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Registrations Open NOW – Earthing Conference UK May 2023 – Birmingham
January 3rd, 2023
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Introduction to Earthing
The aim of this Earthing Conference UK is to demystify the subject of earthing and present the subject in a clear, straightforward manner.
Earthing as a subject has been under-represented over the years and this event will attempt to remedy the gaps in technical knowledge and improve practices in the industry.
The UK & Europe need a unified practical approach to earthing which can be commonly understood and widely applied.
Few topics generate as much controversy and debate as that of earthing and the associated topics of bonding, grounding, surge protection, shielding, earth and lightning protection of electrical and electronic systems. Poor earthing practices can be the cause of continual and intermittent difficult-to-diagnose problems in a facility.
This conference will explore these issues from a fresh yet practical perspective, with the aim of helping delegates reduce expensive downtime in their plants and/or equipment. The conference will demystify the subject of earthing and present it in a clear, straightforward and – above all – practical and workable manner.
Earthing as a subject has been under-represented over the years; this event will attempt to close technical knowledge gaps and improve practices in the industry. The UK and Europe need a unified and pragmatic approach to earthing, one that is commonly understood and widely applied.
If you work in the electrical domain – in the industrial, power, defence, oil & gas, construction, transport, manufacturing, utilities, mining or renewable energy industries – then this conference is for you.
The 2023 conference builds on the outstanding success of the 2022 Earthing Conference, also held in Birmingham, which created a comprehensive and animated groundswell of discussion and learning.
What You Will Gain From Attending?
- To re-examine the application fundamentals for earthing, bonding, lightning, and surge protection.
- To discover best practice when earthing – to mitigate the impacts of faults and lightning strikes.
- To become familiar with the latest industry standards and procedures for earthing and lightning protection.
- To learn how optimal electrical earthing design can improve safety, production, and reduce costs.
- To gain practical advice on earthing system measurement.
- To receive design tips for earthing systems when conditions are challenging.
- To confront the pitfalls of inappropriate earthing and the hazards caused, and to discover how these can be prevented.
- To hear relevant local case studies from the UK electrical industry.
- To enjoy non-commercial presentations.
- To network with your peers and specialists in the field, and to discuss the issues raised.
Who Should Attend?
- Electrical engineers and technicians
- Substation, generation and transmission engineers
- Maintenance engineers and asset managers
- Engineering managers and electrical consultants
- Plant, project and design engineers
- Engineering and safety managers
- Lightning protection professionals
- Renewable energy specialists
- Government safety regulators/inspectors
- Network, protection and distribution engineers and technicians
- Maintenance specialists
- And all other electrical engineering professionals who have an interest in earthing
Your Keynote Speakers
Dr Jeremy Smallwood |
Jayson Patrick |
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Day One | Thursday 4th May, 2023
Conference Program
8:00am Registration Opens
8:25am Welcome Address
8:30am Session One | International Keynote
Hands-On Workshop
Jayson Patrick: Technical Director, Electrotechnik
Accurately predicting earthing system performance, due to electrical fault currents, is necessary for ensuring a safe and economical design. This hands-on workshop involves software modelling of various typical earthing installation types including: a small (pad mount) substation, a large AIS substation, a GIS substation, a wind farm, and a solar farm to IEEE Std 2270 202. Actual field measurements will be analysed to devise an optimal soil resistivity model.
We will calculate touch, and step voltage limits in accordance with British and international safety standards. This workshop will focus on the applications of the software to typical challenges with earthing in a hands-on manner and is emphatically not intended to promote a particular brand or vendor. A software license will be sent to each delegate, input files, and notes to be used during the workshop shall be provided.
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Session Two | Case Study
Earthing System Modelling
Going Underground: Earthing of Tunnel Systems for HS2
Ross Falconer: Power System Studies Team Leader, Aurora Power Consulting
New train tunnels are being bored underneath London for HS2, the largest infrastructure project in Europe. During construction, the tunnel passages are supplied by HV cables to power tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and associated services. Safe earthing of the tunnel system is crucial to ensure personnel working underground are not exposed to dangerous voltages. This presentation will explore some of the practical challenges associated with earthing machinery which is moving over several kilometers, techniques for modelling underground earthing systems in earthing design software, how to apply BS 6164, and how earth potential rise varies as construction progresses along a tunnel.
