Basic Protection Concept

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What is Meant by Fault in Electric
Power System?

In an electric power system, a fault may be defined as-

Abnormal flow of electric current due to short circuit
(mainly caused as a result of insulation failure).
Sudden over-shoot or dip of voltage (lightning &
switching impulse, earth-fault in delta system etc.).
Sudden over-shoot or dip of system frequency
(depends on generation and demand).

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Types of Fault
Transient fault:
A transient fault is a fault that is no longer present if power is disconnected for a
short time and then restored. Many faults in overhead power lines are transient in
nature.
Typical examples of transient faults include:
Momentary tree contact
Bird or other animal contact
Lightning strike
Conductor clashing
Persistent fault
A persistent fault remains in the system after its inception.
Typical examples of transient faults include:
Tower collapse
Broken conductor
Cracked Insulator Disc etc.

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Symmetrical fault:
A symmetric or balanced fault affects each of the three phases
equally. (Example Three phase fault)
Asymmetric or Unsymmetrical fault:
An asymmetric or unbalanced fault does not affect each of the three
phases equally. (Example Single phase fault)
Bolted Fault:
When calculating the prospective short-circuit current in a circuit, to
maximize the value, the impedance of the arc is neglected.
Notionally, all the conductors are considered connected to ground as
if by a metallic conductor; this is called a "bolted fault".
N.B: The prospective short circuit current (PSCC) or available fault current or short circuit making
current is the highest electric current which can exist in a particular electrical system under short-
circuit conditions. It is determined by the voltage and impedance of the supply system.
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 Types of Fault:
a a a
b b b
/E c c c

e e e

a a a
b b b
/ /E c c c

e e e
 Types of Fault:
a a a
b b b
/ c c c

e e e

a a
b b
c 3/ E c
3
e e
 Types of Fault:
Open Circuit fault
a
b
c

a a
Cross b b
Country c c
Fault
e e
 Types of Fault:

a
Open Ckt b
+ c
1
e

Fault Between
Adjacent Parallel
Lines

Changing a a a
Fault c c c
In Cable
b b b
 Why Protection is Required in Power
System?

1. To protect people &

property.
2. To protect costly electrical
equipments.
3. To separate faulty segment
within a quickest possible
time.
4. To ensure normal operation
of the remaining system.

10
How Protection is Implemented
in Power System?
1. By using various types of protective relays.

2. By using lightning arrestors (LA) for lightning

impulse, switching impulse and sudden voltage
overshoot.
3. By using fuse (generally in 11 kV to lower
voltage levels.)

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 Transformer
Zones of Protection Protection
Zone

Distribution
Feeder
Protection
Zone

Transformer Transmission Transmission

Generator Protection Line Line
Protection Zone Protection Protection
Zone Zone Zone
Busbar Busbar
Busbar
Protection Protection
Protection
Zone Zone
Zone

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Functional Requirements of Protective Relay
Fundamental Requirements:
1. Reliability
2. Selectivity
3. Sensitivity
4. Speed
Optional Requirements
1. Cost
2. Simplicity
 Requirements of Protection System
Reliability :
There are two facets to Protection System reliability;
i. dependability and
ii. ii. security as defined by IEEE standard C37.1001992-

Dependability:
The facet of reliability that relates to the degree of certainty that a
relay or relay system will operate correctly.

Security:
That facet of reliability that relates to the degree of certainty that a
relay or relay system will not operate incorrectly.

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 Requirements of Protection System
Selectivity :
The protection system must be able to discriminate (select)
between those conditions for which prompt operation is required
and those for which no operation, or time delayed operation is
required.

Sensitivity :
The relaying equipment must be sufficiently sensitive so that it
operates reliably when required under the actual conditions that
produces least operating tendency.

