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    3.2 Earth Fault - Overcurrent Protection

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    Khondwani Banda

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    3.2 Earth Fault - Overcurrent Protection

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    Khondwani Banda
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    3.2 Earth Fault_Overcurrent Protection

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    5 views13 pages

    3.2 Earth Fault - Overcurrent Protection

    Uploaded by

    Khondwani Banda

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 13

    EE 531 PROTECTION

    DR. ZULU ESAU


    COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY
    SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
    ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT
    Email: [email protected]
    Earth Fault
    Protection
    Dr. Zulu Esau 2
    3.6 Protection for Earth Faults
    ▪ When a fault involving ground occurs, a
    residue current flows to earth
    ▪ This current is completely unaffected by the
    load current
    ▪ Thus, sensitive protection against earth faults
    which only responds to residual component
    can be obtained (using earth fault relay)
    ▪ Lower settings of earth fault relays are
    possible, limited only by presence of
    unbalance leakage or capacitance currents to
    earth and/or equipment design

    Dr. Zulu Esau 3


    3.6 Protection for Earth Faults
    ▪ Residual component is
    extracted by connecting the CT
    as shown in diagram
    ▪ In (a), the earth fault relay is
    connected in the neutral line.
    ▪ In practice, phase fault relays
    are connected to the CT output
    lines while the earth fault relay
    is inserted between the star
    point and the OC relay group
    Figs. (b) & (c)
    ▪ Typically, earth fault relays are
    set around 30-40% of the full
    load current
    Dr. Zulu Esau 4
    3.7 Effective Setting of E/F Relays
    ▪ Static, digital and numerical relays have very
    low variations in burden.
    ▪ Therefore, primary setting of EF relay is the
    relay setting multiplied by CT ratio
    ▪ For electromechanical relays, the EF element is
    similar to phase OC elements.
    ▪ Thus, because of its lower setting, it will have
    similar VA consumption at setting but will
    impose a higher burden at nominal or rated
    current.
    ▪ The ‘effective setting’ is the vector sum of the
    relay setting current and the total exciting
    current. See table in next slide
    Dr. Zulu Esau 5
    3.7 Effective Setting of E/F Relays

    Dr. Zulu Esau 6


    3.8 Grading of E/F Relays
    ▪ The time grading of earth-fault relays can be arranged in
    the same manner as for phase fault relays
    ▪ The time/primary current characteristic for
    electromechanical relays cannot be kept proportionate to
    the relay characteristic with anything like the accuracy
    that is possible for phase fault relays
    ▪ The ratio error of the current transformers at relay setting
    current may be very high
    ▪ Time grading of electromechanical earth-fault relays is
    not such a simple matter as the procedure adopted for
    phase relays
    ▪ Either the above factors must be considered with the
    errors calculated for each current level, making the
    process much more tedious, or longer grading margins
    must be allowed. However, for other types of relay, the
    procedure adopted for phase fault relays can be used

    Dr. Zulu Esau 7


    3.8 Sensitive E/F Protection
    ▪ It is common to earth HV systems through an
    impedance that limits the earth-fault current.
    ▪ Further, in some countries, the resistivity of the
    earth path may be very high due to the nature of
    the ground itself (e.g. desert or rock).
    ▪ A fault to earth not involving earth conductors
    may result in the flow of only a small current,
    insufficient to operate a normal protection
    system.
    ▪ A similar difficulty also arises in the case of
    broken line conductors, which, after falling on to
    hedges or dry metalled roads, remain energised
    because of the low leakage current, and
    therefore present a danger to life.
    Dr. Zulu Esau 8
    3.8 Sensitive E/F Protection
    ▪ To overcome the problem, it is necessary to
    provide an earth-fault protection system with
    a setting that is considerably lower than the
    normal line protection.
    ▪ This presents no difficulty to a modern digital
    or numerical relay.
    ▪ However, older electromechanical or static
    relays may present difficulties due to the high
    effective burden they may present to the CT.

    Dr. Zulu Esau 9


    3.8 Sensitive E/F Protection
    ▪ The required sensitivity cannot normally be provided by means of
    conventional CT’s.
    ▪ A core balance current transformer (CBCT) will normally be
    used.
    ▪ The CBCT is a current transformer mounted around all three
    phase (and neutral if present) conductors so that the CT secondary
    current is proportional to the residual (i.e. earth) current.
    ▪ Such a CT can be made to have any convenient ratio suitable for
    operating a sensitive earth-fault relay element.
    ▪ Earth fault settings down to 10% of the current rating of the
    circuit to be protected can be obtained. Care must be taken to
    position a CBCT correctly in a cable circuit. If the cable sheath is
    earthed, the earth connection from the cable gland/sheath junction
    must be taken through the CBCT primary to ensure that phase
    sheath faults are detected.
    Dr. Zulu Esau 10
    3.8 Sensitive E/F Protection
    ▪ With the incorrect method, the fault
    current in the sheath is not seen as an
    unbalance current and hence relay
    operation does not occur.
    ▪ The normal residual current that may
    flow during healthy conditions limits
    the application of non-directional
    sensitive earth-fault protection.
    ▪ Such residual effects can occur due to
    unbalanced leakage or capacitance in
    the system.

    Dr. Zulu Esau 11


    3.8 Directional E/F Protection
    ▪ Directional earth-fault overcurrent may need to be applied in the
    following situations:
    1. for earth-fault protection where the overcurrent protection is by
    directional relays
    2. in insulated-earth networks
    3. in Petersen coil earthed networks
    4. where the sensitivity of sensitive earth-fault protection is
    insufficient – use of a directional earth-fault relay may provide
    greater sensitivity
    ▪ The relay elements previously described as phase fault elements
    respond to the flow of earth fault current, and it is important that
    their directional response be correct for this condition.
    ▪ If a special earth fault element is provided as described in earlier
    Sections (which will normally be the case), a related directional
    element is needed.

    Dr. Zulu Esau 12


    3.8.1 Relay Connection
    ▪ The polarizing quantity is the residual
    voltage of the system. This is the
    vector sum of the individual phase
    voltages.
    ▪ If the secondary windings of a three-
    phase, five limb voltage transformer is
    connected in broken delta, the voltage
    developed across its terminals will be
    the vector sum of the phase to ground
    voltages and hence the residual
    voltage of the system.
    ▪ The primary star point of the VT must
    be earthed.
    ▪ Three limb VT is not suitable, as there
    is no path for the residual magnetic
    flux.

    Dr. Zulu Esau 13

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