Touch and step

potentials, limits and

application
BY
S.APPAVOO
Former CEIG/TN
General Secretary/NFEES
 Protective Earthing
Source (
TNS Earthing Systems
Source

Fault Clearing Device

R
N
Y

Protective Conductor
TNS System- the link makes
the difference
TT System

Neutral Equipment
Earthing) 2
 U1 U2

I R Ur
RE
E B

3
NEC 2023-Cl 4.4.5, Part 1, Section 18: It is recommended that the maximum sustained voltage developed
under fault conditions between exposed metal required to be earthed and the consumer's earth terminal
shall not exceed 50 V rms.

IEC 61936-1- Cl.3.7.19: global earthing system

Equivalent earthing system created by the interconnection of local earthing systems that ensures, by the
proximity of the earthing systems, that there are no dangerous touch voltages.
TOUCH VOLTAGE
IEC 61936-1
Cl.3.7.11: earth potential rise – EPR (UE)- Voltage between an earthing
system and reference earth
Cl.3.7.12: touch voltage (UT) - effective voltage between conductive parts when
touched simultaneously
Cl.3.7.13: permissible touch voltage (Utp)-limit value of touch voltage UT
Cl. 3.7.1 4:prospective touch voltage (UvT)- voltage between simultaneously
accessible conductive parts when those conductive parts are not being touched
Cl. 3.7.15: prospective permissible touch voltage (UvTp)-limit value of prospective
touch voltage UvT

Cl.3.7.17: transferred potential

potential rise of an earthing system caused by a current to earth transferred by
means of a
connected conductor (for example a metallic cable sheath, PEN conductor,
pipeline, rail ) into
areas with low or no potential rise relative to reference earth, resulting in a
potential di difference
occurring between the conductor and its surroundings.
 ·
-
n

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000
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O" -- -p_ .,_.

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TI • .
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i:urr,t n l
p ch h. flJ I h nd or h:inrt 1H foe 1 , for 1ouch \ ul l g up w 700 V
 ms
10 000 . - -- . . - -.- --.--- ---,.- - . . ------,.-- . - --
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cc AC-1 AC-.
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:::> 50
Cl

20 _
10
0,1 0,5 2 5 10 20 50 100 200 500 1 000 2 5 000 10 000 mA
0,2 000
Body current 18 /EC 1000/05

F igure 20 - Conventional t i me/current zones of effects of a.c . currents (15 Hz to 100 Hz)
on persons for a current path correspondi ng to left hand t o feet
(for explanation see Table 11)
 Annex B
( n o r m at iv e )

Method of ·Calc u lat i ng p er m is sib le to u c h

vo1t a·g e s

T h e e q u a tio n t o calc u lale t h e p e r mis s i b le t• o u c h v o l t a g e is a s f o l lo w s .

Formula :

where

UT is t o u c h v o l t a g e
U Tp is p e r mis si1 b l e 1o u c h volf
r1 a g1e is f a u l t d u r a t io n
is b o d y c ur r e mIi m il c 2 in F igure 2() a n d T a b le 11 of l lEC 6 0•4 7 9 -1:2 0 1 8 ,
16 ( t 1 )
where p ro b a b l l lt y o f vent ric u lar ·f ib r i l lat i o n Is
le s s than 5 % . TB de p e nd s o n fa.ult du r al io n
HF Is t i eart c urre nt fac tor T able 1 .2 o l IE C $ 0 4.7 9 - 1 : 2 0 1 8 , L e. 1,0 f o rleft h a n d
lo f·e & t, 0 ,8 f o r r i g h t h a n d t o 1e et , 0 ,4 f or h a nd t o
hand
T a b le 1 a n d H g u re 3 ·o f IE C 6 0 4 7 9 - 1 :2 •0 18 , Z T n ol
·e x c e e de d b y &O % o f t h e p o p u l alio n , depend s
o n t o u c h v olt ag e. T h e refo r e , fir s t c a lc ulat o n h as.
lo s t art w il h a s s u m e· dlev e l
BF Is b od y lactor F ig ure 3 of IE.C 60479- 1:2 0 1 8, I.e . 0 ,75lo r h a n dlo
b o t h f e e t , 0 ,5 f o r lboth h a n d s t·o fe e t

