NEUTRAL GROUNDING

RESISTOR FAILURE
DETECTION
Guided by:
Asst. Prof. BINDU C.J
GOPINATH

Presented by:
NITHYA
EE 7
ROLL NO : 44

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
NEUTRAL

GROUNDING RESISTOR (NGR)

ADVANTAGES
NGR

FAILURE

TRIPPING

RATIO AND NGR SELECTION

CALCULATION
NGR

OF NGR

OF NGR

FAILURE DETECTION

CONTINUOUS

NGR MONITORING

CONCLUSION
REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION
A

grounded system is defined by a system with

at least one conductor or point which is
connected to ground either solidly or through
impedance.

Resistance

grounding is usually preferred by

most of the electrical equipment systems.

NGR

is usually employed as grounding element

in resistance grounding systems.
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NEUTRAL GROUNDING RESISTOR

(NGR)
It

is usually a resistor that is connected directly

between the transformer or generator neutral and
the system ground.

Used

to limit the fault current in a generator or a

transformer during earth faults.
Sensing Ground Fault Protection is the
most commonly employed type in resistance
grounded systems.

Current

NGR (cntd.)

A typical NGR is constructed of resistance wire or metal

strips coiled and wrapped around porcelain insulators.

ADVANTAGES OF NGR
Properly

applied resistance grounding can :

Limit point-of-fault damage

Eliminate transient over voltages
Reduce the risk of an arc flash
Provide continuity of service with a ground fault
Provide adequate current for ground-fault detection and selective
coordination

NGR FAILURE MODE

NGR

failure mode is usually open circuit.

The desired fault current cannot flow and the ground
fault cannot be cleared.
This results in an ungrounded system.

NGR

NGR IN SHORT-CIRCUTED MODE

A

short-circuited NGR results in a grounded and

stable electrical system.
Ground-fault current will flow during a ground
fault.
The fault will be cleared by ground fault protection
or over current protection.

NGR

CAUSES OF NGR FAILURE

As

NGR is a mechanical component, mechanical

failure can happen due to :
Lightning, storms and earthquakes
Overloads
Extended service life

CAUSES OF NGR FAILURE (cntd.)

Other

causes of failure include :

Corrosive atmospheres
Extreme temperature changes
Triple n harmonic currents
Hail
Manufacturing defects
Vibration

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NGR FAILURE

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CONSEQUENCES OF NGR FAILURE

NGR

failure converts a resistance-grounded

system into an ungrounded system.

Operators

would not be aware that

Current-sensing ground-fault protection is no longer

operational
Risk of transient over voltages exists

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SELECTION OF NGR

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TRIPPING RATIO AND NGR SELECTION

Tripping ratio is defined as the ratio of prospective ground

fault current to the operating value of the ground fault
protection.

It ensures that sufficient ground fault current is available for

detection when the ground faults occur.

Tripping ratio of 7 is required to detect a two-phase-to-ground

fault.

A higher tripping ratio is required to provide machine winding

ground fault protection.
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CALCULATION OF NGR
Three

parameters are required to specify NGR

U :Rated line to line voltage or system voltage (kV)

If : Rated fault current (A)
Ts : Rated time (s) [Duration of fault]
NGR

resistance value can be calculated using the formula

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NGR FAILURE DETECTION

Measurement

of NGR resistance during maintenance

only provides a confirmation that
NGR was good at the time when the resistance was measured.

The

NGR could fail at any time

after the measurement is taken or

even not be reconnected after the measurement.
NGR

checking during maintenance doesnt guarantee its

working.

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NGR FAILURE DETECTION (cntd.)

An

open NGR is not a condition that

should be allowed to remain on the
system for any length of time.

Examination

of NGR preventative
maintenance suggests that an automatic
monitoring device is a better solution.
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This ensures the need for

continuous NGR
monitoring...

