Lecture 18 – Protection Schemes

Switchgear and Protection

(UEE603)
 Contents
• Course objective:
– To introduce the concept of protection system attributes (completed)
– types of fuses, (completed)
– circuit breakers, (completed)
– relays, (completed)
– earthing
– various protection schemes.
• Protection Schemes:
– Overcurrent and Overvoltage protection of transmission lines,
– differential protection,
– transformer protection,
– Bus bar protection,
– distance protection of transmission line,
– carrier aided protection of transmission lines,
– generator protection,
– induction motor protection.
 Contents
• Limitations of fuse
• Recap of protection system
• Relay Vs Fuse
• Overcurrent protection
• Directional overcurrent protection
• Distance protection
• Differential protection
 Recap
• Relays measure Current or Voltage
• Magnitude, Phase Angle, or Speed (frequency)
– Relative to a threshold
– Relative to another phase
– Relative to another quantity
– Rate of change
• Examples
– Fuse reacts to __________
– Phase Overcurrent Relay reacts to __________
– Ground (Residual) Overcurrent Relay reacts to __________
– Distance Relay reacts to __________
– Directional Overcurrent Relay reacts to __________
– Synchronizing Check Relay reacts to __________
 Limitations of a Fuse
• Advantage of fuse based protection is its simplicity and
cheapness.
• However, with fuses it is difficult to control the time to
trip.
• This creates difficulty in primary-backup coordination
activity.
• Also, once a fuse melts, unless it is replaced, the
equipment cannot be energized again.
• Thus, it is not possible to have remote operation. This
motivates development of an overcurrent relay.
Protection System
 Relays
• Protective Relays respond to measurements of current and/or
voltage of the power system, and have settings or
adjustments.
• Auxiliary Relays are used with Protective Relays to complete
a protection and control scheme. Auxiliary relays respond to
control system currents or voltages. They usually do not have
adjustments or settings.
• Other types of relays and devices may respond to things such
as: Pressure, Temperature, Vibration, Light, Position, Liquid
Level, Air/Oil Flow, etc. These relays/devices may perform
important protective functions.
Relay Terminology
 Overcurrent Protection
• This scheme is based on the intuition that, faults
typically short circuits, lead to currents much above the
load current. We can call them as over-currents.
• Over-current relaying and fuse protection uses the
principle that when the current exceeds a
predetermined value, it indicates presence of a fault
(short circuit).
• This protection scheme finds usage in radial
distribution systems with a single source. It is quite
simple to implement.
Overcurrent Protection
Overcurrent Protection
Fuse Vs. Overcurrent Relay
A radial distribution system
with a single source

• To relay R1, both downstream faults F1 and F2 are visible

i.e. IF1 as well as IF2 pass through CT of R1.
• To relay R2, fault F1, an upstream fault is not seen, only F2
is seen. This is because no component of IF1 passes through
CT of R2. Thus, selectivity is achieved naturally.
• Relaying decision is based solely on the magnitude of fault
current. Such a protection scheme is said to be non-
directional.
When the input current is above the current
limit, the disk rotates, the contact moves left
and reaches the fixed contact. The scale above
the plate indicates the delay-time.
A digital (numeric) multifunction protective
relay for distribution networks. A single such
device can replace many single-function
electromechanical relays, and provides self-
testing and communication functions.
 Directional Overcurrent Protection
• In contrast, there can be situations where for the purpose of selectivity; phase
angle information (always relative to a reference phasor) may be required.
• Such a case for a radial system with source at both ends.
• Consequently, fault is fed from both the ends of the feeder. To interrupt the
fault current, relays at both ends of the feeder are required.
• In this case, from the magnitude of the current seen by
the relay R2, it is not possible to distinguish whether the
fault is in the section AB or BC.
• Since faults in section AB are not in its jurisdiction, it
should not trip.
• To obtain selectivity, a directional overcurrent relay is
required. It uses both magnitude of current and phase
angle information for decision making.
• It is commonly used in sub-transmission networks
where ring mains are used.
Evolution of directional relay from wattmeter
 Distance Protection
• Consider a simple radial system, which is fed from a
single source. Let us measure the apparent impedance (V/I) at
the sending end.
• For the unloaded system, I=0, and the apparent impedance seen
by the relay is infinite.
• As the system is loaded, the apparent impedance reduces to some
finite value (ZL+ Zline); where ZL is the load impedance and Zline is
the line impedance.
• In presence of a fault at a per-unit distance ‘m',
the impedance seen by the relay drops to a mZline.
Fault in Transmission Line
• The basic principle of distance relay is that the apparent impedance seen by the relay,
which is defined as the ratio of phase voltage to line current of a transmission line (Zapp),
reduces drastically in the presence of a line fault.
• A distance relay compares this ratio with the positive sequence impedance (Z1) of the
transmission line. If the fraction Zapp/Z1 is less than unity, it indicates a fault. This ratio
also indicates the distance of the fault from the relay.
• Because, impedance is a complex number, the distance protection is inherently directional.
• The first quadrant is the forward direction i.e. impedance of the transmission line to be
protected lies in this quadrant.
• However, if only magnitude information is used, non-directional impedance relay results.
• Figs show a characteristic of an impedance relay and ‘mho relay' both belonging to
this class.
• The impedance relay trips if the magnitude of the impedance is within the circular region.
Since, the circle spans all the quadrants, it leads to non-directional protection scheme.
• In contrast, the mho relay which covers primarily the first quadrant is directional in nature.
 While impedance relay has only one design
Thus, the trip law for the impedance relay can be parameter, Zset; 'mho relay' has two design
written as follows: parameters Zn, 𝜆. The trip law for mho relay is
given by if
then trip; else restrain

