Finding the Direction in Directional

Overcurrent Relays
A reader recently asked a question about the forward and reverse directions described in the
Directional Overcurrent Relay section of The Relay Testing Handbook series. I used electro-
mechanical directional relays as an example, which may have been a mistake. Lets take another
look at the Directional Overcurrent (67) element from a system perspective.

We will start with a simple transmission line with the source on the left and a load on the right.
The current flows into the polarity mark of the CT on Breaker 3, and into the Directional
Overcurrent (67) Relay using the same direction. Any current flowing into the polarity mark is
considered to be the forward direction.

The phasor diagram for this situation might look like the following. Every load is a combination
of resistance and inductance, so the normal operating range for this line is the green shaded
region when the current flows into Circuit Breaker 3.
Lets look at what the Directional Overcurrent (67) relay connected to Circuit Breaker 4 sees
under the same conditions. This relay is designed to protect the same transmission line from the
other direction. The current enters the non-polarity mark of the CT, and the relay determines that
current is leaving the transmission line; or the reverse direction.

The phasor diagram of a meter test on the Directional Overcurrent (67) relay connected to
Circuit Breaker 4 would look like the following. The current is flowing in the reverse direction
and the orange/red shaded area displays the normal region when the current flows into a load
behind the relay.

If we reversed the source and load, you could swap the phasor diagrams above for each relay.
Lets shake things up by closing Circuit Breaker 8 and applying a Phase A-to-Ground fault 50%
down the line. This is a fault, so:

The faulted voltage should drop in proportion to the severity of the fault
The fault current should be significantly larger than the normal load current.
The fault current should lag the voltage by 40-89.9 degrees depending on the line
characteristics, voltage, and severity of the fault.
The non-faulted phases should stay relatively the same.

Both fault currents flow into the transmission line, so the directional overcurrent relays
connected to Circuit Breakers 3 and 4 will see the current in the forward direction because the
current flows into both CT polarity marks.
If we pretend that the fault is exactly 50% down the line, both sources are identical, and the
impedance between the sources and the fault are also identical, we can use the same phasor
diagram for both relays. Obviously this wont be true in the real world and the current
magnitudes would be different. The typical region for a fault in the forward direction occurs in
the green shaded area for both relays.

Now lets look at a fault that is not on the transmission line.

The fault current flows into the polarity mark of the CT connected to Circuit Breaker 3, so the
Directional Overcurrent (67) relay sees the fault in the forward direction. If the fault current is
larger than the overcurrent setting, the relay will trip.

Directional overcurrent protection schemes were replaced with line impedance relays (21) to
prevent a situation like this from occurring. This relays primary purpose is to trip for faults on
the transmission line, not for faults somewhere else on the system, as would happen here. A line
impedance relay would recognize that the fault was not on the transmission line and ignore this
fault unless it was programmed to also provide backup protection with a significant time delay.
The fault current flows into the non-polarity mark of the CT connected to Circuit Breaker 4, so
the Directional Overcurrent (67) relay sees the fault in the reverse direction. The orange/red
shaded region indicates the typical region for a fault behind a relay.

Overcurrent directional relays can be set to trip for faults in the forward direction, which will
protect the equipment in front of the relay. Or they can also be set to trip for faults behind the
relay in the reverse direction. Forward and reverse are typically determined by the normal flow
of current into the relay, so be sure to confirm the CT connections before you make any
assumptions.

Incorrectly determining forward and reverse is an easy mistake to make. If I ever have doubts
about some relay settings or directional overcurrent tests, I usually ask the design engineer, Did
you mean to trip if the fault is on the transmission line, or on the buss? (You can use whatever
easy-to-define characteristic for your situation.) Once they answer that question, I will review the
CT connections and build a test on the transmission line and see if it trips. I then apply the fault
in the reverse direction to make sure it doesnt trip. Always ask the engineer what they intended
if there is any doubt.
You could also perform a test in either direction first and see what direction the relay is set to
trip. If it doesnt make sense to you, you can ask the engineer, Did you mean for the relay to trip
if there is a fault on the buss?

I hope this helps clear up the definitions of forward and reverse for Directional Overcurrent (67)
relays. The next post on this topic, Testing Directional Overcurrent Relays, will hopefully
help clarify the characteristic angle.

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About the Author Chris Werstiuk

Chris is an Electrical Engineering Technologist, a Journeyman Power System Electrician, and a

Professional Engineer. He is also the Author of The Relay Testing Handbook series and founder
of Valence Electrical Training Services. You can find out more about Chris here.
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Related Posts

01 Dec, 2014

Testing Directional Overcurrent Relays

21 May, 2013

Good Directional Overcurrent Protection (67) Video

02 Aug, 2012

SEL Test Procedure Negative-Sequence Volt-Pol Directional Overcurrent Element

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Comment

Rahmat says

Hi Chris,

Thank you for valuable articles for beginner like me.