CONTINUOUS NGR MONITOR

Detects
Active

an open NGR when the failure occurs

when control power is applied

Indicates

NGR health whether or not the system is

energized, with or without a ground fault

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CONTINUOUS NGR MONITORING

REQUIREMENTS

Should detect NGR failure in spite of Ground Fault

Should work in tripping and alarm only systems

Monitoring neutral & ground connections

Monitor shouldnt be capacitively/inductively coupled to NGR

Monitor should not be exposed to neutral voltage during

ground fault

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OVER VOLTAGE AND OVER CURRENT

MEASUREMENT AS NGR MONITOR
(51N)-

Over current measurement

(59N)- Over voltage measurement
This is an ineffective NGR
monitoring method.
The combination of these devices
can detect an NGR failure only if
there is a ground fault on the
system.
This design is not continuous
NGR monitoring because it relies
on the presence of a ground fault to
operate.

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RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT AS AN
NGR MONITOR
In this method, there is a
possibility
for interference by external dc
influences
that continuity through a ground
fault may be recognized as NGR
continuity

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STRAY DC ON THE SYSTEM

There

are many possible

sources of stray dc voltage in
industrial electrical systems:

DC

can be impressed on the

system by sources like
a ground fault on the dc bus of
an adjustable speed drive
obscure sources such as
atmospheric electrical conditions
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CONTINUITY THROUGH GROUND

FAULT
When a ground fault occurs,
there are two parallel paths
a path through the NGR
another path through the
transformer or generator winding
of the faulted phase to, the fault,
and back to the measuring
device through ground

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A BETTER SOLUTION IS.......

Combination

of an

overvoltage
measurement (59N), an
overcurrent
measurement (51N) and
a resistance
measurement
It

continuously monitors
NGR continuity.

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CONTINUOUS NGR MONITOR

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CONTINUOUS NGR MONITOR (cntd.)

It combines
measured NGR current
transformer or generator neutral voltage
NGR resistance

When there is no ground fault on the system, a measurement of NGR

resistance is enough to confirm NGR continuity.

The monitor determines the presence of a ground fault through the

voltage and current measurements.

Voltage on the neutral and current in the NGR indicates a ground fault.

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CONTINUOUS NGR MONITOR (cntd.)

To

confirm NGR continuity, the monitor constantly

evaluates resistance, current, and voltage
measurements.

The

sensing resistor connects the monitor to the power

system while isolating it from neutral voltage.

The

sensing resistor limits the voltage transfer from the

system neutral to the NGR monitor.

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NGR MONITOR

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CONCLUSION
An

open NGR is an undesirable situation.

system with an open NGR is subject to transient over voltages, and so

current sensing ground-fault protection will not indicate the presence of a
ground fault.

ground fault then remains on the system and might escalate to a phase-tophase fault.

NGRs
A

are subject to many failures.

well-designed NGR monitor provides continuous protection against failures.

An

NGR monitor provides confidence that current-sensing ground-fault

protection will operate as designed on the next ground fault.

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REFERENCES
[ 1]D. Selkirk, M. Savostianik, K. Crawford, 2010, "The dangers of grounding resistor
failure", IEEE Industry Applications Magazine, sept. /oct. 2010, 53-58.
[2]W. Labos, A. Mannarino, G. Drobnjak, S. Ihara,
and J. Skliutas, A possible
mechanism for neutral grounding resistor failures, in Proc. Power Engineering Society
General Meeting, June 2005.
[3]G. E. Paulson, Monitoring neutral-grounding resistors, in Proc. IEEE Pulp and Paper
Industry Committee Conf., June 1999, p. 240.
[4]P. Glover, Neutral grounding resistors installation and maintenance instructions, PGR
Document #NG111-06.
[5] K. S. Crawford and N. K. Haggerty, Test before touchEasier said than done, IEEE Ind.
Applicant. Mag., vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 3239, May/June 2008.
[6] IEEE Standard 142-1982, IEEE Recommended Practice for Grounding of Industrial and
Commercial Power Systems, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
[7] ANSI c62.92-1987, IEEE Guide for the Application of Neutral Grounding in Electrical
Utility Systems, Part I - Introduction, American National Standards Institute.
[8] PRSC-4E, System Neutral Grounding and Ground Fault Protection Guide, Westinghouse
Industrial and Commercial Power Systems Applications Series, February 1986.

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THANK YOU
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