Enhancing grounding system efficiency through biopore technique in seasonal soil conditions

Resistance values in grounding systems are prone to variation due to weather changes. Specifically, soil condition fluctuations, transitioning from moist to dry, cause an increase in the resistance of prolonged grounding installations. This rise in grounding resistance is further influenced by seasonal shifts, such as the transition from wet to dry seasons. During the dry season, arid conditions dominate the research site, particularly affecting field and organic soils known for their rapid drying. To mitigate surface soil dryness, it is crucial to enhance the moisture content of the surface soil. The biopore technique was implemented at Bukit Asam Company in Tanjung Enim, Indonesia, to augment soil moisture around the grounding rod electrodes embedded in the soil. This study explored the biopore technique, which involved creating holes of various depths and filling them with a mixture of rice husks and salt (NaCl). This mixture serves as a water reservoir, utilizing water collected from the exhaust of air conditioning units. The primary goal of this method is to lower grounding resistance in dry conditions with dry surface soil. The result of modifying the depths of the biopore holes was a decrease in grounding resistance. Resistance diminished following the application of the biopore technique, combined with rice husks and NaCl. The findings suggest that enhancing soil moisture content can significantly reduce grounding resistance, with the reduction being directly proportional to the depth of the biopores.