CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4
DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION
Differential protection principle is used in the
following g applications.
pp
1. Protection of generator, protection of generator
transformer unit.
2 Protection of transformer
2.
3. Protection of feeder (transmission line) by pilot
wire differential protection.
4. Protection
P i off transmission
i i li
line b
by phase
h
comparison carrier current protection.
55. Protection of large
g motor.
6. Bus‐zone protection.
Intro.

 Differential protection is a unit scheme that 
compares the current on the primary side of a 
transformer with that on the secondary side.
y
 Where a difference exists, it is assumed that the 
transformer has developed a fault and the plant 
i  
is automatically disconnected by tripping the 
i ll  di d b   i i   h  
relevant circuit breakers.
 The principle of operation is made based of the 
fact that large transformers are very efficient 
and hence under normal operation power‐in 
equals power‐out.
Cont….
 This scheme is used for tx ≥ 5MVA
 Normally used on generators & transformers. Also 
used to protect lines & busbars.
d     li  & b b
 2 CTs used to monitor protection zone
 Signals from both ends of the CTs are compared by 
differential relay
 CB will trip if the quantity that has been compared is 
p q y p
different from setting value; meaning that a fault 
has occurred within protection zone (internal fault)
 External fault should not affect the CB (CB not trip)
 2 schemes of differential protection system:
 Basic differential protection system
p y
 Bias/restrain differential protection system
 Basic differential protection system
 Moderate scheme
 Currents from both ends in protection zone are compared by a 
relay for each phase 
 Relay will operate , if differential current , iR > relay current 
setting, 
 Consider differential protection on transformer (single infeed):

• healthy / external fault condition > >

the CTs are identical:
•the CTs are identical: I
Ip Is
i1 = i2, iR = 0 and iR < iset
Relay not operate
>
<
iR

<
• the CTs are not identical: i
i1 i2
i1≠ i2
>

iR < iset  relay not operate i1
>
iR > iset  relay operate i2

Cause tripping Lead to bias differential scheme
Zone of protection
• internal fault (single infeed) : 
i2 =0, i1 > i2, iR = i1 >
Ip
 iR flows in relay , relay operate >

<
i1 i1

>
i1
internal fault (double infeed) : 
Zone of 
iR =  i1+i2
  i i protection

>
>
Ip Is

> <
iR
<
i1 i2
>

i1
i2

Zone of protection
Problem with basic differential relay

1. CT ratio mismatch
 The two CT must be perfectly matched
 For feeder or generator – the CTs must have same ratio
 For transformer ;
 The CT ratios must be carefully chosen to minimize the 
normal differential c rrent
normal differential current

Ideal Case
 = 11%  unbalance
 3  2.67 
  100
00%  11% 
 3 
CT ratio mismatch
2. The magnetic inrush current which flow 
when the tx is switced ON

 When a transformer is initially connected to a 
Wh     f  i  i i i ll   d     
source of AC voltage, there may be a 
substantial surge of current through the 
primary winding called inrush current. 
 Thus, CT can be substantial @ significant 
Th  CT   b   b t ti l @  i ifi t 
errors when magnetic inrush currents exist
BIAS DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION
SYSTEM

 2 set of coils 
 Operating coil
 Uses differential current to operate the relay
 Restraining coil
 2 halves of a bias coil
 Uses average fault current to restrain the relay from 
operating
 Currents flowing in the 2 coils
produce opposing magnetic field

The magnetic
g fields produce
p
opposing torques on an induction
disc

When the torque produced by the

operating coil’s magnetic field
exceeds that of the restraining coil
& the spring, the relay will operate
y  mxc
I o  p I r  I set
I o  operating current  I1  I 2
I r  average restrainin g current


1
I1  I 2 
2
Io
p  bias setting 
Ir
I set  relay setting current

EG 3
2 conditions for relay’s operation:
d f l
 Io> Iset
 Io  p
IR
 Connection of CTs
Connection of CTs

 3 phase transformer connection = 
3 phase transformer connection   YY, ∆ ∆ , 
Y  ∆ ∆   Y ∆ 
, ∆ Y
 CTs on Y side of transformer is connected in ∆     
 CTs on ∆ side of transformer is connected in Y
 This arrangement is required to:
 Compensate 30 degree phase shift across transformer 
Y ∆ or ∆Y
 Avoid relay operation when an external earth fault 
A id  l   ti   h     t l  th f lt 
occurred on the ground Y side. This external earth fault 
causes zero sequence currents on the Y side not 
b l
balanced by zero sequence on the ∆ side.
d b         h  ∆  id
i p  i1 & i s  i 2

