Overcurrent Relays

Dr. Wael Mohamed Ahmed

Overcurrent protection
▪ It is a protective relay operates when the current exceeds a preset value.

▪ The value of the preset current above which the relay operates is known as its pick-
up value.

▪ Overcurrent relays (OCRs) use only current to determine magnitude of fault.

▪ OCRs are used for the protection of distribution lines, large motors, power
equipment, industrial systems, etc. and also, provide backup protection for the
differential protection
 OVERCURRENT PROTECTIVE SCHEMES
• If a fault occurs beyond C, the circuit breaker at substation C A B C D
𝑍𝑠
should trip. G

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3
• The circuit breakers at A and B should not trip as far as the
normal operation is concerned.
• If the relay at C fails to operate, the circuit breaker at B should
trip as a back-up protection.
• Similarly, if a fault occurs between B and C, the circuit breaker
at B should trip; the circuit breaker at A should not trip. But in
the case of failure of a relay and/or the circuit breaker at B, the
circuit breaker at A should trip.
• For proper selectivity of the relays, one of the following
schemes can be employed, depending on the system conditions.
• 1) Current-graded system 2) Time-graded system 3) Time and
current grading.
Current Discrimination 𝑍𝑠
A B C D

▪ The fault current is maximum for the fault near the power source and G

goes on decreasing for faults farther to the source. 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3

Operating time (s)

▪ This fact is made use of in the current-discrimination.
▪ All type of faults are simulated at end of each line section to calculate
the minimum short circuit current which is the setting of the
overcurrent relay 𝐼𝑜𝑝 = 𝐼𝑠𝑐𝑚𝑖𝑛ൗ𝐾𝑠. 𝐾𝑠 is sensitivity factor
Line
distance
• By this design the relay can’t discriminate between the fault at the end
of the line section and the beginning of the next section because of the
impedance of the line is the same in both cases resulting in loss of
selectivity.
• To compensate this problem the design of setting of the relay just cover
80-90%of line section resulting in existing of dead zones
▪ The operating time is kept the same for all relays used to protect
different sections of the feeder.
▪ It does not provide remote back-up protection.
 Time discrimination 𝑍𝑠
A B C D
G
▪ The operating current of the all relays is the same based on the
▪ Definite time overcurrent relays are used.

Operating time (s)

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3
minimum short circuit current of the system.
▪ The difference in the time setting of two adjacent relays is called
coordination time interval (CTI) and is usually at 0.3 to 0.5 s.
▪ CTI depends on the CB interrupting time, relay timing errors, and
Line
CT errors. distance

C
▪ High current cleared after longer time. 𝑍𝑠1 A B
𝐹1 𝐹2
D 𝑍
𝑠2
𝐺1 XX X X X X X X 𝐺2
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅5 𝑅6
▪ For mesh network in case of fault F1 for selectivity purpose it is
required relay R3 and relay R4 to operate so tR4 < tR5 and in case 𝑡𝑅1
𝑡𝑅3
of fault F2 for selectivity purpose it is required relay R5 and relay 𝑡𝑅5

Operating time (s)

R6 to operate so tR5 < tR4
Line
𝑡𝑅2distance
▪ Time grading process sets operating time of relay R5 less than
𝑡𝑅4
operating time of relay R4 leading to operation of relay R5 in case 𝑡𝑅6
of F1 “loss of selectivity”.
Time-current discrimination

A B C D
𝑍𝑠 𝐹1 𝐹2
G × ×
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3

Operating time (s)

Zone of
R1 inst. 𝑡2
𝑡1

𝑡𝑖
IOCR1 IOCR2 IOCR3

𝐼𝑃1 𝐼𝑃2 𝐼𝑃3

Current (multiples of pickup)
Instantaneous Overcurrent Relay (IOC) (50)
• IOC has no intentional time-delay.
• IOC operates in a definite time, when the
current exceeds its pickup value.
• The operating time is constant, irrespective of
the magnitude of the current.
•

Operating time (𝑠)

The operating time of IOC relay is of the order

Block
of a few milliseconds. Trip

• Such a relay has only the pickup setting and

does not have any time setting. pickup current

• The operating torque on the armature is

1.0
proportional to the square of the current.
Multiple of pickup (𝐼 Τ𝐼𝑃 )
• High set (high speed) IOCRs are used in
current discrimination
Time Delay Overcurrent Relay (TDOC) (51)
▪ The fundamental property of these relays is that they operate in a time that is inversely
proportional to the fault current.
▪ Time delay is important to achieve selectivity and back up protection.
▪ For very high currents, much shorter tripping times can be obtained without risk to the
protection selectivity.
▪ The general equation of time delay characteristic of OCRs is
𝛽
• 𝑡= × 𝑇𝑀𝑆
𝑃𝑆𝑀 𝛼 −1

• β and 𝛼 = constants.
 Types of TDOCRs
▪ Definite-time Overcurrent Relay
▪ Inverse Time Overcurrent Relays
✓ Normal Inverse Definite Minimum Time Overcurrent Relays (IDMT)
✓ Very inverse IDMT relays
✓ Extremely inverse IDMT relays
✓ Long time inverse
Definite-time Overcurrent Relay
• A definite-time overcurrent relay operates
after a predetermined time when the current
exceeds its pick-up value.

Plug setting
Trip
• The operating time is constant, irrespective of
the magnitude of the current above the pick-up

Operating time (𝑠)

value. Time setting

• Definite time overcurrent relays are used

in time discrimination. pickup current

1.0

Multiple of pickup (𝐼 Τ𝐼𝑃 )

 IDMT OC Relay Α 𝜷
Inverse Time OC Relays
Normal inverse (IDMT) 0.02 0.14
Very inverse (VI) 1 13.5
▪ The time of operation of a relay is inversely
Extremely inverse (EI) 2 80
proportional to the current passing through the
Long time inverse (LTI) 1 120
relay coil.
100 𝛽
𝑡= × 𝑇𝑀𝑆
▪ The magnetic circuit of an electromechanical 𝑃𝑆𝑀 𝛼 − 1
LTI

Operating time, t (s)

overcurrent relay can be designed to saturate
above a certain value of the actuating current. 10
IDMT
▪ Below this value of the actuating current, the
relay gives an inverse characteristic.
1.0 VI
▪ Above the saturation value of the current, the
relay gives a straight-line characteristic, parallel EI
to the current-axis
0.1
1 Time-Current
2 3 10
characteristics of IEC 50
20
Multiples of pickup
inverse currentrelay
time overcurrent (PMS) for TMS = 1
Inverse Time OC Relays

▪ IDMTs are widely used for the protection of C

A B D
𝑍𝑠 𝐹1 𝐹2
distribution systems. G × ×
▪ At lower values of fault current, IDMT gives an 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3

Operating time (s)

inverse-time characteristic. At higher values of Zone of
R1 inst. 𝑡2
fault current, it gives a definite-time 𝑡1
characteristic. 𝑡𝑖
IOCR1 IOCR2 IOCR3
▪ The inbuilt instantaneous units attached to
𝐼𝑃1 𝐼𝑃2 𝐼𝑃3
IDMTs can further reduce the tripping time for Current (multiples of pickup)
the faults nearer to the relaying point.
▪ IOCR operates with no intentional time delay
when the current has exceeded the relay pickup
value.