SWITCH GEARS AND PROTECTION

AN INTRODUCTION
BY
DR.M.TRIPATHY
CONTENTS
1. A fundamental understanding
2. Reviewing Faults and its types
3. Consequences of Faults
4. The basic structure of Switch Gears and Protective
systems
5. Primary components of Protection Systems and their
functioning
6. Protective Strategy
7. Attributes of a good Protection System

Department of Electrical Engineering, VSSUT, BURLA, Odisha 1/28/2024 2

 A Fundamental Understanding
 Electrical Power Networks are congregation of many electrical equipment
operating at different levels of voltage and current and power.

 While operating in laboratory, whenever certain current voltage or power

increases above the safe operating levels (rated value), then the first thing to
do is to……

SWITCH OFF THE CIRCUIT

 Then to check for any maloperation, circuit connection, or FAULT

So that, it can be RECONNECTED/RESTARTED.

 Essentially, certain OPERATING VARIABLES of the circuit were MEASURED to

take DECISION to RECONNECT

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 So Reviewing What is Done
1.Measurement ( By Meters, CT,PT)
2.Fault Detection( By Relays based on meters)
3.Decision to disconnect (Relays)
4.Physically Disconnect the circuit.( Circuit Breakers)

 For Higher Levels of Voltage Current and Power, the SPEED

of all above processes is important.

 So the entire process should be AUTOMATED for which it requires

measurement, a decision making criteria or algorithm, auto-operated
switches that disconnects physically from supply system.

 Therefore, we need Accurate Meters, CT, PT, Relays and

other protection systems, and Circuit Breakers
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 Reviewing Faults From Protection Needs
Definition: Faults in any Electrical circuits or equipment is defined as an undesirable defect
in it, which leads to a temporary/ permanent change in its topology or condition.
What does Faults do
a. Diversion of current from its intended path
b. It unbalances the network
c. The power flowing in the neighbouring zone are also affected
What are its causes
a. Lightening ( Most likely, b. Dew, Fog, Snow, Ice
c. Gales of wind and thunderstorm, d. Other reasons
Types of Faults
a. Short Circuit ( LG, LLG, LLL-G, L-L Etc.), LG Faults (Most Common),

LLL-G( Most Severe),

b. Open Conductor/Circuit

c. Abnormal Condition ( Incipient Faults like Abnormal Change in Temperature,

Vibration, Frequency, Voltage, prime-mover/ Field failure, pole-slipping,
Reversal of power, Over Fluxing Etc.)
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 How to Recognize Fault Situation

 Recognize a fault and then isolate from healthy part

 How to Recognize both Active/ Incipient Faults?

A. From the Fault Current or KVA/MVA
B. From Waveforms of Fault Current with Sub transient, Transient components
C. From other variable readings like, Temperature,
Pressure, Viscosity. ( Mostly in Incipient Types)

 Fault Calculation help to

1. To determine Maximum Short Circuit Levels in a circuit
2. To aid decision making in protection system
3. To find rated Capacities of Breaker and other switch gear
4. To know fault current distribution and bus bar voltage levels

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 Principle of Protection and basic Design

The essential principle of protection system should be able to

1. Successfully detect abnormal condition
2. Do it at Good Speed
3. Should isolate only the affected part without disturbing other.
4. Cause Minimum Disruption
Fig 1.1 and 1.2 show the basic operation ISOLATES
CIRCUITS

of a relay
CB CB

TIMER TIMER

R R

DETECTS
TAKES DECISION

Fig.1.1 Fig 1.2

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 In Fig 1.3 the sequence of events
1. Relay Detects faults/ abnormal condition ( Like Difference in incoming
and outgoing currents.)
2. Relay Trip Contact Changes its Status ( Normally Open to Close )
3. One of the NO contact used as shown in Fig.1.3, closes, which
discontinues supply to the Breaker main coil through Trip coil.

So breaker opens
(BREAKS)
Another term for
Closing the breaker
Is MAKE

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Fig.1.3
 A Protection System with Breakers

 Fig.1.4 shows a very elementary protection system and its main components.
Note here that the supply system may also be AC, but DC supply is most common.

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 Protection Strategy

 For better discrimination, a power network is divided into zones.

 It disconnects only the Faulty Part, isolating it from the healthy parts.

 Circuit Breakers and Relay of a Zone is located at its boundary.

 Overlapping between adjacent zones is done to avoid any unprotected portions.

 This is known as Primary Protection, which protects each element of a zone.

