Differential Protection for Power Transformer Using Relay

Abstract: In this paper, differential protection for power transformer using relay is presented.
MATLAB / SIMULINK platform were used to analyse differential protection relay for a large
power transformer. The basic approach is to protect the power transformer against internal faults
and prevent interruption due to other operating conditions. The trip time for power transformer
relay was seen at 0.05 sec. The obtained result illustrate that the proposed differential relay
represents an appropriate action. The proposed relay was able to discriminate between inrush,
fault and no-fault conditions.
Keywords: Differential Protection, Power Transformer, Matlab / Simulink, Inrush, Fault
Conditions

I. INTRODUCTION
Power transformers are subject to different natures of transient disturbances including internal
fault, magnetizing inrush, and external fault and through-fault currents. Harmonic-restrained
differential relay is centred on the fact that the magnetizing inrush current has a large second
harmonic component, and nowadays the above technique is widely applied. But this technique
must be customized because harmonics occur in an ordinary state of power system and the
magnitude of second frequency component in inrush state has been decreased because of the
advancement in core steel.
Transformer protection methods that use its terminal behaviours are based on differential
protection and the studies for improvement of transformer protection have focused on
discrimination between internal short circuit faults and inrush currents in transformers. If
a power transformer experiences a fault, it is necessary to take the transformer out of service as
soon as possible so that the damage is minimized. The costs associated with repairing a damaged
transformer may be very high. The unplanned outage of a power transformer can also cost
electric utilities millions of dollars. Accordingly, high demands are imposed on power
transformer protective relays. The requirements include dependability (no missing operations),
security (no false tripping), and speed of operation (short fault clearing time).
There are cases in which the presence of differential currents cannot make a clear perception
between fault and inrush. New relaying technique with high reliability is required for flexibility
in spite of change of condition in power system.
Among the phenomena most likely to upset the current balance and cause the relay to
malfunction are inrush magnetizing currents, stationary over excitation of a core, external faults
in the presence of current transformer (CT) saturation, and/or CT and power transformer ratio
mismatch.
Most of these approaches are liable in the case of magnetizing inrush with low second harmonic
component and internal faults with high second harmonic component.
One of the most effective methods of protection to protect Power transformers is the Differential
protection method by using differential relay circuits. This scheme is based on the principle of
that the power input to the transformer under normal conditions is equal to the power out. By
proper connection of the secondary of current transformers (CT), under normal conditions, no
current will flow into the relay coil. Whenever a fault occurs the current balance will no longer
exist and relay contacts will close and release a trip signal to cause a certain Circuit Breakers
(CB) to operate in order to disconnect the faulty equipment [.
Digital differential protection is a developed idea of the old system of conventional differential
protection which had made quite satisfactory solutions to the above mentioned problems.

