Line distance protection REL670

Exercise 1 - Distance protection

characteristics

1MRG005001Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Copyright
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a third party, nor used for any unauthorized purpose.

The software or hardware described in this document is furnished under a

license and may be used, copied, or disclosed only in accordance with the terms
of such license.

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mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.

ABB AB
Substation Automation Products
SE-721 59 Västerås
Sweden
Telephone: +46 (0) 21 34 20 00
Facsimile: +46 (0) 21 14 69 18
www.abb.com/substationautomation

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Distance protection characteristics

On completion of this exercise you should be able to

 Understand the distance protection characteristic and its main settings
 Perform commissioning tests for the distance protection

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Distance protection characteristics

The application example

In this exercise the settings of line distance protection function will be calculated and transferred to the REL670
configured for single phase trip, one single circuit breaker (A32 pre-configured version).
The distance protection characteristic will be tested with the help of the relay test set.

The settings for distance protection will be calculated with reference to the application example shown in figure
1 and table 1.

A B
Z1L = R1L + j X1L
Z0L = R0L + j X0L

3I 3U

Figure 1: The line application example.

Table 1: Data for the line application example

Entity Value
Line length 100 km
Nominal Voltage Level 400 kV
Line Positive Sequence Impedance, Z1L = R1L + j X1L (0,032 + j 0,36) km  (3,2 + j 36) 
Line Zero Sequence Impedance Z0L = R0L + j X0L (0,13 + j 1,45) km  (13 + j 145) 
CT A ratio 1200 A / 1 A
Start point earthed towards the line
VT A ratio 400 kV / 100 V
Maximum Power Transfer over the line S = 700 MVA
P = 628 MW
Q = 308 Mvar

Cosphi = 0.89

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Open the PCM600 project

PCM600 is the tool to be used to engineer the REL670, i.e. to do all

necessary settings and eventually to change the application
configuration and the allocation of binary inputs / binary outputs and
also of the measuring transformers.

There is a project prepared to be used during this training.

The project contains the application configuration of REL670-A32
and the relay physical inputs/outputs have been configured to match
the hardware simulator of the training center (Figure 2).

Figure 2: The training center input/output simulator.

1. Start PCM600 and open the project manager

Figure 3: Opening the project manager from PCM600.

2. Import the project REL670_1p2_Training.pcmp

From the window Open/Manage Projects

click on the button Import Project.
The project is named

REL670_1p2_Training.pcmp

and it is found in the folder

Files for SEP-602A REL670

on the desktop of your training PC.

Figure 4: Importing the project REL670_1p2_Training.

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

3. Open the project in PCM600

Once the project has been imported, select the

project name REL670-TrainingSimulator and
open it.

The final project will be available in PCM600.

Figure 5: Open the imported project

In this project the relay settings are the default ones, and
will be changed in the following exercises.

Figure 6: Final project available in PCM600

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Current transformer inputs

Correct information of the main CTs is very relevant as the protection relay settings are in expressed in primary
quantities. Pay attention to the CT earthing point, as it influences the direction (phase angle) of the primary
currents calculated by the REL670.

4. Open the Parameter Setting Tool for the transformer card (6I and 6U)

Figure 7: Opening Parameter Setting for the current transformers

5. Enter the settings for the line CTs

The three main current transformers have a ratio of
1200 A / 1 A; the setting CTPrim will be 1200 A and the
setting CTSec will be 1 A for all the three current
transformers.

The earthing point of the main CTs is towards the protected

object (the line): the CTStarPoint setting will be ToObject
for all the three CTs.

Note that the residual current of the protected line (3 Io) is

numerically calculated by the relay out of the three
measured phase currents.

Figure 8: Settings for main CTs in the TRM card

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Voltage transformer inputs

Correct information of the main VTs is very relevant as the protection relay settings are in expressed in primary
quantities.

1. Enter the settings for the line VTs

Settings are entered for the same transformer card (6I and
6U).

The primary voltage (phase to phase) of the voltage

transformer is 400 kV. The setting VTprim will be 400
kV.

The secondary voltage (phase to phase) of the voltage

transformer is 100 V. The setting VTsec will be 100 V.

This is valid for all the three voltage transformers.

Figure 9: Settings for main VTs in the TRM card

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Calculating the settings for five zones distance protection, polygonal characteristic

The settings for the distance protection will be calculated in order to meet the requirements indicated in Table 2.

