European Journal of Scientific Research ISSN 1450-216X Vol.41 No.3 (2010), pp.452-459 EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2010 http://www.eurojournals.com/ejsr.

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Modeling of Transformer Differential Protection Using Programmable Logic Controllers

Mazouz A. Salahat Mechatronics Engineering Department Faculty of Engineering Technology - Al-Balqa Applied University Amman-Jordan / P.O.Box 15008 code 11134 E-mail: dsalahat@yahoo.com Abdallah R. Al-zyoud Power Engineering Department Faculty of Engineering Technology - Al-Balqa Applied University Amman-Jordan / P.O.Box 15008 code 11134 E-mail: Alzyoud_a@ieee.org Abstract This paper describes a new approach for transformer differential protection that ensures security for external faults, inrush, and over-excitation conditions and provides dependability for internal faults. This approach uses Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) to realize transformer differential protection. For this purpose, a conditioning circuit was designed and tested to convert the real values obtained from current transformers to suitable values compatible with PLC inputs. Differential protection system model was designed using PLC. This model presents Differential relay in which the input values were the currents through the current transformers windings at the primary and secondary sides of the power transformer. Results obtained by the proposed PLC model are similar to the ones obtained by conventional relays. The suggested PLC control system and the control algorithm are also illustrated. This model can be used in a real power system through a suitable interfacing facility and can be used in a protection laboratory as an educational unit.

Keywords: PLC, Transformer Protection, Differential Protection, Magnetizing, Inrush, Harmonic Restraint, Harmonic Blocking.

1. Introduction
Recently, the trend in power protection and control of industry is the implementation of programmable protection systems that can easily interface with the primary transducers from one side and the dispatch control centre from the other side. Power transformers may suffer from winding short circuits, open circuits, or overheating. Differential protection is a widely used protective scheme for the protection of power transformers against short circuits in the transformers or their connections. The differential protection must not operate for load, inrush currents and external faults and must operate for internal faults. [1,2 ]

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Due to PLC advantages, as low cost, easy installation and programming [10,11 ] the usage of PLC, which is a microprocessor-based system, was investigated in this paper to provide differential protection in power transformers. Logic relations and related control rules are realized through developed PLC program. PLC system hardware includes in additional to standard components required analog inputs and an operator terminal with keyboard and LCD display to provide human machine interface.

2. Differential Protection of Power Transformer

Differential protection system uses its user-programmable settings to recognize a differential current condition, respond to the internal fault conditions, and protect power transformer. The variable percentage differential characteristic of the differential relay provides fast, sensitive, and reliable tripping for internal faults, and security against operation on large external faults.
Figure 1: Typical Differential Relay Connection Diagram

Figure (1) shows typical connections for current differential relay for a 2-winding transformer. The differential relay develops restraint and differential operating quantities to accomplish this level of protection. Differential elements compare an operating current with a restraining current. The operating differential current, IOP, can be obtained as the phasor sum of the currents entering the protected element: I op = I W 1 + I W 2 (1) The most common ways to obtain the restraining current: I RT = k I W 1 I W 2 (2)

Where, k is a compensation factor, usually taken as 1 or 0.5. The protection unit compares the fundamental component of the operating current with a restraint signal consisting of the harmonics of the operating current plus the unfiltered restraint current. The differential protection unit generates a tripping signal if the following operating condition is satisfied: I op = K .I RT + K 2 I 2 + K 3 I 3 + ..... (3)

Where, IOP represents the fundamental component of the operating current; I2, I3, - are the higher harmonics of the operating current, respectively; K2, K3, - are constant coefficients; and IRT is the unfiltered restraint current.[2]

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Figure 2: Differential Protection with Dual Slope Characteristic

Figure 2 shows a typical differential protection operating characteristic. This characteristic consists of a straight line having a slope equal to K and a horizontal straight line defining the relay minimum pickup current, IPU. The differential protection operating region is located above the slope characteristic (Equation 3), and the restraining region is below the slope characteristic.

3.

Methods for Discriminating Internal Faults from External, Inrush, OverExcitation Conditions

Transformer internal faults can be detected by an increase in phase currents and an increase in the differential current. When transformer internal faults occur, immediate disconnection of the faulted transformer is necessary to avoid extensive damage. Different types of protection are normally used to detect these faults: over-current protection for phase currents, differential protection for differential currents. Differential relays perform well for external faults, as long as the CTs reproduce the primary currents correctly. When one of the CTs saturates, or if both CTs saturate at different levels, false operating current appears in the differential relay and could cause relay misoperation. Some differential relays use the harmonics caused by CT saturation for added restraint and to avoid misoperations. In addition, the slope characteristic of the percentage differential relay provides further security for external faults with CT saturation. A variable-percentage or dual-slope characteristic further increases relay security for heavy CT saturation. [ 6 , 7]. Inrush or over-excitation conditions of a power transformer produce false differential currents that could cause relay misoperation. Magnetizing inrush occurs in a transformer whenever the polarity and magnitude of the residual flux do not agree with the polarity and magnitude of the ideal instantaneous value of steady-state flux. Transformer energization is a typical cause of inrush currents, but any transient in the transformer circuit may generate these currents. Other causes include voltage recovery after the clearance of an external fault or the energization of a transformer in parallel with a transformer that is already in service. The magnitudes and waveforms of inrush currents depend on a multitude of factors, and are almost impossible to predict. Using second-harmonic restraint ensures security for inrush currents and maintains dependability for internal faults with CT saturation. The use of fifth harmonic blocking guarantees an invariant relay response to overexcitation and prevents misoperation. [2,4, 5]

