RELIABILITY OF TRANSFORMER
STATION 10(20)/0.4 kV
GROUNDING SYSTEM AND
COMPONENTS
Pavle Filko MSEE, Croatian Power Company, HEP, Osijek, Srete Nikolovski PhD, Faculty of
Electrical Engineering, Osijek
Abstract-- This paper provides an analysis of the
reliability of components and of the grounding system of the
municipal TS 10(20)/0.4 kV. The aim of the paper was to
show the values of the reliability indicators of individual
grounding components, and of the grounding system in
whole. The information on failures was collected and
analyzed in the real network of TS 10(20)/0.4 kV of the city
of Osijek, Republic of Croatia.
Index Terms-- grounding system, reliability, reliability
indicators, transformer stations,
I. INTRODUCTION
Execution of the municipal TS 10(20)/0.4 kV
grounding system depends on the way of grounding of
feeding TS 10(20)/0.4 kV neutral point, i.e. on the limited
current of the single-pole short circuit. In our case, it is a
300 A current. Such a grounding system of the municipal
TS 10(20)/0.4 kV can be presented, in general, as a
triangle (Fig. 1). Its sides are individual grounding
conductors, i.e. the main grounding conductor of TS
itself, (working and protective grounding conductors),
then the contribution of the TS grounding system through
the high voltage feeding cables sheaths, and the third side
- contribution to the TS grounding system by neutral
conductors and/or low voltage cable sheaths or the TS
power outlets.
CONTRIUTION CONTIUTO
OFHV OUTLET OFLVOUTLT
US
WORKING AND PR0FW7TJE
Xon
GROUNDING CONDUCTOR
Fig. 1. TS 10(20)/0.4 kV grounding system
Gathering information on TS 10(20)/0.4 kV grounding
systems is the biggest problem because there is no such
systematized information. Consequently, the first task was
to gather, systematize and construct data bases on
grounding and ground faults over 200 TS in the city of
Osijek. An analysis of the reliability of grounding system
components and the overall system was done afterwards.
II. RELIABILITY OF GROUNDING SYSTEM COMPONENTS
AND SYSTEM
The term of reliability comprises the description of all
abilities of a system, most frequently expressed by
mathematical probability, for a concrete system to
function satisfactorily at given working conditions in
anticipated time. There is a probability that the system
will behave according to expectation. Conclusions about
the system reliability can be made through components
reliability.
Components reliability, i.e. probability of satisfactory
component operation, is generally defined as a statistical
probability since the component failures are random
incidents. Thus we could determine the component
reliability, i.e. probability that the component operates
properly within a certain period (time). We would leave
the component to work, recording the time flow until the
moment of component failure. Then we would repair the
component and repeat the procedure.
Since the time duration, that means time to component
failure, can theoretically take any value bigger than zero
and lesser than infinite, we accept that the time to
component failure is a continuous random variable. If we
could determine the distribution function of a random
variable t, which is the time to component failure, we