N O T IE 1 o m e n• to u c1' v o n : to c c0<ndlUo n . e. g . ·1c u n a.n a t o l L. n J'ld to ha l\d, le a d 10 cr111cte nt t ole r':l.t)l e

t o uc n s . IF ig u re 12 ol t h i s d o o um e nc i5. b a s e d] o n ai w e igmted' a v e rage 1ake n fromlo u r d i tf ere nt to u c h v olt a g e
..,oltage
c o nfigu ra tiio ni s . T o uc h v ol1age le ft h a nd 10 fe e1 (•'l"9ig l lt<:1d 1 , O)• , o u c h ...o ltaOii' ight h and t o lee t (w e ig1h e d 1,0 } .
to ucf l v ol t age lbo1h h an d s to f eet (w e i g h t e d 1 .0 } a n d t o uc h v ol1a o e ha n d t o h a n d (w eight e d <I. 7) .

N O T IE 2 l> ltre re n l PQ.raimetc r value s a re .ap,;A lc al:ll!e 1"or some- c o un tries ( as n d i c a t e dIn A n n e " G•-

F o r sp e c i f ic c o n s ld e ra1fo n o l a dd l lo n a l r e sls ta n c s . t h e f Of"mula 10 d et e rm in e

p r o s p e<etlve p er m ls slb le to uch v oll a g e become·s:

where

U v Tp is prospectirve perm is s ible t o uc h v o lt ag e

R 'H is a d d it o na l ha nd r e s i's t a nc •B
.RF .is a d d it a r ia l f o o t r e s is t an c e
 Presenter Notes
2024-05-30 06:44:23

Tolerable touch voltage (UTP)

--------------------------------------------
It may be required to go for more
stringent earth resistance values
(Fig-28 of IS 732) as the fault level of the DISCOM
increases. Such a low value of
earth resistance can be achieved
by adopting a global earthing
system only which is not possible
in domestic premises.
10
 Presenter Notes
2024-05-30 06:44:24

Flow Chart of IEEE and IEC for EHV earth design --------------------------------------------
Global Earthing during building
construction stage itself

IEEE 80-2013
IEC 61936-1 and EN 50522

11
 - - - - - .... .........
_ . .f_..,
[ 1- r i:}l 3
..

,.

..
lo.... ..,
.
..
rence earctl
( .· -·
Reference ....
earth 3 /;i ;( ,' P , . . ei
(Insufflctent B
. <(IO!'iK:'.IU r
distance)
I

.. , C.able having a contlnous

. melalfic sheath insulated
Without With throughout but with both ends
potential gfadl potential 1. •
exposed. Sheath Is connected to
ng gradln9
t '
\( , _) ear1h al the stibstation.
'·
";" = .1 1
"";
. - • n 1
E Earth el$Clrode \Ue Earth potenUal rise
S1, S2, Potential grading •. _ Prospeclive step voltage ;3 i t"tree lirn.e s z.e.r o s e q u sn c c z....or
ni'11nl IC lifle­
J:. C:1,i1ftf0111'1 '.! 11) neu<.tr.el €<er1..lrd;pg 1q f lltle
S3 eatth ' v$· Uvr
/.'1 J_j ,( •
Prospective touch voltage
!Ni tEnim
i!iflll l r m IIw Q J l ' l l-et\'11
5 k /(1)1,1 < • :'" .!i
e!ec:trodes (e.g. ring
electrodes), '!1 i A Prospective touch voltage /F C 1..1rorerrt to a.artti ( c s n n o l i llx:i"tr11;1.i 1rJC;d d i ceH::;'}
earth
connectedlo
the earth electrode E / .,._ resulting from transferred le ca.1n-il!m'I v i a 1f'le re-st&tanee Ila e e r tn O"t n e l'lfl'99h r l h "°
\ ' ·>'·, potential in case of singfe side lits Roo .11;4-on f;;ii:;tQJ'.( If 1h.o- c heedl & 11!!1