Modeling of Transformer Differential Protection Using Programmable Logic Controllers

Figure 3: Harmonic blocking

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Figure 3 shows a logic diagram of a differential element having second- and fifth-harmonic blocking. In the harmonic blocking element the operating current is independently compared with the restraint current and the harmonics. A tripping signal requires fulfillment of Equation I op K .I RT Without fulfillment of the following blocking conditions: I op K 2 I 2
I op K 5 I 5

On the other hand, harmonic restraint is an alternative method for providing relay security for inrush currents having low harmonic content. In the harmonic restraint element, as shown in figure 4, the operating current, IOP, should overcome the combined effects of the restraining current, IRT, and the harmonics of the operating current.
Figure 4: Harmonic Restraint

Three-phase versions transformer differential protection is composed of three differential elements of the types shown in Figure 5-A and 5-B. In both cases a tripping signal results when any one of the elements asserts.

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Figure 5 A: Three-phase differential Protection with independent harmonic blocking

Figure 5 B: Three-phase differential Protection with independent harmonic restraint

Another alternative is to use combined harmonic restraint or blocking. This method is simple to implement in a blocking scheme and is the preferred alternative in present-day digital relays. Figure 6 shows a logic diagram of the combined harmonic blocking method.
Figure 6: Combined harmonic blocking and restraining

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4. PLC Implementation in Differential Protection

Most of functions and operations provided by very sophisticated and very expensive differential relays can be simulated by using PLC in easier and much cheaper way. This approach is highly appreciated and valuable for educational training in university laboratories. Power engineering students can be trained to simulate and experience features and operations of power transformer differential protection relay using simple and inexpensive units. Using PLCs in power transformers differential protection circuits, all the various facilities of the PLCs are transferred to these circuits. This gives the protection circuits more flexibility and makes their integration with other protection and control circuits easier. Simplified flow chart of the PLC logic program of differential protection for power transformers is shown in figure 7.
Figure 7: Simplified flow chart of the PLC logic program

5. Application Example
The following is an example of a differential protection using PLCs. Differential protection for a 132/33 kV, 45 MVA transformer is studied. Current transformers on high-voltage side with current transformation ratio 200/1 connected in delta and have secondary current 1.7 A. Current transformers on low-voltage side with current transformation ratio 800/1 connected in star and have secondary

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current 0.98 A. Differential current after secondary currents balancing must be zero or near to zero. The single line schematic diagram of the system considered in this study is shown in figure 8.
Figure 8: Transformer differential protection using PLC

A simulation model of a differential protection for 132/33 kV transformer was studied for the following cases: Normal operating mode under rated values. External faults. Magnetizing inrush current. Internal faults. The relay did not operate for the first 3 cases, and operated with very high speed in the case of the internal faults.

6. Conclusions
Using PLCs in power transformers differential protection circuits, all the various facilities of the PLCs are transferred to these circuits. This gives the protection circuits more flexibility and makes their integration with other protection and control circuits easier. Differential protection system model was designed to present a differential protection relay. PLC replicates conventional approach with acceptable results. The proposed model can be used in real power system through a suitable interfacing facility. The benefit cost ratio favors the PLC compared to

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conventional method. PLC is easily controlled and programmed to obtain desired operating characteristics The deferential protection using PLCs provides high sensitivity for internal faults and high stability for external faults and magnetizing inrush currents.

References
[1] A.Guzman, S.Zocholl,G. Benmouyal, And H.J.Altuve,"A current-based solution for transformer differential protection. Part I: problem statement," IEEE Trans.Power Delivery., vol.16, pp. 485-491, Oct.2001. C. H. Einval and J. R. linders, "A three-phase differential relay for transformer protection," IEEE Trans. Power App. Syst., vol. PAS-94,pp. 1971-1980, Nov. 1975. Sachdev, M.S., T.S. Sidhu and H.C. Wood, 1989. A digital relaying algorithm for detecting transformer winding faults. IEEE Trans.powrt Deliv., 43: 1638-1648. Kulidjian, A.,B. Kasztenny and B. Campvell 2001. New magnetizing inrush restraining algorithm for power transfer protection. Develop. Power System Protection, Conference Publication No. 479, IEEE 2001. ANSI/IEEE C37.91, IEEE Guide for Protective Relay Applications to Power Transformers. Lewis Blackburn, "Protective Relaying: Principles and Applications," Marcel Dekker,Inc., 2006. Helmut Ungrad, Wilibald Winkler, And Andrzaj Wiszniewski "Protection Techniques in Electrical Energy Systems," 1995 Marcel Dekker.Inc, New York. S. B. Wilkinson, "Transformer differential relay," U.S. Patent No 5 627 712, May 6, 1997. S. E Zocholl, A. Guzman, and D. Hou, "Transformer modeling as applied to differential protection," in 22nd Annul Western Protective Relay Conference, Spokane, WA, Oct. 24-26, 1995. L. A. Bryan, E. A. Bryan, Programmable controllers: theory and Implementation, 2nd ed., ISBN 0-944107-32-X, Industrial Text Company, 1997. W. Bolton, Programmable Logic Controllers, Fourth Edition, ISBN-10: 0-7506-8112-8, Elsevier Newnes, 2006. David Bailey & Edwin Wright, Practical SCADA for Industry, ISBN 07506 58053, IDC Technologies, 2003.

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