would obtain the probability of component failure before
time t runs out, i.e. component unreliability.
Q(t)=P{r.t } n
Then we could determine the probability of proper
component operation through time t, i.e. component
reliability:
R(t)=1-Q(t)=P{r>t }
Where: t time through which the component operates
properly.
The expression R(t) + Q(t) = 1 is logical, because the
component operates either within time t or it fails before
time t runs out.
Besides the mentioned values, there are some other
values characterizing the component. These are
component failure intensity A(t) and average duration of
system failure m . Component of a power system is a
real renewable component that operates properly until
failure occures. The component is thereafter disconnected
from the working state and is repaired or replaced with a
new one. It is considered that the component s condition
after repair is identical to the condition before failure. In
that way the lifetime of a component is extended and time
flow of the component represents a cyclic function of two
conditions, operation and repair. The following figure
represents the lifetime of a renewable component.
+ i
1 rr2 mr3
ri 0 m
r3
0 time
Fig. 2. Function of component operation
The assumption is that time duration of proper
operation is a random value with a known distribution
function and that the time duration of repair is also a
random value. Elements of a power system appertain to a
group of renewable components (e.g. elements of a
grounding system etc.) at which the term of availability
function is introduced.
Stationary availability A(t) represents a mathematical
probability that the component or system will operate at
the moment of observation. Function of such a renewable
component is shown in Figure 2. Periods of operation,
represented by time of proper operation mi, with regard to
fault periods presented by repair time ri, are emphasized.
2
The average time duration of proper operation (until
failure) m follows out of it:
Em1
m=- i=1
n
During the lifetime of a renewable component
(grounding system), operation and repair periods are
random values with their own distribution functions. On
the basis of these distribution functions, anticipated
average duration of operation and system repair equal the
previously mentioned expressions.
Literature [2] gives the following expression for
stationary availability of components:
m
A1 -
m+r
Stationary unavailability of components is then:
N = l- A = (x)
m+r
Component availability and unavailability has its own
definite value when the time of component observation
increases to large values. It can be seen in the following
figure:
1 X
A(t) A(o°)
-
A -
+A+ N(t) N( °°)
a n
(t)
Fig. 3. Function of component availability and unavailability
0-
(t)
A. Model ofA three-component system (TS
grounding system)
The reliability determination can be applied on any
number of independent components, which are connected
into any functional system of a known structure, and
whose operation can be fully presented by a range of
conditions in the state space or with a model of conditions
and transition between these states. In addition, the only
remaining condition is that the values of stationary
availability or unavailability of components are known,
depending on the component conditions, and on the
combination or group of the system conditions, which, in
 3

the space of conditions, means the availability or

unavailability of the system. In this case, there is a
grounding system of the municipal KTS 10(20)/0.4 kV,
i.e. three components (grounding conductor TS - 1,
grounding of the adjacent TS via HV cables - 2, and LV
grounding via neutral conductors - 3).
The model of system reliability is shown in the
following figure:

Fig. 4. Model of a three-component system (TS grounding system)

Fig. 5. Model of a three-component grounding system

Known values of stationary availability and
unavailability of components are:
Condition probabilities of that system are shown in the
A1 (Xc) = P1 A (Xc) = P2 A 3 (x) /P3 following table.
/8 +pi + -Z2 P2 /13 + P13
Nl(O)= N2 (X') = 2 N3 (x') = 23 TABLE I
/A +PI -2 + P12 /3 + /3 CONDITIONS OF SYSTEM IN FIG. 5
No System Conditon of conpmpnts (*) Condilion probability Syslcm andautin frocquncics
Define: 2i comiponent condition I I
-of systm
%- A1A2A3 J;A2A3 + f2AIA3 ±fA4A2
failure intensity,p,i - comiponent 2 r 0 I I P1ll N1A2A3 11" J1A243 +f2N1A +AN1A2
repair intensity, Ai - comiponent P.2 A1N2A3 fY A;N2A3 ±f2A1A3±f3A,N2
4 I
P3A. f1AN3+f2 A1N +JAAIA2
availability, Ni - com 5 J4
0
I'
0 :6" N1N2 A3 f4' J1,N2,A3 +f2NIA3 +fNIN2
iponent 6 =JA2N3 +f2N1N, +f NA
*

0 P5,
0
unavailability, f - failure 7
IV, 0 0 Pp NAN2N -f1N2N3 +f2A.N3 +f3AAN2
8~ "-7 0 AI N2 N3 f1N2N3 +f2N1 +fNIN2
frequency of component, m - 7. -7-
* 1 -ompc ont in up;; 0 -ompont in failure conditn
average duration of system
failure, r - average duration of system repair.
All conditions of state space and transitions can be Expression for stationary availability of the system is:
shown in the following figure: A(oo) = A1 (cc)A2(oo)A3 (oo) PP12P3
(/8 + PI )(A2 + P2 )(/3 + P3 )
Failure frequency of such a system is:

f =fiN2N3 f2NN3 + f3N1N2

+

and the average duration of system repair of that

system is:

rljr2r3 1

r1r2+r2r3+rlr3 PI1+P/2+P/3
 4

Frequencies of individual conditions can be seen in Stationary unavailability (failure probability) is:
Table 1, and the duration of reside in every condition is:
N =1- A = 1- 0.993151 = 6.849*10-3
1 1 Repair intensity of a HV cable:
m = T,0,,
Al+ 2+ A3 2+2A3
if-T,1,,

