HV/MV/LVTransformerProtectionSchemes

HV/MV/LV Transformer Protection Schemes

Transformerprotection//
Transformerprotectionshouldtakeintoaccountthepower,voltage,vectorgroupandthe
importanceoftheunitwithinaparticularsystem.Dependingonthesefactors,thetransformers
canbeassignedtooneofthetwogroups:
MV/LVtransformers
HV/MV/LVtransformersandautotransformers

MV/LVtransformers
Theprotectionoftheseunitsshouldinclude overcurrentprotectionforboththeMVandLV
windings,plusdevicessuchasoverpressureprotection(e.g.Buchholzsurge),andthermal
protection,asindicatedinFigure1below.TypicalratiosforinterbusbarMV/LVtransformersat
substationsare33/11,34.5/13.2and13.2/4.16kV.
Figure 1 Protection scheme for MV/LV transformer

GobacktoTransformerGroups

HV/MV/LVtransformersandautotransformers
InadditiontotheprotectionlistedfortheMV/LVtransformers,theprotectionfortransformersin
thisgroupshouldincludeoveralldifferentialprotection,whichisessentialbecauseofits

reliabilityandhighspeedofoperation.Inthiscase,showninFigure2,sincethetransformerhas
threewindings,athreeterminaltypeof differentialprotectionisrequired.
Thediagramalsoincludesthedifferentialbusbarprotection,whichisusuallyinstalledonlarge
transformersconnectedtoHVbusbars.AsthetransformerhasanLVwinding,overcurrent
protectionforthiswindinghasbeenincludedaswell.

TypicalratiosforHV/MVtransformersare:132/33,145/
11,132/11,115/34.5and115/13.2kV.
Figure 3 Protection schematic for an HV/MV/LV transformer

Itiscommontouseautotransformerswherelargepowersareinvolvedandthevoltageratiois
around2:1.Typicalratiosforautotransformersare275/132kVand230/115kV.

TheprotectionschemesforautotransformersareverysimilartothoseforHV/MV/LV
transformerssinceautotransformerscanbetreatedasthreewindingunitsfor
protectionpurposes.

Theprotectionforthistypeoftransformerisessentiallythesameasthatquotedintheprevious
paragraph,takingintoaccountthemodificationstotheovercurrentrelayconnections(seeFigure
2).
GobacktoTransformerGroups
Reference//ProtectionofElectricityDistributionNetworksJuanM.GersandEdwardJ.Holmes