SUBSTATION ELECTRICAL PROTECTION

Index
1. Brief Introduction of 132/11Kv Substation……………………………………. 2

2. Transformer differential protection……………………………………………… 4

3. Restricted Earth fault protection…………………………………………………. 11

4. Standby Earth fault protection……………………………………………………. 14

5. Directional over current and earth fault protection……………………….. 15

6. Circuit breaker failure protection………………………………………………… 18

7. Bus bar protection…………………………………………………………………….. 20

8. Cable differential protection……………………………………………………….. 23

9. Inter trip equipment………………………………………………………………….. 30

10. Circuit Breaker Duty cycle………………………………………………………….. 31

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Brief Introduction of 132/11kV Gas Insulated

Substation in Kuwait
132kV Gas Insulation Substation Testing:

1) GIS bus bar contact Resistance test

2) Gas Filling
3) CT Testing
4) VT Testing
5) SF6 gas trip logics
6) Bus live voltage selection
7) Auto trip circuits
8) Primary injection
9) Bus bar protection stability test
10) Directional over current stability
11) Circuit breaker failure protection
12) Alarm/ TTB (Transfer terminal block)

30MVA Transformers testing:

1. Insulation resistance
2. Ratio test
3. Vector group
4. Magnetizing current
5. On Load tap changer
6. Voltage regulating relays
7. Out of step for group operation
8. Winding resistance measurement

Protection

132kV Feeder Protection

1. Solkor relay for cable differential protection

2. Non direction over current and earth fault

132kV OH line protection

1. Main protection- Distance protection
2. Back up protection Directional over current and earth fault

30MVA Transformer Protection:-

1. Transformer differential
2. Restricted earth fault protection

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3. Stand by earth fault protection
4. Mechanical protection
a) Buchholz Alarm/trip
b) Winding temperature Alarm/trip
c) Oil temperature Alarm/trip
d) Pressure relief values–PRV -trip
e) Oil level indicator

132kV Bus bar protection

132kV Breaker failure protection

11kV Double Bus bar Metal Clad

Arc Protection

DC Distribution Board (DCDB)

AC Distribution Board

Dry type -Local transformers

Direct Earthing

COSC (Change over switch cabinet)

Battery charger

1. 220V Control batter

2. 220V Trip batter
3. 110V Emergency batter

Substation Earthing

Neutral earth Resistor rating of resistance 8 ohm 800 amps at 52 degree for 30
sec rated.

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Definitions:-

1. Unit protection.

Unit protection means protective relay will operate for the IN Zone fault; it will be stable for
external fault (Through fault). Zone area is defined by location of CT’s.

Power Transformer Protection

1. Differential protection
It is a Unit protection, Unit protection means protective relay will operate for the IN Zone
fault; it will be stable for external fault (Through fault). Zone area is defined by location of
CT’s.

Transformer Differential relay normally compares the HV and LV windings current. Under
normal balanced conditions (Full load/ External fault) the algebraic sum of these
currents is zero in the operating coil. When there is in zone fault i.e inside transformer, the
balance is upset, a differential current appears in the operating coil relay and it will trip the
HV and LV circuit breakers.

Difficulties in Differential Protection

Transformer present differential relays with the following difficulties, which affect their
design and applications these are

Sr.no Difficulties in Differential Protection Solutions

Unequal secondary current, due to

1 different turns ratios of the power Ratio correction
transformer windings and the CT’s.

Vector group
2 Phase shift
correction
3 On load tap changer Ratio correction
Ground fault on star side of Zero sequence
4
transformer filter on/off setting
2nd Harmonic
5 Inrush current / Magnetizing current.
current detection

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Basically there are two types of Differential relays:-

1. High impedance differential relay

2. Percentage biased differential relay

Principle of Percentage biased differential relay:-

Fig-1 illustrates the principle of differential protection of generator or transformer. When

there is no internal fault (Full load condition/ through fault) the current entering in protected
object is equal in phase and magnitude to current leaving protective object.

Idiff = I1+I2=0
Fig-1 Under normal operation condition

Idiff = I1+I2‡0 Fig-2 Under internal fault condition

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Biasing setting:-
Biasing is applied to transformer for some reason as any unit protection scheme to
ensure stability maintained for external fault condition. Sensitive setting to pick up
internal fault. This situation slightly complicated when using tap changer
transformer. Line CT ratio and correction factors are achieve current balance in
nominal tap position.
As off nominal tap position differential protection seen the current as internal fault to
avoid such a condition minimum biasing required set greater then sum of maximum
tap of transformer and possible CT error mal operation due to this cause is avoided.

