Transformer Protection

• Transformers are static devices, totally enclosed and generally oil

immersed. Therefore, chances of faults occurring on them are very
rare.
• However, the consequences of even a rare fault may be very
serious unless the transformer is quickly disconnected from the
system.
Common transformer faults.
(i) open circuits
(ii) overheating
(iii) Winding faults(phase to phase faults, interturn faults, earth
faults)
(iv) through faults
(v) over fluxing
 Percentage Differential Protection for
Transformers
• The percentage differential protection or Merz-Price protection
based on the circulating current principle can also be used for
the transformers. This system gives protection against phase to
phase faults and phase to ground faults to the power
transformers
• The principle of such a protection scheme is the comparison of the
currents entering and leaving the ends of a transformer. The
vector difference of currents passes through the operating coil
while the average current passes through the restraining coil.
• In normal conditions, the two currents at the two ends of the
transformer are equal and balance is maintained. So no currents
flow through the operating coil of the relay and and relay is
inoperative
• But when there is phase to phase fault or phase to ground fault,
this balance gets disturbed. The difference current flows through
the operating coil due to which relay operates, tripping the circuit
breaker.
Important points which must be taken care of Percentage
Differential Protection for the power transformers
 1. In a power transformer, the voltage rating of the two windings is
different. The high voltage winding is low current winding while
low voltage winding is high current winding. Thus there always
exists difference in current on the primary and secondary sides
of the power transformer.
Hence if C.T.s of same ratio are used on two sides, then relay
may get operated through there is no fault existing.
 To compensate for this difficulty, the current ratios of C.T.s on
each side are different. These ratios depend on the line currents
of the power transformer and the connection of C.T.s
• Due to the different turns ratio, the currents fed into the pilot
wires from each end are same under normal conditions so that the
relay remains inoperative.
• For example if K is the turns ratio of a power transformer then the
ratio of C.T.s on low voltage side is made K times greater than
that of C.T.s on high voltage side.
2. In case of power transformers, there is an inherent phase
difference between the voltages induced in high voltage winding
and low voltage winding.
• Due to this, there exists a phase difference between the line
currents on primary and secondary sides of a power transformer
• This introduces the phase difference between the C.T. secondary
currents, on the two sides of a power transformer. Through the
turns ratio of C.T.s are selected to compensate for turns ratio of
transformer, a differential current may result due to the phase
difference between the currents on two sides
• Such a different current may operate the relay though there is no
fault. Hence it is necessary to correct the phase difference.
• To compensate for this, the C.T. connections should be such that
the resultant currents fed into the pilot wires from either sides are
displaced in phase by an angle equal to the phase shift between
the primary and secondary currents.
• To achieve this, secondaries of C.T.s on star connected side of a
power transformer are connected in delta while the secondaries of
C.T.s on delta connected side of a power transformer are
connected in star. connecting C.T. secondaries for the various
types of power transformer connections.
3. The neutrals of C.T. star and power transformer stars are
grounded.
4. Many transformers have tap changing arrangement due to which
there is a possibility of flow of differential current. For this, the
turns ratio of C.T.s on both sides of the power transformer are
provided with tap for of C.T.s on both sides of the power
transformer are provided with tap for their adjustment
• The connection of C.T. secondaries in delta for star side of power
transformer and the connection of C.T. secondaries in star for
delta side of power transformer is shown in the Fig.1(a) and (b).
Fig.1(a) and (b).
Merz-Price Protection for Star-Delta Transformer
Merz-Price Protection for Star-Star Transformer
 Operation of Buchholz Relay
• Buchholz relay is a gas-actuated relay installed in oil immersed
transformers
• Buchholz Relay Providing protection against all kinds of incipient
faults i.e. slow-developing faults such a insulation failure of
windings, core heating, fall of oil level due to leaky joints etc.
• It is used to give an alarm in case of incipient (i.e. slow-
developing) faults in the transformer and to disconnect the
transformer from the supply in the event of severe internal faults
• Buchholz relays on all such oil immersed transformers having
ratings in excess of 750 kVA.
• The device has two elements. The upper element consists of a
mercury type switch attached to a float.
• The lower element contains a mercury switch mounted on a hinged
type flap located in the direct path of the flow of oil from the
transformer to the conservator.
Buchholz Relay
 Buchholz Relay
• In case of incipient faults within the transformer, the heat due to fault
causes the decomposition of some transformer oil in the main tank.
The products of decomposition contain more than 70% of hydrogen
gas. The hydrogen gas being light tries to go into the conservator and
in the process gets entrapped in the upper part of relay chamber.
• When a predetermined amount of gas gets accumulated, it exerts
sufficient pressure on the float to cause it to tilt and close the contacts
of mercury switch attached to it. This completes the alarm circuit to
sound an alarm.
• If a serious fault occurs in the transformer, an enormous amount of
gas is generated in the main tank.
• The oil in the main tank rushes towards the conservator via the
Buchholz relay and in doing so tilts the flap to close the contacts of
mercury switch.
• This completes the trip circuit to open the circuit breaker controlling
the transformer.
• Advantages
(i) It is the simplest form of transformer protection.
(ii) It detects the incipient faults at a stage much earlier than is
possible with other forms of protection.
• Disadvantages
(i) It can only be used with oil immersed transformers equipped
with conservator tanks.
(ii) The device can detect only faults below oil level in the
transformer. Therefore, separate protection is needed for
connecting cables
 Earth-Fault or Leakage Protection
• An earth-fault usually involves a partial breakdown of winding
insulation to earth. The resulting leakage current is considerably
less than the short-circuit current.
• An earth-fault relay is essentially an overcurrent relay of low
setting and operates as soon as an earth-fault or leak develops.
• One method of protection against earth-faults in a transformer is
the core-balance leakage protection.