6/7/2015

ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!
More NextBlog

CreateBlog SignIn

ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!
HIfriends,thisblogisaboutoneofthegreatestinventionsofalltimestheElectricity!!!!

FRIDAY,2JANUARY2015

PROTECTIONOFALTERNATORCHAPTER4
INDRODUCTION

Alternator is the most important and costly equipment in power system. The cost is high
because the alternator unit is accompanied by prime mover, excitation system, voltage
regulator, cooling system etc. The protection system provided should be therefore
becomeselaborateandcomplex.
Assoonasthefaultdevelopsonalternator,itshouldbeimmediatelydisconnectedfromhe
othergeneratingplanttoavoidthefaultymachinefrombeingfedbyothersources.
ABNORMALITIESANDFAULTS
FollowingTableshowsabnormalconditions(Faults)andprotectionschemesemployedfor
thealternator.
SN

AbnormalCondition

Effect

Protection

Thermaloverloading:

Overheating of stator

Thermocouples

winding and insulation

thermometer impeded in stator slots

failure.

and

i)

Continuous

overloading
ii) Failure of cooling
External

resistance

system.

Stator

overloading protection with over

system
2

cooling

of

currentrelays.

fault

fed

by

generator

Unbalanced

loading

Negativephasesequenceprotection

stressesonwindingand

forlargemachines.

shaft,excessiveheating

Overload

for

generators.

prolonged

short

protection

for

small

circuit.
3

Statorfaults:

Winding

burnout,

i)Phasetophase

welding

of

ii)Phasetoearth

laminationsdown

core

Biased

differential

protection,

sensitive earth fault protection, inter

ABOUTME

SureshApre
Follow

26

Hi,Iamcurrently
workingwith
BARCandhave
beenwiththem
forever.Ihave
alsoworkedwith
Electricity
forever....sohereI
amsharingmy
passionand
knowledgewith
youallthroughmy
blog
www.electrologic.b
logspot.com..pl
visit
Viewmycomplete
profile

turnfaultprotection.

iii)Interturn
4

Rotorearthfaults

Single fault does not

harm

second

causes

Rotorearthfaultprotection

fault

unbalanced

magneticforcescausing
damage

to

shaft,

bearings
5

Lossoffield:

Generator

Tripping of field circuit

induction

runs

generator

as

breaker.

deriving

excitation

Loss of field or Field failure

protection.

currents from busbar.

Speed

increases

slightly.
6

Motoring

generator.

Effect depends upon

Reverse

When input to prime mover

of

typeofprimemoverand

directional power relays direct the

power

protection

by

stops, the generator draws

the power drawn from

reversalofpower.

power from busbars and

hebusduringmotoring.

runs a synchronous motor

inthesamedirection.
7

Overvoltages

Insulationfailure

Overfluxing of generator

Heatingofcorerelay.

Lightning arresters connected near

generatorterminals.

transformer and auxiliary

Connectedinvoltageregulatorcircuit
generator.

transformer.
9

Underfrequency

Failure of blades of

FrequencyRelays.

steamturbines.

Something about diagrams: The differential protection scheme is applied for 3phase
http://electrologic.blogspot.com/2015/01/ofalternatorchapter4indroduction.html

1/5

6/7/2015

ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!

alternator. For simplicity of understanding the star and delta connections are drawn in
somedifferentway.

DIFFERENTIALPROTECTION
This is the most common scheme used for alternator protection differential protection
schemeforastarconnectedalternator.
SixidenticalCTsareusedforthisscheme.ThesecondarysofCTareaconnectedinstar
through pilot wires. The relay operating coils (R1, R2, R3) are connected across neutral
pilotwireend.Therelaysareconnectedbetweenequipotentialpointsrespectivelinepilot
wires of CT secondary side. The relays used are electromagnetic type. Operation under
normalworkingconditions,thecurrententeringalteringthealternatorwindingisequalto
currentleavingthealternatorwinding.
ThereisinducedcurrentinsecondarysofCTthesecurrentsarealsosameinmagnitude.
Thesecurrentscirculateinpilotwiresbutnotthroughtherelaycoils.
When a fault develops, say earth fault or phase to phase fault, the current entering the
alternatorwindingisnotequaltocurrentleavingthealternatorwinding.SoCTsecondary
currents are no longer equal and difference current flows through operating coil. Thus,
relayisenergized,andtripsignaloperatestherespectiveCBtoisolatethefaultypart.

Percentage Differential Protection of Alternator/Biased Differential Protection of

Alternator
Fig. (a) and (b) shows percentage differential protection scheme for star and delta
connectedalternators.