Ration Correction:-
Correct operation of the differential element requires that current in the differential
element balance under load and through fault conditions. As the primary and
secondary line CT Ratios may not exactly match the transformer rated winding
current, digital /numerical relay are provided with ratio correction factors for each of
the CT inputs. The correction factors may be calculated automatically by the relay
from knowledge of line CT ratios and Transformer MVA rating. However if interposing
CT’s are used, ratio correction may not be, such an easy task and may need to take
into account a factor of √3 if delta connected CT’s or ICT’s are involved. If the
transformer is fitted with a tap changer, line CT ratio and correction factors are
normally chosen to achieve current balance at the mid tap of the transformer. It is
necessary to ensure that current mismatch due to off nominal tap position will not
cause spurious operations.

Phase correction:-
Correct operation of differential protection requires transformer primary and
secondary currents measured by relay in phase. Normal transformers have delta/star
with vector group this will make lead/lag the current with reference to HV current.
Usually this will be compensated using CT/ICT for Electromechanical and static relay
use appropriate CT/ICT connection to ensure that the primary and secondary
currents applied to the relays are in phase. It left uncorrected, this phase’s difference
would lead to the relay seeing through current as an unbalanced fault current.

Filtering of zero sequence current:-

Differential protection is essential to provide some form of zero sequence filtering
where a transformer winding can pass zero sequence current to an external earth
faults. This is to ensure that out of zone earth faults are not seen by the transformer
protection as an in zone fault. This is achieved by use of delta connected line CT’s or
interposing CT’s for older relays and hence the winding connection of the line and or
interposing CT’s must take this into account in addition to any phase compensation
necessary. For digital/ numerical relays the required filtering is applied in the relay
software.

Inrush Current:-

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When Transformer is energized, there is a magnetizing inrush current presence in
the Primary side of power transformer; it will be 7 to 8 time rated primary current of
transformer. There is not current on the transformer secondary side, the entire one
side of current flows through the differential path it will lead to operative relay.
In order to discriminate the fault condition and normal operation, The inrush currents
are contain the all even and odd harmonics, but percentage of harmonics are
identified as below table.
Harmonic Component Amplitude in percent of Fundamental
2nd 63.0
3rd 26.8
4th 5.1
5th 4.1
6th 3.7
7th 2.4
In view of the above, the percentages of 2nd harmonics currents are higher than
other harmonics, therefore the transformer differential relay has 2nd harmonic filter
which will detect the 2nd harmonics currents above the set value and it will block the
operation of the differential element. This block will be 2 sec after 2 sec it will be
released. During this block time if any fault occurs block will be released and relay
will operate mode. Therefore differential relay will discriminate fault and normal
operation conditions.

Biasing Setting:-

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First Slope set above the transformer magnetizing

current.

Second slope set to allow the off nominal tap settings.

Third slope has a larger bias slope beginning well above

rated current to cater for heavy through fault condition.

Rapid Pressure Rise Relay:-

This device detects rapid rise of pressure rather than absolute pressure and thereby
can respond even quicker than the pressure relief valve to sudden abnormally high

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pressure. Sensitivities as low as 0.07 bar/s are attainable, but when fitted to forced-
cooled transformers the operating speed of the device may have to be slowed
deliberately to avoid spurious tripping during circulation pumps starts.

Buchholz Protection:-
Buchholz protection is normally provided on all transformer fitted with a conservator.
The Buchholz relay is contained in a cast housing which is connected in the pipe to
the conservator.

A typical Buchholz relay will have two sets of contacts. One is arranged to operate
for slow accumulations of gas, the other for bulk displacement of oil in the event of a
heave internal fault. An alarm is generated for the former, but the latter is usually
direct wired to the CB trip relay.
The device will therefore give an alarm for the following fault condition, all of which
are of a low order of urgency.
1. Hot spots on the core due to short circuit of lamination insulation.
2. Core bolt insulation failure.
3. Inter turn faults or other winding faults involving only lower power infeeds.
4. Loss of oil due to leakage.

When a major winding fault occurs, this causes a surge of oil, which displaced the
lower float and thus causes isolation of the transformer. This action will take place
for:

i. All sever winding faults, either to earth or interphase.

ii. Loss of oil if allowed to continue to a dangerous degree.

As inspection window is usually provided in either side of the gas collection space.

