The two main methods of system neutral grounding are Low Resistance and High Resistance.

Alternative protection systems like insulated neutral or direct earthing neutral have several and significant disadvantages such as dangerous transient over-voltages and high difficulties to localize the ground fault in the insulated systems or damaging fault currents with possible arc blast in the earthing neutral systems.

By inserting the Neutral Grounding Resistors with appropriate characteristics between the neutral point of the transformer and the ground it is possible to limit the ground fault current for a short time to allow a quick localization of the fault but, at the same time, it does not damage the equipment.

The advantages of this solution are:

to limit the damages to the electrical equipment, such as switchgear, transformers, cable and rotating machine and to prevent the extension of the fault with benefit also for the safety of the personnel

to protect the conductors and the system equipments from overheating and mechanical stresses

In many low and medium voltage systems, the system neutral may not be available. This is specifically true on Delta and ungrounded Wye Connected systems. To be able to ground these systems, grounding transformer (Zigzag or Wye-Delta type) can be used to create a neutral, which in turn can be connected to ground either directly, or more commonly, through a Neutral Grounding Resistor. These combinations are known as artificial neutrals and in each of them is possible to install a Neutral Grounding resistor.

The resistors must absorb a great energy for very short time, few seconds, and as components of the security system they must assure a high reliability. For this reason it is fundamental design them optimizing the weight of active material (stainless steel) of the resistor elements according to the maximum acceptable heating overtemperatures.

Each PEW Neutral Grounding Resistor is designed and manufactured to meet the technical specifications issued by the customer.

The system will trip in the case of a line-to-ground fault.

The Neutral Grounding Resistor will limit the ground fault to a maximum of 100 to 1000 A (See note below). Zero-sequence Current Transformers and Ground Fault Relays will detect the fault and trip at 5 to 20% of the maximum ground fault current.

The Resistor is generally rated for 10 seconds with a maximum temperature rise of 760 °C.

The maximum ground fault current allowed by the resistor has to be large enough to positively actuate the applied ground fault relay.

• 200 to 400 A rated Neutral Grounding Resistors are generally used in 6.9 kV to 34.5 kV systems (Se note below).

• 100 to 400 A rated Neutral Grounding Resistors are generally used in 2.4 to 4.16 kV systems (See note below).

• Once the current rating is determined, the Resistance or Ohmic Value of the resistor is calculated by dividing the Line to Neutral Voltage by the Current Rating.

• i.e. for a 4.16 kV System Neutral Grounding Resistor rated at 400 A. The line to Neutral Voltage will be 4.16 kV /√(3) = 2400 V. The required resistance will be 2400 / 400 = 6 Ohms.

• The system will alarm but not trip in the case of a Line-to-Ground fault. It is recommended for systems where power interruption resulting from single line-to-ground fault tripping is detrimental to the process.

• The Neutral Grounding Resistor will limit the ground fault to a maximum of 5 to 10 A. Zero-sequence Current Transformers and Ground Fault Relays will detect the fault and alarm at 10 to 20% of the maximum ground fault current.

• The resistor is rated for continuous duty with a maximum temperature rise of 375 °C.

• The maximum ground fault current allowed by the resistor must exceed the total capacitance to ground charging current of the system and the vector sum of the system charging current plus the resistor current shall not exceed 8 A. (see System Capacitance to Ground Charging Current Calculation)

• Once the current rating is determined, the Resistance or Ohmic Value of the resistor is calculated by dividing the Line to Neutral Voltage by the Current Rating.

• i.e. for a 480 V System Neutral Grounding Resistor rated at 5 A. The line to Neutral Voltage will be 480 V /√(3) = 277 V. The required resistance will be 277 / 5 = 55.4 Ohms.

• In Medium Voltage Mine Power Systems Low Resistance is generally used with a Neutral Grounding Resistor that will limit the ground fault to a maximum of 25 to 50 A. This is necessary to limit the touch voltage to 100 V or less. Zero-sequence Current Transformers and Ground Fault Relays detect the fault and will trip at less than one third of the resistor rating. The resistor is rated for continuous duty with a maximum temperature rise of 375 °C.

• Modern mine power systems can have a significant amount of distributed system capacitance and as will all Neutral Grounding Resistors the maximum ground fault current allowed by the resistor must exceed the total capacitance to ground charging current of the system and the vector sum of the system charging current plus the resistor current shall not exceed 8 A. (see System Capacitance to Ground Charging Current Calculation)

• “Industrial Power Systems” Shoaib Khan, Sheeba Khan, Ghariani Ahmed

• “System Neutral Resistance Grounding” Larry A. Pryor, P.E., GE Senior Specification Engineer

• “Detrimental Effects of Capacitance on High-Resistance-GroundedMine Distribution Systems” Joseph Sottile, Senior Member, lIEEE, Steve J. Gnapragasam, Thomas Novak, Fellow, IEEE, and Jeffrey L. Kohler, Senior Member, IEEE