To avoid any portion unprotected, Back up Protection is also provided as second
line of defence.

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 Zone Protection Example 1 with Primary Protection

 The Fig.1.5 shows one example of Zone Protection with clear demarcation of
boundaries, and how overlapping has to be done.

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 Back Up Protection

 In Example -1 shown in Fig.1.5, the Back up protection of Zone 3 is

provided in Zone 4 and Zone 2.
 A suitable delay with the help of timer is provided in Back Up scheme
so that, it operates after some time of Primary relay.

 So it is activated, only when Primary fails due to some reason.

 In examples of radial feeder scheme, the delay time gradually

increases as we go farther away from the Zone.

 In some other cases Local Back up is provided.

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 Zone protection Example 2

 In this Example 2 shown in Fig.1.6, the Back up Protection of Zone C are

provided in Zones B and E.

Fig.1.6
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 Attributes of Good Protection System

The goodness of a protection system is judged with the help of the following
important primary attributes.

 Selectivity

 Speed

 Sensitivity

 Stability

 Reliability

 Adequacy

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Selectivity
 The protection system should be able to isolate only the abnormal part,

 Not interrupt the flow of power in the Normal part.

 So for the correct discrimination the system is divided into different zones with
clear boundaries.

Examples :
a)Time graded systems
b) Unit systems

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 Speed (Generally 8-40 msec)
Two time frames are involved in determining the Speed
1. Relay Time
2. Breaker Time
1. The Relay Time : This is the time between the instant of occurrence of the
fault to the instant at which the relay contacts open.
2. The Breaker Time: This is the time between the instant of closing of relay
contacts to the instant of final arc extinction inside the
medium and removal of the fault.
Delay Time: In some circuits some delay time between the instants at which
breaker receives signal from relay and its actuation is kept, so that the
discrimination between Primary and Back up protection can be identified and
avoid Inadvertent disconnection.

Example: During high motor inrush current during starting the power should not
be disconnected

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 Sensitivity
It is the Smallest value of the actuating quantity at which
the relay operates detecting any abnormal condition.

 In case of an overcurrent relay, it Is the

ratio between the short circuit fault current (Is) and the relay operating current
(Io), known as Sensitivity Factor( Ks)

Ks= (Is/Io)

The value of Io , should not be too small or large so that the relay is either too
sensitive or slow in responding.

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 Stability
It is the property/quality of any protection system to remain stable
within a set of defined operating scenarios and procedures.

Examples:
1. Biased differential Relay scheme of differential protection
is more stable towards switching transients compared to
the more simple and basic Merz Price scheme in differential protection.

2. Harmonic Restraint feature in Transformer differential protection avoids

Unnecessary tripping during starting, due to magnetising inrush current.

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 Reliability
It is the ability of the protection system to operate correctly.
It has two features of dependability and security.
 Depends on
a)Quality of Component used
b) Maintenance schedule
c) The supply and availability of spare parts and stocks
d) The design principle
e) Electrical and mechanical stress to which the protected part of
the system is subjected to.

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 Adequacy

 It is uneconomical to have a 100% protection.

 Should be of optimum cost without compromising security of protected zone.

 The protection system for more Critical Zone is generally Costly.

 But a small motor can be protected by a simple thermally operated relay,

which is simple and cheap.

 Therefore, the cost of the protection system should be adequate in its cost.

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 Protection System Terminologies and Jargons

 Reach: A distance relay operates whenever the impedance seen by the relay is

less than a prespecified value. This impedance or the corresponding distance

is known as the reach of the relay.

 Auxiliary switch/Relay: Relays which operate in response to the opening or

closing of its operating circuit to assist another relay in the performance of its

function. This relay may be instantaneous or may have a time delay.

 Measuring Relay: Generally used along with main relay operated like auxiliary

relay

 Fault Clearing Time: Time elapsed between occurrence of fault and final arc

extinction in CB

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 Protection System Terminologies and Jargons

 Relay Time: Time elapsed between occurrence of fault and closure of relay

contacts.

 Pick Up Value: The value of the actuating quantity (current or voltage) which is on

the threshold (border) above which the relay operates

 Reset/Drop Out Value: The value of current or voltage below which a relay opens

its contacts and comes to original position.

 Flag or Target: A visual device, usually spring or gravity operated, for indicating

the operation of a relay.

 Relay Burden: It is the value of power consumed by a relay, under rated conditions

of voltage and current. Expressed in Volt Ampere(VA) for AC and Watt for DC.

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 THANK YOU

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