ASU – FOE

EPM 461s- Fall 2023

Distance Protection
Prof. Hossam Talaat

Distance Protection - EPM461s - Prof. Hossam Talaat - Fall 2023 1

Contents
1. Principles of Distance Protection
2. Stepped (3-Zone) Distance Relay
3. Schematic Diagrams for Relay and Trip Circuit Connections
4. Types (Characteristics) of Distance Relays
5. Challenges of Distance Relays
6. Pilot Protection
7. Example of a Commercial Distance Relay

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 1. Principles of Distance Relay

ANSI Number 21
IEC Symbol Z<

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 1.1 Concept of Distance Protection
Substation Bus
VR
IR CT CB a ZLine (1-a) ZLine
X

VT
ZLoad
V’R I’R
Distance
Z< Relay

ZR at the relay location (primary circuit):

• During normal conditions: ZR = VR / IR = Zline + Zload

• During 3-phase short circuit: ZR = a Zline , a is a fraction of the line length, e.g., a = 0.4 (40%), which
is proportional to the fault location (distance to fault).
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1.2 Simplified schematic of Distance Relay

CT CB R
X

VT

V’R I’R
Distance
Relay

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 1.3 Features of Distance Protection
 Distance protection is usually applied in sub-transmission ( 66 kV) and Transmission
(220 kV) line protection as the primary protection.
 The task of each distance relay is to protect its line as a primary relay and to provide
protection to all adjacent (next) lines as a backup relay.
 Distance relay is monitoring the line to be protected from one end only (like the
overcurrent and unlike the differential).
 The reach and operating time of distance relay are independent of source impedance
unlike the overcurrent relay.
 The distance protection must respect selectivity (Max service continuity with min
system disconnection), this is due to the huge served area.
 The distance protection must be very fast to prevent stability problems.
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 1.4 Impedance Seen by the Distance Relay
Distance relay, which is connected to both CT and VT, is continuously calculating the
equivalent impedance seen by the instrument transformers (Z’R = V’R/I’R) and compare it to
the reference (setting) impedance Zr , where: V’R = VR / VTR, I’R = IR / CTR, i.e., Z’R = ZR *
CTR/VTR.
Example 1:
At a certain loading condition, the current in a 220 kV line is 1000 A /-30o. Calculate the
impedance seen by the distance relay if the CT is 1000: 1 A and the VT is 220 kV: 110 V.
Solution
CTR = 1000/1 = 1000, VTR = 220000/110 = 2000
ZR = VR/IR = 220000/√3 /(1000 /-30o)= 127 W /30o = 110 + j 63.5 W
Z’R = (110 + j 63.5 ) * 1000/2000 = 55 + j 31.75 W = 63.5 W /30o

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 1.5 R-X (Impedance) Diagram
Example 2
The line of example 1 has an overall impedance of 3 + j30 W. Locate the impedance seen
by the relay for four conditions:
A- Loading condition of Example 1,
B- A bolted three-phase fault at the end of the line,
C- A bolted three-phase fault at the mid of the line, and
D- A three-phase fault at the end of the line through a fault resistance of 20 W.
Solution
ZA = Z’line + Z’load = 55 + j 31.75 = 63.5 W /30o
Z’line = (3 + j 30) * 1000/2000 = 1.5 + j 15 = 15.07 W /84o
ZB = Z’line = 15.07 W /84o
ZC = Z’line / 2 = (1.5 + j 15) * 1000/2000 = 0.75 + j 7.5 = 7.54 W /84o
ZD = Z’line + R’F = [(3 + j 30) + 20 ]* 1000/2000 = 11.5 + j 15 = 18.9 W /53o
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 X (Ohms)
50
Impedances seen by the relay
45
(secondary side of CT & VT)

R-X 40

(Impedance) 35
ZA

Diagram 30

25
Line Locus
20

ZB ZD
15

10
ZC
5

30
R (Ohms)
84
Relay 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60

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 2. Stepped (3-Zone) Distance Relay