Speed :
The relay must operate at the required speed. It should neither be
too slow which may result in damage to the equipment nor should
it be too fast which may result in undesired operation.
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 Electrical Device Designation System
IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission
IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
ANSI: American National Standards Institute

IEC 617-7 (1983) Device Designation System

Distance/Under Impedance Relay

Time Delayed O/C Relay

Instantaneous O/C Relay

Earth Fault Relay

Differential Relay

Under Voltage Relay

 ANSI Standard Device Numbers (ANSI /IEEE Standard C37.2)
1 to 94, 96, 150 Numeric Values are Designated for Particular Devices.
95, 97, 98, 99 are reserved for specific applications where other numbers are not
suitable

Import Device Numbers

21 Distance Relay
24 Volts Per Hertz Relay
25 Synchronizing Device
27 Under-voltage Relay
30 Annunciator Relay
49 Machine or Transformer Thermal Overload Relay
50 Instantaneous Over-current Relay
51 AC Time Delayed Over-current Relay
52 AC Circuit Breaker
 Knowledge on Electrical Device Nomenclature
59 Overvoltage Relay
63 Pressure Switch
67 AC Directional Over-current Relay
79 AC Reclosing Relay
81 Frequency Relay
86 Lockout Relay
87 Differential Protective Relay
89 Off Load Disconnecting Switch
94 Tripping or Trip-Free Relay
96 Busbar Trip Lockout relay

Suffixes:
A suffix letter or number may be used with the device number; for example-
Suffix N is used if the device is connected to a Neutral wire (example: 59N in a relay is
used for protection against Neutral Displacement)
Suffixes X, Y, Z are used for auxiliary devices
Suffix G can denote a "ground", hence a "51G" is a time over-current ground relay or earth-
fault relay.
Suffix G can also mean generator, hence an "87G" is a generator differential protective
relay
Suffix 87T is a transformer differential protective relay.
 IEC 61850 Device Designation System

IEC61850 Logical Nodes:

IEC61850 has introduced an object oriented modeling
approach using logical nodes as core objects.
A logical node is a functional grouping of information.
Logical nodes are standardized in IEC61850 and
consist of four characters.
Logical Node Class
 Inputs of Protective Relay
Analog Inputs:
Current Input from CT (Depends on Protective Relay)
Voltage Input from PT (Depends on Protective Relay)
Digital Inputs (Depends on Relay Type & Model):
CB/DS Status
CB Manual Closing Command Status
Tele-protection Signals Rx etc.
Outputs of Protective Relay
Command Outputs:
1. Trip Command to CB or Lock-Out Relay (Automatic)
2. Auto-Reclosing Command (Depends on Protective Relay)
3. Switch-Gear Remote Manual Closing/Opening Command
(Manually Executed by Operator & Function Dependent and
Implemented in Bay Control Relays)
Annunciation & Other Outputs:
1. Alarm Signal to the Annunciator
2. Annunciation to the SCADA System (Optional)
3. Triggering Signal to the DFDR (Optional)
4. Internal Event and Fault Recording (Applicable only for Micro-
Processor Based Relay and Configuration Dependent ) etc.
5. Tele-Protection Signals Tx. etc.
 Classification of Protective Relays:
Protective relays can be classified as per the following criteria:
As per general function:
Protection: Used to isolate the faulty segment of the power system by circuit breaker
operation.
Auxiliary: Used to carry-out command/event from other device (example lockout
relay)
Control & Monitoring: Used to control bay switchgears and monitor bay events.
Sometimes consists of inbuilt back-up protection functions.

Protection Auxiliary Control & Monitoring

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Classification of Protective Relays:

As per construction:
Electromagnetic relay
Solid state or static relay
Microprocessor based relay
Intelligent Electronic Electromechanical Relay Static Relay
Device (IED) based relay
(state of the art relay)
Nonelectric relays
(Buchholz, PRD, Winding
Temperature Indicator etc.).
Microprocessor Relay IED

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Classification of Protective Relays:

As per Analog Input Quantity:

Current.
Voltage.
Temperature
Pressure etc.
As Per Protection Function:
Non-Directional Over current & Earth Fault
Directional over current & Earth Fault
Distance.
Differential
Over/Under Voltage
Over/Under Frequency
Reverse Power etc.
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 Example of Protective Relay Operation