PI1 +
,C10=
N
04= -5= 3.5253
0.007
(1lyear)
1

P2 + Al + 13 /3 + A +22
2) Reliability of the component 3 - grounding
1 via neutral conductors and low voltage cable
T1,4,, =-
1

T15 sheaths
1I + /2 +23 /11 + /13 + 2
INPUT VALUES:
1 -1953 LV cables, total length of 488 km (N),
'16+/
= r = T7T =
-36 failures (complete raptures) per year (n), regarding
Al +P2 +P3 P1 + /2 + 3
only cables head, tread, construction damage or another
similar failure with the consequence of LV cable
complete raptures,
B. Accounting of characteristic values of -average failure duration is 72 hours per year on each
probability LV cable in Osijek.

1) Reliability of the component 2 - grounding via high If the number of failures (n) (ruptures) of all LV cables
voltage cable sheaths is averagely 36, then the intensity of such failures is
INPUT VALUES: 36/4.88=7.38 per 100 km on LV distribution cable
-279 of KTS in Osijek, network in Osijek per year.
-497 of 10 kV conductors (N), total length of 182km, The failure frequency is calculated according the
-12 failures per year (n), regarding only cables head, expression:
tread, construction damage or another similar failure with
the consequence of HV cable complete raptures, f = NnT = 1953
-n
36 36
=1.8433 102 (]lyear)
2

1
-average failure duration is 60 hours per year on each
Average failure duration (r) is on average 72 hours per
HV cable in Osijek.
year, so that the number of operation (average duration of
If the number of failures (n) (ruptures) of all HV
proper operation) is m=8760-72=8688 per year.
cables is averagely 12, then the intensity of such failures
Stationary availability (propriety probability) of a LV
is 12/1.82=6.59 per 100 km on HV distribution cable
component is:
network in Osijek per year.
A= m
88 = 0.991781
_8688_
The failure frequency is calculated according the m+r 8760
expression: Failure intensity of a LV cable:

N aT
ni 12
1
497 1
=2.4145 102 (]lyear)
2 0.018433 =
1.8586 10 2 (1lyear)
A 0.991781
Average failure duration (r) is on average 60 hours per Stationary unavailability:
year, so that the number of operation (average duration of
proper operation) is m=8760-60=8700 per year.
N = 1 A =1
- - 0.991781 = 8.219*10-3
Stationary availability (propriety probability) of a HV Repair intensity of a single LV cable:
component: = = 0018433= 2.24273
(]lyear)
A mm
_8700
8760 = 0.993151 N 0.008219
m +r 8760
Hence the failure intensity of a single HV cable as a
3) Reliability of component 1 - working and
component of the grounding system is: protective TS grounding system
INPUT VALUES:
f 0.024145
,A = 0.024312 (]lyear) -279 of KTS in the city of Osijek (N)
A 0.993151 -0.3 primary TS grounding connector failures per year
(n), grounding stripe break, connection on ring as the
 5

consequence of structure damage, of mechanical and/or - A3 =0.991781

electrical connection, including interruptions because of
grounding resistance measurements, - A3 =1.8587 10-2 (lyear)
-average failure duration is 0.9 hours per year. - N3 =8.219 10-3

As in the previous examples, the failure intensity is - u3 =2.2427 (Iyear)