Table 2: Setting requirements for distance protection zones

Zone Requirement
Zone 1 85% of the protected line
Forward direction
Instantaneous operate time

Fault resistance to be covered at 80% of the line, radial feeder:

Phase-Earth faults: 25 primary ohms
Phase-Phase faults: 15 primary ohms
Zone 2 At least 120% of the protected line
Forward direction
Operate time 400 ms

Fault resistance settings: 50% more than settings for zone1

Zone 3 Remote back-up zone
400% of the protected line
Forward direction
Operate time 1 s

Fault resistance to be covered at 100% of settings:

Phase-Earth faults: 300 primary ohms
Phase-Phase faults: 300 primary ohms
Zone 4 Back-up zone for busbar protection
20% of the shortest line behind the REL670
Reverse direction
Operate time 800 ms

Fault resistance to be covered at the busbar:

Phase-Earth faults: 60 primary ohms
Phase-Phase faults: 40 primary ohms
Zone 5 Reverse zone used for communication scheme (blocking or weak-end
infeed). No trip command is issued by this zone.
The zone is 30% larger than forward zone 2 on the other line-end side
(B side).

Load Encroachment Distance protection zones will not trip for exporting load equal or
smaller 700 MVA and for any cosphi between 1,00 than 0,89

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Settings for zone 1 (ZMQPDIS:1)

The primary data of the protected line are, according to Table 1:

Z1L = R1L + j X1L (3,2 + j 36) 

Z0L = R0L + j X0L (13 + j 145) 

2. Calculate and enter the settings for zone 1

The relay settings (reach) are calculated in way, according to the requirements in Table 2:

The distance protection zone 1 is requested to cover (see Table 2) 25 ohms of fault resistance for LE faults and
15 ohms for LL faults, at 80% of the protected line. Since the resistive reach of the REL670 characteristic is
parallel to the line impedance of the protected line, it is
enough to set the fault resistance settings at the
requested values:

and

The directionality is set to Forward (OperationDir =

Forward).

Timers for LN and LL faults are set both activated

(Timer tPP = Timer tPE = On) and their value is 0,0 s
(instantaneous trip)

The relay is requested to trip for all the faults, hence PE

(Phase-Earth) and PP (Phase-Phase) loops are activated
(OperationPP = OperationPE = On).

Base values are set according to the nominal primary

quantities of main transformers, this means that:

IBase = 1200 A and that UBase = 400 kV.

Figure 10: Settings for zone 1

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Settings for zone 2 (ZMQAPDIS:2)

3. Calculate and enter the settings for zone 2

The relay settings (reach) are calculated according to the requirements given in Table 2, where it has been
chosen to set zone 2 at 125% of the protected line:

The distance protection zone 2 is requested to cover

(see Table 2) 50% more fault resistance than zone 1:

and

The directionality is set to Forward (OperationDir = Forward).

Timers for LN and LL faults are set both activated (Timer tPP = Timer tPE = On) and their value is 0,4 s.

The relay is requested to trip for all the faults, hence PE (Phase-Earth) and PP (Phase-Phase) loops are activated
(OperationPP = OperationPE = On).

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Base values are set according to the nominal primary

quantities of main transformers, this means that:

IBase = 1200 A and that UBase = 400 kV.

Figure 11: Settings for zone 2

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Settings for zone 3 (ZMQAPDIS:3)

4. Calculate and enter the settings for zone 3

The relay settings (reach) are calculated according to the requirements given in Table 2:

It is meaningless to set the resistive value of zone3 to 400% of the protected line resistance, as this is a back-up
zone, protecting several objects after the line. It is chosen to have a characteristic angle of almost 90 degrees
hence the resistive value will be set to the small value of 1 ohm:

As well as for the resistive value of the zero sequence impedance, it is chosen to set it to a small value in order
to get a characteristic angle of 90 degrees:

The fault resistance coverage for back-up zone will be

(Table 2):

and

The directionality is set to Forward (OperationDir =

Forward).

Timers for LN and LL faults are set both activated

(Timer tPP = Timer tPE = On) and their value is 1 s.

The relay is requested to trip for all the faults, hence

PE (Phase-Earth) and PP (Phase-Phase) loops are
activated (OperationPP = OperationPE = On).

Base values are set according to the nominal primary

quantities of main transformers, this means that:

IBase = 1200 A and that UBase = 400 kV.

Figure 12: Settings for zone 3

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Settings for zone 4 (ZMQAPDIS: 4)

5. Calculate and enter the settings for zone 4

The relay settings (reach) are calculated according to the requirements given in Table 2. It is assumed that 10%
of the forward protected line is equivalent to 20% of the shortest line behind REL670

The fault resistance coverage for back-up zone 4 will

be (Table 2):

and

The directionality is set to reverse (OperationDir =

Reverse).

