NOAA Mauna Loa Facility Electrical and Grounding Survey February 26, 2021
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NOAA Mauna Loa Facility Electrical and Grounding Survey February 26, 2021 Lee Santoro Electrical Engineer Summit Kinetics Andrew Cooper Electrical Engineer Summit Kinetics 1 Abstract At the request of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a survey of the electrical and grounding systems of the Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO) was undertaken. MLO is a premier atmospheric research facility that has been continuously monitoring and collecting data related to atmospheric change since the 1950's. The electrical and grounding systems of the MLO facility have evolved over six decades of use, modified and expanded as the scientific needs of the facility have changed. The result is a patchwork of old and newer systems built to the prevailing standards of the era in which they were installed. The report outlines the geological and resultant extreme electrical isolation from reasonably conductive soil and ground water at this site. The site’s extremely poor ground conductivity provides no practical remediation using a conventional approach for a properly earthed grounding electrode system. As a result, the conclusions and recommendations provided treat the site as a whole, similar to a ship, requiring extraordinary efforts to provide a safe and effective grounding system. The high level results of this survey are contained in this report, along with recommendations for the improvement of these systems. The goal is to support the continued atmospheric and climate research that is proving ever more critical in this era of climate change. NOAA Mauna Loa Facility Electrical and Grounding Survey Page 2 Table of Contents 1 Abstract___________________________________________________________2 2 NOAA Mauna Loa Site_________________________________________________6 2.1 Facility____________________________________________________________________7 2.1.1 Logistics_______________________________________________________________8 2.1.2 Safety_________________________________________________________________8 2.2 Landscape_________________________________________________________________8 2.3 Geology___________________________________________________________________9 3 Grounding and Bonding Theory________________________________________11 3.1 Typical Structural Grounding and Bonding_______________________________________11 3.2 Soils and Substrates________________________________________________________12 3.3 Moisture and Conductivity___________________________________________________12 3.4 Testing__________________________________________________________________12 3.5 Conventional Remediation and Conductivity Enhancement__________________________12 3.6 Ufer or Concrete Encased Electrode Grounding___________________________________13 4 Current Site Conditions and Challenges__________________________________14 4.1 Current Grounding System___________________________________________________14 4.2 Ground Measurements______________________________________________________15 4.3 MLO Site Power___________________________________________________________16 4.4 Electrical Equipment________________________________________________________19 4.5 Facility Notes_____________________________________________________________21 4.5.1 NDACC Building________________________________________________________21 4.5.2 Keeling Building________________________________________________________21 4.5.3 Butler Building_________________________________________________________22 4.5.4 Hawaii Telcom Building__________________________________________________23 4.5.5 US Army LMR__________________________________________________________23 4.5.6 AEC Building___________________________________________________________24 4.5.7 The Simpson Building (Groundwinds)_______________________________________24 4.5.8 High Sampling Tower____________________________________________________25 4.5.9 Mauna Loa Solar Observatory_____________________________________________25 4.5.10 ASIAA (AMiBA)________________________________________________________26 4.6 Site Communications_______________________________________________________26 4.6.1 Telephone____________________________________________________________27 4.6.2 Network______________________________________________________________27 5 Recommendations__________________________________________________28 5.1 High Priority Recommendations_______________________________________________28 5.1.1 Removal of the 50kVA Single Phase Service__________________________________28 NOAA Mauna Loa Facility Electrical and Grounding Survey Page 3 5.1.2 Removal the Special Projects Panel_________________________________________29 5.1.3 Resolution of Code Issues________________________________________________30 5.1.4 General Electrical System Condition________________________________________30 5.1.5 Inspection and Repair of the Existing Grounding System________________________31 5.2 Facility Improvements______________________________________________________31 5.2.1 Design and Installation of a Main Facility Primary Ground Point___________________31 5.2.2 Design and Installation of Ufer Ground / Utility Corridor System__________________32 5.2.3 Communications Standardization and Consolidation____________________________33 5.3 Follow-On recommendations_________________________________________________34 5.3.1 Site Wide Electrical Utility Distribution Standardization__________________________34 5.3.2 Future Construction Recommendations______________________________________34 5.3.3 Maintenance of the Existing Grounding System_______________________________34 5.3.4 Design and Upgrade of the On-Site Computer Network_________________________35 5.3.5 Relocation of Radio Frequency Communications_______________________________35 5.3.6 Design of Photovoltaic Additions___________________________________________35 6 References________________________________________________________37 NOAA Mauna Loa Facility Electrical and Grounding Survey Page 4 Table of Figures Figure 1: NOAA Mauna Loa Facility as of late 2020______________________________________6 Figure 2: MLO Facility Location on the Island of Hawaii__________________________________7 Figure 3: MLO Site Looking Toward Sampling Tower with Typical Surface Conditions___________9 Figure 4: Exposed Mauna Loa lava flows at Kealakekua Bay_____________________________10 Figure 5: Electrical Conductivity of Various Rocks______________________________________11 Figure 6: Typical Grounding Distribution Panel at the Butler Building_______________________14 Figure 7: Performing Ground Quality Measurements____________________________________15 Figure 8: Power Line and Transformer Locations______________________________________17 Figure 9: Electrical and Communications Conduits beside the AEC Building__________________18 Figure 10: Unburied Conduit at the Camera Building___________________________________18 Figure 11: Power Line Termination and Transformers___________________________________19 Figure 12: Mauna Loa Observatory Facility Map_______________________________________20 Figure 13: Circuit Breaker Panel Located Above a Sink in the Keeling Building_______________22 Figure 14: Distribution Panels and Meters on the Rear of the Butler Building________________23 Figure 15: The Hawaii Telcom, Army, and AEC Buildings________________________________24 Figure 16: The Simpson Building (Groundwinds) with the AEC Building (blue)_______________25 Figure 17: Mauna Loa Solar Observatory_____________________________________________26 Figure 18: Typical Communications Pull Box__________________________________________27 Figure 19: 50kVA Transformer Enclosure_____________________________________________28 Figure 20: The Special Projects Panel_______________________________________________30 Figure 21: Conduit at the Base of the Special Projects Panel_____________________________31 Figure 22: Utility Corridor Cross Section_____________________________________________33 Figure 23: Aerial view of the MLO Facility____________________________________________36 NOAA Mauna Loa Facility Electrical and Grounding Survey Page 5 2 NOAA Mauna Loa Site The Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory (MLO) operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is located on the north slope of the Mauna Loa Volcano at an elevation of 3,400m (11,150ft). The site is about 5.8 miles north and 770m (2,500ft) below the summit of Mauna Loa and the summit caldera, and about 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from the boundary of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Figure 1: NOAA Mauna Loa Facility as of late 2020 Latitude/Longitude: 19.5364N /155.5761W The observatory is a premier atmospheric research facility that has been continuously monitoring and collecting data related to atmospheric change since the 1950's. In addition to NOAA facilites the site also hosts a range of experiments belonging to other governmental agencies and research institutions. NOAA Mauna Loa Facility Electrical and Grounding Survey Page 6 Figure 2: MLO Facility Location on the Island of Hawaii 2.1 Facility MLO is a campus composed of many small buildings and sheds housing atmospheric sampling instruments, walk-up scientific tower, and several communications antennae. Anchoring the science on the site are the two larger buildings. The Keeling Building constructed in 1956 is the oldest structure on the site. The NDACC Building, constructed in 1997 is currently the largest structure on-site. There are approximately sixteen smaller structures ranging from modest buildings to utility sheds scattered