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Visible while or yellow gas indicates that insulation has been burnt.

While black or grey gas indicates the presence of, dissociated oil. In these
cases the gas will probably be inflammable, whereas released air will not. A vent
valve is provided on the top of the housing for the gas to be released or collected for
analysis.

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Restricted earth fault Protection: -

It is a unit protection; basically restricted earth fault protection will protect the star
side of transformer.
It will be more effective to protect the neutral side earth faults. Because any turn to
earth fault in near to neutral of the transformer fault current in the primary and
secondary side of transformer will not much variable due to this differential relay will
not see this fault. At the same time enormous amount of fault current will flow
through neutral side of transformer.

Therefore to detect this kind of fault star side of transformer will have 3 nos of phase
CT and one neutral CT with same ratio, burden and type as shown in the below
drawing.

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Metrosil

Merisel:-
A metrosil is required to limit the CT output voltage under an internal fault if Vp>
3kV.

Stabilizing Resistor:-

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The purpose of stabilizing resistor is, set such that during heave through fault
current if any one of CT is get saturated relay remain inoperative. Still stability is
maintained.
If stabilizing resistor is short or not connect to the relay, possibility to mal operated
during through fault condition.

Selection of stabilizing resistor

Vs > K If (RCT + 2RL) (1)

Where:
RCT = current transformer secondary winding resistance
RL = maximum lead resistance from the current transformer to the relaying
point
If = maximum secondary external fault current
K = a constant affected by the dynamic response of the relay and the
application

RST = Vs/Ir – Rr

Comparison with Differential relay

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Transformer Standby earth fault protection:-

Basically it will back up protection for transformer secondary and outgoing feeders. If
the earth fault is not cleared by any of the outgoing feeder fault current will flow to
the source and it will be sensed and operated, Moreover it will be set to protect
neural Earthing resistor as well. Because these neutral Earthing resistance of design
to carry 800 amp for 30 sec. REF CT ratio- 1600/1 and Standby E/F CTR 800/1 ,
Standby earth fault relay setting PS: 0.2, TMS:0.5, Curve: Long term inverse.

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Directional over current and earth fault

In case of parallel feeders and ring main fault current can flow both direction in
order to discriminate the direction of fault, directional relay will have voltage element
to detect the direction.
Relay will be in operating mode if the fault current is above the set current values
and timer is elapse provided fault is in defined direction either forward or reverse.

Relay setting

PS: 1.0
TMS: 1.0
IDMT: Normal Inverse
MTA: 30 Degree, operating range: +/- 90 degree
Polarization voltage minimum Set: 5 Volts

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Ring main arrangement

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Directional earth fault protection:-

For the directional earth fault relay polarization voltage element will be connected
from open delta transformer secondary. Usually 1st and 4th quadrant will be an
operating zone area.

Circuit Breaker Failure (LBB PROTECTION)

Main protective schemes provided for line /transformer/generator are required to
operate and clear the fault immediately, isolating the faulty section of the system. It is then
important that the circuit breaker operates correctly, clearing the fault quickly by tripping.
However there is a risk that breaker may not trip (either due to mechanical sluggishness or
due to inability to interrupt heavy fault current). Then the fault gets cleared by backup relays
at remote stations.

Increasing power system complexity demands shorter fault clearing times. It is

therefore necessary to provide breaker failure relay (also called “Local breaker backup relay”
or “Stuck breaker protection”). This scheme will isolate the bus to which the stuck breaker is
connected, faster. It comprises of O/L & E/L relays with a timer. The LBB relay is energized
by trip command of main protection schemes and thus initiate master trip relay of the bus bar
protection scheme after elapsing of defined time. Then the entire breaker connected to the
bus get tripped, thus isolating faulty element.

Even if the bus bar protection scheme is not available, the LBB scheme can be
made use of by providing special trip circuits and trip relays similar to that of bus protection
trip circuits for each line. A schematic for such application is indicated in below figure.

Bay-1 Bay-2 Bay-3 Bay-4 Bay-5

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Breaker Failure logic

62-1
50BF Breaker Failure
AND Timer
BFI Scheme Output

50BF
CURRENT
PROTECTIVE
DETECTOR
FAULT CLEARED
RELAY BREAKER MARGIN
TIME INTERRUPT TIME RESET TIME TIME
TIME

AUX
62-1 BREAKER FAILURE TIMER TIME TRIP LOCAL BACKUP BREAKER
BFI RELAY INTERRUPT TIME
TIME
TRANSFER TRIP
TIME
FAULT OCCURS REMOTE BACKUP BREAKER
TOTAL FAULT CLEARING TIME INTERRUPT TIME

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Bus bar protection:-

Busbar Arrangements & Protection

In order to maintain system stability and 20tabiliz fault damage due to high fault levels,
instantaneous tripping for busbar faults is necessary.

