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Restricted Earth Fault Protection Notes

The document discusses lessons learned from issues with transformer restricted earth fault (REF) protection applications. REF protection is designed to detect internal transformer faults but two plants experienced incorrect operation. At one plant, the REF neutral current transformer was installed backwards, causing REF protection to trip for an external fault. At another plant, issues were found with incorrect CT wiring and relay settings, making REF prone to misoperation. The conclusion recommends comprehensive REF scheme testing, including primary injection, to ensure proper operation and configuration.

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elitesankar
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433 views

Restricted Earth Fault Protection Notes

The document discusses lessons learned from issues with transformer restricted earth fault (REF) protection applications. REF protection is designed to detect internal transformer faults but two plants experienced incorrect operation. At one plant, the REF neutral current transformer was installed backwards, causing REF protection to trip for an external fault. At another plant, issues were found with incorrect CT wiring and relay settings, making REF prone to misoperation. The conclusion recommends comprehensive REF scheme testing, including primary injection, to ensure proper operation and configuration.

Uploaded by

elitesankar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ELECTRICALFLASHREPORT

LESSONSLEARNTONTRANSFORMERRESTRICTEDEARTHFAULT(REF)PROTECTIONAPPLICATION
February18,2015,Issue001

OverviewofTransformerREFprotection:
RestrictedEarthFault(REF)protectionisprovidedinelectricalpowertransformers
forsensinginternalearthfaultofthetransformerwindings.InthisschemetheCT
secondaryofeachphaseofelectricalpowertransformerareconnectedtogetheras
showninthebelowFig.1.Thencommonterminalsareconnectedtothesecondary
ofaNeutralCurrentTransformerorNCT.

TheREFCTsareconnectedtotheprotectionRelayinsuchawaythattheresultant
oftheLineCTcurrentopposestheneutralcurrentundernormaloperationand
externalearthfaultcondition,hencetheresidualcurrentflowthroughtheREF
protectionrelaywillbeZero.RefertoFig.1and2.

IncaseofTransformerinternalfault,thefaultcurrentwillnotbedetectedbyLine
CTssothecurrentflowthroughneutralCTwillnotbecancelledbyLineCTs.The
earthfaultcurrentwillfollowthroughRelayandsendtripcommandtotransformer
Circuitbreakertoclearthefault.RefertoFig.3

GASCORuwaisNGL3plantREFIssues:
InJanuary2013,NGL3ProcesssubstationSub.10B,11KVswitchboardboth
IncomersweretrippedduetoactivationofRestrictedEarthfaultprotection.
Therewasearthfaultin11KVoutgoingfeedercabletoAdminBuilding,causedby
damagetoundergroundcable,duringtheexcavationworksintheproject
constructionarea.

Eventhough,Adminoutgoingfeederand11KVSwitchboardboth11KVIncomers
(A&B)EarthFaultprotectionpickedup,eventuallybothIncomersto11KV
switchboardtrippedonREFduetowrongREFprotectionschemeimplementation.

ActivationofREFprotectionduringexternalearthfaultsisagainstdesignintent.
RootcauseofthenuisancetripwasfoundthatCurrenttransformer(CT)locatedat
neutralearthcircuitwasphysicallymountedinreversedirection.Withthechangein
orientation,P1andP2werereversed,causingtheoperationofREFduringexternal
earthfault.

AsaPreventiveaction,NGL3allHV/MV/LVtransformersREFrelays,primary
injectiontestcarriedoutandfindingsare:
1.Inall11KVand3.3KVswitchboards(SameOEM)REFneutralCTphysically
installedinreversedirection(P1andP2reversed)
2.REFCTswiresinterchangedwithStandbyearthfaultCTsintwotransformers.

Fig.1:NormaloperatingconditionNocurrentflowsthroughtheRelay64

Fig.2:ExternalearthfaultForanexternalearthfault,thecurrentcirculates
betweenthephase&neutralCTs;Nocurrentthroughtherelay.

Fig.3:InternalearthfaultForaninternalearthfaulttheunbalancedcurrent
flowsthroughtherelay

ModelofREFneutralCT

NecessarycorrectivewasdoneandREFschemeretestedbyprimarycurrentinjection.

GASCORuwaisNGL4plantREFIssues:
AsProactiveapproach,Train4HV/MV/LVtransformersREFProtectionschemeverified
byprimaryinjectionaspartofelectricalintegrityverificationstrategy.

Thereareseveraldeviationsnoticedandfollowingarethemajorones:

REFandStandbyEarthfaultprotectionCTsecondarywiresfoundinterchanged
attransformermarshallingcabinet.AlsoWrongpolaritywasnoticedforREF
CTs.
InABBprotectionrelaysoftwaresettingsandconfiguration,followingerrors
noticed:

o WrongCTratiosareassignedforREFCT.
o CurrentanaloginputsassignmentfoundinterchangedbetweenREFand
SEFCT,resultisREFprotectionbecomespronetospuriousoperation.
Necessarysoftwareandsettingchangescarriedoutandprimaryinjectiontestdoneto
ensureproperoperationofREFprotection.

Conclusion:
ComprehensivetestingprocedureofREFfunctiontocoverallaspectsofthe
protectionschemetobefollowedwhilecommissioning.
ForTransformeralreadyinserviceREFschemetobeverifiedbyprimarycurrent
injectiontest.
ForAnychangesintheCTwiringordisconnectionwithoutproperidentification,
itismandatorytorepeatstabilitytestusingprimarycurrentinjection.
REFrelayconfigurationandassignmenttobereviewedandapprovedbyOEM,

OutZoneSimulationusingPrimaryInjection

InZoneSimulationusingPrimaryInjection

duringdesignphase,toensureproperoperationofREFprotection.

LessonLearnt:InsistonPrimaryinjectiontestonallelectricalinstallationsduringcommissioning
Formoreinformation,pleasecontacttheElectricalsectionORMCE

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