The standards for grounding, surge, and lightning are established by the Korea Electric Power Corporation primarily to ensure the safety and reliability of electrical equipment. The following are the basics related to this.
1. Grounding standard --KEC 140
Definition: Grounding refers to an electrical connection between electrical equipment and the ground. This is necessary to prevent electrical accidents and increase the stability of the system.
Standard: Electrical installations must be grounded in accordance with national electrical engineering standards and related laws. The commonly used grounding resistance value is recommended to be 10Ω or less.
2. Surge (Surge Protection) Standard --KEC 140
Definition: A surge is a sudden increase in voltage in an electrical installation, usually caused by lightning or the switching or failure of electrical equipment.
Surge Protection Device (SPD): SPDs must be installed to protect equipment from surges, and are classified into Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 depending on the installation location and method.
Standard: Surge protection devices are installed on power and signal lines of electrical installations, and refer to international standards such as IEC 61643-11,12,21,22,31,32,41.
3. Lightning standards -- KEC 140, 150
Definition: Lightning is a natural phenomenon caused by an electrical strike in the atmosphere, which can cause significant damage to electrical equipment.
Lightning Protection System (LPS): A system to protect a facility from lightning, usually consisting of lightning grounding and guidance devices.
Standard: The design of lightning protection systems follows standards such as IEC 62305 and is applied differently depending on the structure, use, and risk of the building.
4. Comprehensive approach
- Grounding, surge, and lightning protection systems operate in conjunction with each other and must be considered in an integrated manner when designing and constructing electrical equipment.
- Specific installation standards must be followed by referring to the contents specified in the Korea Electrical Installations Code (KEC), KS, Electricity Business Act, etc.