Application of Directional Overcurrent

and Earthfault Protection

Training Manager

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Directional Protection

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Need for Directional Control

Generally required if current can flow in both directions

through a relay location
e.g. Parallel feeder circuits
Ring Main Circuits

0.9 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.1 0.9

Relays operate for current flow in direction indicated.

(Typical operating times shown).

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Ring Main Circuit

With ring closed :

Both load and fault current may flow in either
direction along feeder circuits.
Thus, directional relays are required.
Note: Directional relays look into the feeder.
Need to establish principle for relay.

51 67 67 67
Load Load

51 67 67 67
Load

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Ring Main Circuit
Procedure :
1. Open ring at A
Grade : A' - E' - D' - C' - B'
2. Open ring at A'
Grade : A - B - C - D - E
Typical operating times shown.
Note : Relays B, C, D’, E’ may be non-directional.

A B' B C' C

1.7
0.1 1.3 0.5 0.9
0.9 D'

0.5 D

A' E E'

1.7
0.1 1.3

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Ring System with Two Sources

Discrimination between all relays is not possible due to different

requirements under different ring operating conditions.

For F1 :- B’ must operate before A’

For F2 :- B’ must operate after A’
} Not
Compatible
B

F1
A B' B C' C

A'

F2 D D'

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Ring System with Two Sources

Option 1
Trip least important source instantaneously then treat as normal ring
main.
Option 2
Fit pilot wire protection to circuit A - B and consider as common source
busbar.
B

A 50
Option 1 Option 1 Option 1

PW PW
Option 2 Option 2

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Parallel Feeders

Non-Directional Relays :-
‘F’

51 A 51 C Load

51 B 51 D

“Conventional Grading” :- A&B

Grade ‘A’ with ‘C’
and Grade ‘B’ with ‘D’ C&D

Relays ‘A’ and ‘B’ have the same setting.

Fault level
at ‘F’
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004
 Parallel Feeders

Consider fault on one feeder :-

I1 + I2
I1

51 A I2 C 51 LOAD

51 B D 51

Relays ‘C’ and ‘D’ see the same fault current (I2).
As ‘C’ and ‘D’ have similar settings both feeders
will be tipped.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Parallel Feeders

Solution:- Directional Control at ‘C’ and ‘D’

I1 + I2
I1

C
51 A I2 67 LOAD

51 B D 67

Relay ‘D’ does not operate due to current flow in

the reverse direction.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Parallel Feeders

Setting philosophy for directional relays

E
51 A C 67 Load

51

51 B D 67

Load current always flows in ‘non-operate’ direction.

Any current flow in ‘operate’ direction is indicative of
a fault condition.
Thus Relays ‘C’ and ‘D’ may be set :-
- Sensitive (typically 50% load)
- Fast operating time (i.e. TMS=0.1)
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004
 Parallel Feeders

Usually, relays are set :-

- 50% full load current (note thermal rating)
- Minimum T.M.S. (0.1)

Grading procedure :-
1. Grade ‘A’ (and ‘B’) with ‘E’ assuming one
feeder in service.
2. Grade ‘A’ with ‘D’ (and ‘B’ with ‘C’) assuming
both feeders in service.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Parallel Feeders - Application Note

Grade B with C at If1 If2

P Q
Grade B with D at If2
(in practice) B D
Load
A C
Grade A with B at If Load If1:One Feeder
B D If2:Two Feeders
- but check that
sufficient margin
exists for bus fault at A
B
Q when relay A sees D
C
M = Margin
total fault current If2,
If2
but relay B sees only If2/2 M
If2/2. M M

If2/2 If1If2 If

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Establishing Direction

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Establishing Direction:- Polarising Quantity

The DIRECTION of Alternating Current may only be

determined with respect to a COMMON
REFERENCE.

In relaying terms, the REFERENCE is called the

POLARISING QUANTITY.

The most convenient reference quantity is

POLARISING VOLTAGE taken from the Power
System Voltages.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Directional Decision by Phase Comparison (1)

S1 = Reference Direction = Polarising Signal = VPOL

S2 = Current Signal = I

OPERATION when S2 is within ±90°of S1 :-

S1

S2 S2
S2

S2 S2

S2 S2

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Directional Decision by Phase Comparison (2)

RESTRAINT when S2 lags S1 by between 90°and 270°:-

S1

S2 S2

S2 S2

S2 S2
S2

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Polarising Voltage for ‘A’ Phase Overcurrent Relay

OPERATE SIGNAL = IA

POLARISING SIGNAL :- Which voltage to use ?

Selectable from
VA
VB
VC
VA-B
VB-C
VC-A

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Directional Relay

Applied Voltage : VA
Applied Current : IA

VA

IA

Operate
IAF

VAF

Restrain

Question :
- is this connection suitable for a typical power system ?

