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Advanced Differential Protection Scheme Using Microcontroller

This document discusses a microcontroller-based advanced differential protection scheme. It begins by describing the need for reliable protection of power system components. A microcontroller is proposed to implement differential relaying, which operates by comparing currents entering and leaving a protected component. The microcontroller can analyze current signals, determine internal faults, and trip circuits more flexibly and accurately than conventional electromagnetic or static relays. It offers advantages like smaller size, programmability, and ability to provide multiple protection characteristics in a single relay unit. The microcontroller-based scheme is presented as an improvement over traditional protection approaches.

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54 views3 pages

Advanced Differential Protection Scheme Using Microcontroller

This document discusses a microcontroller-based advanced differential protection scheme. It begins by describing the need for reliable protection of power system components. A microcontroller is proposed to implement differential relaying, which operates by comparing currents entering and leaving a protected component. The microcontroller can analyze current signals, determine internal faults, and trip circuits more flexibly and accurately than conventional electromagnetic or static relays. It offers advantages like smaller size, programmability, and ability to provide multiple protection characteristics in a single relay unit. The microcontroller-based scheme is presented as an improvement over traditional protection approaches.

Uploaded by

kavirajput
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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“Advanced Differential Protection Scheme

Using Microcontroller”

Abstract

A protection scheme in a power system is designed to continuously monitor the


parameters of healthy power system to ensure the maximum continuity of electrical power with
minimum damage to the human life, equipment and property. While designing the protective
scheme, one has to understand the characteristics of the individual power system elements and
also tripping characteristics of various protective relays. The design has to ensure that the
relays will detect undesirable condition and then trip to disconnect the area affected, but remain
restrained at all other times. However, there are many statistical evidences that a large number
of relay tripping are due to improper / or inadequate settings than due to genuine faults.

The generator, transformer and busbar form the major components of a power system.
Protection of these components against any type of abnormal condition is essential. A simple,
but most reliable, protection scheme for these elements is a differential protection because of
the ease of connections at its terminals. The differential relay operates on the principle of
circulating current. It involves a direct comparison of the magnitudes and phase of the current
entering and current leaving the protected equipments / section. To accomplish this; current
transformers having suitable ratios of transformation are interposed in the circuit at both ends of
the protected equipment.

Ideally for the normal power flow condition, the current in the operating relay (I 1-I2)
should be zero. However, due to the various factors such as unequal C.T. saturation,
magnetizing inrush current etc. such an ideal condition may not be obtainable. So differential
relay should be characterized by its ability to distinguish between internal faults requiring
isolation of faulty section and an external fault requiring non-operation of the relay. Thus the
internal fault characteristics and external fault characteristics should be carefully considered in
differential relay.
The application of Microcontroller to protective relay is resulting in the availability of
faster and more accurate and reliable relaying units.

The increased growth of power systems both in size and complexity has brought about
the need for fast and reliable relays. To protect major equipment and to maintain system
stability, the conventional protective relays are either of electromagnetic or static type. The
electromagnetic relays have several drawbacks such as burden instrument transformer, high
operating time, contact problems etc. Also static relays suffer from a number of disadvantages
e.g. inflexibility and improved performance over conventional relays. All the above advantages
can be achieved in a Microcontroller based relays.

In a Microcontroller based differential relay the various incoming and outgoing currents
are obtained by the CTs. These current signals, with required signal conditioning;, are applied to
the Microcontroller assembly. The Microcontroller then compared these actual signals and
determines the internal fault and then trip signal is given depending on the abnormal condition.

Thus a Microcontroller based differential relay has a programming facility and is flexible
one and the pick-up values can be altered very easily.

COMPARISON OF THE SCHEME WITH CONVENTIONAL


SYSTEM

Technology is day-by-day improving. More advancement to be visualized on


electronics side, which is entering in all spheres of life. The Microcontroller has all the processor
function in it, in addition, it contains more peripheral function like input and output ports,
program memory, data memory and some advanced Microcontroller also uses analog to digital
converter.

A processor basically has a CENTRAL PROCESSING’ unit where it performs arithmetic


and logic functions. Arithmetic function is just mathematics while logic functions are like AND,
OR Gate functions and consists decision-making functions. A unit which uses Microcontroller
will be smaller in size as compared to one which uses microprocessor. Because of this it has
entered in the field of relay. One may offer only one characteristic as found in electromechanical
relay using a microprocessor inside while the other may give a number of characteristic in one
relay which is possible using microprocessor technology. One can get metering in addition to
the protection the other concentrate only on protection.

Most electromechanical or solid state analog relays and controls have operating
characteristics which, are at best an approximation of which the designer really would like these
devices to do. Improved equipment would treat inputs more analytically, apply more refined
characteristics and decision criteria, seek out new relationship in the data, and apply more
sophisticated logic to handle exceptional situations in specialized ways.

Importance
Repeated failures of electromagnetic relay, rapid expansion of the grid, phasing out of
products by manufacturers etc. have warranted replacement of the electromagnetic differential
protection by the state of the art microcontroller based differential protection to blend with the
present day protection system. To ensure reliability and considering cost economics
microcontroller based relays may preferred to be installed to partially retrofit electromagnetic
relays.

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