A MODEL FOR CHARACTERIZING RESIDENTIAL GROUND CURRENT AND MAGNETIC-FIELD FLUCTUATIONS

The current through the residential grounding circuit is an important source for magnetic fields; field variations near the grounding circui t accurately track fluctuations in this ground current. In this paper, a model is presented which permits calculation of the range of these fluctuations. A discrete network model is used to simulate a local dis tribution system for a single street, and a statistical model to simul ate unbalanced currents in the system. Simulations of three-house and ten-house networks show that random appliance operation leads to groun d current fluctuations which can be quite large, on the order of 600%. This is consistent with measured fluctuations in an actual house. (C) 1991 Wiley-Liss, Inc.