Busbar protection scheme should be:

a) Completely reliable
b) Absolutely stable for heavy through faults
c) Selective
d) Accurate and fast operating

General Busbar Arrangements

3) Single Busbar Arrangement

This has only single bus bar to which all lines/Transformers/Generators, etc. are
connected. In the event of the fault on the bus entire bus has to be de-energized and a major
outage occurs.

b) Single Sectionalized Bus bar Scheme

In this, main bus is divided into two sections with a circuit breaker. One complete
section can be taken out for maintenance or for breakdown works without distribution
continuity of other section.

c) Main & transfer bus bar scheme: -

With this arrangement, any line breaker (one at a time) requiring maintenance can be
transferred to transfer bus. The feeder protection thus gets transferred to trip bus couple
breaker. On fault occurrence or maintenance, entire bus becomes de-energized.

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d) Double Bus arrangement: -

Flexibility of transferring any line to any of the buses. On fault occurrence or
maintenance only one bus becomes dead, while other bus remains in service.

e) Double bus and transfer bus arrangement:-

Combination of main and transfer bus and double bus arrangement.

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Bus bar Protection Scheme

3) High impedance circulating current scheme

2) Biased differential or low impedance circulating scheme.

S.No. Details High impedance circulating Low impedance biased

current relay differential relay
1. Principle The currents entering and It has differential and bias
leaving the busbar are setting. The resultant bias is
compared continuously. It proportional to arithmetic sum
involves choosing of impedance of all currents, whereas the
high enough to 22tabilize the operating current is vector
relay for heavy external faults. sum of all circuit currents.
2. CTs It requires all identical CT It can work with CTs of
ratios unequal ratios also.
3. CT Switching Yes, there is CT switching No CT Switching.
4. Burden Imposes comparatively high Imposes less burden on CTs.
burden on CTs. Auxiliary CTs Auxiliary CTs have no effect
reduce the performance of on performance of scheme
scheme
5. CT Saturation Operation of scheme even when Operation of scheme even
CTs get saturated during when CTs get saturated
internal faults during internal faults.
6. Performance Highly sensitive for internal Highly sensitive for internal
faults and completely stable for faults and completely for
external faults external faults
7. Relays in A.P GEC make CAG34, PBDCB GEC make MBCZ
System ABB make RADSS

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Cable Differential Protection (Solkor Rf or R mode)

Unit Protection:-

“A protection system which is designed to operate only for abnormal conditions within a clearly
defined zone of the power system”.

Unit protection means protective relay will operate for the IN Zone fault; it will be stable for
external fault (Through fault). Zone area is defined by location of CT’s.

Cable Differential protection:-

The measuring principle is based on a comparison of amplitude and phase angle at the two
line ends according to the differential current principle.

A summation transformer is often used to transform three phase systems into single phase
form enabling the use of one pair of pilot wires only. With the voltage balance principle, the
current unbalance is changed into a voltage balance. The principle of a voltage balance
differential relay is shown in fig.1.

Figure-1

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Figure-2

Figure-3

Under normal loaded condition or external fault condition (fig-2) , all three phases current (
Ir,Iy,Ib )converted to single phase current by summation transformer, pilot current will
circulate in between two end therefore relay current will be zero at both end.

Under internal fault condition both primary current towards fault, accordingly single phase
current in the pilot will be opposite to each other therefore pilot current will be zero and
relay current presence both end of relay will be operated.

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Figure-4 Pilot Cable

Summation
Transformer

Solkor-R Mode Operating Coil

Figure-5 Pilot Cable

Isolation
Transformer

Solkor-Rf Mode

A padding resistor Rp is provided in the relay so that the pilot loop resistance may be
adjusted to the designed value of 1000 ohms. By this means the nominal bias characteristics
and consistent performance can be obtained for the wide range of actual pilot resistance
values.

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For Solkor R the value chosen should be as near as possible to ½(1000-Rp) ohms, where Rp
is the pilot resistance. The 500 ohm resistor should therefore be fitted for the Solkor R and
the link will always be fitted for this mode.

