HV Earthing Design — UQ Plasma Fuel Project

Overview

The University of Queensland’s Plasma Fuel project involves a high voltage power system that uses capacitor banks to store and deliver DC high voltage energy for plasma generation and electromagnet operation. The system operates at voltages and fault energy levels that demand rigorous earthing design — both to protect personnel and to ensure the integrity of the equipment and research infrastructure.

UQ engaged Grid Dynamics to carry out earthing conductor sizing calculations for the HV power system, providing the engineering basis for the earthing design of this specialist research installation.

Scope of Work

• Review of the HV power system configuration, including capacitor bank ratings, DC voltage levels, fault energy characteristics, and system topology
• Earthing conductor sizing calculations in accordance with relevant Australian Standards and engineering principles, accounting for the specific fault current and energy characteristics of a capacitor-based DC high voltage system
• Assessment of the earthing requirements for the plasma generation and electromagnet components of the system
• Preparation of an engineering report documenting the earthing conductor sizing calculations, design basis, and recommendations

Outcome

Grid Dynamics delivered a formal earthing conductor sizing report providing the engineering basis for the earthing design of the UQ Plasma Fuel project’s HV system. The calculations accounted for the particular characteristics of a capacitor-fed DC high voltage system — which differs from conventional AC earthing design scenarios — and provided UQ’s project team with confidence that the earthing system was appropriately sized for the fault energy the installation could produce.