P R OT E C T I O N

MVAX 12, 21, 31, 91

Trip Circuit Supervision
Relays

The Type MVAX relay supervises the trip circuit of

a circuit breaker, initiating audible alarm and visual
indication if the trip circuit fails or the mechanism
does not operate.

Four types are available giving supervision

as follows:

Relay type Faults detected

MVAX 12 Failure of trip supply only
MVAX 21, Failure of trip supply,
MVAX 31 Open circuit trip coil,
and or trip circuit wiring Failure of circuit
MVAX 91 breaker tripping mechanism

Type MVAX 31 gives supervision with the circuit

breaker in either state, and type MVAX 21 with
circuit breaker closed only. If required, the alarm
units of types MVAX 21 and MVAX 31 can be
operated via pilot wires.
Type MVAX 91, three separate MVAX 31’s in a size
8 (40TE) case.

The relays are attracted armature units of simple

and robust construction having a positive action
without chatter.

Customer Benefits
• Trip circuit can be
supervised with breaker
open or closed
• Mis-tripping of breaker by
accidental short-circuits
avoided
• No false alarms given
due to protection
operation
• Ensures the integrity of
the protection scheme

AREVA T&D
 DESCRIPTION
Type MVAX12 is a single unit which is connected
across the trip circuit supply as shown in Figure 2(a).
The unit is normally energised and drops off if the trip
voltage is lost or falls below approximately 40% of
nominal. The unit picks up below 80% of rated voltage.
To avoid operation due to voltage dips caused by faults
in other circuits a time delay circuit is incorporated to
give 100ms delayed drop off.
Type MVAX 21 consists of two units connected as
shown in Figure 2(b). Under healthy conditions with
the circuit breaker closed, both units are energised. If
the trip circuit becomes open or the supply fails, unit
RL2 drops off and opens contact RL2–1 to de-energise
unit RL1. When the circuit breaker is open, the
auxiliary switch shunts contact RL2–1 to hold in unit
RL1.
The units are delayed (by means of copper slugs) on
drop-off for a total of 400ms, to prevent a false alarm
due to voltage dips caused by faults in other circuits or
during a normal tripping operation, when unit RL2 is
momentarily short circuited by the self
reset trip relay contact.
If the trip relay fails to reset due possibly to failure of
the circuit breaker tripping mechanism, the alarm is
initiated.
Type MVAX 31 consists of three units connected as
shown in Figure 2(c). Under healthy conditions with the
circuit breaker closed, units RL2 and RL1 are
energised and the operation is the same as type
MVAX 21.
When the circuit breaker is open, unit RL3 is also
energised via the normally closed auxiliary switch and
unit RL1 is held in by contact RL3–1. Unit RL3 will
detect trip circuit abnormalities with the circuit breaker
open, in a similar manner to unit RL2 with the circuit
breaker closed.
The units are delayed a total of 400ms on drop off, as
in type MVAX 21.
Type MVAX 91 consists of three separate MVAX 31’s
connected as shown in Figure 2(d).

Case earth
Vx
1 2 Viewed from front _
3 4
+
2 1
5 6
4 3
R ext 13 R1 14
RL1
2
13 14
C1 R2

21 22

Note 1 (a) CT shorting links make

before (b) & (c) disconnect

27 28
b) Short terminals break before (c)

(c) Long terminals

Module terminal
block viewed from rear

Figure 2 (a) MVAX 12 Trip supply supervision

MVAX Supervision ensures

the integrity of the protection scheme -
the state of “ trip-readiness”.
2>3
 + CB Aux Alarm supply (Vx (1)) _
switch
52-b 21 28 Rext (1)
RL1
3

27 RL2-1

+ Trip supply (Vx (2)) _

Trip coil
Trip relay 52-a
52
T
CB Aux
switch
Rext (2) 13 14 RL1-1
RL2 1 3

2 RL1-2 4 Alarm
contacts
5 RL1-3 7
Note: Contact arrangement shown is typical only.

Figure 2 (b) MVAX 21 Trip circuit supervision

+ _
Trip supply (Vx (2))
Trip relay 52-a
52
T
CB Aux
switches
Rext (2) 13 14 Rext (3) 21 22
RL2 RL3
52-b
Alarm supply (Vx (1)) _
+
27 RL3-1 28 Rext (1)
RL1
3
RL2-1