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 2.1 3-Zone Distance Relay, why?
Tasks:
1
• Relay R12 is to protect Line 1-2 as R12
2
R23
I
a primary relay and to assist in V Line 1-2 Line 2-3
Distance
protecting line 2-3 as a backup Relay
relay.
• Relay R23 is to protect Line 2-3 as
a primary relay.
A fault at Line 2-3 close to bus#2 may be seen by R12 as a fault at the end of Line 1-2 (due
to errors in calculating Z’R) => Selectivity problem.
The errors are mainly due to transients and dc component in current and CT error.
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 2.2 Purpose of each zone
• Zone-1: is typically to cover 80-90% of the line (accounts for 10-20% error) without
intentional delays (almost instantaneous) => primary protection.

• Zone-2: is typically to cover 120-150% of the line with a time delay = coordination
margin (0.3-0.5 s) => complement to the primary protection of the line.

• Zone-3: backups the next line (s), it is typically to cover with a time delay = 2*
coordination margin (0.6-1 s).

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Example:
3 zones of B12

P1 is on the forward direction of B21

P2 is in the backward direction of B21

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 3- Zone Distance Protection of a 2-end System
T3
R12 R23 R34
T2

T1 1 2 3 4

~ ~
R12 R23 R34
R34

R32 R43

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 2.3 Primary Protection of the Line
Primary protection of line 1-2 is carried
out using 2 steps:
 Instantaneous operation on 80-90%
of the line (Zone 1).
 Delayed operation on the remaining
of the line plus a part of the next line
(zone 2)

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 2.4 Constraints to Reach Setting of Zones 2& 3
1. The reach (setting) of Zone 2, Zr2, must cover the protected line plus a reasonable margin
Zr2 > 115% - 120% of line
2. Zr2 must not overlap with zone 2 of the next line, therefore,
Zr2 < 100% of line + 50% of the shortest next line

2. The reach (setting) of Zone 3 (Zr3) must cover all the next lines, therefore,
Zr3 > 100% of line + 120% of the longest next line

3. The reach (setting) of Zone 3 (Zr3) must not exceed emergency loading impedance,
therefore,
Zr3 < min(Zload) = Zemergency
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 Example 3
Select suitable reach settings for the 3-zone distance relay R12 in the following network.

3
2

0.2 z
1 R12 4
z 1.2 z
Solution ~
5
2z
1. Zr1 = 0.8 Z (common selection)
2. Taking Zr2 = 1.2 Z will cover the entire line 2-3, therefore,
Zr2 = Z + 0.5 (0.2 z) = 1.1 Z (110% of line to prevent the overlap of zone 2 of 2 lines)
3. Taking Zr3 = 2.4 Z will cover only 70% of line 2-5, therefore,
Zr3 = Z + 1.2 (2 Z) = 3.4 Z (340% of line to cover line 2-5)
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 3. Schematic Diagrams for Relay and Trip
Circuit Connections
Three phase
breaker contacts

C X

Schematic Trip Circuit

Connections B X

CT
+ 220 V A X
D

Z1 Z2 Z3

T2 T3
VT
Z1 Z2 Z3 D

Breaker trip coil

3-Zone Distance Relay Connections
with Direction (Phase-A)
0V
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4. Types (Characteristics) of Distance Relays

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 4.1 3-Zone Impedance / Directional Impedance Relay
X
 The most elementary c/c.
 It is non-directional and may -θ= the line angle
need a direction unit. = 70-80o
 Settings: Zr1, Zr2, Zr3, and a. Zr3
T3
End of the line
 The shape is a result of the
Max Load
torque equation of an T2
Forward
electromechanical relay T1 θ R
Zo
Reverse ne Zr1
1
Zo Directional
ne
2
Zo Zr2
ne
3

