Discrimination by both time and current

3 Discrimination by both time and current

Each of the two methods described so far has a fundamental disadvantage.
In the case of discrimination by time alone, the disadvantage is due to the
fact that the more severe faults are cleared in the longest operating time.
Discrimination by current can only be applied where there is appreciable
impedance between the two circuit breakers concerned.

It is because of the limitations imposed by the independent use of either

time or current co-ordination that the inverse time over current relay
characteristic has evolved. With this characteristic, the time of operation is
inversely proportional to the fault current level and the actual characteristic
is a function of both 'time' and 'current' settings.
The advantage of this method of relay
Co-ordination may be best illustrated by the system shown in (Fig.23) which
is identical to that shown in (Fig.21) except that typical system parameters
have been added.
In order to carry out a system analysis, before a relay co-ordination study of
the system shown in (Fig. 23), it is necessary to refer all the system
impedances to a common base and thus, using 10 MVA as the reference
base, we have:

4MVA transformer percentage impedance on 10MVA base=7X (10/4) =17.5%

11 kV cable between B and A percentage impedance on10 MVA base

= (0.04 X 100 X 10) / 112= 0.33%

11 kV cable between C and B percentage impedance on 10 MVA base

= (0.24 X 100 X10) /112 =1.98 %

30 MVA transformer percentage impedance on 10 MVA base

=22.5 X 10 / 30 =7.5 %

132 kV overhead line percentage impedance on10 MVA base

= (6.2x100x10)/ 1322 =0.36%

1 3 2 kV source percentage impedance on 10 MVA base

= (100 x 10) /3500 =0.29%

The graph in (Fig.23) illustrates the use of 'discrimination curves', which are
an important aid to satisfactory protection co-ordination. In this example, a
voltage base of 3.3kV has been chosen and the first curve plotted is that of
the 200 A fuse, which is assumed to protect the largest outgoing 3.3kV
circuit. Once the operating characteristic of the highest rated 3.3kV fuse has
been plotted, the grading of the over current relays at the various sub-
stations of the radial system is carried out as follows:

Substation B
CT ratio 250/5A Relay over current characteristic assumed to be extremely
inverse, as for the type CDG 14 relay. This relay must discriminate with the
200A fuse at fault levels up to:

(10 x 100) / (17.5+0.33+1.98+7.5+0.36+0.29) = 35.7 MVA

That is, 6260 A at 3.3kV or 1880 A at 11 kV. The operating characteristics of

the CDG 14 relay show that at a plug setting of 100%, that is, 250 A and 4.76
MVA at 11 kV, and at a time multiplier setting of 0.2, suitable discrimination
with the 200 A fuse is achieved.

Substation C
CT ratio 500/5A Relay over current characteristic assumed to be extremely
inverse, as for the type CDG 14 relay. This relay must discriminate with the
relay in substation
B at fault levels up to:

(10 X 100) / (1.98 +7.5 +0.36 +0.29) = 98.7MVA

That is, 17,280 A at 3.3kV or 5180 A at 11 kV. The operating characteristics of

the CDG 14 relay show that at a plug setting of 100%, that is, 500 A and 9.52
MVA at 11 kV, and at a time multiplier setting of 0.7, suitable discrimination
with the relay at substation B is achieved.
 (Fig.23) Time and current grading
Substation D
CT ratio 150/1A Relay over current characteristic assumed to be extremely
inverse, as for the type CDG 14 relay. This relay must discriminate with the
relay in substation C at fault levels up to

(10 X 100) / (7.5 + 0.36 + 0.29) = 123 MVA

That is, 21,500 A at 3.3kV or 538 A at 132 kV. The operating characteristics of
the CDG 14 relay show that at a plug setting of 100%, that is, 150 A and 34.2
MVA at 132 kV and at a time multiplier setting of 0.25, suitable discrimination
with the relay at substation C is achieved.

