steel pole acts as main down-ground
(saves cost of installing copper wire)
• Equivalent current-carrying capacity:
CL.5=350 mcm; CL.3=400 mcm; CL.2=500 mcm
• Threaded insert provided about 5’ down
from pole top to bond system neutrals,
arrester leads, equipment tank grounds
• Threaded insert provided just above
groundline to allow connection to ground
rod or other acceptable ground electrode
American Iron and Steel Institute
Grounding

Grounding Electrodes:
Existing Electrodes (NESC Rule 94A)
• Installed for purposes other than grounding,
such as metallic water pipes, and steel re-bar
in concrete foundations
Made Electrodes (NESC Rule 94B)
• Driven rods, metal strips and plates, wire
wraps, and concrete-encased metal installed
specifically for grounding
American Iron and Steel Institute
Grounding
Soil Resistance: Soil Resistivity
• Major component Type (Ω - m )
Loam 26
of resistance in any Topsoil
grounding system Inorganic 33
• 25 Ω or less for C lay
single electrode Silty 190
C lay
• 4 or more grounds C lean 800
per mile of line G ravel
• Directly related to Sand 2,585
soil resistivity è
è
American Iron and Steel Institute
Lightning & BIL

American Iron and Steel Institute


Lightning & BIL

American Iron and Steel Institute


Lightning & BIL
Lightning:
• A series of stroke pulses that become
a constant current source once a path
to ground is established
• Takes the least resistance path(s) to
ground (e.g., a steel pole)
• During lightning conditions, steel poles
typically provide a low impedance, virtually
instantaneous path to ground, allowing
protective devices to sense a fault quickly
American Iron and Steel Institute
Lightning & BIL

American Iron and Steel Institute


Lightning & BIL

BIL:
• “Basic Impulse Insulation Level”
• A relative measure of a structure’s
insulation withstand strength against
overvoltage impulses caused primarily
by lightning strikes
• 300 kV BIL level is typical for distribution
voltages, and is recommended by RUS
• May not be the same for steel and wood
American Iron and Steel Institute
Lightning & BIL
Ways to Increase BIL Level (If Req’d):
• Fiberglass pole top pin on center phase
• Increase spacing between center phase
and pole (e.g., longer crossarm)
• Insulators rated above operating voltage
• Add bells to suspension insulator string
(e.g., at deadends, corners, angles)
• Vertical (armless) construction on
horizontal post insulators
• MOV arresters at strategic line locations
American Iron and Steel Institute
Touch & Step
Potential

American Iron and Steel Institute


Touch & Step Potential

American Iron and Steel Institute


Touch & Step Potential
Touch:
• single point of contact (hand or arm)
Step:
• potential drop between feet
• exponential decrease in potential from
point where current enters ground
Mesh:
• multiple contact points
Transferred:
• direct contact with fault current
American Iron and Steel Institute
Touch & Step Potential

• A steel pole line typically provides more


efficient, multiple paths to ground compared
to a wood pole line, which may have only a
few grounded structures per mile
• The touch and step potential at each
individual steel pole should be reduced, as
the fault current is spread over numerous
paths to ground along the steel pole line
American Iron and Steel Institute
Conclusions

American Iron and Steel Institute


Conclusions

• The conductivity of steel poles offers


numerous benefits:
• enhanced grounding capability
• pole acts as main down-ground
• virtually instantaneous path to ground for
lightning or fault currents
• reduced touch and step potentials at each
structure in a steel pole line
• Steel poles will not shatter or catch fire
when struck by lightning
American Iron and Steel Institute
Any Questions?

American Iron and Steel Institute

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