Fundamentals Of Non-Directional Overcurrent & Earth Fault Protection

Overcurrent Protection: Purpose of Protection

X Detect abnormal conditions X Isolate faulty part of the system X Speed Fast operation to minimise damage and danger X Discrimination Isolate only the faulty section X Dependability / reliability X Security / stability X Cost of protection / against cost of potential hazards

Overcurrent Protection Co-ordination

F1

F2

F3

X Co-ordinate protection so that relay nearest to fault operates first X Minimise system disruption due to the fault

Fuses

Overcurrent Protection Fuses

X Simple X Can provide very fast fault clearance <10ms for large current X Limit fault energy
Arcing Time Pre Arc Time Prospective Fault Current

Total Operating Time

Overcurrent Protection Fuses - disadvantages

X Problematic co-ordination
Fuse A Fuse B

IFA approx 2 x IFB X Limited sensitivity to earth faults X Single phasing X Fixed characteristic X Need replacing following fault clearance

Tripping Methods

Overcurrent Protection Direct Acting AC Trip

51

Trip Coil IF

X AC series trip common for electromechanical O/C relays

Overcurrent Protection Direct Acting AC Trip

IF '
+

51
-

Sensitive Trip Coil

IF

X Capacitor discharge trip used with static relays where no secure DC supply is available

Overcurrent Protection DC Shunt Trip

IF IF '

51

DC BATTERY

SHUNT TRIP COIL

X Requires secure DC auxiliary No trip if DC fails

Overcurrent Protection

Overcurrent Protection Principles

X Operating Speed Instantaneous Time delayed X Discrimination Current setting Time setting Current and time X Cost Generally cheapest form of protection relay

Overcurrent Protection Instantaneous Relays

50

IF2

50

IF1

X Current settings chosen so that relay closest to fault operates X Problem Relies on there being a difference in fault level between the two relay locations Cannot discriminate if IF1 = IF2

Overcurrent Protection Definite (Independent) Time Relays

TIME

TOP

IS (Relay Current Setting)

Applied Current

Overcurrent Protection Definite (Independent) Time Relays

51
0.9 sec

51
0.5 sec

X Operating time is independent of current X Relay closest to fault has shortest operating time X Problem Longest operating time is at the source where fault level is highest

Overcurrent Protection IDMT

TIME

IS (Relay Current Setting)

Applied Current

X Inverse Definite Minimum Time characteristic

Overcurrent Protection Disc Type O/C Relays

X Current setting via plug bridge X Time multiplier setting via disc movement X Single characteristic X Consider 2 ph & EF or 3 ph plus additional EF relay

Overcurrent Protection Static Relay

X Electronic, multi characteristic X Fine settings, wide range X Integral instantaneous elements

Overcurrent Protection Numerical Relay

I>1 I>2
Time

I>3 I>4
Current

X Multiple characteristics and stages X Current settings in primary or secondary values X Additional protection elements

Co-ordination

Overcurrent Protection Co-ordination Principle

R1

R2

IF1
T

IS2 IS1

Maximum Fault Level

X Relay closest to fault must operate first X Other relays must have adequate additional operating time to prevent them operating X Current setting chosen to allow FLC X Consider worst case conditions, operating modes and current flows

Overcurrent Protection Co-ordination Example

E D C B A

10

Operating time (s)

E
1

D C B

0.1

0.01

Current (A)

FLB

FLC

FLD

Overcurrent Protection IEC Characteristics

1000

X SI

0.14 (I0.02 -1) X VI t = 13.5 (I2 -1) X EI t = 80 (I2 -1) X LTI t = 120 (I - 1)

t =

100 Operating Time (s)

10
LTI SI

1
VI EI

0.1 1

10

100

Current (Multiples of Is)

Overcurrent Protection Operating Time Setting Terms Used

X Relay operating times can be calculated using relay characteristic charts X Published characteristcs are drawn against a multiple of current setting or Plug Setting Multiplier X Therefore characteristics can be used for any application regardless of actual relay current setting X e.g at 10x setting (or PSM of 10) SI curve op time is 3s
1000

Operating Time (s)

100

10

0.1 1

100 10 Current (Multiples of Is)

Overcurrent Protection Current Setting

X Set just above full load current allow 10% tolerance X Allow relay to reset if fault is cleared by downstream device consider pickup/drop off ratio (reset ratio) relay must fully reset with full load current flowing zPU/DO for static/numerical = 95% zPU/DO for EM relay = 90% X e.g for numerical relay, Is = 1.1 x IFL/0.95