I want your advice about setting directional overcurrent relay. On your SLD above what is the
setting value of relay 67 for CB no 3 and 4?
Is it possible to have lower setting value (lower than normal current flow) of relay 67 for CB no
4?
This case happen during startup

Thank you

Reply

idougal says

The pickup setting would always be set higher than the expected maximum current flow.
Otherwise the relay would trip under normal conditions instead of fault conditions.

Some directional overcurrent applications have a pickup current set lower than the
expected current, but these applications are designed to separate two systems when the
current flows in an undesired direction.

For example, imagine a plant supplies all of its own electricity and keeps a feeder
connected to the grid to use during emergencies ,and to sell excess power to the utility.
Power from this utility is very expensive, so they never want to take power from the grid.
They could set a directional relay with a low pickup setting that will only operate if
power flows from the grid to the plant. Power from the plant to the grid will be ignored.

Reply

mawadqpic says

A lot of thanks

Reply

Irfan Saeed says

Very very good explanation. Easy to understand.

Thanks and keep it up!
Reply

Mohamed ELGHANI says

Hello Chris,

Im a beginner in this field and i am confused about Relay Operating Angle (ROA) and Relay
Characteristic Angle (RCA) What is the difference between the two, could you please explain
the use of each element?

Thank you in advance

Reply

idougal says

Thanks for your question. Those terms could mean a variety of things. Can you send
some context such as the source of these terms.

Reply

ELGHANI says

Hello,

My question refers to directional overcurrent protection function, in some relays

we just put the angle setting for RCA and in other relay we should set both RCA
and ROA. The question is what is the use of ROA settings.

Reply

idougal says
 Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with an ROA
setting and dont know what it is.

Reply

Roland Kamdem says

Thanks for your explanation.

I have a question regarding reverse KVAR.

Will the 67 relay(Phase directional overcurrent) detect reverse current and trip the breaker if the
capacitor bank power factor correction unit is feeding the utility with a substantial amount of
KVAR due to the sudden decrease of the active load?

Reply

idougal says

Some relays like GE UR relays allow you to define a specific direction with blinders, so
those relays could be specified to look in any direction within a window. Other like SEL
are looking for specific fault conditions, so they are less configurable in that way. Neither
relay will properly determine VARs when using a 637 element. They can only apply
current direction and magnitude. You would need to find a relay with a kVAR element to
properly apply the protection you desire.

Reply

ELGHANI says

Hello,

In 67 function. Can anyone explain on what basis do we chose the right setting for Relay
Characteristic Angle?

Thank you
Reply

idougal says

From a relay testing perspective, you can approximate the angle based on voltage class.
500kV would be in the neighborhood of 89. 480 or 600V would be in the neighborhood
of 45. All other voltages would be somewhere in between. 75 usually works in most
cases for a fault in the forward direction.

You would need to model the complete power system to get a calculated angle based on
the voltage class, conductor material and size, ground resistance, spacing between
conductors, etc.

Reply

Mohamed says

How to calculate operating region from RCA angle of 67 relay?

Can anyone explain briefly,

Reply

Chris Werstiuk says

The blog post Testing Directional Overcurrent Relays should help with the basics. After
that, its all dependent on the relay. The characteristic in SEL relays is dynamic and
changes based on load and fault conditions. The characteristics arent straight lines either,
theyre curved. EM relays are always 90 degrees from the MTA. GE relays have straight
lines that are defined by settings.

Reply
Ramki says

Hi Chris,

First of all a big hatsoff to you for sharing such a wonderful and very easily understandable notes
on various protections.

Can you please brief me on what MTA (Maximum Torque Angle) in Electromechanical relays or
RCA (Relay Characteristic Angle) in Numerical relays mean? I have read that MTA of 30Deg
should be applied for Generators and MTA of 45Deg for Transformer feeders. Is this correct?
How this MTA is chosen? When I say MTA of 45Deg, what will be the operating range of the
relay?

Reply

Chris Werstiuk says

Thanks for your kind words. You can find your answers in the next blog post in the series
Testing Directional Overcurrent Relays

Reply

Amadou ibrahim says

Hi Chris,
It is a very interesting explanation .
Thanks

Reply

Firoozeh says

Hi,
Is it possible for you to send me the relay testing techniques articles that you have published so
far ?
Reply

Chris Werstiuk says

You can review all of our blog posts at our blog

Or you can purchase any of our training material at our store

Reply

Les Cook says

Thanks Chris. Always find your explanations easy to understand.

Reply

Chris Werstiuk says

Thanks!

Reply

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