Timers for LN and LL faults are set both activated

(Timer tPP = Timer tPE = On) and their value is 0,8 s.

The relay is requested to trip for all the faults, hence PE

(Phase-Earth) and PP (Phase-Phase) loops are activated
(OperationPP = OperationPE = On).

Base values are set according to the nominal primary

quantities of main transformers, this means that:

IBase = 1200 A and that UBase = 400 kV.

Figure 13: Settings for zone 4

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Settings for zone 5 (ZMQAPDIS:5)

6. Calculate and enter the settings for zone 5

Assuming that zone 2 at the remote line-end (B) is set as zone 2 of REL670, the settings for the zone 5 are
calculated this way:

The fault resistance settings are calculated with the

same procedure:

and

The directionality is set to reverse (OperationDir = Reverse).

Timers for LN and LL faults are both set deactivated (Timer tPP = Timer tPE = Off) and their value is 60s in
order to avoid misunderstandings in the setting file (no trip is requested by this zone).

The relay is requested to start for all the faults, hence PE (Phase-Earth) and PP (Phase-Phase) loops are
activated (OperationPP = OperationPE = On).

Base values are set according to the nominal primary quantities of main transformers, this means that:

IBase = 1200 A and that UBase = 400 kV.

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Figure 14: Settings for zone 5

Settings for Phase Selection (FDPSPDIS:1) to cover distance protection zones

The phase selector needs to be set in order to cover all the distance protection zones connected to the phase
selector signal “STCNDZ”. In A32 configuration these zones are zone 1, zone 2 and zone 5.

The settings can be calculated mathematically or simply graphically by using the Excel tool REL670_1.2 ==
PHS covering ZM.xls, which is available in the folder Files for SEP-602A REL670 / Excel Files on the desktop
of your training PC.

7. Open the Excel file

As zone 1 is smaller than zone 2, it is enough to cover zone 2 in forward direction and zone 5 in reverse
direction.
Enter in the Excel sheet the settings for zone 2 and zone 5. You will easily find the correct settings for phase
selector to cover both zones. Make sure that phase selection covers roughly 20% of the distance protection
zones.

Figure 15: Impedance settings for phase selection to cover zone 2 and zone 5

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

8. Enter the phase selection settings in Parameter Setting Tool

Enter the following settings:

Ibase = 1200 A and Ubase = 400 kV
Operation Z< = On
Operation I> = Off
X1 = according to the Excel file: 70 ohms
X0 = according to the Excel file: 283 ohms
RFFwPP = according to the Excel file: 50 ohms
RFRvPP = according to the Excel file: 55 ohms
RFFwPE = according to the Excel file: 59 ohms
RFRvPE = according to the Excel file: 59 ohms

Timers are set to OFF (Phase selector will not

trip) and to their max value (to avoid
misunderstandings)

The settings for the load encroachment area:

RLdFw, RLdRv and ArgLd will be set in the next
step.

Figure 16: Partial Impedance settings for phase selection to cover zone 2 and zone 5

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Settings for Phase Selection (FDPSPDIS:1) for load encroachment

The phase selector takes also care of the load encroachment area for all the distance protection zones. The
settings are calculated as function of the load data given in Table 1 and the requirements of Table 2.

9. Calculate the settings

The minimum apparent load impedance, with a safety

margin of 80%, is calculated as:

The maximum angle of the apparent load impedance is given by:



The corresponding settings for the load resistance in phase selection are (considering equal exporting and
importing loads) and for the load angle are:

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Figure 17: Final Impedance settings for phase selection including load encroachment

10. Enter the settings in Parameter Setting

Figure 17 shows the final settings for phase selection.

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Settings for Directionality (RDIR)

11. Calculate the settings

For the directional lines default settings will be applied, but it is needed to enter the correct settings for the base
values.
Base values are set according to the nominal primary quantities of main transformers, this means that:

IBase = 1200 A and that UBase = 400 kV.

12. Enter the settings in Parameter Setting

Figure 18 shows the final settings for the directional

lines.

Figure 18: Settings for the directional lines

Downloading all the settings in the REL670

13. Write the settings in REL670

It is time to download (write) the settings entered
in Parameter Setting into the REL670.
Select the REL670 (step 1) and write the settings
into the REL670 (steps 2 and 3) as indicated in
Figure 19.

