Unit – II

Relays
Relay - Introduction
• The proper operation of the power system requires an efficient, reliable and fast acting
protection scheme, which basically consists of protective relays and switching devices.

• “A protective relay, acting as a brain behind the whole system, senses the fault, locates it,
and sends a command to appropriate circuit breaker to isolate only the faulty section, thus
keeping the rest of the healthy system functional. “

• It detects abnormal conditions on a power system by constantly monitoring the electrical

quantities of the system, which are different under normal and abnormal (fault)
conditions.

• The basic electrical quantities which are likely to change during abnormal conditions are
current, voltage, phase angle (direction) and frequency. Protective relays utilize one or
more of these quantities to detect abnormal conditions on a power system.
Relay Circuit or Relay Connection
Types of Relays

Protective relays are broadly classified into the following three categories
depending on the technologies they use for their construction and operation.

(i) Electromechanical relays

(ii) Static relays
(iii) Numerical relays

There are various types of protective relays in each category, depending on the operating
principle and application.
Electromechanical relays

• Most electromechanical relays use either electromagnetic attraction or electromagnetic

induction principle for their operation.
• Such relays are called electromagnetic relays.
• Depending on the principle of operation, the electromagnetic relays are of two types, i.e.,
(i) attracted armature relays, and
(ii) induction relays

Note:
• Electromechanical relays operate by mechanical forces generated on moving parts due to
electromagnetic forces created by the input quantities.
• The mechanical force results in physical movement of the moving part which closes the
contacts of the relay for its operation
Attracted armature relays
• The coil is energized by an operating quantity proportional to the system current or
voltage.
• The operating quantity produces a magnetic flux which in turn produces an
electromagnetic force.
• The electromagnetic force is proportional to the square of the flux in the air gap or the
square of the current.
• The relay is an instantaneous relay.
Attracted armature relays
• A balanced beam relay which is also a kind of attracted armature type relay.
• As its name indicates, it consists of a beam carrying two electromagnets at its ends.
• One gives operating torque while the other restraining torque.
• The beam is supported at the middle and it remains horizontal under normal conditions.
• When the operating torque exceeds the restraining torque, an armature fitted at one end of the beam
is pulled and its contacts are closed.
Induction Relays
Induction Relays
• Induction relays use electromagnetic induction principle for their operation.
• Their principle of operation is same as that of a single-phase induction motor.
• Hence they can be used for ac currents only. Two types of construction of these Relays are fairly
standard:
• one with an induction disc and the other with an induction cup.
• In both types of relays, the moving element (disc or cup) is equivalent to the rotor of the
• induction motor.
• There is one contrast from the induction motor, i.e., the iron associated with the rotor in the relay is
stationary.
• The moving element acts as a carrier of rotor currents, whereas the magnetic circuit is completed
through stationary magnetic elements.
• Two sources of alternating magnetic flux in which the moving element may turn are required for
the operation of induction-type relays.
• In order to produce an operating torque, the two fluxes must have a phase difference between them.
Induction Disc Relay
watt hour meter type Induction Relay

• In wattmetric type of construction, two electromagnets are used: upper and lower one.
• Each magnet produces an alternating flux which cuts the disc.
• To obtain a phase displacement between two fluxes produced by upper and lower
electromagnets, their coils may be energized by two different sources.
• If they are energized by the same source, the resistances and reactances of the two circuits
are made different so that there will be sufficient phase difference between the two fluxes.
• Induction disc type construction is robust and reliable.
• It is used for overcurrent protection.
watt hour meter type Induction Relay
Induction Relays
Current Setting
• In disc type units, there are a number of tapping provided on coil to select the desired
pick-up value of the current. These tapping are shown in Fig.

Time Setting
• The distance which the disc travels before it closes the relay contact can be adjusted by
adjusting the position of the backstop.
• If the backstop is advanced in the normal direction of rotation, the distance of travel is
reduced, resulting in a shorter operating time of the relay.
Induction Relays
Induction Cup Relay
A stationary iron core is placed inside the
rotating cup to decrease the air gap without
increasing inertia.

The spindle of the cup carries an arm which closes contacts.

A spring is employed to provide a resetting
torque.

When two actuating quantities

are applied, one may produce an operating
torque while the other may produce
restraining torque.

Brake magnets are not

used with induction cup type relays. It
operates on the same principle as that of an induction motor.
Theory of Induction Relay Torque
Theory of Induction Relay Torque
Theory of Induction Relay Torque
Over Current Protection
• A protective relay which operates when the load current exceeds a preset
value, is called an overcurrent relay.
• The value of the preset current above which the relay operates is known as
its pick-up value.
• Overcurrent relays offer the cheapest and simplest form of protection.
• These relays are used for the protection of distribution lines, large motors,
power equipment, industrial systems, etc
TIME-CURRENT CHARACTERISTICS
A wide variety of time-current characteristics is available for overcurrent relays. The name
assigned to an overcurrent relay indicates its time-current characteristic as describe below.

• Definite-time Overcurrent Relay

• Instantaneous Overcurrent Relay

• Inverse-time Overcurrent Relay

• Inverse De inite Minimum Time Overcurrent (I.D.M.T) Relay

Characteristics
OVERCURRENT PROTECTIVE SCHEMES
• Time-graded system
• Current-graded system
• A combination of time and current grading.
PSM
Solve Problem
REVERSE POWER (OR) DIRECTIONAL OVER CURRENT RELAY
REVERSE POWER (OR) DIRECTIONAL OVER CURRENT RELAY
REVERSE POWER (OR) DIRECTIONAL OVER CURRENT RELAY
Distance Relays

• Distance protection is a widely used protective scheme for the protection of high and
extra high voltage (EHV) transmission and sub-transmission lines.

• This scheme employs a number of distance relays which measure the impedance or some
components of the line impedance at the relay location.

• The measured quantity is proportional to the line-length between the location of the relay
and the point where the fault has occurred.

• As the measured quantity is proportional to the distance along the line, the measuring
relay is called a distance relay.
Types of distance relays

• Impedance relay
• Reactance relay
• MHO relay
• OFF set MHO relay
Impedance Relay
• An impedance relay measures the importance of the line at the relay location.
• When a fault occurs on the protected line section, the measured impedance is the
impedance of the line section between the relay location and the point of fault.
• The operating characteristic concerning the voltage and current is shown in the figure below. The dotted
line in the image represents the operating condition at the constant line impedance.
Impedance Relay Operation
Impedance Relay Characteristics
Note:
• The above expression explains that the relay is on the verge of operation when the ratio
of V to I, i.e. the measured value of line impedance is equal to a given constant.
“The relay operates if the measured impedance Z is less than the given constant”

impedance relay characteristic on the R-X diagram,

where Z = K represents a circle
and Z < K indicates the area within the circle.
Thus, it is seen that
the zone within the circle is the operating zone of the relay.
Its radius is Z = K,
which is the setting of the relay.
K is equal to the impedance of the line which is to be
protected.
Reactance Relay
This relay consists of two elements an overcurrent element and a current-voltage directional
element.
The current element developed positive torque and a current-voltage developed directional
element which opposes the current element depending on the phase angle between current
and voltage.
Reactance relay Characteristics