For Solkor Rf without isolating transformers the value chosen should be as near as possible
to

½(2000-Rp) ohms.

For Solkor Rf with isolating transformers the value chosen should be as near as possible to

½(SV-Rp)/T ohms.

Where T = Isolating transformer tap.

& SV = Standard resistance value for tap on transformers,

1780Ω for tap1, 880Ω for tap 0.5 & 440Ω for tap 0.25

The operating element is of the attracted armature type with three contacts, each pair being
brought out to separate terminals. The inherent advantages of such a relay are robustness
and simplicity and since the contacts are suitable for direct operation of a circuit breaker trip
coil, no repeat relay is necessary.

A 5kV insulation level is provided between the secondary winding of the summation
transformer
and its primary winding. The core and the relay coil is also insulated at 5kV.
Since the only external connections to the relay are those to the current transformers, the
pilots and the tripping and alarm circuits, the installation and commissioning of the
equipment is extremely simple. To check the current in the operating element, a test point is
provided.

The 15kV arrangement is for applications where the voltage across the pilot insulation due
to

induction or a rise in station earth potential are excessive and where, consequently, the
normal 5kV insulation level is not considered adequate.

Give the each fault approximate value of picks.

Secondary injection connection made as per the figure-6. Measure the parameter as shown
below table R-E, Y-E & B-E respectively. The below results for Solkor Rf relay.

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Figure-6

Sec. current injected Pilot Relay Relay

Pilot
Voltage I injected
circuit Operating Current operated
Terminals
Terminals Amps
open/close m/A DC V AC yes or no

R-N 0.16 Opened 7.76 44.4 1-4 Yes

Y-N 0.20 Opened 7.75 45.1 2-4 Yes

B-N 0.27 Opened 7.74 46.0 3-4 Yes

R-Y 0.82 Opened 7.82 47.9 1-2 Yes

R-B 0.41 Opened 7.81 47.2 1-3 Yes

R-N 1.00 Shorted 4.01 0.0 1-4 No

R-N 2.63 Shorted 7.77 0.0 1-4 NO

R-N 1.00 Opened 16.67 105.0 1-4 Yes

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To maintain the stability the following point must be mandatory.

1. Both ends must be same CT ratio (Local station and Remote Station).
2. CT star point for both ends should be towards line side.
3. Pilot polarity should be same for both end.(P0 connected to far end P0 similarly p1).
4. Padding resistor both sides should be same.
5. In case of using Isolation transformer tap position should be same in both sides.

Condition of currents presence in the relay:-

Condition Secondary current in Pilot Current in AC Relay Operation

Ac Amps mA Current DC mA
Feeder Loaded Yes Yes No
External Through Yes Yes No
fault
Internal fault Yes No Yes

Inter Trip equipment in 132kv Feeder:

High Frequency inter trip equipment is used transmit the local signal to far end substation.
In 132kV voltage level HF equipment’s are used the following frequency setting

132kV UG Feeder Use age

Band width Tx and Rx 480 Hz
Centre frequency 2.4 KHz Used for Direct Trip
Pilot Tone 2.5 KHz
Impedance 600 Ohms

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132kV OHL Feeder Use age

Band width Tx and Rx
Centre frequency Direct Trip
Pilot Tone
Band width Tx and Rx
Centre frequency Permission under trip
Impedance

300kV OHL Feeder Use age

Band width
Centre frequency 2.1 kHz Permissive over reach
Pilot Tone 2.55 kHz trip
Impedance
Band width
Centre frequency 1.6 kHz Sensitivity POP E/f Trip
Pilot Tone
Impedance
Band width
Centre frequency 1.1 kHz Direct Trip
Pilot Tone
Impedance

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Circuit Breaker Duty Cycle: -

O-0.3s-CO-3min-CO

This is the Rated Operating Sequence (Duty Cycle) of the circuit breaker. Which
denotes the sequence of opening and closing operations which the circuit breaker
can perform under specified conditions. The operating mechanism experiences sever
stress during the auto-reclosure duty; however, the circuit breaker should be able to
perform the operating sequence as follows:

O-t-CO-T-CO

where,

O = opening operation

t = time required for circuit breaker to be ready to receive closing order from auto-
reclosure relay (0.3 s to be used for rapid reclosure), (3 min not to be used for rapid
reclosure).

CO = close operation followed by open operations

T = time required by the circuit breaker, insulating media for regeneration and
operating mechanism (3 min)

CO = close operation followed by open operations.

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