COMPLIANT VS SAFE: COMMON PRACTICE AGAINST AS/NZS4871:2012 23rd ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING SAFETY SEMINAR

WEDNESDAY 6th NOVEMBER 2013

TIM WYLIE CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER AMPCONTROL

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
1. What is compliant? What is safe?
Understanding differences between voltage vs time exposure limits in 4871, 2067 & 3007.

2. Common practice (compliant?) examples against 4871

We will explore a number of common scenarios for protection gradings and settings against the latest revision of AS4871, and investigate simple modifications that counter the traditional guidance and rules of thumb that can be shown to markedly improve safety.

3. More than just an earth fault limitation?

Damping the forgotten function of the NER.

4. Summary observations
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OVERVIEW
COMPLIANT IS NOT NECESSARILY SAFE ?

Is there a distinction between what is compliant and what is safe? Traditional earth fault limits in presently in common use are compliant eg: 5A fault limit for 1000V systems in hazardous areas Earth loop impedance limits set out in AS2081 are compliant Touch potentials resulting from compliant fault limits and loop impedances are not necessarily safe under the new revision of 4871
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WHAT IS COMPLIANT ?
Any given parameter is considered to be compliant if it is nominated as such in a Regulation, in an MDG or in an applicable Australian Standard. The earth fault current limits set out in previous revisions of AS/NZS2081 are generally considered compliant. The limits for earth loop impedance and relay tripping times in AS/NZS2081 are compliant.

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WHAT IS SAFE ?

AS/NZS4871.1:2012 relates the maximum duration of human exposure to prospective touch voltages that do not usually result in harmful physiological effects on any person subjected to that touch voltage (i.e. safe).

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A RECENT ADDITION TO MAXIMUM DURATION OF 50Hz TOUCH VOLTAGE AS4871

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WHAT ABOUT AS2067 ?

SUBSTATIONS AND HV INSTALLATIONS EXCEDING 1kV AC

AS/NZS2067:2008 Clause 1.1 indicates

This Standard does not apply to the design and erection of any of the following:
(C) Mine site electrical installations, or parts of such installations

Defines two curves (special and normal locations).

The special location applies where there is negligible additional body resistance (bare hands/feet, minimal additional series impedance. The normal curve applies in dry situations where footwear and additional series impedance (PPE, gloves etc) are expected.
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AS/NZS3007 CURVE SETS ?

AS/NZS3007:2004 provides two curves sets
installations up to 1000V; installations exceeding 1000V.

Both curve sets exceed the AS4871:2012 Lp curve and in some instances the dry area L curve. Using AS/NZS60479:2010, it can be demonstrated that higher touch voltage exposures allowable under AS3007 were not intended for application in underground wet area environments.
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COMPARISON OF TOUCH POTENTIAL LIMITS

WHY ARE THEY DIFFERENT ?

WHICH ONE IS RIGHT ?

Each curve results from differing assumptions in clothing, footwear, PPE and environment and so body current. Which one is right ?
Depends on the application

The definition of safe could be inferred from the amalgam of applicable standards as the lowest voltage versus time duration of all curve sets. The Lp curve of AS4871:2012 closely approximates the minimum but may not be achievable or necessary in all applications
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BASIC TOUCH POTENTIAL ANALYSIS

TOUCH POTENTIAL CONVENTIONAL TOUCH POTENTIAL ANALYSIS ANALYSIS

For a 1000V system, phase to earth voltage is 577V, for 5A limitation NER is ~115 Ohms At 45 Ohm earth continuity limit, touch potential is: 577 x 45 / (45 + 115) = 162V (how hazardous is this?)
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DURATION OF 50Hz TOUCH AS/NZS4871 VOLTAGE

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TOUCH POTENTIAL CLEARANCE TIMES AT 50Hz ANALYSIS

At 162V, total protection clearance time (relay setting plus contactor actuation time) must be ~100msec. If the operating time of our protection exceeds 100msec we must increase the NER impedance or reduce the return earth continuity limit accordingly. The presence of an NER does not make the system safe.
Safety is reliant on active earth leakage protection. If our active protection fails to operate we must restrict the continuous touch potential to less than 25V to remain safe. Active protection must properly resolve leakage current both in terms of magnitude and frequency.
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EXAMPLE 1: DUAL 45 OHM CASE

DUAL 45 OHM CASE

TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

5A earth fault limit at substation, EC relays in sub and DCB both allow up to 45 Ohms pilot earth impedance Total return impedance for a fault at the load may be as much as 75 Ohms
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DUAL 45 OHM CASE

TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

5 Amp earth fault current limit, 35+40 = 75 Ohms earth return impedance Prospective touch voltage is 75/(115+75)*577 = 228V Clearance time:
earth leakage relay 50 msec interposing relay delay 20 msec circuit breaker delay 130 msec

the total clearance time is around 200 msec.