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4.2 3-Zone MHO
(Admittance) Relay X Line
Characteristic
 An improved version of Zr3
a= the angle of max torque
impedance relay = 70-80o
 Inherently directional.
T3 End of the line
 Settings: Zr1, Zr2, Zr3, and a. Zo
ne
 The shape is a result of the Zr2
3

torque equation of an Max Load

electromechanical relay. T2 Zr1 Zo
ne
 Better security compared to T1
2
Zo
impedance relay ne
1
a R
 For best performance Max Forward

torque angle a = line angle θ Reverse

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4.3 Quadrilateral Relay Quadrilateral
Characteristics
(Digital Only) X

X  Implemented using Line

Ra is inversely microprocessor Reach
Line prop. To I
 Inherently directional.
 Settings: Zr1, Zr2, Zr3, θ, Zr3
Ra for reach
and Ra. T3
arcing fault
 No underreach with Ra
arcing fault
 For best performance Zone 3 Fault
Zr2
Arcing Fault Resistance
Characteristic Max torque angle a = T2
line angle θ Zr1
Zone 2

T1
Zone 1 R
Ra for terminal θ
R
arcing fault
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4.4 Reach of the Three Characteristics

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5. Challenges of Distance Relay
When a short circuit occurs, the current wave is apt to be offset
initially. Under such conditions, distance relays tend to
“overreach,” i.e., to operate for a larger value of impedance
than that for which they are adjusted to operate under steady-
state conditions. This tendency is greater, the more inductive
the impedance is. Also, the tendency is greater in
electromagnetic-attraction-type relays than in induction-type
relays. The tendency to overreach is minimized in the design of
the relay-circuit elements, but it is still necessary to compensate
for some tendency to overreach in the adjustment of the relays.
Compensation for overreach as well as for inaccuracies in the
current and voltage sources is obtained by adjusting the relays
to operate at 10% to 20% lower impedance than that for which
they would otherwise be adjusted. This will be further
discussed when we consider the application of these relay

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5.1 Underreaching on Infeed

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5.1 Underreaching on Arcing Faults

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• Underreach: the relay will detect (see) faults less than the reach setting. (the
impedance calculated by the relay is greater than actual value) reach
• Overreach: the relay will detect (see) faults beyond the reach setting.
• The actual reach
• This uncertainty of reach is typically about 5% of the setting

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Example 2
The transmission lines of the system shown in Fig.1 are protected using distance relays.
The impedance per unit length of the lines is 0.04+j0.4 W/km. All the relays are 3-zone
MHO with: Zone-1=80% instantaneous, Zone-2=120% at a delay of 0.3 s and Zone-3=240%
of the line at a delay of 0.6 s.
Assume a three-phase fault occurring on one of the lines between buses 2&3 at 5 km from
bus#3. Discuss the response of each of the 8 relays. Indicate which of the relays shall trip
and at what time delay (assuming no errors and no relay failures). Comment on the
performance of the protection system.
Indicate which of the relays shall trip after assuming a failure in relay R3. Comment.

2 R3 R4 3
1 R1 40 km
60 km R2
R5 40 km R6
~
R7 100 km R8
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• Solution
i) Response of Relays
Distance to ALARM TRIP
Fault % of
Relay Zone Zone 2 Zone 3 TRIP? Delay
Line length Block
R1 {2} 158% - - -  No
R2 {1} Backward  - - - No
R3 {2} 87.5% - -   Yes 0.3 s
R4 {2} 12.5% -    Yes 0s
R5 {2} 112.5% - -   No
R6 {1} Backward  - - - No
R7 {2} 105% - -   No
R8 {1} Backward  - - - No

Performance of Primary and Backup relays is Good {1}.

ii) R1 trips in zone 3 (after 0.6 s) and R4 trips instantaneously {2}.

Performance is not good, the failure of R3 results in slow fault interruption (0.6 s) {1}.

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7. Example of a
Commercial
Distance Relay

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