Comparative study of tyre ash and palm kernel oil cake as back-filling agents for effective grounding

Abstract

A simple method for analyzing electrical earthing system is presented. The idea behind this research is to furnish the general public particularly in Ghana to understand the effectiveness of using low resistive materials to provide low resistance values for their earthing frameworks to protect lives and guarantee hardware security. Right now, proficiency of materials accessible for free, to be specific, Palm Kernel Oil Cake (PKOC) and Tyre ash, as conductive inlay material for decreasing earth terminal resistance was assessed. Earth mat 20-cm length and 10cm breath were covered with each refilling material with their exhibition contrasted with reference to the earth mat additionally covered at a similar location with raw sand, specifically, sandy gravel at a specific area in Ghana. The outcomes show that tyre ash gives a steady earth resistance in both dry and wet climate conditions and improves it significantly as compared to PKOC. The main purpose of evaluating these two local materials as a backfilling agent is to reduce the earth resistivity which in this study was achieved successfully after 3 months of monitoring.

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IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering
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Comparative study of tyre ash and palm kernel oil cake as back-filling
agents for effective grounding
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Annual Conference on Computer Science and Engineering Technology (AC2SET) 2020
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1088 (2021) 012054
IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1088/1/012054
1
Comparative study of tyre ash and palm kernel oil cake as back-
filling agents for effective grounding
Frank Kulor
1
, Christian Dzah
1
, Elisha D. Markus
2*
, Michael W. Apprey
1
Patrick Kagbetor
1
1
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering [Ho Technical University, Post
Office Box HP 217 – Ho, Ghana]
2
Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering [Central University of
Technology, Private Bag X20539, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa]
*emarkus@cut.ac.za
Abstract.
A simple method for analyzing electrical earthing system is presented. The idea behind
this research is to furnish the general public particularly in Ghana to understand the effectiveness
of using low resistive materials to provide low resistance values for their earthing frameworks
to protect lives and guarantee hardware security. Right now, proficiency of materials accessible
for free, to be specific, Palm Kernel Oil Cake (PKOC) and Tyre ash, as conductive inlay material
for decreasing earth terminal resistance was assessed. Earth mat 20-cm length and 10cm breath
were covered with each refilling material with their exhibition contrasted with reference to the
earth mat additionally covered at a similar location with raw sand, specifically, sandy gravel at
a specific area in Ghana. The outcomes show that tyre ash gives a steady earth resistance in both
dry and wet climate conditions and improves it significantly as compared to PKOC. The main
purpose of evaluating these two local materials as a backfilling agent is to reduce the earth
resistivity which in this study was achieved successfully after 3 months of monitoring.
1. Introduction
Estimations of recently introduced earthing frameworks are required to affirm the plan estimation of
earth resistance and the respectability of testing joints and so forth. Moreover, intermittent estimations
for the duration of the life of the earthing framework are important to guarantee the framework and
proceed with acceptable execution. Earthing is utilized in electrical frameworks to guarantee staff and
hardware security. A better value in ground resistance is crucial to fulfill electrical security standards.
The obstruction worth can differ from 10 ohms for lightning insurance to beneath 0.1ohm for some
places for which defensive gadgets must work in an exceptionally brief timeframe because of enormous
flaw flows included [1]. A successful establishing framework assumes a significant job in the protected
activity of equipment in various household and the general prosperity of intensity frameworks. Earthing
is fundamental and obligatory for protection of individuals and assists with forestalling electric stuns. It
gives reference potential to legitimate utilization of intensity framework of hardware to improve the
viable use of electrical energy [2]. The lightning strike is one of the cataclysmic events which happen
now and then. The great sizes of flow and voltage at quick ascent periods can prompt the decimation of
electrical properties and pose a genuine risk to the life of humans. If not, it can likewise harm a building