Figure 19: Writing all the settings into REL670

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

Commissioning tests – Injection tests

The distance protection characteristic will be tested with the relay test set, where the shape of the characteristic
has been drawn manually for each fault type.

14. Connect the test set OMICRON to REL670

Connect the three voltage generators and the three current generators of the test set to the REL670:

VOLTAGE OUTPUT 1  AIM2 CH7

VOLTAGE OUTPUT 2  AIM2 CH8
VOLTAGE OUTPUT 3  AIM2 CH9
VOLTAGE OUTPUT N  AIM2 N

CURRENT OUTPUT A1  AIM2 CH1

CURRENT OUPUT A2  AIM2 CH2
CURRENT OUTPUT A3  AIM2 CH3
CURRENT OUTPUT N  AIM2 N

Connect also the trip contact from the REL670 to the binary input 1 of the test set:

IOM OUPUT 1  Binary Input 1 of the test set

15. Open the Omicron test file for LE faults and run the tests for zones 1, 2,3 and 4

The test file is called

REL670 LE Zones1,2,3 and 4

Characteristic.adt

and it contains the characteristic shape of the

REL670 for phase-earth faults and for all the
zones, except for zone 5, according to the
calculated settings.
The file is available in the folder

Files for SEP-602A REL670 / OMICRON

TESTS

on the desktop of your training PC.

Figure 20: Testing zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 for LE faults

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

16. Open the Omicron test file for LL faults and run the tests for zones 1, 2,3 and 4

The test file is called

REL670 LL Zones1,2,3 and 4

Characteristic.adt

and it contains the characteristic shape of the

REL670 for phase-earth faults and for all the
zones, except for zone 5, according to the
calculated settings.
The file is available in the folder

Files for SEP-602A REL670 / OMICRON

TESTS

on the desktop of your training PC.

Figure 21: Testing zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 for LL faults

17. Open the Omicron test file for LLL faults and run the tests for zones 1, 2,3 and 4

The test file is called

REL670 LLL Zones1,2,3 and 4

Characteristic.adt

and it contains the characteristic shape of the

REL670 for three-phase faults and for all the
zones, except for zone 5, according to the
calculated settings.
The file is available in the folder

Files for SEP-602A REL670 / OMICRON

TESTS

on the desktop of your training PC.

Figure 22: Testing zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 for LLL faults

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

18. Allow zone 5 to trip in REL670 in order to test it.

Zone 5 is set in reverse direction, and will not issue

any trip command as it is only used for the
communication scheme. It has to be tested anyway,
and in order to do this we need to temporary activate
it by assigning a trip time. To speed-up the tests we
can assign an instantaneous trip time to it.
After the test, remember to set zone 5 to its correct
settings!

Change the settings of zone 5 according to Figure 23

and write them in the REL670.

Figure 23: Allowing zone 5 to trip in order to test it

19. Open the Omicron test file for LE faults and run the tests for zone 5

The test file is called

REL670 LE Zone 5 Characteristic.adt

and it contains the characteristic shape of

the REL670 for phase-earth faults for
zone 5, according to the calculated
settings.
The file is available in the folder

Files for SEP-602A REL670 / OMICRON

TESTS

on the desktop of your training PC.

Figure 24: Testing zone 5 for LE faults

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Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

20. Open the Omicron test file for LL faults and run the tests for zone 5

The test file is called

REL670 LL Zone 5 Characteristic.adt

and it contains the characteristic shape of the

REL670 for phase-phase faults for zone 5,
according to the calculated settings.
The file is available in the folder

Files for SEP-602A REL670 / OMICRON

TESTS

on the desktop of your training PC.

Figure 25: Testing zone 5 for LL faults

21. Open the Omicron test file for LLL faults and run the tests for zone 5

The test file is called

REL670 LLL Zone 5 Characteristic.adt

and it contains the characteristic shape of the

REL670 for 3-phase faults for zone 5,
according to the calculated settings.
The file is available in the folder

Files for SEP-602A REL670 / OMICRON

TESTS

on the desktop of your training PC.

Figure 26: Testing zone 5 for LLL faults

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 Exercise 1 - Distance protection characteristics

22. Set back the correct settings for zone 5

Figure 27, in the column IED Value shows the

correct settings for zone 5. Change the settings
accordingly and download them in REL670.

Figure 27: Setting zone 5 back to the original settings

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ABB AB
Substation Automation Products
SE-721 59 Västerås, Sweden
Phone +46 (0) 21 34 20 00
Fax +46 (0) 21 14 69 18
www.abb.com/substationautomation