Schneider Electric and its Square D® Critical Power Competency Center (CPCC) announced the release of a new white paper titled System Grounding and Ground-Fault Protection for Data Centers, available now as part of the Critical Power Technical Reference Repository on its Web site, www.criticalpowernow.com. The repository contains recently released and archived white papers and technical presentations categorized by multiple topic areas related to electrical reliability within data centers and other critical power environments.
The new white paper discusses the extreme importance of effective installation and maintenance of bonding and grounding systems in a data center environment. It also presents the fundamentals of power system grounding, definitions and requirements of the National Electric Code (NEC) with respect to grounding, the need for low voltage ground fault protection and how it is implemented, and special grounding requirements imposed by the data center operating environment. Also included is a summary of applicable NEC articles, a review of clauses from specific IEEE Standards, and a listing of other references related to bonding and grounding in data center facilities.
The white paper outlines and explains the principal purposes for an effectively bonded and grounded system. Also addressed are the requirements of four-wire systems versus three-wire systems, arrangements that require the installation of a modified differential ground fault (MDGF) protection system and the effects of system grounding upon surge protection and power quality.
Finally, the white paper reviews common installation inadequacies and construction issues, and provides a list of common conditions that cause bonding and grounding systems within data center facilities to become inadequate or deteriorated over time. Testing and maintenance requirements of grounding systems also are discussed.
The paper is authored by Frank Waterer, fellow engineer, Square D Engineering Services, and Bill Brown, principal engineer, Square D Engineering Services.
All white papers on the site can be downloaded in a PDF format, plus technical presentations are available as PowerPoint slides. Contact information for the Critical Power experts who contribute to the development of the papers and presentations are listed with each posting, making them available for follow-up questions or discussion on the topics addressed.
Critical Power Technical Reference Repository
www.criticalpowernow.com
Schneider Electric
www.us.squared.com
Filed Under: Breakers + surge protection, ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL