Power System 1 EPO520

Chapter 4 – Power System Protection (Differential)

Differential Relays
 Commonly used to protect generators, buses, power transformers and transmission lines.
 These relays operate based on the difference in current entering and leaving a component.
o If input and output currents are the same, it means the protected component is healthy. The
relay will not trip.
o However, if the currents comparison indicates a significant difference, the relay will trip.
 Figure 10.32 illustrates the basic method of differential relaying for generator protection.
o The protection of only one phase is shown. The method is repeated for the other two
phases.
o When the relay in any one phase operates, all three phases of the main circuit breaker will
open, as well as the generator neutral and field breakers.

Figure 10.32: Differential relaying for generator protection

o For the case of no internal fault within the generator windings:

 I1 = I2 and assuming identical CTs, I1’ = I2’
 Since I1’ - I2’ = 0, current in the relay operating coil is zero, and the relay does not
operate.
o On the other hand, for an internal fault such as a line-to-ground or line-to-line short within
the generator winding:
 I1 ≠ I2 and therefore, I1’ ≠ I2’
 The difference in current I1’ - I2’ flows in the relay operating coil, which causes the relay
to operate.

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 An electromechanical differential relay called a balance beam relay is shown in Figure 10.33.
o The relay contacts close if the downward force on the right side exceeds the downward
force on the left side.

Figure 10.33: Balance beam differential relay

o The electromagnetic force on the right, operating coil is proportional to the square of the
operating coil mmf i.e.

N 0 I1 ' I 2 '2

o Similarly, the electromagnetic force on the left, restraining coil is proportional to

N r I1 ' I 2 ' 22

o The condition for the relay operation is then

N0 I1 ' I 2 '2  N r I1 ' I 2 ' 22

(Force on the right side > force on the left side i.e. FR > FL for relay to trip)
o Taking the square root:

I1 ' I 2 '  k I1 ' I 2 ' 2 Where k  Nr N0

o Assuming I1’ and I2’ are in phase, then,

I1 ' I 2 '  k I1 ' I 2 '

2
 2I1 ' I 2 '  k I1 ' I 2 '
 2 I1 '2 I 2 '  kI1 ' kI 2 '
 2 I1 'kI1 '  kI 2 '2 I 2 '
 I1 ' 2  k   I 2 ' k  2
I1 ' k  2
 
I 2 ' 2  k 

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 Power System 1 EPO520

o Therefore, the lower bound of the tripping region is,

 2k 
I1 '    I2 ' for I 2 '  I1
2k 
o The upper bound of the tripping region is,

2k 
I1 '    I2 ' for I 2 '  I1 '
 2k 
 Equation above is plotted in Figure 10.34 to obtain the block and trip regions of the differential
relay for k = 0.1

Figure 10.34: Differential relay block and trip regions

o Note that as k increases, the block region becomes larger (i.e. the relay becomes less
sensitive)
 Note that differential relaying provides primary zone protection without backup.
o Thus, coordination with protection in adjacent zones is eliminated, which permits high
speed tripping.
o Precise relay settings are unnecessary.
o Also, the need to calculate system fault current and voltages is avoided.

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Bus Protection with Differential Relays

 Differential bus protection is illustrated by the single line diagram of Figure 10.35.
o In practice, three differential relays are required, one for each phase.
o Operation of any one relay would cause all of the three-phase circuit breakers connected to
the bus to open, thereby isolating the three-phase bus from service.

Figure 10.35: Single line diagram of differential bus protection

 For the case of no internal fault between the CTs i.e. no bus fault
o I1 + I2 = I3
o Assuming identical CTs, the differential relay current I1’ + I2’ - I3’ = 0
o The relay does not operate
 However, if there is a bus fault, the differential current
o I1’ + I2’ - I3’ ≠ 0
o It flows in the operating coil and relay will operate

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 Power System 1 EPO520

Transformer Protection with Differential Relays

 The protection method used for power transformers depends on the transformer MVA rating.
 Fuses are often used to protect transformers with small MVA ratings, whereas differential
relays are commonly used to protect transformers with ratings larger than 10MVA.

Figure 10.36: Differential protection of a single phase, two winding transformer

 The differential protection method is illustrated in Figure 10.36 for a single-phase, two-winding
transformer.
o Denoting the turns ratio of the primary and secondary CTs by

1 1
and respectively
n1 n2
1
(CT with 1 primary turn and n secondary turns has a turns ratio a  )
n
o The CT secondary currents are

 1
I1 I2
I1 '  I2 ' 
n1 n2
o And the current in the relay operating coil is

 2
I1 I 2
I '  I1 ' I 2 '  
n1 n2
 For the case of no fault between the CTs (i.e. no internal transformer fault)
o The primary and secondary currents for an ideal transformer are related by

 3
N1 I1
I2 
N2

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 Power System 1 EPO520

Substitute (3) into (2), we get

I 1 1  N1 I 1 
I'   
n1 n2  N 2 

I1  N N 
 I' 1  1 2   4 
n1  n2 n1 
o To prevent the relay from tripping, the differential relay current I ' must be zero.

n2 N1
 
n1 N 2
 If an internal transformer fault between the CTs does occur,
o The differential relay current

I '  I 1 ' I 2 '  0

o The relay will only trip if the following operating condition is satisfied.

