APPLICATIONS GUIDE 3

APPLICATIONS GUIDE 3
Contents

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. PRINCIPLES OF DISCRIMINATION 1
2.1. Time Discrimination 1
2.2. Current Discrimination
2.3. Time and Current Discrimination 1

3. PROTECTION ARRANGEMENTS 1

4. GRADING MARGIN 1

5. IDMT OVERCURRENT RELAYS 1

5.1. Normal Inverse Overcurrent Relay 1
5.2. Very Inverse Overcurrent Relay 2
5.3. Extreme Inverse Overcurrent Relay
5.4. Long Time Inverse Overcurrent Relay 2

6. DIRECTIONAL OVERCURRENT RELAYS 2

7. HIGH SET OVERCURRENT RELAYS 2

8. IDMT OVERCURRENT WITH A.C. SERIES

TRIPPING RELAY 2

9. DELTA STAR TRANSFORMER PROTECTION 2

10. RADIAL NETWORK PROTECTION 2

11. RING NETWORK PROTECTION 2

FIGURE 1 RADIAL SYSTEM 3

FIGURE 2 RING SYSTEM 3

1. INTRODUCTION
Inverse time overcurrent protection was evolved for use in the
early power networks which characteristically were low
voltage and simple radial or ring connected. The principle
developed was the graded overcurrent system which is a
discriminative fault protection. This protection has held its
place for phase fault and earth protection in the distribution
networks where the slower speed of tripping is allowable and
where, generally, satisfactory discrimination can be attained.
Applications in this area are on feeder circuits and small
transformers in networks up to I l kV.
A second area of application is for back-up protection and this
is normally provided on feeder circuits with unit pilot wire
protection and similarly with high speed unit protection for
transformers.
2. PRINCIPLES OF DISCRIMINATION
The protection relays in a system should be co-ordinated to
select and isolate only the faulty section of the power network.
This relay co-ordination can be achieved by a variety of
discrimination methods discussed as following.
2.1 Time Discrimination
This method is dependent upon grading the relays with
progressively higher time settings for each successive relay back
towards the source and providing an appropriate time interval
in operating time between adjacent relays. A simple radial
distribution system is shown in Figure 1. The relays in series
have the same current setting and all operate i.e. start timing
out for a fault at F. The relay nearest the fault operates first and
all other relays reset when the fault is cleared. The scheme is
entirely time dependant since all the relays have the same
current setting.
2.2 Current Discrimination
This method is based on the fact that the fault current varies
with the position of the fault due to the variance in impedance
values between the source and fault. Hence the current settings
of the relays are such that only the relay nearest to the fault will
operate.
This type of discrimination scheme is not suitable for faults over
100% of the line because of wide over and under reaching, due
to relay errors, fault level, tolerances, variation in source
impedance and non-uniform impedance of lines. In some
applications where there is sufficient diversity of fault current,
some measure of instantaneous protection can be attained
using instantaneous overcurrent protection current grading.
2.3 Time and Current Discrimination
The previous two methods both have limitations in their usage,
the time discrimination scheme clears the severe faults in the
longest operating time and the current discrimination scheme
can only be used when there is an appreciable impedance
between the relays. Thus by using an inverse time overcurrent
relay characteristic where the operating time is inversely
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APPLICATIONS GUIDE 3
proportional to the fault current these limitations can be
overcome.
3. PROTECTION ARRANGEMENTS
The basic protection arrangements used are 2 pole
overcurrent, 3 pole overcurrent and 2/3 pole overcurrent with
earth fault.
The 2 pole overcurrent arrangement provides phase fault
protection. In order to provide intercircuit fault coverage all
circuits in the network should be overcurrent in the same
phases.
The 3 pole overcurrent arrangement provides both phase fault
and earth fault protection with the same sensitivity. This is
suitable for systems where the earth fault is approximately of
the same order as the phase fault i.e. in solidly earthed systems.
The 2/3 pole with earth fault arrangement is used in a resistance
earthed system where the earth fault current is limited and may
be of the order of full load or less.
These basic arrangements can be supplemented by directional
relays, and by high set overcurrent relays for specific
applications i.e. ring and transformer circuits.
4. GRADING MARGIN
The time interval between the operation of two adjacent relays
is comprised of several factors.
a) Circuit breaker time - the fault must have been completely
cleared before the relay de-energises.
b) Errors - due to the tolerances on the operating times of the
relays. Also the current transformer phase and ratio errors due
to the exciting current required to magnetise their core need to
be taken into account.
c) Safety margin - required to ensure that a satisfactory contact
gap remains.
d) Overshoot - once the relay has been de-energised, operation
may continue until any stored energy has been dissipated. The
overshoot time is defined as the time of energisation shorter
than the prospective operating time for which the relay will not
operate.
A total grading margin of 0.3 seconds can usually be achieved
i.e. depending on the speed of operation of the circuit breaker
and the accuracy class of the circuit breaker.
5. IDMT OVERCURRENT RELAYS