Overcurrent Protection Current Setting

X Current grading ensure that if upstream relay has started downstream relay has also started

R1

R2

IF1

Set upstream device current setting greater than downstream relay e.g. IsR1 = 1.1 x IsR2

Overcurrent Protection Grading Margin

X Operating time difference between two devices to ensure that downstream device will clear fault before upstream device trips X Must include breaker opening time allowance for errors relay overshoot time safety margin
GRADING MARGIN

Overcurrent Protection Grading Margin between relays

R1

R2

X Traditional breaker op time relay overshoot allow. For errors safety margin Total X Calculate using formula

0.1 0.05 0.15 0.1 0.4s

Overcurrent Protection Grading Margin between relays

X Formula t = (2Er + Ect) t/100 + tcb + to + ts z Er = relay timing error z Ect = CT measurement error z t = op time of downstream relay z tcb = CB interupting time z to = relay overshoot time z ts = safety margin X Op time of Downstream Relay t = 0.5s 0.375s margin for EM relay, oil CB 0.24s margin for static relay, vacuum CB

Overcurrent Protection Grading Margin relay with fuse

X Grading Margin = 0.4Tf + 0.15s over whole characteristic X Assume fuse minimum operating time = 0.01s X Use EI or VI curve to grade with fuse X Current setting of relay should be 3-4 x rating of fuse to ensure co-ordination

Overcurrent Protection Grading Margin relay with upstream fuse

Tf Tr
I FMAX

X 1.175Tr

0.1 +
CB

0.1
Safety margin

0.6Tf
Allowance for fuse error (fast)

Allowance for CT and relay error

or X Tf = 2Tr + 0.33s

Overcurrent Protection Time Multiplier Setting

100

X Used to adjust the operating time of an inverse characteristic X Not a time setting but a multiplier X Calculate TMS to give desired operating time in accordance with the grading margin

Operating Time (s)

10

0.1 1 100 10 Current (Multiples of Is)

Overcurrent Protection Time Multiplier Setting - Calculation

X Calculate relay operating time required, Treq consider grading margin fault level X Calculate op time of inverse characteristic with TMS = 1, T1 X TMS = Treq /T1

Overcurrent Protection Co-ordination - Procedure

X Calculate required operating current X Calculate required grading margin X Calculate required operating time X Select characteristic X Calculate required TMS X Draw characteristic, check grading over whole curve Grading curves should be drawn to a common voltage base to aid comparison

Overcurrent Protection Co-ordination Example

200/5

100/5 I FMAX = 1400 Amp

B
Is = 5 Amp

A
Is = 5 Amp; TMS = 0.05, SI

X Grade relay B with relay A X Co-ordinate at max fault level seen by both relays = 1400A X Assume grading margin of 0.4s

Overcurrent Protection Co-ordination Example

200/5

100/5 I FMAX = 1400 Amp

B
Is = 5 Amp

A
Is = 5 Amp; TMS = 0.05, SI

X Relay B is set to 200A primary, 5A secondary X Relay A set to 100A If (1400A) = PSM of 14 relay A OP time = t = 0.14 x TMS = 0.14 x 0.05 = 0.13 (I0.02 -1) (140.02 -1) X Relay B Op time = 0.13 + grading margin = 0.13 + 0.4 = 0.53s X Relay A uses SI curve so relay B should also use SI curve

Overcurrent Protection Co-ordination Example

200/5 100/5 I FMAX = 1400 Amp

B Is = 5 Amp

Is = 5 Amp; TMS = 0.05, SI

X Relay B Op time = 0.13 + grading margin = 0.13 + 0.4 = 0.53s X Relay A uses SI curve so relay B should also use SI curve X Relay B set to 200A If (1400A) = PSM of 7 relay B OP time TMS = 1 = 0.14 x TMS = 0.14 = 3.52s (I0.02 -1) (70.02 -1) X Required TMS = Required Op time = 0.53 = 0.15 Op time TMS=1 3.52 X Set relay B to 200A, TMS = 0.15, SI

Overcurrent Protection LV Protection Co-ordination

11kV MCGG
4

CB 2 x 1.5MVA 11kV/433V 5.1%

350MVA

CTZ61

ACB ACB

CTZ61
2 1

(Open)

