Power System Protection

Lecture 1
Dr. Wael Taha
Power System Protection

What?

Why?

How?
 Power System Protection
Basic elements of a power system

Main Components in Power Systems

That require protection include

1) Generator or Generator-Transformer Units

2) Transformers
3) Buses
4) Lines
5) Motors or Static Loads
 Need for Power System Protection
Concept of Short-Circuit

During Normal Operation During Fault

 Need for Power System Protection

• All power system components could undergo abnormalities in their life-time due to several reasons
which include but not limited to.
• Aging and pollution may result in degradation in performance of insulators which may lead to
breakdown and short circuits may occur.
• A tree falling or touching an overhead line may cause a fault.
• A lightning strike can cause insulation failure.
• These abnormalities could cause overcurrent (Current flow above the equipment rating) or
overvoltages (Voltage levels above the equipment rating) which can lead to damage of the power
system components and/or interrupting of power supply.
• It is necessary to avoid these abnormal operating conditions for safety of the equipment and
personals and for the continuity of power supply.
• Whenever there exists possibility of equipment damage or dangerous for the human being, it is
necessary to isolate and de-energize the faulty section or equipment (This is the role of protection
system).
 Causes of Faults
• A power system fault is the breakdown of insulation (between conductors, or between a phase
conductor and ground) which results in excess current flow.
• The most common causes of faults are
• Lightning
• Pollution on Insulators or aging of insulators
• Birds and animals
• Cars hitting lines and structures
• Bad weather conditions and other accidents
 Effects of Faults
• Effects of uncleared faults and abnormalities
• Flow of excessive current leading to heating of conductors, damage of conductor, and fire ignition.
• Abnormal voltages (which may lead to breakdown of insulator, damage of equipment and fire
ignition)
• Mechanical damage of the equipment
• Hazards to humans, equipment and animals.
• Instability to the system operation
 Type of Faults in Three-Phase Systems
A
B Faults in Three-Phase Systems
C
G
Series Faults Shunt Faults
A
(Open Circuit Faults) (Short Circuit Faults)
B
C
Two Open One Open
(AB, BC, CA) (A, B, C)
Asymmetrical Faults Symmetrical Faults
A
B
C
LG Fault LL Fault LLG Fault LLL Fault LLLG Fault
(AG, BG, CG) (AB, BC, CA) (ABG, BCG, CAG) (ABC) (ABCG)

A A A A A
B B B B B
C C C C C
G G G G G
 Fault Statistics
Probability of
Element
Occurrence
Overhead Lines 50 %
Percentage Distribution of Faults in
Underground Cables 9%
Various Elements of a Power System
Transformers 10 %
Generators 7%
Switchgear (CTs, VTs, Relays, etc.) 12 %
Control Equipment, etc. 12 %

Probability of
Fault Type Symbol
Occurrence
Line to Ground L-G 85 %

Frequency of Different Types Line to Line L-L 8%

of Faults on Overhead Lines
Double Line to Ground L-L-G 5%

Three phase 3-𝜙 2%

 Type of Faults
The faults can also be classified into
• Temporary Faults
• Permanent Faults
Temporary Faults
The majority (80–90%) of the faults on overhead lines are of a
temporary nature and are caused by flashovers between phase
conductors, or between one or more of the phase conductors
and earthed metal or the ground caused by, for example,
lightning stroke.
Temporary faults can be dealt with by switching off the line
until the arc or arcs are extinguished, and then switching it on
again after a certain period, termed the dead time. The whole
procedure is referred to as auto-reclosing and significantly
improves the continuity of energy supply.
Permanent Faults
Remain in the system until they are repaired; e.g. broken
conductor.
 Components of a Protection System
A protection system consists of many other subsystems which
contribute to the detection and removal of faults. The main
subsystems of the protection system are the transducers, relays,
circuit breakers and trip circuit containing trip coil and battery.