2:00pm Session Three
Earthing Design and Safety
Sachin Dandare: Senior Design Project Manager, Electrical Design Services
Designing a proper substation earthing system is quite complicated and challenging; many parameters affect its design. In order to design a safe earthing system, it needs to provide a way to carry the electric currents into the earth under faulted conditions to limit the earth potential rise (EPR). This provides the assurance that a person and/or facility in the vicinity are not endangered. The earthing portion of a substation design will be explored in order to properly plan and design an earthing system. Background information and guidelines will be provided. A case study – including mitigation strategies will be presented to prove whether the design is safe.
2:45pm Afternoon Tea
3:15pm Session Four
Measuring the Resistivity of Crushed Rock in Existing HV Substations
Ken Atkinson & Jamie Forsyth: Senior Earthing Specialists, System Protection and Earthing Section, Network Assets, ESB Networks
This presentation will demonstrate an experimental method of directly measuring the resistivity of an in-situ layer of crushed rock in a HV substation using a portable generator, test leads, digital multi-meters and metallic foot probes. Interpretation of the results will include calculation of location-specific touch voltage safety limits which can then be
directly evaluated against measured touch voltages. The presentation will also include discussion of issues that were encountered during assembly of a prototype test meter and during field trials of the prototype, and suggestions for further work and research in this area.
4:15pm Session Five
Distribution Substation HV-LV Earthing Interconnection
Matthew Taylor: Managing Director, MJT Earthing and Lightning Consultants
Distribution (11kV/415V) transformers require both HV and LV earthing systems. These can be combined and connected to a single earth electrode or segregated; connected to separate HV and LV earth electrodes. There are pros and cons to both arrangements and the decision to combine or segregate should consider the transfer of HV earth potential rise onto the LV system. Guidance provided in the industry standards changed in 2012 but there is still some misunderstanding and confusion over the decision making process. Where segregation is required, standards and policy documents provide recommended separation distances between HV and LV electrodes to maintain safety. This paper presents the results of CDEGS simulations examining the impact of HV earth faults on typical LV networks in uniform and multilayer soils, to test whether the safety distances quoted are satisfactory.
5:00pm Day One Closing
Day Two | Friday 5th May, 2023
8:30am Session Six | Keynote Presentation
Earthing, Grounding and Bonding in Static Electricity and Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Avoidance
Dr Jeremy Smallwood: Consultant, Electrostatic Solutions Ltd
Earthing (grounding) and bonding are widely used techniques in many technology and industry areas, but the practices used in electrostatic discharge (ESD) avoidance can seem rather unusual or difficult to understand. Using a minimum of theory, Dr Jeremy Smallwood explains the principles, and sometimes surprising similarities and differences in earthing and bonding practices from an ESD control view. He gives some simple examples of how an action or a change in circumstance that seems inconsequential, can lead to real problems or accidents.
10:15am Morning Tea
10:45am Session Seven
Earthing Applications for Lightning Protection
Sean Passant: Technical Manager, DEHN UK
This presentation will address the different approaches to touch and step potential in BSEN 62305 (Lightning Protection) suite of standards compared with the BSEN 50522 standard (Earthing of Power Installations). Using a sample project to show the three different earthing applications in BSEN 62305 and the relationship with assumed touch and step risks, it will be compared to the modellable risks using 3D software such as XGS lab.
11:30am Session Eight
The Importance of Earthing Processing Equipment Situated in Flammable and Combustible Atmospheres
Jonathan Rowe: Newson Gale Ltd
Earthing drains static charges away as they are produced, removing excess charge by transferring the electrostatic charge from the object to earth. This presentation will discuss case studies and analysis of incidents resulting from the ignition of flammable atmospheres due to discharges of static electricity. It will outline the importance of bonding metal dispensing and receiving containers together during transfer operations. It will look at novel ways of earthing multiple components at risk of electrostatic charge accumulation. It will correlate these measures with the guidance stipulated in IEC 60079-32-1: “Explosive atmospheres – Part 32-1: Electrostatic hazards – Guidance”.
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Session Nine
Rolling Sphere Analysis for Large and Complex Structures
Hugh Wren: Design Manager, Greymatters Global
While rolling sphere analysis has been applied for quite a number of years, it is often poorly understood and incorrectly applied. Many users fall into the common trap of trying to apply
a 3D analysis in 2D CAD, while others use tools that don’t reliably work for complex and large structures.
