DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION

Differential protection is a very reliable method of protecting generators, transformers, buses,

Figure: Differential Protection of a Generator

In a differential protection scheme in the above figure, currents on both sides of the equipment
are compared. The figure shows the connection only for one phase, but a similar connection is
usually used in each phase of the protected equipment. Under normal conditions, or for a fault
outside of the protected zone, current I1 is equal to current I2 . Therefore the currents in the
current transformers secondaries are also equal, i.e. i1 = i2 and no current flows through the
current relay. 

If a fault develops inside of the protected zone, currents I1 and I2 are no longer equal, therefore i1
and i2 are not equal and there is  a current flowing through the current relay.

Differential Protection of a Station Bus

The principle of the differential protection of a station bus is the same as for generators.
The sum of all currents entering and leaving the bus must be equal to zero under normal
conditions or if the fault is outside of the protected zone. If there is a fault on the bus, there will
be a net flow of current to the bus and the differential relay will operate.
 
Figure: Single Line Diagram of Bus Differential Protection

Percentage Differential Relays

The disadvantage of the current differential protection is that current transformers must be
identical, otherwise there will be current flowing through the current relays for faults outside of
the protected zone or even under normal conditions. Sensitivity to the differential current due to
the current transformer errors is reduced by percentage differential relays.

Figure: Percentage Differential Relay

In percentage differential relays, the current from each current transformer flows through a
restraint coil. The purpose of the restraint coil is to prevent undesired relay operation due to
current transformer errors. The operating coil current | i1 - i2 |  required for tripping is a
percentage of the average current through the restraint coils. It is given by
where k is the proportion of the operating coil current to the restraint coil current. For example if
k = 0.1, the operating coil current must be more than 10% of the average restraint coil current in
order for the relay to operate.

Differential Protection of Three Phase Transformers

Differential protection of three phase transformers must take into account the change in
magnitude and phase angle of the transformed current.

Transformers Connected Y-Y or Delta-Delta

In these two connections, the primary and secondary currents are in phase, but their magnitudes
are different. The difference in the current magnitude must be balanced out by the current
transformer ratios.

Figure: Differential Protection for a Y-Y Connected Transformer

If the transformer ratio is 

The secondary currents of the current transformers are

During normal operating conditions or when the fault is outside of the protection zone,

Therefore, the ratios of the current transformers on the two sides of the power transformer must
be 

Sometimes standard current transformers with the ratios that satisfy the above equation are not
available. In that case auxiliary transformers between one of the current transformers and the
relay are used.

Transformers Connected Y- or  -Y.

The primary and secondary currents have different magnitudes and they also have 30 phase
shift. Both, the magnitude and the phase shift must be balanced by appropriate ratio and
connection of the current transformers. The phase shift on a Y- bank is corrected by connecting
the C.T.’s on the  in Y, and on the Y side in  .

Refer to the following drawing. The full load current on the 66 kV side is

The full load current on the 230 kV side is

The magnitude of the currents coming out of the differential relay should be the same

From that, the current in the  arms of the  connected C.T.’s should be

Ideally, the CTR on the 230 kV side of the transformer should be 

The closest to that is the ratio

which is the ratio that will be used.. Using this ratio, the secondary current of the current
transformers on the 230 kV side is

The current through the operating coil of the differential relay is then
The average current through the current restraint coil is

From that, the current through the operating coil as a percentage of the restraint current under
normal full load conditions is

The percentage differential relays have settings for the allowable percentage difference.
Examples of the percentage values are 15%, 30%, 40%, etc. Any of these relays could
accommodate the 0.46% operating coil current without operating.
Connection of Differential Relays to a  -Y Connected Transformer.

 
Another problem that the differential relays used for transformer protection must overcome is the
magnetizing inrush current.

The inrush current occurs when a transformer is being energized. Since during the energization
of the transformer there is only current in and no current out, the inrush current appears to the
differential relays as an internal fault. The inrush current has some characteristic properties. Its
magnitude may be as high as sixteen times the full load current. It decays very slowly - from
around ten cycles for small units to 1 minute for  large units. The harmonic content of the inrush
current is different from normal load current and from fault currents. A typical waveform of
inrush current has a large fundamental frequency component, a significant d.c. component, and
2nd and 3rd harmonic components. The 2nd harmonic component does not appear in the
transformers under any other conditions except during energization. Desensitizing of the
differential relay to the inrush current involves the use of the second harmonic component to
restrain the relay from operating.

(a)

(b)
Figure: Harmonic Restraint Circuit: (a) connection to current transformer   (b) tripping circuit