0,3/2.79=0.10753 per 100 TS per year.
Failure frequency: Calculation example for the system in failure condition
of one component, e.g. NN feeder (component 3,
f = Nn T = 279a1
0 =1.07527 -
103 (Iyear) condition "3 "), characteristic reliability values are:
Average duration of proper operation: m=8760- Failure frequency of the grounding system in that
0.9=8750. Stationary availability: condition is:
A m
m+
M _8759.1
876 = 0.999897 f =fiA2N3 +f2A1N3 +f3A1A2 =1.8512.1 2
m +r 8760
Failure intensity: (1/year)
Probablility of the system condition is:
A=
f 0.00107527
A
-
0.999897
=1.07538.10 (Iyear)
B3"Y = A1A2N3 = 8.1619 10 3
Stationary unavailability: Duration of reside in this condition:
N = 1 - A = 1- 0.999897 = 1.03 *10-4 1
Tit- = = 0.4409 (h/vear)
Repair intensity of the main grounding conductor of a /3 +Al +A2
single TS: The failure intensity of a grounding system in this
f_- 00.00107527 = 10.4395 (lyear) condition is:
N 0.000103 A- f - 2.2681 (1/year)
A
4) Characteristic reliability values of the TS The repair intensity of a grounding system in this
grounding system with three components. condition is:
Calculated input values of components:
1. grounding conductor TS: u=
N
f =-1.8664.10 2 (Iyear)
- f= 1.07527 10-3 (Iyear) After the calculations were executed according to the
- A 0.999897 previously mentioned example, reliability results of all
- 21=1.07538 10-3 (Iyear) conditions of the system are given in the following table:
N =1.03 10-4 TABLE II
CHARACTERISTIC VALUES OF PROBABILITY FOR THREE COMPONENTS OF
- P1I=10.4395 (I]year) TS 10(20) kV GROUNDING SYSTEM
~o Syttevn Condition Of System aiMyaait reino rate UoaM Repai rate
2. grounding of the adjacent TS Condiin cnifiocop toresade im T
via HV cables:
1 2 a A ,N f
- f2 =2.4 145 10-2 (]/year) l ~
~~~
1 I I I 433~M 7O8tO
A; 98489 22-741 419721o- 15 tilo" 28662
- A2 =0.993151 4. 0 I PTiO...T,0345
6351&1 ..................~~~~l
~ ~ - - -. 1O81l 10. 483 1,0J36
2-4078 IV
~ P 7921O 02M2 IM5t 0,9932I 2. afO
- 22 =2.4312 10-2 (Iyear) t 7 j 1 V1 8512 10
_RP8,1619 1O 0 4409 Z2681 0 99184 810
F T 0 0 17I36 10 P 615 l0o" i 1,51310 X 059999994 9$?$10'
- N2 =6.849 10-3 F G 1 0~~~~~~~
PI 40761&O'
1O83O I7,87 IG M1206 99MI6 O$3O
7 1 6 0 0 Y
H27216
5.10'; O=1733 57691 = 0. 99 324741IV
- 12 =3.5253 (I]year) o 47 0 0 0 9397310 N 51VWIV r ci6iO/ 16208 099 93 IV

3. LV grounding via neutral Nate - 1-wcoponent in up, 0- component in filure condition,

- component 1 - grounding cordufor TS,
conductors: - component 2 grounding of the adjacent TS via HV cable,
-
f3 =1.8433 10-2 (I/year) component 3- LV grounding via neutral conuctors.

C. Conclusion
Analyzing the available information from the network
dispatching center from Osijek, in the last 10 years, there
where, on average, 12 HV cable complete raptures every
year. By further analysis, it was found that, on average,
they lasted 5 hours per rupture. The same data for the LV
network are as follows: on average, there are 36 ruptures
per year, of two hours each. The failures of the main TS
grounding system were as follows: 0.3 failures on average
per year during 0.9 hours each.
The previous section presents a calculation showing
the characteristic reliability values of the TS grounding
components and the system itself. Most frequently, the
failures occurred on HV cables with 2.41 per 100 years
and least frequently the failures occurred on the main TS
grounding connector with 1.07 per 1000 years, although
LV cables have higher intensity of 7.30 per 100 km than
HV cables with 6.59 per 100 km. The reason for this lies
in the fact that the LV cables occur four times more that
the HV cables.
According to the stationary availability, i.e. the
probability of proper operation, the main TS grounding
connector is the best with 99.989% of propriety