5.1 Normal Inverse Overcurrent Relay - 2TJM10 &
2TJM70
The normal inverse curve can be used for a multitude of
applications.
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5.2 Very Inverse Overcurrent Relay - 2TJM20
The very inverse curve is suited to networks where there is a
significant reduction in fault current as the distance from the
source increases. The operating time is shorter for large fault
currents and increases at a greater rate as the fault current
decreases. This permits the use of the same time multiplier
setting for several relays in series.
5.3 Extreme Inverse Overcurrent Relay - 2TJM30
The extreme inverse curve is particularly suitable for grading
with fuses and applications where short duration transient
overcurrents occur e.g. motor starting or re-acceleration.
5.4 Long Time Inverse Overcurrent Relay - 2TJM60
The curve is used for standby earth fault on resistance earthed
neutrals. The curve, 30 seconds at 5 times setting matches the
usual 30 second rating of the earthing resistor.
6. DIRECTIONAL OVERCURRENT RELAYS
The relay needs to have directional control elements when the
fault current can flow in both directions through the relay
location. The relay measures the system voltage and fault
current through its associated instrument transformers. The
directional characteristic is defined by the relay angle and the
voltage connection is important to ensure the correct
directional response under all fault conditions where voltage
and current angles change at the relay point.
Analysis and usage shows that the 45 lead, 90 connection
relay is most suitable for all fault conditions on solid earthed
systems and this relay is standard for such applications. The
unity pf relay 30 connection has limitations in the 2 pole
arrangement for plain feeder applications. For resistance
earthed system the 12.5 earth fault relay is required.
7. HIGH SET OVERCURRENT RELAYS
Instantaneous high set overcurrent elements can supplement
the IDTML protection to provide fast tripping where there is a
diversity of fault current when the source impedance is small in
comparison with the protected circuit impedance. This occurs
on the HV side of transformers and at the source infeed where
long feeders emanate from the source busbars. High set
elements can also provide high speed protection over a large
section of the circuit if the source impedance remains constant.
8. IDMTL OVERCURRENT WITH A.C. SERIES
TRIPPING
The series trip relay is used when the power system circuit
breaker does not have an available voltage source or a d.c. trip
coil. The series trip relay is provided with the main 2TJM
element and an auxiliary relay hand reset type with heavy duty
contacts. Under normal conditions the heavy duty contacts
short circuit the breaker trip coil. When a fault occurs the
auxiliary relay is energised and it's contacts open, thus allowing
the C.T. secondary current to flow through the trip coil of the
circuit breaker.
2
9. DELTA STAR TRANSFORMER PROTECTION
The grading of overcurrent relays on the HV side of
transformers should consider the reflected values of fault
current for LV faults. A phase to phase fault on the LV side of a
delta star transformer produces a 2-1- I distribution of fault
current in the 3 phases of the HV line. In the case of 2 pole
overcurrent on the HV side, the relays will see 0.5 per unit
current for one of the three LV interphase fault conditions and
tripping will be slower for this condition. A 3 pole protection
scheme operates in the same time for each condition, giving
improved protection.
10. RADIAL NETWORK PROTECTION
In order to determine the relay current and time multiplier
settings at each relay location information about fault levels, CT
ratios, and characteristics of other types of protection with
which the relays must be graded is required. The smallest time
setting must grade with the protection on the HV side of the
substation transformers. A minimum time setting of 0.4
seconds at maximum fault current is usually adequate to grade
with instantaneous or fused overcurrent protection or LV fuses
and dashpots.
Where motor circuits are fed from the LV side of substations,
the incoming circuit overcurrent protection must grade with
the motor protection relay of the largest motor. i.e. overload
and short circuit protection, and starting / re-acceleration
current.
11. RING NETWORK PROTECTION
Where ring-network circuits in parallel are fed from a single
source they cannot be discriminatively protected by non-
directional overcurrent protection because for alternative fault
positions the same chain of relays require a different grading
time sequence. Correct discrimination can be achieved by using
directional relays at each relay location looking in the direction
of the feeder (away from each busbar) as shown in fig. 2. The
procedure is to grade the relays with one supply circuit breaker
open in turn i.e. as two radial systems. The relay with the
highest time setting can be of the non-directional type. The first
step relays can be set to operate in about 0.2 seconds because
these relays do not grade with other relays. Relays at the source
are non- directional. Relays are graded as shown in fig. 2., relay
number 1 being the first to operate (e.g. 0.2s or less) and the
highest number is the longest time (and non-directional).
 APPLICATIONS GUIDE 3

X X

X
3 1

Figure 1 Radial System

Ring Network
Source

* *
X

X
5 Non-directional 5 Non-directional

1 1
X

X
X

3 3

2 2
X

* One circuit breaker normally open but system

discriminates also with ring closed

Figure 2 Ring System