The presentation will show how 3D Rolling Sphere Analysis tools can be used to develop complex lightning protection systems with two main focusses – very tall structures, and structures with explosive atmospheres. The DSEAR regulations require that all risks of ignition, including lightning, must be addressed, and therefore designing an LPS that keeps lightning energy away from hazardous areas is critical.
2:30pm Session Ten
Earthing Design and Modelling Guide for Renewable Energy Projects
Jayson Patrick: Technical Director, Electrotechnik
Recently there has been an unprecedented number of generation projects as the UK targets 100 % renewable energy sources. A key component to the safety of these new facilities is the
properly designed earthing systems.
The combination of new technologies and the fact these projects cover large areas often over difficult and varying terrain presents challenges. The cost of these earthing systems can reach millions of dollars hence a small percentage of over-design will result in significant extra cost.
The same approaches for designing substation earthing systems cannot be applied to renewable projects. The modelling of the earthing systems will usually involve compromises, but accurate results are still achievable. This presentation will provide a guide to the earthing system modelling with references to relevant standards and real-world examples.
3:15pm Afternoon Tea
3:30pm Session Eleven | Panel Discussion
Panel discussion and Q&A with conference presenters. This is your opportunity to utilise a panel of conference speakers and industry experts to ask questions and find solutions to your specific earthing and grounding issues. Delegates are encouraged to participate in this invaluable and lively session.
4:30pm Conference Closing
4:30pm – 5:30pm Networking Drinks
An hour dedicated for all attendees to meet and socialise with experts and industry peers.
About the Keynote Speakers
Dr Jeremy SmallwoodDr Jeremy Smallwood is an earthing and electrostatics consultant, trainer and researcher with his company Electrostatic Solutions Ltd, providing services to industry since 1998. He works as an expert with BSI and IEC standards Committees.
He was awarded the 2010 ESD Association Industry Pioneer Award, 2017 International Fellow Award at Electrostatics 2017 and the Stig Lundquist Award at the Electrostatics 2022 conference. Jeremy has been publishing, attending and presenting papers for over 30 years in Journal of Electrostatics and at Electrostatics and the EOS/ESD Symposium conferences. He is author of “The ESD Control Program Handbook” published by Wiley in 2020.
Jayson Patrick
Jayson is the Technical Director at Electrotechnik, a company that develops leading electrical power system design and analysis software. Jayson has extensive experience working on large-scale power systems projects in high voltage design, testing/commissioning, and power system analysis roles along with two decades of experience in professional software development.
Jayson has a master’s degree in electrical power engineering, and he leads a multi-disciplinary team of developers, cloud architects, UI designers, electrical power engineers, and Ph.D. researchers. Jayson’s role at Electrotechnik involves developing new software and complex algorithms for electrical power systems design, where he is using a combination of technologies, multiple programming languages, and agile development practices.
General Information
Confirmation Details
A confirmation email and invoice will be sent to delegates within 3 days of receiving the registration.
Cancellation Policy
A 20% cancellation fee will apply for cancellations received 7 – 14 days prior to the start date of the conference. Cancellations received less than 7 days prior to the start date of the conference are not refundable, however substitutes are welcome.
Venue
Park Regis Birmingham
160 Broad Street, Five Ways, Birmingham B15 1DT, UK
Tel: +44 121 369 5555
Accommodation
The Park Regis Birmingham is offering all delegates 15% off the best bed & breakfast rate. Please book via their website and use the code ‘CORPORATE’.
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +44 121 369 5555
Food and Beverages
All lunches, morning and afternoon refreshments are included in your delegate registration.
Unable to Attend
If you are unable to attend the full conference program, contact us for details to attend individual sessions or to purchase the Conference Resource Kit.
Register Now
Phone: +44 (020) 8335 4014
Email: [email protected]
Sponsorship Opportunities
Representing your business at the Earthing UK Conference in 2023 will provide you the opportunity to reach key decision makers from a multitude of industries.
