Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection

A. Wixon Senior Applications Engineer

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Directional Protection

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Need for Directional Control

Generally required if current can flow in both directions through a relay location
e.g. Parallel feeder circuits Ring Main Circuits

0.9

0.1

0.5

0.5

0.1

0.9

Relays operate for current flow in direction indicated. (Typical operating times shown).

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Ring Main Circuit

With ring closed :

Both load and fault current may flow in either direction along feeder circuits.
Thus, directional relays are required. Note: Directional relays look into the feeder. Need to establish principle for relay.

51

67

67

67

Load

Load

51

67

67

67

Load
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Ring Main Circuit

Procedure : 1. Open ring at A Grade : A' - E' - D' - C' - B' 2. Open ring at A' Grade : A - B - C - D - E Typical operating times shown. Note : Relays B, C, D, E may be non-directional.
A 1.7 0.1

B'

C'

C
0.9 0.9 0.5 D'

1.3

0.5

A' 1.7

E'

0.1
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

1.3

Ring System with Two Sources

Discrimination between all relays is not possible due to different requirements under different ring operating conditions. For F1 :- B must operate before A For F2 :- B must operate after A

Not Compatible
B

F1
A B' B C' C

A' F2
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

D'

Ring System with Two Sources

Option 1 Trip least important source instantaneously then treat as normal ring main. Option 2 Fit pilot wire protection to circuit A - B and consider as common source busbar.
B

Option 1

Option 1

50

Option 1

PW
Option 2

PW
Option 2

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Parallel Feeders
Non-Directional Relays :F Load

51 A

51 C

51 B

51 D

Conventional Grading :Grade A with C and Grade B with D

A&B C&D

Relays A and B have the same setting.

Fault level at F
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Parallel Feeders
Consider fault on one feeder :I1 + I2 I1

51 A

I2

51

LOAD

51 B

51

Relays C and D see the same fault current (I2). As C and D have similar settings both feeders will be tipped.
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Parallel Feeders
Solution:- Directional Control at C and D
I1 + I2 I1 C I2

51 A

67

LOAD

51 B

67

Relay D does not operate due to current flow in the reverse direction.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Parallel Feeders
Setting philosophy for directional relays
E 51 A

67

Load

51
51 B

67

Load current always flows in non-operate direction. Any current flow in operate direction is indicative of a fault condition. Thus Relays C and D may be set :- Sensitive (typically 50% load) - Fast operating time (i.e. TMS=0.1)
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Parallel Feeders

Usually, relays are set :50% full load current (note thermal rating) Minimum T.M.S. (0.1) Grading procedure :1. Grade A (and B) with E assuming one feeder in service. 2. Grade A with D (and B with C) assuming both feeders in service.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Parallel Feeders - Application Note

Grade B with C at If1 Grade B with D at If2 (in practice) A Grade A with B at If Load - but check that sufficient margin exists for bus fault at Q when relay A sees total fault current If2, but relay B sees only If2/2.

P
B

If2
Q
D C B D

Load
If1:One Feeder If2:Two Feeders

A M = Margin

If2
If2/2
M M

If2/2 If1If2

If

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Establishing Direction

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Establishing Direction:- Polarising Quantity

The DIRECTION of Alternating Current may only be determined with respect to a COMMON REFERENCE. In relaying terms, the REFERENCE is called the POLARISING QUANTITY.
The most convenient reference quantity is POLARISING VOLTAGE taken from the Power System Voltages.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Directional Decision by Phase Comparison (1)

S1 = Reference Direction = Polarising Signal = VPOL S2 = Current Signal = I OPERATION when S2 is within 90 of S1 :S1 S2

S2

S2

S2

S2

S2

S2

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Directional Decision by Phase Comparison (2)

RESTRAINT when S2 lags S1 by between 90 and 270 :S1

S2

S2

S2

S2

S2

S2 S2

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Polarising Voltage for A Phase Overcurrent Relay

OPERATE SIGNAL

IA Which voltage to use ? Selectable from VA VB VC VA-B VB-C VC-A

POLARISING SIGNAL :-

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Directional Relay
Applied Voltage Applied Current : : VA IA
VA
IA Operate IAF VAF

Restrain

Question : - is this connection suitable for a typical power system ?