1 RL1-13

2 RL1-2 4 Alarm
contacts
5 RL1-3 7
Note: Contact arrangement shown is typical only.

Figure 2 (c) MVAX 31 Trip circuit supervision

 Phase A
+ _
Trip supply (Vx (2))
Trip relay 52-a 29 RL1-1 31
52
T
CB Aux
30 RL1-2 32 Alarm
Rext (2) 47 48 Rext (3) 45 46 contacts
RL2 RL3
52-b 33 RL1-3 35
Alarm supply (Vx (1))

+ _
49 RL3-1 50 Rext (1)
RL1
3
RL2-1

Phase B
+ _
Trip supply (Vx (2))
Trip relay 52-a 37 RL1-1 39
52
T
CB Aux
38 RL1-2 40 Alarm
Rext (2) 53 54 Rext (3) 51 52 contacts
RL2 RL3
52-b 41 RL1-3 43
Alarm supply (Vx (1))

+ _
55 RL3-1 56 Rext (1)
RL1
3
RL2-1

Phase C
+ _
Trip supply (Vx (2))
Trip relay 52-a 1 RL1-1 3
52
T
CB Aux
2 RL1-2 4 Alarm
Rext (2) 25 26 Rext (3) 23 24 contacts
RL2 RL3
52-b 5 RL1-3 7
Alarm supply (Vx (1))

+ _
27 RL3-1 28 Rext (1)
RL1
3
RL2-1

Note: Contact arrangements shown are typical only.

For 30 – 110/125V only

Figure 2 (d) MVAX 91 Trip Circuit Supervision

Figure 2 (e) MVAX 31 Trip circuit supervision relay with pre-closing supervision (ac)

Case earth
1 2 Front mounted facing front
3 4 Rear mounted facing rear Rear mounted facing rear viewed from front
5 6 viewed from front viewed from front 1
7 8 3
2 5
9 10 A A 4 7
11 12
13 14 RL1
RL3 RL2 3
22 14 28

ZGO891 ZGO891 ZGO891

21 22

27 28 V V V

21 R1 13 R2 27 RL2-A
Module terminal block Vx + Vx + Vx +
viewed from rear
RL3-A
Note 1
(a) CT shorting links make
before (b) & (c) disconnect
(b) Short terminals break before (c)
(c) Long terminals

4>5
 Front mounted facing front
Rear mounted facing rear Rear mounted facing rear viewed from front
viewed from front viewed from front 29
31
30 33
A A 32 35

RL3 RL2 RL1

3
46 48 50
Phase A
ZGO891 ZGO891 ZGO891

V V V

45 R1 47 R2 49 RL2-A
Vx + Vx + Vx +
RL3-A

Front mounted facing front

Rear mounted facing rear Rear mounted facing rear viewed from front
viewed from front viewed from front 37
39
38 41
A A 40 43

RL3 RL2 RL1

3
52 54 56
Phase B ZGO891 ZGO891 ZGO891

V V V

51 R1 53 R2 55 RL2-A
Vx + Vx + Vx +
RL3-A

Front mounted facing front

Rear mounted facing rear Rear mounted facing rear viewed from front
viewed from front viewed from front 1
3
2 5
A A 4 7

RL3 RL2 RL1

3
24 26 28
Phase C
ZGO891 ZGO891 ZGO891

V V V

23 R1 25 R2 27 RL2-A
Vx + Vx + Vx +
RL3-A

Case earth Case earth Combination of Phase output contacts

1 2 29 30 output contacts to module terminal
3 4 31 32
Note 1
A Phase 29-31 33-35 30-32 34-36
5 6 33 34
(a) CT shorting links make 3M - M M M N/A
7 8 35 36
9 10 37 38 before (b) & (c) disconnect 2M 1B B M M N/A
11 12 39 40 1M 2B B M B N/A
13 14 41 42 (b) Short terminals break before (c) 3B - B N/A B B
15 16 43 44
17 18 45 46
Long terminals B Phase 37-39 41-43 38-40 42-44
19 20 47 48
3M - M M M N/A
21 22 49 50 Note 2 2M 1B B M M N/A
23 24 51 52
For 30 –110V/125V only 1M 2B B M B N/A
25 26 53 54 3B - B N/A B B
27 28 55 56
C Phase 1-3 5-7 2-4 6-8
3M - M M M N/A
2M 1B B M M N/A
Module terminal block Module terminal block 1M B M B N/A
2B
position A position D 3B - B N/A B B
viewed from rear viewed from rear

Figure 2 (f) MVAX 91 Trip circuit supervision relay with pre-closing supervision (ac)

External resistors guarantee no tripping

in the event of accidental shorting
of any component in the scheme.
 TECHNICAL DATA > Operating/resetting times