II. DESIGN CONSIDERATION

A number of factors have to be taken into account in designing a scheme to meet these
objectives. These include:
i. The matching of CT ratios ii. Current imbalance produced by tap changing iii.
Dealing with zero sequence currents iv. Phase shift through the transformer v.
Magnetizing inrush current
A. The Matching of CT Ratios
The CTS used for the Protection Scheme will normally be selected from a range of current
transformers with standard ratios such as 1600/1, 1200/1, 600/1, 300/1, 200/1, etc. This could
mean that the currents fed into the relay from the two sides of the power transformer may not
balance perfectly. Any imbalance must be compensated for and methods used include the
application of biased relays and/or the use of the interposing CTS [4].
B. Current Imbalance Produced by Tap Changing
A transformer equipped with an on-load tap changer (OLTC) will by definition experience a
change in voltage ratio as it moves its tapping range. This in turn changes the ratios of primary to
secondary current and produces out-of-balance (or spill) current in the relay. As the transformer
taps further from the balance position, so the magnitude of the spill current increases. To make
the situation worse, as the load on the transformer increases the magnitude of the spill current
also increases. Consequently through faults could produce spill currents that exceed the setting of
the relay [5].
C. Dealing with Zero Sequence Currents
Earth faults downstream of the transformer may give rise to zero sequence current, depending
upon winding connections and earthing arrangements. Since zero sequence current does not pass
through a transformer, it will be seen on one side only producing spill current and possible relay
operation for an out-of-zone fault. To prevent such occurrence, zero sequence current must be
eliminated from the differential scheme [6].
This is achieved by using delta connections on the secondary side of CTs that are associated with
main transformer windings connected in star.
Where CT secondary are connected in star on one side of a transformer and delta on the other,
allowance must made for the fact that the secondary currents outside the delta will only be 13 of
the star equivalent.
D. Phase Shift through the Transformer
Having eliminated the problem of zero sequence currents through faults will still produce
positive and negative sequence currents that will be seen by the protection CTs. These currents
may experience a phase shift as they pass through the transformer depending upon the
 transformer vector group. CT secondary connections must compensate to avoid imbalance and a
possible maloperation [7].
E. Magnetising Inrush Current
When a transformer is first energized, magnetizing inrush has the effect of producing a high
magnitude current for a short period of time. This will be seen by the supply side CTs only and
could be interpreted as an internal fault. Precautions must therefore be taken to prevent a
protection operation. Solutions include building a time delay feature into the relay and the use of
harmonic restraint driven, typically, by the high level of second harmonic associated with inrush
current.
III. MATERIALS AND METHODS
A. Materials
Data for this research was collected from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), New
Haven Area Transmissions Work Centre, Enugu. Their TR3 150MVA 132/33KV Power
Transformer Differential Protection Scheme is the main case study. Transformer protection
manuals from TCN library were also used during this research.
The transformer data is as shown below:
Sub Station: New Haven T/S
Manufacturer: ABB Transformer
Rating: 60MVA, 132/33kV
Frequency: 50Hz
Cooling: ONAN / ONAF 75/100%
Vector Group: YNd11
% impedance at nominal Tap: 10%
Power system is a set of interactive components of generation, transmission, distribution and
utilization. These work as a unit system to supply electricity to the consumer end from generation
side. To have practical aspects of power system, SIMULINK toolbar of MATLAB is used. This
provides variety of built-in components that could be easily connected with each other to form a
complete system. The set of monitoring blocks provide ease to visualize the behaviour of
system at any time of simulation.
Before the design of transformer protective relay system, a model of the power transformer is
required to generate the fault data required to calibrate the fault detector. The Simulink Power
system library browser in the Matlab / Simulink environment is used to model the power
transformer protection system. The following components make up the fault simulation model: a.
Three-Phase Breaker
b. Three-Phase Source
c. Three-Phase Transformer
d. Three-Phase Fault
e. Three- Phase V-I Measurement
f. Subsystem
g. Three-Phase Series RLC Load
i. Scope
h. Current Measurement
B. Methods
This implementation is done using Matlab/Simulink environment. Figure 3.1 shows the simulated
Conventional relay system built in Matlab / Simulink environment. In which a three phase, 150
MVA, 60Hz, 132/33kV, /Y power transformer were used. The designed Conventional
differential relay consists of two input portals Id1 and Id2, where, Id1 and Id2 are the output
currents of the CT1 and CT2 respectively. These two input signals would be divided into three
parallel paths in order to be analysed. The first one will lead the signal to enter a block named
(Amplitude comparator). The second one will make the signal to be impressed in the harmonic
test and send the result to a block named (Harmonic comparator).
Amplitude comparator block will compare the amplitudes of both input current Id1 and Id2. Then
it will send an indicating signal to the comparator block showing the difference between the two
signals. Harmonic comparator block will receive two signals from two blocks named (subsystem)
and send the result to the comparator also as mentioned above. The subsystem block will
analyse the input signal to investigate if harmonics exist in this signal.
Figure 3.2 illustrates the contents of the subsystem block. In this block the signal will be
analysed to determine the percentage value of the second harmonic with respect to the
fundamental frequency. This process will be carried out in the harmonic analyser block. The
harmonic analyser block will make a percentage ratio comparison of the second harmonic with
the fundamental. The decision of the harmonic comparator is designed to be taken only at the
instant of transients.
Figure 1: Matlab/Simulink Model of Conventional Differential Relay

Figure 2: Differential Relay Subsystem.