Substation E
CT ratio 500/1 A Relay over current characteristic assumed to be extremely
inverse, as for the type CDG 14 relay. This relay must discriminate with the
relay
in substation D at fault levels up to:

(10 x 100) / (0.36+ 0.29) = 1540 MVA

That is, 270,000 A at 3.3kV or 6750 A at 132 kV. The operating characteristics
of the CDG 14 relay show that at a plug setting of 100%, that is, 500 A and
114 MVA at 132 kV, and at a time multiplier setting of 0.9, suitable
discrimination with the relay at sub-station D is achieved.
A comparison between the relay operating times shown in (Fig. 21) and the
times obtained from the discrimination curves of (Fig. 23) at the maximum
fault level reveals significant differences. These differences can be
summarized as follows:

Relay Fault Time from Time from

level Fig.12 Fig.14
(MVA) (seconds) (seconds)
B 98.7 0.25 0.07
C 123 0.65 0.33
D 1540 1.05 0.07
E 3500 1.45 0.25

These figures show that for faults close to the relaying points the inverse
time characteristic can achieve appreciable reductions in fault clearance
times.
Even for faults at the remote ends of the protected sections, reductions in
fault clearance times are still obtained, as shown by the following table:

Relay Fault Time from

level Fig.14
(MVA) (seconds)
B 35.7 0.17
C 98.7 0.42
D 123 0.86
E 1540 0.39
To finalize the co-ordination study it is instructive to assess the average
operating time for each extremely inverse over current relay at its maximum
and minimum fault levels, and to compare these with the operating time
shown in (Fig.21) for the definite time over current relay.

Relay Fault
level
 (Max./Min Time from Average
MVA) Fig.14 time
(seconds) (seconds)
(Max./ Min)
B 98.7/35.7 0.07/0.17 0.12
C 123/98.7 0.33/0.42 0.375
D 1540/123 0.07/0.86 0.465
E 3500/1540 0.25/0.39 0.32

This comparison clearly shows that when there is a large variation in fault
level all along the system network the overall performance of the inverse time
over current relay is far superior to that of the definite over current relay.

4 GRADING MARGIN
The time interval between the operations of two adjacent relays depends
upon a number of factors:
1. The fault current interrupting time of the circuit breaker.
2. The overshoot time of the relay.
3. Errors.
4. Final margin on completion of operation.

A. Circuit breaker interrupting time

The circuit breaker interrupting the fault must have completely interrupted
the current before the discriminating relay ceases to be energized.

B. Overshoot
When the relay is de-energized, operation may continue for a little longer
until any stored energy has been dissipated. For example, an induction disc
relay will have stored kinetic energy in the motion of the disc; static relay
circuits may have energy stored in capacitors. Relay design is directed to
minimizing and absorbing these energies, but some allowance is usually
necessary.
The overshoot time is not the actual time during which some forward
operation takes place, but the time which would have been required by the
relay if still energized to achieve the same amount of operational advance.

C. Errors
All measuring devices such as relays and current transformers are subject to
some degree of error. The operating time characteristic of either or both
relays involved in the grading may have a positive or negative error, as may
the current transformers, which can have phase and ratio errors due to the
exciting current required to magnetize their core. This does not, however,
apply to independent definite time delay over current relays.
Relay grading and setting is carried out assuming the accuracy of the
calibration curves published by manufacturers, but since some error is to be
expected, some tolerance must be allowed.

D. Final margin
After the above allowances have been made, the discriminating relay must
just fail to complete its operation. Some extra allowance, or safety margin, is
required to ensure that a satisfactory contact gap (or equivalent) remains.

E. Recommended time
The total amount to be allowed to cover the above items depends on the
operating speed of the circuit breakers and the relay performance. At one time
0.5s was a normal grading margin. With faster modern circuit breakers and
lower relay overshoot times 0.4s is reasonable, while under the best possible
conditions 0.35s may be feasible.
In some instances, however, rather than using a fixed grading margin, it is
better to adopt a fixed time value, to allow for the operating time of the circuit
breaker and relay overshoot, and to add to it a variable time value that takes
into account the relay errors, the CT errors and the safety margin.