/·.·.:.. f cable sheath earthing

ProspecUve touch vollage re
Rl!s
R1?flis.t a-nae t
IRC-Slsl.1 ti(ll
eSlt:li CYf U1 0 tn h i -c lith <!IOCIZ()(fo
e al1tli o f Ute
'
resulting i i j n p nbe
· B
;..· } ,';: from tra... fehffed
Eatth surface
c 1 1111
i:aw:eir
·10 ltle
(earthi V ! i ' l DWGT fe<1tm!V o i t ho oYo!l1101J.d lioe :ail0 11n ed

,c ' ,·,.,
.• ··:.·-
'..,.
photentialbinhcaside of
•k"'-'' ) polentials.,,,at eart ed on ot
cabfe
lrl!'t nib;'!·
a N.i ll'll la i m e
IMP.sd'a/IOiJ Q'w'Jt o Cl!ill
t .. .
s es NU"mt;i()r-Oil. ri a.d lir.&s Yrlg 1 h e1 subatgtio111 '(tie r e n =
1·1···
.
Figure 1·Example for th& surface potential proflle and for the 2)
voltages ' • , in case of current carrying earth
•,' Fq:J u r o 2 • E X;prJl'lpln ·ro,. !1!;; 1JJl l ' uu 11m ; v o U iag &!il a n d J && i isrfi:H1( ; ' 8 s . f o r i tT. I -C--
electrodes
I·
i.11i1h fa:ullt:
t i ;a cr.a-. .s t o rm efl' EllllJb staO o. w l t i h rcm.r i lif'lpeod illnJCe li'IOUh I i03!1h li t g
IEC 61936-1
Cl.3.7.11: earth potential rise – EPR (UE)-
Voltage between an earthing system and
reference earth Cl.3.7.12: touch voltage (UT) -
effective voltage between conductive parts when
touched simultaneously
Cl.3.7.13: permissible touch voltage (Utp)-limit value
of touch voltage UT
Cl. 3.7.1 4:prospective touch voltage (UvT)- voltage
between simultaneously accessible conductive parts
when those conductive parts are not being touched
Cl. 3.7.15: prospective permissible touch voltage
(UvTp)-limit value of prospective touch voltage UvT

Cl.3.7.17: transferred potential

potential rise of an earthing system caused by a
current to earth transferred by means of a
connected conductor (for example a metallic cable
sheath, PEN conductor, pipeline, rail ) into
areas with low or no potential rise relative to
reference earth, resulting in a potential di difference
occurring between the conductor and its
surroundings.
IEC 61936-1
Cl.3.7.11: earth potential rise – EPR (UE)-
Voltage between an earthing system and
reference earth Cl.3.7.12: touch voltage (UT) -
effective voltage between conductive parts when
touched simultaneously
Cl.3.7.13: permissible touch voltage (Utp)-limit value
of touch voltage UT
Cl. 3.7.1 4:prospective touch voltage (UvT)- voltage
between simultaneously accessible conductive parts
when those conductive parts are not being touched
Cl. 3.7.15: prospective permissible touch voltage
(UvTp)-limit value of prospective touch voltage UvT

Cl.3.7.17: transferred potential

potential rise of an earthing system caused by a
current to earth transferred by means of a
connected conductor (for example a metallic cable
sheath, PEN conductor, pipeline, rail ) into
areas with low or no potential rise relative to
reference earth, resulting in a potential di difference
occurring between the conductor and its
surroundings.
Annex E of EN 50522

15
 Presenter Notes
2024-05-30 06:44:24

Missing Links in Public Distribution --------------------------------------------

Interconnections for limiting EPR-
International and Indian practices

Improvements required

16
 Grid current divisions due to various
paths for the return earth fault currents
•The transferred potential can be stated as a rise in potential of a remote
conductor in a third party facility with reference to the earth due to a grid division
connecting such a conductor.

17