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DURATION OF 50Hz TOUCH AS/NZS4871 VOLTAGE

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DUAL 45 OHM CASE

SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS

On one hand: scenario is arguably compliant with older standards revisions since the key operating parameters are consistent with:
5A Earth fault limit 45 Ohm earth return impedance limit Typical of previously accepted practice

On the other hand: Prospective touch voltage clearance times are to the right of the safe area under the Lp curve in AS/NZS4871

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DUAL 45 OHM AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION CASE

200msec clearance time for the Lp curve requires 110V touch potential limit Can adjust the NER, E/C limit or both With 75 Ohms return earth impedance, the NER value can be back calculated to limit the maximum earth fault current to around 1.8A With a tripping ratio of 10:1, experience indicates a 180mA trip current may be impractical in many applications we will come back to this.
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EXAMPLE 2: COMMON GRADING SETTINGS

TYPICAL GRADING
TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Resultant touch voltage is 134V Clearance time 400msec (E/L relay 250msec, interposing relay 20msec, CB delay 130msec)
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DURATION OF 50Hz TOUCH AS/NZS4871 VOLTAGE

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COMMON GRADING AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION SETTINGS

At 400msec clearance time, touch voltage reqd ~57V Back calculate current limitation for 35 Ohm return impedance as 1.8A (same as previous example) What about 10:1 tripping ratio?
Under 4871:2012 test current for E/L relay is 120% or 1.2:1 Typical tripping ratios in UK are 3:1, US are 2.5:1

Tripping ratio should be maintained high as possible, but at 350mA trip (5:1) system would be safe Increased trip current avoids sympathetic trips on unfaulted outlets and relays still proven/tested to trip
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DAMPING FORGOTTEN FUNCTION OF THE NER

LESS CURRENT IS BETTER WHY NOT REDUCE THE EARTH FAULT CURRENT ? LIMITATION FUTHER ?
In previous examples, the situation with regard to risk from touch potential and delivered energy is demonstrably improved as the fault current limit is reduced Touch potential hazard and the delivered fault energy can both be reduced to zero if the NER impedance is made infinite What is the upper limit for NER impedance ?

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NER AND COMMON MODE INDUCTIVE FAULTS IN MOTOR OR TRANSFORMER DAMPING WINDINGS

Capacitance to earth dominated by cabling Large fault inductances can be created in winding faults (several Henry), common mode resonant frequency may approach 50Hz or a harmonic frequency of 50Hz
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NER AND COMMON MODE A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE DAMPING

In a practical 11kV system with an inductive fault:
Earth fault limit 50mA, up to 40 times nominal insulation stress Earth fault limit 5A, 3 times nominal insulation stress Earth fault limit 10A, 1.2 times (so acceptable)

In any practical system, the NER impedance can be no larger than would afford sufficient damping to prevent excessive insulation stress in case of an inductive fault.
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SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS

SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS
Recent changes to AS/NZS4871 are more significant than generally appreciated Previously compliant elements are not necessarily compliant when configured in a practical system Removal of prescriptive limits on key parameters (earth fault limit, trip settings and clearance times) requires all design settings to be examined from first principles We must be able to justify all protection parameters (regardless of if they fall below the Lp curve or not) as being as low as reasonably practical
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SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS
A PROACTIVE APPROACH

Complete an audit against AS/NZS4871 Carefully consider the fundamental system parameters:
earth fault limitation return earth impedance limit tripping ratio and total clearance times

There is an increasing need to review underground substations:

Compliance against AS/NZS4871 Safety Bulletin SB11-04 (variable speed drives & fitment of wideband earth leakage, NER dissipation ratings etc)
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FURTHER ASSISTANCE & CONTACT RESTECH OR AMPCONTROL INFORMATION

Contacts ResTech: Steve Clifton sclifton@restech.net.au Ampcontrol: Tim Wylie Tim.Wylie@ampcontrolgroup.com ResTech Two Day Short Course Principles and pitfalls associated with electrical protection in earth fault limited systems Day 1: Theoretical background and framework Day 2: Investigation & real world case studies Register your interest online at: restech.net.au/earthfaultseminar
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QUESTIONS?