A value of 0.25s is chosen for the fixed time value, made up of 0.1 s for the
fault current interrupting time of the circuit breaker, 0.05s for the relay over-
shoot time and 0.1 s for the safety margin. Considering next the variable time
values required, it is first assumed that each inverse time over current relay
complies with Error Class E7.5 defined as normal British practice in BS
142:1966.

The normal limits of error for an E7.5 relay are ±7.5% but allowance should
also be made for the effects of temperature, frequency, and departure from
reference setting. A practical approximation is to assume a total effective
error of 2 x 7.5, that is, 15%, this to apply to the relay nearest to the fault,
which shall be considered to be slow.
To this total effective error for the relay a further 10% should be added for the
overall current transformer error. Hence, for the time interval t' required
between inverse time over current relays it is proposed to adopt the
equation:

t' = 0.25t + 0.25 seconds

Where t = nominal operating time of relay nearer to the fault.

As far as the independent definite time delay over-current relays are

concerned, it is assumed that these comply with Error Class El 0, defined as
normal British practice in BS 142:1966. The normal limits of error for an El 0
relay are ± 10%, but allowance should also be made for the effects of
temperature, voltage, frequency and departure from reference setting. A
practical approximation is to assume a total effective error of 2 x 10, that is,
20%, this to apply to the relay, nearest to the fault, which shall be considered
to be slow. However, unlike the inverse time over current relay, it is not
necessary to add a further error for the current transformers. Hence, for the
time interval t' required between independent definite time delay over current
relays, it is proposed to adopt the equation:
t' = 0.2t + 0.25 seconds
Where t = nominal operating time of relay nearest to the fault.
 v STANDARD I.D.M.T. OVER CURRENT RELAY (TYPE CDG 11)
Limits of accuracy have been considered by various national committees and
(Fig.24) shows a typical example of the limits set by the British Standards
Institution specification BS 142:1966 for the standard inverse definite
minimum time over current relay.
The discriminating curves shown in (Fig.25) illustrate the application of such
a relay to a sectioned radial feeder; it will be seen that with the assumed
relay settings and the tolerances allowed in BS 142:1966 the permissible
grading margin between the over current relays at each section breaker is
approximately 0.5s. With the increase in system fault current it is desirable to
shorten the clearance time for faults near the power source, in order to
minimize damage. It is therefore necessary to reduce the time errors, which
are in this situation disproportionately large when compared with the
clearance time of modern circuit breakers; this can only be achieved by
improving the limits of accuracy, pick-up and overshoot

(Fig. 24) Typical limits of accuracy set by

BS 142: 1966 for an inverse
Definite Minimum Time over current relay

NORMAL BRITISH PRACTICE ACCURACY

CLASS E7.5% TIME/CURRENT
CHARACTERISTIC ALLOWABLE LIMIT
At 2 times setting 222E
At 5 times setting 1.13E
At 10 times setting 1.01E
At 20 times setting 1.00E
NOTE: The allowance error in operating time should not be less than 100ms

All this must be obtained without detriment to the general performance of the
relay; in other words, there must be no reduction in the operating torque or
weakening of the damper magnets or contact pressures, and the construction
must remain simple with the minimum number of moving parts. While these
requirements present considerable difficulties in manufacture, owing to
variations in materials and practical tolerances, the progress made in the GEC
Measurements relays has made it possible to discriminate more closely by
reducing the margin between both the current and the time setting of the
relays on adjacent breakers.

(Fig.25) application of an IDMT over

current relay to a sectioned
Radial feeder
 These relays will thus enable the time setting of the relay nearest the power
source to be reduced, or, alternatively, make it possible to increase the
number
of breakers in series without increasing the time setting of the relays
at the power source.

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