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Polarising Voltage
Applied Voltage : VBC
Applied Current : IA

VA

IA

IAF

MAXIMUM SENSITIVITY LINE

VBC

IVBC

 Polarising voltage remains

ØVBC healthy
 Fault current in centre of
ZERO SENSITIVITY characteristic
LINE

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Relay Connection Angle
The angle between the current applied to the relay and the
voltage applied to the relay at system unity power factor

e.g. 90° (Quadrature) Connection : IA and VBC

IA

VA

90°
VBC

The 90°Vconnection
C
VB overcurrent relays.
is now used for all
30° and 60°connections were also used in the past, but no
longer, as the 90° connection gives better performance.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Relay Characteristic Angle (R.C.A.)
for Electronic Relays
The angle by which the current applied to the relay must
be displaced from the voltage applied to the relay to
produce maximum operational sensitivity
e.g. 45°
OPERATE

IA FOR MAXIMUM OPERATE

VA
RESTRAIN SENSITIVITY

RCA
45°
VBC

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 90°Connection - 45°R.C.A.

MAX SENSITIVITY
OPERATE LINE
IA

VA VA IA FOR MAX
RESTRAIN SENSITIVITY
45°
90° 45°
VBC VBC
135°

VC VB

RELAY CURRENT VOLTAGE

A IA VBC
B IB VCA
C IC VAB
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004
 90°Connection - 30°R.C.A.

OPERATE
MAX
SENSITIVIT
IA RESTRAIN
LINE
VA VA IA FOR MAX
30° SENSITIVITY

90° 30°
VBC VBC
150°

VC VB

RELAY CURRENT VOLTAGE

A IA VBC
B IB VCA
C IC VAB
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004
 Selection of R.C.A. (1)

Overcurrent Relays

90°connection 30°RCA (lead)

Plain feeder, zero sequence source behind relay

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Selection of R.C.A. (2)

90°connection 45°RCA (lead)

Plain or Transformer Feeder :- Zero Sequence Source in Front of
Relay

Transformer Feeder :- Delta/Star Transformer in Front of Relay

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Directional Earthfault Protection

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Directional Earth Fault

Requirements are similar to directional overcurrent

i.e. need operating signal
and polarising signal

Operating Signal
obtained from residual connection of line CT's
i.e. Iop = 3Io

Polarising Signal
The use of either phase-neutral or phase-phase
voltage as the reference becomes inappropriate for
the comparison with residual current.
Most appropriate polarising signal is the residual
voltage.
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004
 Residual Voltage
May be obtained from ‘broken’ delta V.T. secondary.
A
B
C

VA-G VB-G VC-G

VRES = VA-G + VB-G + VC-G = 3V0

RES V
Notes :
1. VT primary must be earthed.
2. VT must be of the '5 limb' construction (or 3 x single
phase units)

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Directional Earth Fault Relays

Relay Characteristic Angle

0 - Resistance earthed systems

45 (I lags V) - Distribution systems (solidly earthed)

60 (I lags V) - Transmission systems (solidly earthed)

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Residual Voltage

Solidly Earthed System E S R F

ZS ZL

A-G

VA
VA

VC VB VC VB VC VB

VA VRES
VA VRES
VB VB VB

VC VC VC

Residual Voltage at R (relaying point) is dependant upon ZS / ZL ratio.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Residual Voltage
Resistance Earthed System
E S R F
ZS ZL
N

ZE
A-G
G

VA-G
S S V S
A-G R G.F
G.F R G.F

VC-G VB-G VC-G VB-G VC-G VB-G

VRES VRES VRES

VB-G VB-G VB-G
VA-G VA-G
VC-G VC-G VC-G

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Current Polarising

A solidly earthed, high fault level (low source impedance)

system may result in a small value of residual voltage at the
relaying point. If residual voltage is too low to provide a reliable
polarising signal then a current polarising signal may be used as
an alternative.
The current polarising signal may be derived from a CT located
in a suitable system neutral to earth connection.
e.g.

OP
POL
DEF Relay

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Directional Control

Static Relay (METI + MCGG)

Characteristic Selectable M.T.A. Selectable

51 I

67 I

Overcurrent Unit Directional Unit

(Static) (Static)

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

 Numerical Relay Directional Characteristic

Characteristic angle Øc Zone of

Øc = -180°--- 0°--- + 180° forward start
in 1°steps forward operation
+Is

Øc - 90° Øc Øc + 90°
-Is
Polarising
thresholds
Reverse start
Vp > 0.6V
Vop > 0.6 to 80V
in 0.2V steps
for example

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004