Note: For ac supervision relays, the technical • Typical operating times

information is the same as for dc versions.
MVAX 12 < 20ms
MVAX 21, 31, 91 < 70ms
> Voltage ratings • Typical resetting times
MVAX 12 >100 ms
Rating Operative range MVAX 21, 31, 91 >400 ms
(V dc) (V dc)
24/27 19 – 30
30/34 24 – 37.5 > Contacts
48/54 37.5 – 60
110/125 87.5 – 137.5 • MVAX 12
220/250 175 – 275 2 pairs of electrically separate contacts in any
combination of normally open or closed
All relays will withstand the maximum voltage in the • MVAX 21, 31, 91
operative range continuously. 3 pairs of electrically separate contacts in any
combination of normally open or closed
Note: MVAX 91 not available in 220/250V range.

> Contact ratings

> Burden

MVAX 12 MVAX 21, 31 and 91 (see note) • Make and carry for 3s
Trip Alarm ac 1250VA with maxima of 5A or 300V
Rating dc 1250W with maxima of 5A or 300V
mA W mA W mA W
(V dc) • Make and carry
24/27 45 1.23 55 1.5 80 2.5 ac 7500VA with maxima of 30A or 300V
30/34 36 1.22 35 1.5 80 3 dc 7500W with maxima of 30A or 300V
48/54 23 1.25 20 1 80 4 • Break
110/125 15 1.9 20 2.5 63 8 ac 1250VA with maxima of 5A or 300V
220/250 9 2.3 20 4.5 60 15 dc 100W (resistive)
50W (inductive)
Notes:
with maxima of 5A or 300V
1. All the burdens are at the maximum rated value
2. All burdens are less than the figures quoted
3. With the circuit breaker open the trip supply burden
> Cases
of the MVAX 21 is zero
4. MVAX 91 = 3 x MVAX 31 (mA/W) , 3 separate units
Type MVAX 12 is available in a size 2 case, see
Figure 3. Types MVAX 21 and MVAX 31 are available
> Maximum pilot loop resistance of alarm supply in size 3 cases see Figure 4. Type MVAX 91 is
available in a size 8 case, see Figure 5.
Rating Maximum
(V dc) pilot loop resistance
in ohms
24/27 100
30/34 200
48/54 400
110/125 400
220/250 400

Design pedigree
resulting from AREVA’s manufacture
of a million auxiliary relays
6>7
INFORMATION REQUIRED
WITH ORDER 4 holes ø4.4
13
24
45

> Relay type (see models available).

> Rated current and frequency. 168 159

> DC auxiliary voltage range.

> Hand or self-reset Push button
projection 10 max
48
Panel cut-out:
Flush mounting fixing details

32 212 25 min.

177 157 max.

Reset

51 Flush mounting
All dimensions in mm

Figure 3 Case outline size 2

26
4 holes ø 4.4 23.5
71

168 159

Push button 73
projection 10 max
Panel cut-out:
Flush mounting fixing details

32 212 25 min.

177 157 max.

Reset

77 Flush mounting
All dimensions in mm

Figure 4 Case outline size 3

Figure 5 Case outline size 8

155.4
4 holes ø 4.4 24
200

168 159

Push button 203

projection 10 max
Panel cut-out:
Flush mounting fixing details

32 212 25 min.

177 157 max.

Reset

206 Flush mounting 11

All dimensions in mm

AREVA T&D Worldwide Contact Centre:
http://www.areva-td.com/contactcentre/
Tel.: +44 (0) 1785 250 070
www.areva-td.com
www.areva-td.com/protectionrelays
AREVA TRACK RECORD -
TRIP CIRCUIT SUPERVISION
>> Developed in the same robust family as MVAA and MVAJ
auxiliary relays.
>> Over a million auxiliary relays shipped
>> MVAX range launched in 1983 with over 280 000 units in service,
worldwide.
MiCOM is a registered trademark of AREVA. All trade names or trademarks mentioned herein whether registered or not, are the property of their owners. - 389191982 RCS PARIS - Printed in France - SONOVISION-ITEP
AUTOMATION-L3-MVAX12/91-BR-03.05-0902-GB - ©2005 AREVA - AREVA, the AREVA logo and any alternative version thereof are trademarks and service marks of AREVA.
Our policy is one of continuous development. Accordingly the
design of our products may change at any time. Whilst every
effort is made to produce up to date literature, this brochure
should only be regarded as a guide and is intended for
information purposes only. Its contents do not constitute an offer
for sale or advise on the application of any product referred to in
it. We cannot be held responsible for any reliance on any
decisions taken on its contents without specific advice.