 2k 
I1 '   I2 ' for I 2 '  I1
2k 

2k 
I1 '    I2 ' for I 2 '  I1 '
 2k 
o Also, the value k in can be selected to control the size of the block region shown in Figure
10.34, thereby controlling relay sensitivity.

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Example 9 (Glover 10.9)

A single-phase, two-winding, 10 MVA, 80/20 kV transformer has differential relay protection. Select
suitable CT ratios. Also select k such that the relay blocks for up to 25% mismatch between I1’ and
I2’.

Solution for Example 9

The transformer rated primary and secondary currents are

10  10 6 10 10 6
I 1rated   125 A I 2 rated   500 A
80  10 3 20 10 3
From standard CT ratio table i.e. Table 10.2; select a 150:5 primary CT ratio to give

 1255 150   4.17 A

I1
I1 '  At rated conditions
n
Similarly, select a 600:5 secondary CT ratio to give

I 2 '  5005 600  4.17 A

And a differential current

I '  I 1 ' I 2 '  0 At rated conditions

Also, for a 25% mismatch between I1’ and I2’, select a 1.25 upper slope in Figure 10.34. That is,

2k
 1.25 where k  0.2222
2k

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 Power System 1 EPO520

Common Problem in Differential Transformer Protection

 A common problem in differential transformer protection is the mismatch of relay currents that
occurs when standard CT ratios are used.
o If the primary winding in Example 9 has a 138 kV instead of 80 kV rating, then

I 1rated  10  10 6 138  10 3  72.46 A

o And a 100:5 primary CT would give

I 1 '  72.465 100  3.62 A At rated conditions

o This current does not balance

I 2 '  4.17 A Using a 5:600 secondary CT

o Nor

I 2 '  3.13 A Using a 5:800 secondary CT

The mismatch is about 15%

 One solution to this problem is to use auxiliary CTs, which provide a wide range of turns ratios.
o A 5:5.76 auxiliary Ct connected to the 5:600 secondary Ct in the above example would
reduce I2’ to 4.175 5.76  3.62 A , which does balance I1’.

o Unfortunately, auxiliary CTs add their own burden to the main CTs and also increase
transformation errors.
o A better solution is to use tap settings on the relays themselves, which have the same
effect as auxiliary CTs.

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3-Phase Transformer Protection with Differential Relays

 Figure 10.37 illustrates differential protection of a three-phase Y- two-winding transformer.
o Note that a Y- transformer produces 30 phase shifts in the line currents.
o The CTs must be connected to compensate for the 30 phase shifts, such that the CT
secondary currents as seen by the relays are in phase.
o The correct phase angle relationship is obtained by connecting CTs on the Y side of the
transformer in  and CTs on the  side in Y.

Figure 10.37: Differential protection of a three-phase, Y-, two-winding transformer

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Example 10 (Glover 10.10)

A 30 MVA, 34.5 kV Y/138 kV  transformer is protected by differential relays with taps. Select CT
ratios, CT connections, and relay tap settings. Also determine currents in the transformer and in
the CTs at rated conditions. Assume that the available relay tap settings are 5:5, 5:5.5, 5:6.6, 5:7.3,
5:8, 5:9 and 5:10, giving relay tap ratios of 1.00, 1.10, 1.32, 1.46, 1.60, 1.80, and 2.00.

Solution for Example 10

As shown in Figure 10.37, CTs are connected in  on the (34.5 kV) Y side of the transformer, and
CTs are connected in Y on the (138 kV)  side, in order to obtain the correct phasing of the relay
currents.
Rated current on the 138 kV side of the transformer is

30  10 6
I Arated   125.51A

3 138  10 3 
Select a 150:5 CT on the 138 kV side to give

I A '  125.515 150  4.184 A In the 138 kV CT secondary and in the right-
hand restraining windings of Figure 10.37
Next rated current on the 34.5 kV side of the transformer is

30  10 6
I arated   502.04 A

3 34.5  10 3 
Select a 500:5 CT on the 34.5 kV side to give

I a '  502.045 500   5.02 A In the 34.5 kV CT secondary and

I ab '  5.02 3  8.696 A in the left-hand restraining windings of Figure 10.37

Finally, select relays taps to balance the currents in the restraining windings. The ratio of the
currents in the left- to right-hand restraining windings is

I ab ' 8.696
  2.078
I A ' 4.184

The closest relay tap ratio is T AB ' / T A '  2.0 , corresponding to a relay tap setting of T A ': Tab '  5 : 10 .
The percentage mismatch for this tap setting is

I A ' TA '  I ab ' Tab ' 4.184 5  8.696 10  100  3.77%
 100 
I ab ' Tab ' 8.696 10

This is a good mismatch; since transformer differential relays typically have their block regions
adjusted between 20% and 60%, a 3.77% mismatch gives an ample safety margin in the event of
CT and relay differences.

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