Sub-Station A Sub-Station B

CB CB
CT (Delivering Load Current)

PT (Delivering Healthy Voltage)

Trip Contact

Protective Relay
(Distance Relay
in this Case)

Other output Contacts

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 Example of Protective Relay Operation
Inception of Fault
Sub-Station A Sub-Station B

CB

Protective Relay
(Distance Relay
in this Case)

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 Example of Protective Relay Operation
Fault Current & Voltage is Delivered to Relay
Fault Current is being
Delivered to Relay
Sub-Station A Sub-Station B

CB

Protective Relay
(Distance Relay
in this Case)

Unhealthy Voltage is being

Delivered to Relay

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 Example of Protective Relay Operation
Relay Trip & Other Contacts Closure
Trip Contact Closes
Sub-Station A Sub-Station B

CB

Protective Relay
(Distance Relay
in this Case)

Other Contact Closes

(Depending on
Configuration)
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 Example of Protective Relay Operation
Trip Command Issued to CB
Trip Command to CB
Sub-Station A Sub-Station B

CB

Protective Relay
(Distance Relay
in this Case)

To Annunciator

To SCADA/DFDR

To Tele-Protection Panel to Send Tele-protection Signal to S/S-B

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 Example of Protective Relay Operation
CB Open in Both Sides and Fault is being Cleared

Sub-Station A Sub-Station B
CB Open CB Open

Protective Relay
(Distance Relay
in this Case)

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 Transmission Line Protection
Voltage Line Length Relay Type Applied Protection Additional
Level Functions Functions (may
or may not be
present)
Main 87L
Back-up 67, 67N, 51, 51N, 50,
Short Line <10 50N
KM
132 kV Medium & Long Main 21
Lines Back-up 67, 67N, 51, 51N, 50,
50N
Main-1 87L, 67, 67N, 51, 51N, 79, 25, 27, 59,
50, 50N 50Z (BFP)
Short Line <10 Main-2 21, 67, 67N, 51, 51N,
KM 50, 50N
230 kV &
400 kV Main-1 21, 67, 67N, 51, 51N,
Medium & Long 50, 50N
Lines Main-2 21, 67, 67N, 51, 51N,
50, 50N
 Protection of Power Transformer
Protections provided by external protective relays:
Transformer Differential Protection (87T)
Restricted Earth Fault (REF) Protection (87N)
Time Delayed Over Current & Earth Fault Protection (51/51N)
Instantaneous Over Current & Earth Fault Protection (50/50N)
Directional Over Current & Earth Fault Protection (67/67N)
Thermal Overload Protection (49)
Over Fluxing Protection (24)

Mechanical/Self Protection (Provided within the transformer ):

Main Tank Buchholz Protection
OLTC Buchholz Protection
Pressure Relief Device (PRD) Protection
Winding Temperature Protection
Oil Temperature Protection
Oil Level Alarm
Main Tank Buchholz Alarm

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 Busbar (87B) Protection
S/S-A S/S-B

S/S-C

Busbar Protection Relay-

Works on Kirchhoff's current law.
Is an instantaneous protection relay S/S-D
Two types -
1. High impedance
2. Low impedance
Breaker fail (50Z/BFP/LBB) function may be inbuilt or separately incorporated
Breaker fail relay executes re-trip command to the respective breaker (faulty) at first.
If the breaker does not trip then tripping command is given to the bus segment that
consist of the faulty breaker and the remote end breaker.
High Impedance Type Busbar (87B) Protection
S/S-A S/S-B

S/S-C

S/S-D

Metrosil Bus-Wire

Variable Busbar Protection

Resistor Relay (High Impedance
Type)

High Impedance Relaying

Relay
Principle
 Low Impedance Type Busbar (87B) Protection Relay

S/S-A S/S-B

S/S-C

BU1 BU2 BU3 BU4 S/S-D

Bay Units (BU) Fiber Optic Cable

Central Unit (CU) Bay Units may be Centralized

or Decentralized Type