Annual Conference on Computer Science and Engineering Technology (AC2SET) 2020
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1088 (2021) 012054
IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1088/1/012054
2
and can burst into flames in those influenced regions. Accordingly, it is imperative to have a framework
that can secure the structures and abstain from lightning stroke [3]-[4].
According to [1], the productivity of materials accessible for free, to be specific PKOC, tire ash,
wood ash and powdered cocoa shell, as a supportive decorate for decreasing earth pole resistivity was
assessed. A ground rod of 30cm by 40mm measurement was introduced for each refilling property and
their exhibition contrasted and that of the main ground pole additionally introduced. The outcomes show
that tire debris gives a steady earth rod obstruction in both harmattan and raining seasons which enhances
it to about 16%. Another work by [2] established low resistance values using a blend of sawdust and
charcoal and PKOC as a conductive refill material for decreasing earth electrode resistance. For each
backfilling material, a ground rod of 120mm by 10mm was installed. An examination opening of 2ft
and 4ft profound was burrowed for both soil varieties, sandy-gravel and loamy soils at the diverse
destinations. The trials and study demonstrated obviously that, the PKOC and the blend of sawdust and
charcoal provide an improved viable reduction in soil resistivity. The more profound of the earth
electrode the lower the earth's resistivity.
In [5], this paper has introduced an intelligent way to deal with the structure of a necessary electrical
establishing (earthing) framework. Key establishing standards have been clarified and different relevant
establishing conditions have been accommodated to the reader to structure their establishing framework
in a legitimate and precise way. Reference [6] proposed a framework in which adequacy of supplanting
soil in the basic obstruction zone appeared by field experiments. This strategy involves the computation
of earth pole opposition as an element of good ways from the pole. An explanatory recipe, inferred and
approved utilizing test information to figure these protections, is likewise introduced.
Work done by [7] had proposed nearby conductive refills for decreasing ground opposition are
researched. The outcomes show that the utilization of tyre ashes as refilling property brings earth
resistivity down to 80% and above. It is likewise demonstrated that the best advantage in the soil
resistivity enhancement is to restrain the refill to four earth rods. Finally, in [8] the paper presents and
discusses the techniques in applying the palm cake and accounts on the outcome accomplished and show
the sufficiency of the palm cake. Other significant characteristics considered are dampness property, pH
(acidic) level, and its resistances. The Palm cake is a subordinate of palm piece nut after taking out the
oil. Huge earth resistance decline is gained by techniques for displacing soil inside the 'Basic Resistance
Area' of an earth rod with the palm cake.
In this paper, the backfilling materials used are Palm Kennel Oil Cake and Tyre Ash. This was done
because the establishment of good and operational electrical earthing is indispensable to safeguard
personnel and equipment from the dangers of the possible rise fault due to the progression of faulty
current to the general mass of the earth.
2. Methodology
The motivation behind this analysis was to examine and gather information on the type of soil, the
profundity of the mat and also the sort of the low backfilling material adds to the adequacy of effective
grounding. The effective materials with very good resistivity accessible include, PKOC and tyre ash as
a conductive inlay for the decrease of resistance over the earth terminal. The methodology adopted is
grouped into the weaving and installation of earth mart, data acquisition using DET5/4R Digital Earth
Resistance Tester for testing the earth resistance values weekly within the specified time frame. This
basic critical resistance strategy was applied in the inlaying of earth mat which was woven as shown in
Figure 1 with 35mm
2
copper wire. Earth mat of 20-cm length and 10-cm breath was introduced for each
refilling material at a site. The span of the territory alluded to as basic resistance range has been seen as
about 100% of the length of the ground mats. This basic territory opposition strategy was applied in the
inlaying of the covered mats.

Annual Conference on Computer Science and Engineering Technology (AC2SET) 2020
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1088 (2021) 012054
IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1088/1/012054
3
Figure 1. Weaving of Earth Mat
With the end goal of correlation, an earthing mat with tyre ash, earth mat with palm kernel oil cake
and earth mat without refill, thus raw sand, as reference was likewise introduced at the site, all are
introduced in various equal openings as shown in Figure 2, the length of the gap was 1.2m, breath was
0.60m and depth was 1m.
Figure 2. Earth Mat in Backfilling Materials
Earth resistance of each covered mat was estimated for a time of a quarter of a year utilizing the SEW
4236 ER Digital Earth Resistance Tester for testing the earth resistance values weekly within the
specified time frame. With the end goal of correlation, an earth mat without a conductive inlay named
reference covered mat was likewise introduced at the site. The four-point technique (Wenner method)
was used in our investigation to measure the establishing resistance. Numerous kinds of upgrade
material have been presented in the common soil. Subsequently, soil possessions are changed. The
structural changes of the soil represent the variety in resistance esteems. The soil type used for this test
is the sandy gravel. The discoveries exhibit that, the resistance of soil utilizing diverse improvement
materials has contrast resistance. Henceforth, this method is appropriate in estimating the assortment of
different soils and upgradable substances [9]-[10]. Figure 3 illustrates the measurement technique.
Figure 3. Wenner’s four-pin four-point method for measuring soil resistivity [3]