probability, HV cable follows with 99.3 1t%, and LV cable
with 99.18%.
According to the failure intensity the HV is the first
with 2.43 failures per 100 years, LV cable follows with
1.86 failures per 100 years, and the main TS grounding
connector is the best with 1.07 failures per 1000 years.
The main TS grounding conductor has got the highest
repair intensity with 10.44, repairs per year, HV cable
follows with 3.53, then LV cable follows with 2.44
repairs per year. This provides a better illustration of the
proper operation probability, confirming huge differences
between the components of the TS grounding in the
failure intensity.
When we observe the TS 10(20)/0.4 kV grounding
system as a parallel connection of all the three
components (Table II), two extremes are obvious. The
first is in the system "0" condition, when all the three
components function properly (which is a normally
desired condition maintained by failure repairs, and
regular maintenance) with stationary availability of
98.49%, with a probable average failure duration time of
22.74 hours, the failure intensity of 4.4 failures per 100
years, and the repair intensity of 2.87. The frequency of
this condition of 4.33 per 100 years is remarkable. The
second extreme is when all the three system components
are faulty (which is theoretically impossible, as it would
be the case when the TS is out of any operation, i.e. it
does not figure as a power unit) but reliability brings
6
values even for that condition. The frequency of only the
main ground conductor failure is 1.06 failures per 100
years, the frequency of HV cable failure is 2.42 failures
per 100 years, and the frequency of LV cable failure is
1.87 failures per 100 years.
III. REFERENCES
Books:
[1]V. Mikulicic, M. Urbiha-Feuerbach: Analiza pouzdanosti i
raspolozivosti u Elektroenergetskom sustavu, I, II, III, IV ETF,
Zagreb, 1976.-1977.
[2] S. Nikolovski: Osnove analize pouzdanosti elektroenergetskog
sustava, ETF, Osijek 1995.
[3]R. Billinton, R.N. Allan: Reliabilitty Evaluation of Power Systems,
Third Printing, 1990.
[4]R. Billinton, R. N. Allan: Reliability of Large Elektric power
Systems, 1998.
Papers from Conference Proceedings (Published):
[5] V. Mikulicic, Z. Simic, S. Nikolovski:
Ovisnost raspolozivosti razdjelne mreze o smjestaju i semi TS 110/x
kV, Savjetovanje HK CIGRE, Cavtat 1997.
IV. BIOGRAPHIES
avle Filko was born in Osijek, Republic of
Croatia, on November 14, 1952. He received
his Bachelor degree in electrical engineering
from ETF Zagreb and his Master's degree from
FER, University of Zagreb in 2001.
His employment experience included
teaching in polytechnic high school, FMSC
Osijek, then projecting, controlling and
constructing HV and LV components and part
of power systems in Croatian Power Company.
His special fields of interest included TS grounding systems of every
voltage level.
Srete Nikolovski was born in Belgrade on 01.
October, 1954. He obtained his BSc. degree in
1978 and Master of Science degree (MSc) in
1989, both in the field of Electrical
Engineering, from the Faculty of Electrical
Engineering,, University of Belgrade. He
received his PhD degree from the Faculty of
Electrical Engineering and Computing,
University of Zagreb, Croatia, in 1993. He was
working in industry from 1979 and from 1990
is at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, J. J. Strossmayer University
of Osijek, Croatia. He was appointed Assistant Professor in 1996 and
Associate Professor in 2000 and is currently Full professor at the Power
System Department at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. He is a
IEEE Senior Member. His main interest is power system modeling,
simulation and analysis, especially reliability assessment of power
system and EMC.