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Protection Against Electric Shocks

Direct and Indirect Contact:

Protection Against Electric Shocks


Protection Against Indirect Contact:

Earthing Systems
Introduction:
In LV power distribution, safety of people from electric shocks is crucial.
Therefore, some protection methods must be applied in LV distribution
systems.
The choise of earthing system can affect the safety and electromagnetic
compatibility of the power supply.
The conductor that connects the exposed metallic parts of the consumer's
electrical installation is called protective earth (PE). A protective earth
avoids electric shocks by keeping the exposed conductive surfaces at
earth potential. (In USA, it is called grounding)
In normal condition, no current allowed to flow in PE conductor.
During a fault, high short circuit current will trip the circuit breaker or blow
the fuse. In case of high impedance line-to-ground fault, a residual-current
device (RCD) may operate. ,
The conductor connected to the star point in a three-phase system, or that
carries the return current in a single-phase system, is called neutral (N).
A functional earth or Neutral conductor in distribution systems serves a
purpose other than shock protection and may normally carry current.
Neutral is normally used as return conductor for the current.

Earthing Systems
Bonding:

Figure explanation:
1: Earth electrode
2: Earthing conductor
3: Protective conductor
4: Extraneous-conductive parts
5: Bonding conductors
6: Main earthing terminal
7: Removable link allowing an earth-electroderesistance check

Earthing Systems
Examples:

Earthing Systems
Examples:

Earth conductor color

Earthing Systems
Different Earthing Systems:
There are three different main earthing arrangements explained in international standard
IEC 60364:
TT System
TN System
TN-C
Note:
C: Combined
TN-S
S: Separated
TN-C-S
IT System

XX
The first letter indicates the connection of the
power supply to the earth.
T: Direct connection to the earth
I: No connection to the earth, except via a
high impedance

The second letter indicates the connection of


electrical device being supplied to the earth.
T: Direct connection to the earth
N: Direct connection to the neutral at the origin of
installation which is connected to the earth.

Earthing Systems
TT System:

One point at the supply source is connected directly to earth. All exposed and extraneous conductive parts
are connected to a separate earth electrode at the installation.
Earth electrode must have a low resistance to be able trip the circuit breaker. But sometime it is difficult to
achieve low resistance. Therefore, RCD device must be used to protect for leakage current in the circuit.
PE and N must never be connected together.

Earthing Systems
TN-C System:

Combined PE and N conductor all the way from source to the device. The neutral conductor is used as a
protective conductor.
It is not permitted for conductors of less than 10
or for portable equipment.
PEN conductor must be connected to a number of earth electrodes in the installation since the TN-C system
requires an effective equipotential environment within the installation.
Caution: In the TN-C system, the protective conductor function has priority over the neutral function. Thus, a
PEN conductor must always be connected to the earthing terminal of a load and a jumper is used to connect
this terminal to the neutral terminal.

Earthing Systems
TN-C System (Example):

Incorrect

To be able to apply TN-C system sizes of conductors must be at least 10


.
PEN conductor must be connected to earthing terminal of a device because protection has priority with
respect to return current. And a jumper is used to connect to neutral of the device.

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Earthing Systems
TN-S System:

Protective earth (PE) and neutral (N) conductors are separated from source to device.
This system is obligatory for circuits with cross-sectional areas less than 10
or for portable
devices.
PE and N conductors are never connected together in TN-S system.

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Earthing Systems
TN-C-S System:

Combined PEN conductor from source to building distribution point, but separate PE and N conductors in
fixed indoor wiring and flexible power cords.
TN-C and TN-S systems can be used in the same installation.
In the TN-C-S system, TN-C (4 wires) system must never be used downstream of the TN-S (5 wires) system,
since any accidental interruption in the neutral on the upstream part would lead to an interruption in the
protective conductor in the downstream part and therefore create a danger.

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Earthing Systems
TN-C-S System (Example):

5 wire system or TN-S can be used for any size conductors but mandotary for conductors with sizes less than
10
.
TN-C and TN-S systems can be used in the same installation.
In the TN-C-S system, TN-C (4 wires) system must never be used downstream of the TN-S (5 wires) system,
since any accidental interruption in the neutral on the upstream part would lead to an interruption in the
protective conductor in the downstream part and therefore create a danger.

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Earthing Systems
IT System:

No intentional connection is made between the neutral point of the supply source and earth.
Exposed and extraneous conductive parts of the installation are connected to an earth electrode.

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Earthing Systems
IT System: Leakage impedances

In practice, all circuits hava leakage impedances to


earth. For example, in a LV 3-phase 3-wire system,
1 km of cable will have a leakage impedance
which is equivalent to 3-4 k.

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Earthing Systems
IT System: Impedance-earthed neutral

Impedance
in order of 1-2 k is connected permanently between the neutral
point of the transformer LV winding and earth.
The reason of connecting impedance to neutral is to fix the potential of a small
network with respect to earth and to reduce the level of overvoltage, such as
transmitted surges from the MV windings, static charges, etc. with respect of earth.
Impedance slightly increases the first-fault current level.

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Earthing Systems
Characteristic of TT:

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Earthing Systems
Characteristic of TN:

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Earthing Systems
Characteristic of IT:

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Earthing Systems
Selection Criteria for Earthing:

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Earthing Systems
Selection Criteria for Earthing:

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