Electrical Engineering Commissioning a test for a differential protection scheme for a three-winding transformer

Mr Lee Wai Meng shares some of his experience in the protection of transformers, through a case study. The transformer is one of the most important items of hardware in the electrical power system. An important consideration in transformer protection is the high cost of the transformer and the relatively long outage times that occur, when a transformer fails. The most common form of transformer protection is dierential protection, where the zone of protection is determined by the location of the protection current transformers (CTs) between the transformers high voltage and low voltage terminals. The dierential protection scheme will operate when there is a fault within the zone of the CT, and will not operate when there is a fault outside the zone of the CT. The major advantage of dierential protection is the speed with which a fault is detected, as compared to transformer protection based on overcurrent relays. The use of overcurrent relays will result in comparatively longer operational time, to detect a fault, because of the need to co-ordinate with upstream overcurrent relays. Dierential protection does not require co-ordination with other protection schemes, and its operation is essentially instantaneous for all inzone faults. The CT ratio, polarity, and connection, must all be correct, in order to ensure the correct operation of the dierential protection scheme. Hence it is imperative that the dierential protection scheme be commissioned before rst-time energisation of the transformer. Figure 1 shows the electrical transformation at a power station. Three-winding transformers The equivalent circuit for a three-winding transformer can be represented by an impedance star, as shown in Figure 2. The impedance of any of these branches can be determined by considering the short circuit impedance between any pairs of windings, with the third winding in open circuit. Therefore, as shown below: Zps - impedance at primary with secondary short-circuit and tertiary open circuit. Zpt - impedance at primary with tertiary short-circuit and secondary open circuit. Zst - impedance at secondary with tertiary short-circuit and primary open circuit. The impedance values Zps, Zpt, and Zst have physical meaning and can be measured. However, the equivalent circuit values Zp, Zs, and Zt are ctitious and cannot be measured. It is possible to have negative values for one of the impedances. The values Zps, Zpt, and Zst may be based on dierent base values and hence these impedance values must be converted to the same base value before the start of any calculation. The capacity of the primary winding is often chosen as the common base value. Table 1 shows 32 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER Jun 2008 the nameplate data and the normalised impedance values Zps, Zpt and Zst.

Figure 1: Single line diagram.

Figure 2: Equivalent circuit of three-winding transformer.

Electrical Engineering
Capacity Voltage Nameplate Impedance Impedance Phase at 58MVA angle Dierence Base Zps = 32% Primary to Secondary = 30 Primary to Tertiary = 30 Secondary to Tertiary = 0

The KVA rating of the external generator was calculated using the impedance data for the three-winding transformer, from Table 1. The required KVA rating of the external generator for the three dierent connections were: Connection KVA rating of Generator Percentage of Full Load Current 6.6%

Primary 58MVA

Primary = 19kV

Zps = 12.5%, 23MVA

Secondary Secondary Zpt = 12.0%, 23MVA = 6.6kV 35MVA

Zpt = 20%

Figure 3 Figure 4

3 x 400 x 116 = 80 KVA

3 x 400 x 185 = 128 KVA 10.5% 3 x 400 x 375 = 260 KVA 21.3%

Tertiary 35MVA

Tertiary = 22kV

Zst = 62.0%, Zst = 62% 58MVA

Figure 5

Table 1: Impedance and vector group data. The values of the impedance, normalised to a 58 MVA base are: Zps = Zp + Zs = 32% Zpt = Zp + Zt = 20% Zst = Zs + Zt = 62% Solving the three equations Zp = - 5% ; Zs = 37% ; Zt = 25% Commissioning An external 3 phase, 400 volt diesel generator was connected at the 19 kV side, with three dierent combinations of open/short circuits, at the 6.6 kV and 22 kV sides. The three combinations were: Connection 19 kV Primary 6.6 kV Secondary 22 kV Tertiary

A 3 phase, 400 volt, 300 KVA generator was selected for the commissioning test. Table 2 is the summary of the measured values for Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5, under external fault conditions. Incorrect CT polarity at the 22 kV CT was suspected because of the following reasons: High value of dierential current in the case of Figures 4 and 5. 2 IBias = dierential current in the case of Figure 4. The star point of the 22 kV CT was reversed, to rectify the incorrect CT polarity. Table 3 is the summary of the measured values with the correct CT polarity. The dierential protection was considered stable for the out of zone fault because the dierential current was zero. The short circuit at the 22 kV side, was relocated to create an in-zone fault and the dierential current was non-zero and of high value. The dierential relay was considered commissioned.