For ∆ :
For ∆ :
I line  3 I load
i1  3 i p
During full load :  i1 = i2
Example 1
 CT1 Y      Δ CT2
Solution
Ip 
5MVA
 262.43 A Δ 5MVA Y
3 11kV 500/5 11/33kV ?/5
5
ip   262.43  2.62 A
500
i1  3  i p  3  2.62  4.55 A
During full load , i1  i2  4.55 A
is  i2
5MVA
Is   87.48 A
3  33kV
I s 87.488
  19.27
is 4.55
CT ratio  19.27  5  96.13
 nearest CT  100 / 5
Example 2
 Solution
Primary CT1 Y      Δ CT2

10 MVA
Ip   524.86 A
3  11kV
Δ 10MVA Y
i1  5 A ?/5 11/66kV ?/5
i1 5
ip    2.89 A
3 3 S
Secondary
d
I p 524.86
  181.82 During full load , i1  i2  4.55 A
ip 2.89
is  i2
CT ratio  181.82  5  909 10 MVA
Is   87.48 A
 the nearest CT ratio  1000 / 5 3  66kV
f CT ratio
for i 1000 / 5, I s 87.48
  19.25
is 4.55
i p  524.86  5  2.62 A
1000 CT ratio  19.25  5  96.23
i1  3  i p  3  2.62  4.55 A  nearest CT  100 / 5
EXAMPLE 3
Figure 1 show a simple differential protection on generator
Figure 1 show a simple differential protection on generator.
CT1 and CT2 rated at 1000/1. Relay setting current, Is=0.2A,
i1=9.8A, i2=10.2A, No=1 and percentage bias setting is set 
to 20%.For fault 10kA at F1, determine
i. Operating current, Io
ii
ii. Average bias current IR
Average bias current, I
iii. Comment the relay operation
iv. Repeat step above if I2=0 for fault at F2

Figure 1
solution
(i ) I o  i1  i2  0.4 A

(ii ) I R  9.8  10.2   10

1
2
I 0.4
(iii ) o   0.04  p, p  0.2  relay not operate
I R 10
(iv) I o  9.8  0  9.8 A

I R  9.8  0   4.9 A
1
2
I o 9.8
  2  p & I o  I s  relay operate
I R 4.9

recall
Example 4
 Solution
CT1 Δ Y CT2

Y 30MVA Δ
500/5 33/11kV 2000/5

Secondary
Primary
30 MVA
Is 
30 MVA
 524.86 A Is   1574.6 A
3  33kV 3 11kV
I s ( fault )  2  524.86 A  1.05kA I s ( fault )  2 1574.6 A  3.15kA
5 5
is ( fault )  1.05k  10.5 A f l ) 
is ( fault  3.15k  7.87 A
500 2000
i1( fault )  10.5 A i2 ( fault )  3  7.87  13.64 A

I o  10.5  13.64  3.14 A  relay setting current , I s

Example 5
 solution
CT1 Y      Δ CT2

3phase fault
Δ 30MVA Y
250/5 132/33kV 600/5
X=0.09p.u

MVAbase 30 MVA ii ) io  50.49  48.58  1.91A

i ) MVA fault    333.3MVA
X p.u 0.09
333.3MVA A
ir 
1
50.49  48.58  49.54 A
I f  Is   5.83kA 2
3  33kV
33 iii ) is  c  0
I p  5.83k   1.46kA
132 p  m  0.2
5 relay bias characteristics  y  0.2 x or io  0.2ir
i p  1.46kA   29.15 A
250 io 1.91
  0.04  p  relay not operate
i1  29.15  3  50.49 A ir 49.54
5
is  5.83kA   48.58  i2
600
 90

80 y = 0.2x 

70

60

50
erating current

40 Series1
Linear (Series1)
Ope

30

20

10

0 F (49.54, 1.91)
0 550 100 150
5 200 250
5 3300 350
35 400
4 450
45

‐10
restrain current
Example 6 
(
(Assignment 3)
g 3)