MCCB 27MVA

1 2 3 4 F

Relay 1 Relay 2 Relay 3 Relay 4 Fuse

Fuse Load

K 20MVA

Overcurrent Protection LV Protection Co-ordination

1000S 100S 10S 1.0S 0.1S 0.01S 0. 1kA 10kA 1000kA
Very inverse

TX damage

Overcurrent Protection LV Protection Co-ordination

11kV KCGG 142
4

CB 2 x 1.5MVA 11kV/433V 5.1%

350MVA

KCEG 142

ACB
2

(Open)

ACB
1 1 2 3 4 F

MCCB 27MVA

Relay 1 Relay 2 Relay 3 Relay 4 Fuse

Fuse Load

K 20MVA

Overcurrent Protection LV Protection Co-ordination

1000S
Long time inverse

100S 10S 1.0S 0.1S 0.01S 0. 1kA

TX damage

10kA

1000kA

Overcurrent Protection Blocked OC Schemes

Graded protection R3 R2 IF2 Block t > I > Start Blocked protection

R1

IF1
M

(Transient backfeed ?)

Delta/Star Transformers

Overcurrent Protection Transformer Protection - 2-1-1 Fault Current

Turns Ratio = 3 :1

X A phase-phase fault on one side of transformer produces 2-1-1 distribution on other side X Use an overcurrent element in each phase (cover the 2x phase) X 2 & EF relays can be used provided fault current > 4x setting

Iline Idelta 0.866 If3

Overcurrent Protection Transformer Protection - 2-1-1 Fault Current

Turns Ratio = 3 :1

X Istar = E-/2Xt = 3 E-n/2Xt X Istar = 0.866 E-n/Xt X Istar = 0.866 If3

Iline Idelta 0.866 If3

X Idelta = Istar/3 = If3 /2 X Iline = If3

Overcurrent Protection Transformer Protection - 2-1-1 Fault Current

51 HV

51 LV

X Grade HV relay with respect to 21-1 for - fault X Not only at max fault level 86.6%If3 If3

Use of High Sets

Overcurrent Protection Instantaneous Protection

X Fast clearance of faults ensure good operation factor, If >> Is (5 x ?) X Current setting must be co-ordinated to prevent overtripping X Used to provide fast tripping on HV side of transformers X Used on feeders with Auto Reclose, prevents transient faults becoming permanent AR ensures healthy feeders are re-energised X Consider operation due to DC offset - transient overreach

Overcurrent Protection Instantaneous OC on Transformer Feeders

HV2

HV1

LV

HV2 TIME HV1 LV

IF(LV)

IF(HV)

CURRENT

X Set HV inst 130% IfLV X Stable for inrush X No operation for LV fault X Fast operation for HV fault X Reduces op times required of upstream relays

1.3IF(LV)

Earthfault Protection

Overcurrent Protection Earth Fault Protection

X Earth fault current may be limited X Sensitivity and speed requirements may not be met by overcurrent relays Use dedicated EF protection relays X Connect to measure residual (zero sequence) current Can be set to values less than full load current X Co-ordinate as for OC elements May not be possible to provide co-ordination with fuses

Overcurrent Protection Earth Fault Relay Connection - 3 Wire System

E/F

OC

OC

OC

E/F

OC

OC

X Combined with OC relays

X Economise using 2x OC relays

Overcurrent Protection Earth Fault Relay Connection - 4 Wire System

E/F

OC

OC

OC

E/F

OC

OC

OC

X EF relay setting must be greater than normal neutral current

X Independent of neutral current but must use 3 OC relays for phase to neutral faults

Overcurrent Protection Earth Fault Relays Current Setting

X Solid earth 30% Ifull load adequate

X Resistance earth setting w.r.t earth fault level special considerations for impedance earthing - directional?

Overcurrent Protection Sensitive Earth Fault Relays

A B C

X Settings down to 0.2% possible E/F X Isolated/high impedance earth networks X For low settings cannot use residual connection, use dedicated CT X Advisable to use core balance CT X CT ratio related to earth fault current not line current X Relays tuned to system frequency to reject 3rd harmonic

Overcurrent Protection Core Balance CT Connections

NO OPERATION

OPERATION

X Need to take care with core balance CT and armoured cables X Sheath acts as earth return path X Must account for earth current path in connections - insulate cable gland

CABLE GLAND CABLE BOX

E/F

CABLE GLAND/SHEATH EARTH CONNECTION