Figure 3

Generator connection Generator connection Generator connection

Short circuit

Open circuit

Figure 4

Open circuit

Short circuit

Figure 5

Short circuit

Short circuit
Figure 4: Short circuit at 22kV Tertiary.

Figure 3: Short circuit at 6.6kV Secondary.

Figure 5: Short circuit at 6.6kV Secondary and 22kV Tertiary.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER Jun 2008 33

Electrical Engineering
External Generator Connected to 19kV side 19kV Primary Ired Iyellow Iblue 6.6kV Ired Secondary I yellow Iblue 22kV Tertiary Bias Ired Iyellow Iblue Ired Iyellow Iblue Di. Ired Iyellow Iblue Out of Zone Fault 6.6kV Short Circuit and 22kV Open Circuit (Fig. 3) 105A 105A 105A 289A 289A 289A 0A 0A 0A 59mA 59mA 59mA 0A 0A 0A Out of Zone Fault 22kV Short Circuit and 6.6kV Open Circuit (Fig. 4) 162A 162A 162A 0A 0A 0A 137A 137A 137A 91mA 91mA 91mA 183mA 183mA 183A Table 2: Measured value with incorrect CT polarity. External Generator Connected to 19kV side 19kV Primary Ired Iblue In-Zone Fault Short Circuit at 22kV 344A 344A In-Zone Fault In-Zone Fault Out of Zone Fault Out of Zone Fault Out of Zone Fault Out of Zone Fault 22kV and 6.6kV Short Circuit (Fig. 5) 344A 344A 344A 421A 421A 421A 169A 169A 169A 197mA 197mA 197mA 226mA 226mA 226mA

Short Circuit Short Circuit Short Circuit at Short Circuit at Short Circuit at 6.6kV at 22kVand 6.6kV and 22kV 22kV and 6.6kV at 22kV and 6.6kV Open Circuit (Fig. 3) Open Circuit (Fig. 4) 6.6kV (Fig. 5) 344A 344A 344A 0A 0A 0A 169A 169A 169A 154mA 154mA 154mA 81mA 81mA 81mA 344A 344A 344A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 97mA 97mA 97mA 194mA 194mA 194mA 105A 105A 105A 289A 289A 289A 0A 0A 0A 59mA 59mA 59mA 0A 0A 0A 162A 162A 162A 0A 0A 0A 137A 137A 137A 91mA 91mA 91mA 0A 0A 0A 344A 344A 344A 421A 421A 421A 169A 169A 169A 197mA 197mA 197mA 0A 0A 0A

Iyellow 344A

6.6kV Ired 421A Secondary I 421A yellow Iblue 22kV Tertiary Bias Ired Iblue Ired Iblue Di. Ired Iblue 421A 0A 0A 140mA 140mA 113mA 113mA

Iyellow 0A

Iyellow 140mA

Iyellow 113mA

Table 3: Measured value with correct CT polarity. Conclusion In this case study, the polarity of the 22 kV CT was incorrect and fortunately it was discovered during the commissioning test. If such a commissioning test was not done, the dierential relay would have operated under normal loading of the transformer, or during an external fault condition. 34 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER Jun 2008 (Mr Lee Wai Meng is a Director of J.M. Pang & Seah (Pte) Ltd, a professional Mechanical & Electrical consulting rm, providing ecient, totally integrated, solutions. J.M. Pang & Seah provides consultancy services relating to mechanical & electrical design for building services; high/low voltage electrical installation for EMA licensing services; and maintenance services, testing, and measurement services for electrical installations).