Annual Conference on Computer Science and Engineering Technology (AC2SET) 2020
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1088 (2021) 012054
IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1088/1/012054
4
The terminal P
1
-Es, P
2
-S, C
1
-E and C
2
-H as shown in Figure 4 were used as the connection points of the
testing leads. An appropriate testing type (4P) was selected. Four supporting spikes were introduced in
the individual soils in an orderly fashion which was at equal interval from one another. The distance
between each installed spike was three times greater than the buried earth mat. When the push button of
the digital earth tester is pressed and locked, it creates a known current through the outer ground spikes
and the voltage drop is measured between the two middle earth spikes. The instrument then analyzes the
soil resistance automatically and displays the measured value on the screen and recorded. The test setup
is as shown below;
Figure 4. Connection Method and Testing Procedure
3. Result and Discussion
The measured values are displayed in table 1 which shows the deliberate qualities for this period
concerning their different low resistive materials (LRMs). Figure 5 depict a graphical results of the
resistance values measured with respect to the raw sand and the LRMs at their respective depths. The
test readings of the earth mat resistance values were recorded on a weekly basis spanning a period of
three months from 1st February 2019 to 2nd May 2019.
Table 1: Test Results Obtained After Weekly Measurement
Date Reference soil
Resistance (

)
Palm kernel cake
Resistance (

)
Tyre ash
Resistance (

)
01/02/2019
168.02
22.10
12.08
08/02/2019
163.19
18.44
7.08
15/02/2019
159.80
14.38
4.33
22/02/2019
156.09
11.16
3.95
28/02/2019
158.92
13.85
3.68
07/03/2019
158.08
13.94
3.70
14/03/2019
159.22
14.03
3.69
21/03/2019
154.02
10.12
3.70
28/03/2019
155.20
10.41
3.61
04/04/2019
157.54
12.11
3.66
11/04/2019
158.02
13.04
3.65
18/04/2019
153.41
9.22
3.41
25/04/2019
153.66
9.20
2.99
02/05/2019
152.70
9.07
3.77

Annual Conference on Computer Science and Engineering Technology (AC2SET) 2020
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1088 (2021) 012054
IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1088/1/012054
5
Figure 5. Test Results for the Low Resistive Materials
In the end, the tyre ash was seen to have given the least and steadiest resistive values in the course
of the entire period of monitoring and measurements. The PKOC offered a huge decrease from 18th
April through to the 2nd of May, 2019 when various heavy downpours were usual during such periods
in Ghana. From the beginning of the monitoring through 14th of March, 2019 when the dry season set
in, their protections turned out to be entirely flimsy, falling when there were light rains and taking off
during no downpours. At some days as appeared in Figure 5 when they delivered resistances esteems
ordinarily more prominent than that of the reference mat installed. It has been established in [1] with
evidence that these materials appeared to have a high water-holding limit and are seen as successful in
wet climate conditions and inadequate in exceptionally hot climate periods.
A top to bottom investigation additionally done in [11] demonstrates that soils have a pH scope of 5-
7 in rainy areas where tyre ash is seen as inside this range. Right now, it is commonly not viewed as the
predominant variable influencing consumption rates. The pH levels of the other inlaying material; palm
kernel oil cake is close even though it is outside the pH scope. The reference earth (raw sand) provided
high resistance values throughout the monitoring and measurement of the resistance values. An
establishing framework with high ground resistance gives a risky way to the deficiency current, which
builds the danger of hardware and equipment disappointment just as the probability of serious damage
to person. Consequently, it fitting not to introduce an earth rod or mat in a crude ground for earthing
purposes.
A comparable great investigation done by [1] in 2009 indicated that the tire ash supposedly had given
the least and steadiest resistance values during the entire time period of monitoring against three (3)
other refilling materials; PKOC, Powdered Cocoa Shell and Wood Ashes. The figures given exhibited
the assortment of resistance with time. The perusing taken on a day was imparted as the degree of the
resistance of the reference terminal taken around a similar time. The tire ash was found to have given
the improvement in resistance values up to about 16% in the wet season with further enhancement of
8% in the dry season. This affirms our research report to be valid and substantial.
4. Conclusion
The usage of upgrade material is essential, particularly in areas with high level of soil resistance values,
rough, and sand soil structure. These materials give huge effect on establishing framework improvement
explicitly to bringing down the establishing resistance. Numerous investigations have been led to
consider different sorts of improvement material on their properties, trademark, and conduct. Tyre ash
and PKOC commonly used as low resistive materials during earthing systems particularly in Ghana can
result in low resistive values both in wet and dry seasons.
0
50
100
150
200
Resistance Values in Ω
Days of monitoring
Weekly Results from Test Reading
Reference soil Palm kernel cake Tyre ash

Annual Conference on Computer Science and Engineering Technology (AC2SET) 2020
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1088 (2021) 012054
IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1088/1/012054
6
It should be noted that estimation of the general earth resistance is significant and must be completed
utilizing appropriate hardware and methods, in a reliable way without being unfavourably influenced by
ecological variables. Results obtained from the test prove tyre ash to be an excellent backfill material
for domestic earthing whiles PKOC could be an alternative material for the non-availability of the tyre
ash.
References
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