Advanced earth grid monitoring for HV network safety compliance

Electrical energy is a critical component for human comfort, but mismanagement of this energy can lead to human injury and even fatalities. High voltage safety compliance hinges on the presence of an adequate earthing system within the infrastructure. Various factors influence the effectiveness of the earthing system, including soil resistivity in the surrounding area and the availability of auxiliary paths for fault currents. Weather conditions, changes in the surrounding environment, and alterations within the high-voltage network significantly impact these elements. Any modifications to the auxiliary path conditions can have severe consequences on the network's safety compliance. The current industry practice lacks continuous monitoring of the earth grid and fault current paths, with no provision for frequent current injection tests on the entire earth grid system. To close the existing gap, this paper proposes a novel approach through the introduction of an Earthing IoT Monitoring system. This system enables network owners to monitor safety compliance across the entire network, identify fault current return paths, and pinpoint any necessary preventive maintenance measures. The paper also delves into the crucial roles played by soil resistivity and split factors in the earthing system domain. A case study is included to support the innovative nature of the proposed system.