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Neutral Shift and Arcing Ground in Power System

Ungrounded systems were commonly used up until 1940, but problems arose such as neutral shifting, arcing grounds, and insulation failures. Neutral shifting occurs when the neutral is no longer at zero potential relative to ground during a fault. In an ungrounded system, a line-to-ground fault causes the neutral to shift to the full phase voltage level. This can lead to arcing grounds as the capacitive fault current exceeds the level needed to maintain an arc. Grounded systems experience lower neutral shifting during faults and therefore reduce these issues.

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Anhar Ibrahim Safruddin
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175 views

Neutral Shift and Arcing Ground in Power System

Ungrounded systems were commonly used up until 1940, but problems arose such as neutral shifting, arcing grounds, and insulation failures. Neutral shifting occurs when the neutral is no longer at zero potential relative to ground during a fault. In an ungrounded system, a line-to-ground fault causes the neutral to shift to the full phase voltage level. This can lead to arcing grounds as the capacitive fault current exceeds the level needed to maintain an arc. Grounded systems experience lower neutral shifting during faults and therefore reduce these issues.

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Anhar Ibrahim Safruddin
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SEYED HALISH

NEUTRAL SHIFTING AND ARCING GROUND


Up to 1940, Most of the systems were operated as Ungrounded System .The neutrals of the
system were kept floating as the ground connection is not useful for transfer of the three
phase power in three-wire system. The majority of the faults (70%) on any system are line to
ground faults. In ungrounded system, due to absence of return path, the ground fault current
fault current is very low. As the service is not interrupted, the fault can be located and rectified
at leisure. But soon problems like transient over voltages due to Neutral shifting, Arcing
Grounds and Insulation failures began to surface.

Difference between Neutral and Ground:


The neutral and ground are not always the same. The ground is always at zero voltage plane,
whereas the neutral can be at ground (zero) potential or it can have some non-zero potential
with respect to the ground. In case the neutral is at zero potential, then there is no neutral
shift. If neutral is at non-zero potential, then it is considered to be shifted.

VR+VY+VB = 3VNG ............................................................Eqn (1)


Hence VNG=V0
VR+VY+VB = 3V0

Ungrounded System (Balanced Operation):


In ungrounded system, there is no intentional connection to ground provided for exclusive
grounding purpose. In reality, however, no ideal ungrounded system exists, since phases get
coupled to ground through stray capacitances.
The Phase Voltages are VR, VY and VB. The line voltages are VRY, VYB and VBR.
| VR|=| VY |=| VB |= 1 pu (i.e. 11 kV/ √3)
| VRY |=| VYB |=| VYB |= √3 pu (i.e. 11 kV)
The phase current leads phase voltage by 90°
IR+IY+IB = 0
VR+VY+VB = 0
VR+VY+VB = 3VNG = 3V0 = 0
VNG = V0 = 0
Neutral is at ground potential and there is no neutral shift.

Ungrounded system (Fault condition):


Now consider a line to ground fault on phase R. R phase Capacitance is shorted since fault is
on phase R. Now R is at ground potential G. Voltages that appear across other capacitances
are line voltages VRY and VBR.

The Capacitive currents lead respective voltage by 90°. There is no change in line voltages
but the voltages to ground of unfaulted phases rise to line voltage level.
| VRY |=| VYB |=| VYB |= √3 pu (i.e. 11 kV)
Phase voltages at healthy phase is given by,
| VY |=| VB |= √3 pu (i.e. 11 kV)
| VR|= 0 (faulted Phase)
The Fault current can be calculated as follows,
|IRB|=|IRY|=√3/ XC
IF=IRB+IRY=3/ XC
The Capacitive current per phase 1/XC of typical industrial system can be from 2A to 5A.If
the fault current exceeds 4A-5A, then it is sufficient to maintain the arc in the ionized path
of the fault, even though the fault has cleared itself .The capacitive current over 4A to 5A
flows through the fault give rise to an arc in the ionized path of the fault. With the formation
of the arc, the voltage across it becomes zero and therefore the arc is extinguished. Then
potential (voltage) of the fault current is restored due to which the formation of a second arc
takes places. The phenomenon of intermitting arcing is called the arcing ground. The breaker
duty becomes onerous due to possibility of restrikes when trying to break the capacitive
currents. The alternating extinction and re-ignition of the charging current flowing in the arc
build up the potential (voltage) of the other two healthy conductors which may cause
insulation failure.

Peterson coil (arc suppression coil) is used for the elimination of arcing ground. Peterson
coil extinguishes the arcing ground by neutralizing the capacitive current.
Figure 1

The open delta voltage (figure 1) is given by


VΔ= VR+VY+VB = 3VNG
VR = 0; | VY |=| VB |= √3; VΔ= 3 pu
From Eqn (1),
VNG = V0 = 1 pu. ( ungrounded system)
The neutral is no more at ground potential but is shifted by as much as phase voltage. This
is known as Neutral shift. For Example, in an 11 kV system, at the point of fault, the neutral
voltage instead of zero will be at 11/√3 kV. The corresponding open delta voltage will be 11x
√3 kV.
For comparison by evaluating the neutral shift in solid grounded system. The phasor diagram,
for line to ground fault on phase R, is shown in figure 2.There is no change in line voltage V YB
as fault is on phase R.

Figure 2

|VYB|= √3 pu; |VRY|=|VBR|= 1 pu


The voltage to ground of unfaulted phases remain at 1 pu in solid grounded case compared
to √3 pu in ungrounded case.
VR = 0; | VY |=| VB |= 1;
VΔ= VR+VY+VB = 3VNG = 1 pu
VNG = V0 = 0.33 pu. (Solid grounded system)
So Neutral shift occurs irrespective of type of grounding. In case of ungrounded system
neutral shift is high (1 pu) and in solidly grounded system neutral shift is low (0.33 pu).
Neutral shift is significantly higher in the case of ungrounded system, resistance grounded
system and reactance grounded system. In such cases following points to be followed.

 Neutral has to be fully insulated.


 Lightning arrestor has to be rated for 100%.
 The over voltage factor for PT (Potential Transformer) shall be 1.9 pu.
 The cables have to be rated for full line voltage.

Comparison between ungrounded and grounded system:

Reference:
 “Electrical Power Systems: Concept, Theory and Practice” by Subir Ray.
 “KR Monograph” by Rajamani Krishnamurti.

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