For more information on sponsorship and exhibition opportunities please contact: Vynka Malone at: [email protected]
Discounts
Early Bird Offer 10% Off
Book on or before 31st March 2023
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Severn Tunnel Electrification
Network Rail
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Cable Clamp
Ellis Patents Solution
Ellis worked with Network Rail to develop a solution based around the proven 2F+ two hole cable clamp alongside a bespoke bracket manufactured from Super Duplex stainless steel.
Bespoke Cable Clamp Solution
Thorne & Derrick | Cable Cleats | Ellis Patents UK Distributors
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Thorne & Derrick International are Specialist Suppliers of products to provide safe and reliable LV HV Cable Termination, Jointing, Installation & Power Systems up to 66kV.
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Balfour Beatty were contracted by NPG to install the cables, they in turn approached Ellis to provide a cable duct support solution.
Cable Duct Support System
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Ellis worked with Balfour Beatty to develop a product to suspend the duct from the underside of the bridge, and also develop an installation methodology. The solution was based around on 12 off standard 2F+ clamp with a bespoke stainless steel structure.
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Thorne & Derrick | Cable Cleats | Ellis Patents UK Distributors
Specialist Distributors of High Voltage Jointing & Electrical Safety Equipment
Thorne & Derrick International are Specialist Suppliers of products to provide safe and reliable LV HV Cable Termination, Jointing, Installation & Power Systems up to 66kV.
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Our first specification for Areva was for its OL3 reactor in Finland in 2009, and was secured as a result of our proven technical expertise and excellent industrial references.
Emperor & ProTect Cable Cleats
Ellis Patents Solution
Emperor Cable Cleat
The Emperor Cable Cleat is designed for use where the highest levels of short circuit withstand are required, Ellis’ Emperor cable cleats are available for both trefoil and single cable applications. All products in the range are manufactured in type 316L stainless steel, meaning they provide ultimate corrosion protection, even in the harshest of environments.
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ProTect Cable Strap
Ellis’ ProTect cable straps, which are manufactured out of 316L stainless steel, are designed for installation between trefoil cleats, such as Emperors. They not only enhance short circuit capabilities, but help to retain trefoil formation and, because they allow for greater fixing distances between cleats, can reduce installation time and cost.
Thorne & Derrick | Cable Cleats | Ellis Patents UK Distributors
Specialist Distributors of High Voltage Jointing & Electrical Safety Equipment
Thorne & Derrick International are Specialist Suppliers of products to provide safe and reliable LV HV Cable Termination, Jointing, Installation & Power Systems up to 66kV.
Key Product Categories: Connectors, Joints & Terminations MV HV | Cable Preparation & Jointing Tools | Duct Seals | Cable Transits | Cable Cleats | Cable Glands | Electrical Safety | Arc Flash Clothing & Protection | Cable Pulling | Earthing & Lightning Protection | Feeder Pillars
Thorne & Derrick distribute the most extensive range of MV HV Medium & High Voltage Cable Joints, Terminations & Connectors from manufacturers including 3M, Prysmian, Nexans Euromold, Elastimold, Pfisterer CONNEX & SEANEX.
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Petrobras FPSO, Brazil
The FPSO is the first of eight replica FPSOs to be built for the development of the pre-salt projects in the prolific Santos basin. The vessel will have a processing capacity of 150,000 bpd of oil and 6 million m³/day of natural Emperor Cable Cleat.
The Emperor Cable Cleat is designed for use where the highest levels of short circuit withstand are required, Ellis’ Emperor cable cleats are available for both trefoil and single cable applications.
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Thorne & Derrick | Cable Cleats | Ellis Patents UK Distributors
Specialist Distributors of High Voltage Jointing & Electrical Safety Equipment
Thorne & Derrick International are Specialist Suppliers of products to provide safe and reliable LV HV Cable Termination, Jointing, Installation & Power Systems up to 66kV.
Key Product Categories: Connectors, Joints & Terminations MV HV | Cable Preparation & Jointing Tools | Duct Seals | Cable Transits | Cable Cleats | Cable Glands | Electrical Safety | Arc Flash Clothing & Protection | Cable Pulling | Earthing & Lightning Protection | Feeder Pillars
Thorne & Derrick distribute the most extensive range of MV HV Medium & High Voltage Cable Joints, Terminations & Connectors from manufacturers including 3M, Prysmian, Nexans Euromold, Elastimold, Pfisterer CONNEX & SEANEX.
