Generator Protection Settings

EXAMPLES OF GENERATOR PROTECTION SETTINGS
This section gives examples of the calculations required for generator protection. The first is for a
typical small generator installed on an industrial system that runs in parallel with the utility supply.
The second is for a larger generator-transformer unit connected to a grid system.
1. Protection Settings of a Small Industrial Generator
Table 1.2. Data for small generator protection example

Salient details of the generator, network and protection required are given in Table 1.1. The example
calculations are based on a MiCOM P343 relay in respect of setting ranges, etc.
1.1. Differential protection
Figure 1.1.
Biased differential protection involves the determination of values for four setting values:
Differential current threshold setting: Is1; Bias slope break-point threshold setting: Is2; Bias slope
K1 setting and Bias slope K2 setting in Figure 1.1.
The recommended settings are as follows:
i. Is1 = 5% of the generator rating, in accordance with the recommendations for the
relay,
ii. Is2 = 120% of generator rating and
iii. K2 = 150% of generator rating.
iv. The recommended value for K1 = 0% (only applies where CT’s that conform to
IEC 60044-1 class PX (or the superseded BS 3938 Class X) are used – i.e. CT’s
specifically designed for use in differential protection schemes).
In this application, the CT’s are conventional class 5P CT’s that meet the relay requirements in
respect of knee-point voltage, etc.
i. Where neutral tail and terminal CT’s can saturate at different times due to transiently off-set
magnetizing inrush or motor starting current waveforms with an r.m.s. level close to rated current and
ii. where there is a high L/R time constant for the off-set,
the use of a 0% bias slope may give rise to mal-operation.
Such waveforms can be encountered when plant of similar rating to the generator is being energised
or started.
Differences between CT designs or differing remanent flux levels can lead to asymmetric saturation
and the production of a differential spill current. Therefore, it is appropriate to select a non-zero
setting for K1, and a value of 5% is usual in these circumstances.
1.2. Voltage controlled over-current protection
Voltage controlled over-current protection has two time/current characteristics which are
selected according to the status of a generator terminal voltage measuring element. The
voltage threshold setting for the switching element is chosen according to the following
criteria.
1. during overloads, when the system voltage is sustained near normal, the over-current
protection should have a current setting above full load current and an operating time
characteristic that will prevent the generating plant from passing current to a remote
external fault for a period in excess of the plant short-time withstand limits
2. under close-up fault conditions, the bus-bar voltage must fall below the voltage threshold
so that the second protection characteristic will be selected. This characteristic should be
set to allow relay operation with fault current decrement for a close-up fault at the generator
terminals or at the HV bus-bars. The protection should also time-grade with external circuit
protection. There may be additional in-feeds to an external circuit fault that will assist with
grading
Typical characteristics are shown in Figure 1.2.

This protection is applied as remote backup to the
downstream over-current protection in the event
of protection or breaker failure conditions.
This ensures that the generator will not continue

to supply the fault under these conditions.
At normal voltage, the current setting must be

greater than the maximum generator load current
of 328A.
Figure 1.2. Voltage controlled relay

characteristics
A margin must be allowed for resetting of the relay at this current (reset ratio = 95%) and for the
measurement tolerances of the relay (5% of Is under reference conditions), therefore the current
setting is calculated as:
328
I vcset   1.05  362.5 A
0.95
The nearest settable value is 365A, or 0.73In.
The minimum phase-phase voltage for a close-up single-phase to earth fault is 57%, so the voltage
setting Vs must be less than this.
30
A value of 30% is typically used, giving Vs   100  33 V .
100
The current setting multiplying factor K must be chosen such that KIs is less than 50% of the
generator steady-state current contribution to an un-cleared remote fault.
This information is not available (missing data being common in protection studies).
However, the maximum sustained close-up phase fault current (neglecting AVR action) is 145 A, so
that a setting chosen to be significantly below this value will suffice.
A value of 87.5 A (60% of the close-up sustained phase-fault current) is therefore chosen, and hence
K = 0.6.
This is considered to be appropriate based on knowledge of the system circuit impedances.
The TMS setting is chosen to co-ordinate with the downstream feeder protection such that:
1. for a close-up feeder three-phase fault, that results in almost total voltage collapse as seen by the
relay
2. for a fault at the next down-stream relay location, if the relay voltage is less than the switching
voltage
It should also be chosen so that the generator cannot be subjected to fault or overload current in
excess of the stator short-time current limits.
A curve should be provided by the manufacturer, but IEC 60034-1 demands that an AC generator
should be able to pass 1.5 times rated current for at least 30 seconds.
The operating time of the down-

stream protection for a three-phase
fault current of 850A is 0.682s, so
the voltage controlled relay element
should have a minimum operating
time of 1.09s (0.4s grading margin
used as the relay technology used
for the down-stream relay is not
stated – see Table 1.2). Table 1.2. Typical relay timing errors - standard IDMT
relays
With a current setting of 87.5A, the operating time of the voltage controlled relay element at a TMS
0.14
0.02
 3.01s
of 1.0 is:  850 
 87.5   1
 
1.09
Therefore a TMS of:  0.362 is required. Use 0.375, nearest available setting.
3.01

Generator Protection Settings

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What are the main components of generator protection settings discussed in the document?

What factors are considered when setting the differential current threshold?

EXAMPLES OF GENERATOR PROTECTION SETTINGS

1. Protection Settings of a Small Industrial Generator

Table 1.2. Data for small generator protection example

1.1. Differential protection

the use of a 0% bias slope may give rise to mal-operation.

1.2. Voltage controlled over-current protection

Typical characteristics are shown in Figure 1.2.

This ensures that the generator will not continue

At normal voltage, the current setting must be

Figure 1.2. Voltage controlled relay

The nearest settable value is 365A, or 0.73In.

This is considered to be appropriate based on knowledge of the system circuit impedances.

The operating time of the down-

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