then trip; else restrain. 𝜃 is the angle of transmission line. Based upon
legacy of electromechanical relays. 𝜆is also called
′torque angle
Converting primary impedance to secondary side
Converting primary impedance to secondary side
 Numerical
.
Q1(a) Find out the value of Zn for a mho relay with torque angle 75o which has
to give 100% protection to a 50 km long 110 kV transmission line with
impedance 0.8 ohm per km and 80o.
Solution: ‘Mho relay' has two design parameters Zn, 𝝀.
The transmission line impedance Zline as on primary = 0.8x 50 = 40 ohm.

where CTR, CT ratio = 200; VTR, VT ratio = 1000

Zline(secondary) = 40 x 200/1000 = 8 ohm

Where, 𝜃 is the angle of transmission line.

This value is to be set on the mho relay

Q1(b) If the maximum load on this line is 1000A at 30o lagging, is
there any possibility of relay tripping on load? CT ratio is 1000:5.
Solution: Maximum Load current ILoad = 1000A

Since this value will not fall within the operating circle, the mho relay will not trip for this
load.
 Principle of Differential Protection
• Differential protection is based on the fact that
any fault within an electrical equipment would
cause the current entering it, to be different,
from the current leaving it.
• Thus by comparing the two currents either in
magnitude or in phase or both we can determine
a fault and issue a trip decision if the difference
exceeds a predetermined set value.
 Differential Protection for Transmission Line
• Fig. shows a short transmission line in which shunt charging can be neglected.
Then under no fault condition, phasor sum of currents entering the device is zero
i.e.
• Differential current under no fault condition is zero. However in case of fault in
the line segment AB, we get a non-zero differential current in presence of fault is
non-zero.

This principle of checking the differential current is

known as a differential protection scheme. In case of
transmission line, implementation of differential
protection requires a communication channel to
transmit current values to the other end. It can be used
for short feeders and a specific implementation is
known as pilot wire protection. Differential protection
tends to be extremely accurate. Its zone is clearly
demarcated by the CTs which provide the boundary.
 Differential Protection for Transmission Line (Tapped Line)
• Differential protection can be used for tapped lines (multi-terminal lines); where
boundary conditions are defined as follows:
• Under no fault condition:
• Faulted condition:
 Differential Protection for Transformer
• Differential protection for detecting faults is an attractive option when
both ends of the apparatus are physically located near each other. e.g.
on a transformer, a generator or a bus bar.
• Consider an ideal transformer with the CT connections. To illustrate the
principle let us consider that current rating of primary winding is 100 A
and secondary winding is 1000 A. Then if we use 100:5 and 1000:5 CT on
the primary and secondary winding, then under normal (no fault)
operating conditions the scaled CT currents will match in magnitudes.
• By connections the primary and secondary CTs with due care to the dots
(polarity markings), a circulating current can be set up as shown by
dotted line.
• No current will flow through the branch having overcurrent current relay
because it will result in violation of KCL. Now if an internal fault occurs
within the device like inter-turn short etc., then the normal mmf balance is
upset i.e.
• Under this condition, the CT secondary currents of primary and secondary
side CTs will not match. The resulting differential current will flow through
overcurrent relay. If the pick up setting of overcurrent relay is close to zero,
it will immediately pick up and initiate the trip decision.
• In practice, the transformer is not ideal. Consequently, even if ,
it is the magnetization current or (no load) current.
• Thus, a differential current always flows through the overcurrent relay.
Therefore overcurrent relay pick up is adjusted above the no load current
value. Consequently, minute faults below no load current value cannot be
detected. This compromises sensitivity.
 Differential Protection for Busbar
• Ideally, differential protection is the solution for the bus-bar
protection.
• Figure illustrates the basic idea. If the fault is external to the bus,
it can be seen that algebraic sum of the currents entering the bus
is zero.

• On the other hand, if fault is on the bus (internal fault), this sum is
not zero.

• Thus, differential protection can be used to protect a bus.

Relay Location
 Summary
• Limitations of fuse
• Recap of protection system
• Relay Vs Fuse
• Overcurrent protection
• Directional overcurrent protection
• Distance protection
• Differential protection