Representation of important results considering GSA_FD of XGSlab- Earthing design software

XGSlab is a very user friendly software which is an innovation in itself. With the best computation speed for results it's one of the best software in the market. 

XGSlab represents the state of art which extraordinarily makes analysis of your grounding grid easier, and comprehensive.

GSA_FD can import the grounding layout of any substation or an electrical plant in a "dxf" file format.

XGSlab requires the following set of input data:

-Reference Standard (IEEE, EN, IEC)

-Soil Data (soil model and parameters)

-Layout Data (Geometry, Topology and cross-sections)

-Electrical data (Injected currents & imposed EMF)      

Considering a Basic Grounding layout of a steel factory with reference to substation, steel  and entrance. 

Legend at the extreme right hand side represents the core values of voltages and certain analysis parameters. You can click anywhere on the grid and get data inputs at any particular point considering the reference points ie ( Substation, steel factory or entrance). 

Representation of few results can be viewed below. 

1. Leakage current distribution. 

2. Potential Distribution

3. Earth Surface Potential Distribution 

This result can also be represented in a 3D view for better understanding.

Study analysis of GPR is utmost important parameter for analysing grounding grids.

4. Step and Touch Voltages- 

XGSlab considers safety of human life and analyses touch and step voltages very precisely to avoid any future casualty and danger to human life. 

Touch Voltage distribution

Step Voltage distribution 

5. Safe areas considering all reference points. 

In any case it is advisable to:

- Take some measurements of touch voltages to confirm if they overcome the limits in the actual condition. It must be borne in mind that the design of the grid here carried out under pessimistic hypotheses (on current values and soil resistivity etc…) may not substitute the measurements of step and touch voltages that must be taken according to the standard when the plant will be built.

- If the problem is confirmed by measurements,it is suggested to cover the area with bitumen if the presence of people is to be foreseen on the critical points.

6. Magnetic Field Distribution 

Magnetic Field distribution 3D View

GSA_FD can also calculate magnetic fields due to grounding systems or cable, and electromagnetic interference (induced current and potential due to resistive, capacitive and inductive coupling) between grounding systems or cable and pipeline or buried electrodes in general.

7. Line Cut 

You can cut the grid in any way you want, one of the most sought feature which gives you exact values for step and touch voltages, potentials etc.

Result of line calculations.

Grounding Studies analysis using GSA_FD- Premium module for underground conductor studies

GSA_FD is a module for earth grid calculation and design in the frequency domain, including soil resistivity analysis and represents the state of the art of grounding software. It is also useful for magnetic field and electromagnetic interference evaluation & adopts a rigorous approach to the study of very large grounding systems where experience shows that the horizontal variations of the soil resistivity makes inefficient sophisticated soil models (multilayer).

In these cases, an accurate electric model of the electrodes including self and mutual impedances is fundamental. These parameters can be known with greater certainty than the soil resistivity because in the frequency range we are interested in, these parameters depend weakly on the soil properties.

Moreover, taking into account self and mutual impedance effects, allows to overcome the equipotential condition of the electrodes on which standard GSA is based.

This allows the analysis of electrodes whose size are comparable with the wavelength as better specified in the following.

A few competitors take into account self impedance and a very few competitors consider the mutual impedance effects and this can lead to significant errors in calculations.

With the equipotential condition hypothesis, the maximum touch voltage is widely underestimated and this may result in grounding system oversizing with additional cost sink even 50%. Neglecting the mutual impedances can lead to errors over the 20% in calculations. GSA_FD can allow a significant cost saving in grounding system construction and materials.

GSA_FD can be used in the frequency domain range from DC to 10 MHz and then the calculation accuracy gradually decreases but results are often reliable over 10 MHz and positive tests have been made up to 50 MHz.

GSA_FD can also import earth grid data from “dxf” files delivering professional numerical and graphical output useful for investigation of GPR and potential, current, leakage current, earth potential, touch and step voltage distributions.

In DC conditions GSA_FD is a good tool for cathodic protection and anode bed analysis with impressed current systems.

GSA_FD can also calculate magnetic fields due to grounding systems or cable, and electromagnetic interference (induced current and potential due to resistive, capacitive and inductive coupling) between grounding systems or cable and pipeline or buried electrodes in general.