The transducers, i.e., the current and voltage transformers (CTs

and VTs) are used to reduce currents and voltages to standard
lower values and to isolate protective relays from the high voltages
of the power system.

Protective relays detect and locate the fault and issue a command
to the circuit breaker (CB) to disconnect the faulty element. Components of a protection system

A circuit breaker is a mechanical switching device capable of

making, carrying and breaking currents under normal and
abnormal circuit condition such as those of short circuits, i.e.,
faults.
 Zones of protection
Zones of protection

Types of protection zones Includes

1) Generator or Generator-Transformer Units

2) Transformers
3) Buses
4) Lines
5) Motors or Static Loads

Circuit breakers are generally located

so that each generator, transformer,
bus, transmission line, etc., can be
completely disconnected from the rest
of the system
 Zones of protection
Characteristics:

• Zones are overlapped.

• Circuit breakers are located in the overlap regions.
• Overlap accomplish by having 2 sets of instrument transformers
and relays for each CB.
• For a fault anywhere in a zone, all circuit breakers in that zone
open to isolate the fault.
 More on Zones of protection
Region between the current transformers and
the Circuit breaker A is not completely
protected against faults. A fault at F would
cause the busbar protection to operate and
open the circuit breaker but the fault may
continue to be fed through the feeder. If the
feeder protection is of the type that responds
only to faults within its own zone, it would not
operate, since the fault is outside its zone.
Example of non-overlapping zones of Example of overlapping zones
protection (CTs on one circuit side of of protection (CTs on both
circuit breaker) sides of circuit breaker)
 Primary and Backup Protection
When short circuit occur, both primary and back-up protection start to operate, but if primary is
operated, then the back-up will reset.

Backup protection operate with sufficient time delay (coordination time delay) if primary not
operate.

Two Types of Backup Protection

Back up relaying may be installed locally, in the same substation, or remote in other substations or
places:

• Local backup :
Clears fault in the same station where the failure has occurred

• Remote backup :
Clears fault on station away from where the failure has occurred
 Primary and Backup Protection
Example for primary and back-up protection for line protection on a simple system

Directional overcurrent
relay for line protection
is assumed
 Primary and Backup Protection
Another Example

Fault Primary Back-up

K C, D, E A, B, F
Reach of a Relay
A drawback of overcurrent protection: If a
relay is adjusted to operate up to a certain
set value (certain impedance value), then a
measured impedance greater than this set
value the relay should not operate. The
corresponding distance for this set value is
known as the Reach of the Relay.

=𝐼 gives reach to point B

If the source impedance increases to

𝑍 , then the OC relay under-reaches. If it
decreases to 𝑍 then it over-reaches

The tendency of a Reach of a Relay to

operate at impedance larger than its setting
value is known as overreach and similarly
the tendency to restrain at the set value of
impedance or impedances lower than the
set value is known as underreach.
 Properties of Protection System
Discrimination: able to discriminate between load (normal) and fault (abnormal) conditions and not be
confused by non-damaging transient conditions.

Speed: Fast enough to prevent damage and hazards.

Selectivity: coordinate with other protection systems to minimize the outage part of the system.

Dependability: it is the ability of the protection system to operate when called upon to remove a faulted
element from the power system

Security: it is the ability of the protection system to restrain itself from operating during an external fault.

Have no “Blind Spots" i.e. unprotected zones

 ANSI Standard Device Numbers
There are standard codes and conventions for power system protection devices.
Here are some key references:
ANSI Standard Device Numbers: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) defines a set of device
numbers for various protection functions. These numbers are used to identify specific protective relays and other
devices in power systems. For example:
Device 21: Distance Relay
Device 87: Differential Protective Relay
Device 81: Frequency Relay
Device 27: Undervoltage Relay
Device 50/51: Instantaneous Overcurrent Relay
Device 59: Overvoltage Relay
Device 52: AC Circuit Breaker
Device 74: Alarm Relay
Device 51G: Ground Time Overcurrent
And many more
Any questions?