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Polarising Voltage
Applied Voltage : VBC Applied Current : IA VA IA IAF MAXIMUM SENSITIVITY LINE

VBC IVBC

VBC ZERO SENSITIVITY LINE

Polarising voltage remains healthy Fault current in centre of characteristic

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Relay Connection Angle

The angle between the current applied to the relay and the voltage applied to the relay at system unity power factor e.g. 90 (Quadrature) Connection :
IA VA

IA and VBC

90 VBC

VB overcurrent relays. The 90Vconnection is now used for all C 30 and 60 connections were also used in the past, but no longer, as the 90 connection gives better performance.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Relay Characteristic Angle (R.C.A.) for Electronic Relays

The angle by which the current applied to the relay must be displaced from the voltage applied to the relay to produce maximum operational sensitivity e.g. 45
OPERATE VA 45 IA FOR MAXIMUM OPERATE SENSITIVITY

RESTRAIN

RCA
VBC

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

90 Connection - 45 R.C.A.

IA VA 90 VBC VC VB RESTRAIN

OPERATE VA

MAX SENSITIVITY LINE IA FOR MAX SENSITIVITY

45

45
135 VBC

RELAY CURRENT VOLTAGE

A
B C

IA
IB IC

VBC
VCA VAB

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

90 Connection - 30 R.C.A.

OPERATE IA VA
30

RESTRAIN

VA
30 150

MAX SENSITIVITY LINE IA FOR MAX SENSITIVITY

90 VBC VC VB

VBC

RELAY CURRENT VOLTAGE

A
B C

IA
IB IC

VBC
VCA VAB

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Selection of R.C.A. (1)

Overcurrent Relays
90 connection 30 RCA (lead) Plain feeder, zero sequence source behind relay

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Selection of R.C.A. (2)

90 connection 45 RCA (lead) Plain or Transformer Feeder :- Zero Sequence Source in Front of Relay

Transformer Feeder :- Delta/Star Transformer in Front of Relay

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Directional Earthfault Protection

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Directional Earth Fault

Requirements are similar to directional overcurrent i.e. need operating signal and polarising signal Operating Signal obtained from residual connection of line CT's i.e. Iop = 3Io Polarising Signal The use of either phase-neutral or phase-phase voltage as the reference becomes inappropriate for the comparison with residual current. Most appropriate polarising signal is the residual voltage.
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Residual Voltage
May be obtained from broken delta V.T. secondary.
A B C VA-G VB-G VC-G

VRES = VA-G + VB-G + VC-G = 3V0

Notes : 1. VT primary must be earthed. 2. VT must be of the '5 limb' construction (or 3 x single phase units)
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

VRES

Directional Earth Fault Relays

Relay Characteristic Angle 0 - Resistance earthed systems 45 (I lags V) - Distribution systems (solidly earthed) 60 (I lags V) - Transmission systems (solidly earthed)

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Residual Voltage
Solidly Earthed System

S ZS

R ZL

A-G VA VA

VC VA

VB VC VRES VA VC

VB V C VRES VB VC

VB

VB VC

VB

Residual Voltage at R (relaying point) is dependant upon ZS / ZL ratio.

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Residual Voltage
Resistance Earthed System E N ZE G
VA-G
G.F

ZS

ZL

A-G

S V A-G R G.F

S R G.F

VC-G VRES VA-G

VB-G VC-G VRES VA-G VC-G

VB-G VC-G
VRES VC-G

VB-G

VB-G

VB-G

VB-G

VC-G

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Current Polarising
A solidly earthed, high fault level (low source impedance) system may result in a small value of residual voltage at the relaying point. If residual voltage is too low to provide a reliable polarising signal then a current polarising signal may be used as an alternative. The current polarising signal may be derived from a CT located in a suitable system neutral to earth connection. e.g.

OP
POL

DEF Relay

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Directional Control
Static Relay (METI + MCGG)

Characteristic Selectable

M.T.A. Selectable

51

I V

67 Overcurrent Unit (Static) Directional Unit (Static)

Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

Numerical Relay Directional Characteristic

Characteristic angle c c = -180 --- 0 --- + 180 in 1 steps

Zone of forward start forward operation

+Is c - 90
Polarising thresholds Vp > 0.6V Vop > 0.6 to 80V in 0.2V steps for example
Application of Directional Overcurrent and Earthfault Protection - January 2004

c + 90 -Is

Reverse start