IEEE Industry Applications Magazine article

[wroggent]

March/April 2019 Industry Applications Magazine
"A History of Grounding and Earthing Practices in the United States Part 2"


If you've read this article, what do you think? Do you agree with the conclusions?

 

[magoo2]

The author has been a long time opponent of the 4-wire multi-grounded neutral distribution (MGN) system used by most electric utilities in North America.

He has a number of conclusions so I won't give a blanket vote. I don't agree with the elimination of the 4-wire MGN system and I don't agree with eliminating the primary to secondary neutral connection at the service transformer.

Which of his conclusions give you the most heartburn?

 

[wroggent]

I'm confused about the second to last paragraph in the conclusions section. He mentions a utility that eliminated a multi-grounded neutral. It says the new system has no neutral. Since it's not mentioned, it seems like an equipment grounding conductor was not installed (although it seems more likely that the neutral would have been re-purposed). I don't see how that could enhance safety vs. the original MGN. I also don't see what would be wrong with having a neutral that is grounded at one point.

Not relating to the conclusions I am kind of skeptical about the claim about 60% of current returning through the ground. I'm not familiar with the EPRI study cited but I am wondering if something was taken out of context. Looking at the split factor tables in IEEE 80 the claim seems plausible but far from common.

I wonder what the author thinks should be done about line charging currents. Are they not hazardous?

I don't often have time to read the articles in these magazines so I'm not really sure what's par for the course but I was a little surprised to see such an opinionated article on this topic.

 

[marks1080]

The more experience I gain in industry the more i realize there's a huge gap between academia and industry in this field. I think back now on some of my power systems professors in university. Boy they were sooooo wrong about things.