Grounding Systems Design with 3D-software for Solar Chimney Power Plant

Year 2017, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 18 - 27, 15.04.2017

Emrah Dokur , Murat Akıl Çağrı Köksal Mehmet Kurban

Abstract

Solar chimney power
plants require grounding systems in order to prevent turbine components and
living creatures from lightning and fault current.  The main objective of this paper is to
develop an effective solar chimney power plant grounding systems model to
levels ensure that step and touch potentials are within the acceptable levels
using effective design implementation steps based on the IEEE Std. 80-2000. The
grounding systems consisting of conductors and electrodes with different and
asymmetric depths of embedment as well as a non-homogenous two-layer soil model
are analysed. A novel approach for grounding systems of solar chimney power
plant is performed with 3D software. Three different types of grounding models
are simulated for solar chimney power plant. The singular vertically turbine
configuration of solar power plant is used in the first and second models.
Touch voltage is reduced in first model than second model by new grounding
configuration. Finally, it examines the grounding system of a solar chimney
consisting of horizontally 32 turbines in the third model. The touch voltages
below the maximum permissible values are achieved in the first and third
models.

Keywords

Grounding, Solar Power Generation, Power System Protection, Fault Currents, Electrical Safety

References

• Pasumarthi N, Sherif S.A. Experimental and theoretical performance of a demonstration solar chimney model part I: mathematical model development. International Journal Energy Research 1998; 22: 277-288.