For star connected alternator the neutral is earthed through a resistance. The CTs are
connected in star. One more coil called restraining coil is added in the circuit as shown.
Therestrainingcoilisconnectedcentrallyinthepilotwires.Therespectiveoperatingcoils
areconnectedatcentreofrespectiverestrainingcoils.Undernormaloperatingconditions
thesecondarycurrentsofCTsareequal.Thus,thereisbalancedcirculatingcurrentinthe
pilotwiresandtherestrainingcoilandcurrentdoesnotflowintheoperatingcoil.
EARTHFAULTPROTECTIONOFALTERNATOR
Whenthefaultcurrentflowsthroughearthreturnpath,thefaultiscalledearthfault.The
earthfaultsarefrequent.Soearthfaultprotectionisimportant.
Residual earth fault relay: When earth fault does not take place, the sum of three
secondarycurrentsofCTiszero.i.e.IR+IY+IB=0.
Thesumofthesecurrentsiscalledresidualcurrent.Whenearthfaultdevelops,thesumof
threecurrentsisnotzero,theresidualcurrentflowsthroughearthfaultrelay.

This protection is also called unrestricted earth fault protection. In another scheme, the
relayisconnectedinneutralofthetransformer.

The neutral acts as CT, primary. When fault occur, the fault current flows through this
earthconnectionandsecondarycurrentincreasescausingearthfaultrelayoperation.The
amountofneutralcurrentflowingdoesdependontypeofearthingsystemprovided.
Thisisalsocalledunrestrictedearthfaultprotection.
Earth Fault Protection with Core balance Current Transformer (CBCT)/zero
SequenceCT.
A core balance CT is used in this scheme. The core of CBCT has large crosssectional
areasothatitdoesnotsaturatewhenfaultcurrentproduceshighfluxdensityinit.
The core embraces the three conductors R, Y, B. Under normal conditions, the
componentsoffluxesproducedbythreecurrentsarebalancedandCTsecondarycurrent
isnegligibleandrelaydoesnotoperate.
WhenearthfaultdevelopsthebalanceisdisturbedandsufficientcurrentisinducedinCT
secondary,thusrelayisoperated.

RESTRICTEDEARTHFAULTPROTECTIONFORALTERNATOR

TheCTsareaconnectedinstarasshowninFig.Theremainingconnectionsareasper
percentage differential protection scheme. In addition, one restricted earth fault relay is
placedinthestarconnectionofCTsecondarysasshowninFig.
Whenearthfaultoccursonthewinding,theimbalancecurrentflowsthroughtheoperating
coilsandrestrictedearthfaultrelay.Thus,therestrictedearthfaultrelayoperatesandtrip
signalisproducedwhichoperatestheCB.
INTERTURNFAULTPROTECTIONORSTATOR
INTERTURNFAULTPROTECTION
The normal differential protection scheme can protect the alternator against phase in
http://electrologic.blogspot.com/2015/01/ofalternatorchapter4indroduction.html

LiveTrafficFeed
AvisitorfromRoseHill,
PlainesWilhemsviewed
"ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!"1
minago
AvisitorfromKumar,
HimachalPradeshviewed
"ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!"1
day13hoursago
AvisitorfromDelhiviewed
"ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!:
March2015"1day19hours
AvisitorfromRasipuram,
ago
TamilNaduviewed
"ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!:
March2015"4days14hours
AvisitorfromMountainView,
ago
Californiaviewed"Electrifying
Electrologic!!!"4days23hours
ago
AvisitorfromMountainView,
Californiaviewed"Electrifying
Electrologic!!!"4days23hours
ago
AvisitorfromMountainView,
Californiaviewed"Electrifying
Electrologic!!!"4days23hours
ago
AvisitorfromMountainView,
Californiaviewed"Electrifying
Electrologic!!!"4days23hours
ago
AvisitorfromMountainView,
Californiaviewed"Electrifying
Electrologic!!!"4days23hours
ago
AvisitorfromPakistanviewed
"ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!"5
days1hourago
RealtimeviewGetFeedjit

SEARCHTHIS
BLOG

Search

BLOGARCHIVE

BlogArchive
TOTAL
PAGEVIEWS

2,303

2/5

6/7/2015

ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!

groundorphasetophasefaults.Itcannotprotectthealternatorfrominterturnfaults.This
is because current entering and leaving, the alternator winding remains the same. Even
though some turns of any phase are shorted. So CT secondary currents do not change
andoperatingcoildoesnotcarryanycurrent.
Theinterturnfaultslaterondevelopearthfault,sointerturnfaultmustbedetectedatan
earlystage.
Fig.showsarrangementforinterturnfaultprotectionscheme.Wehaveshownitforone
phaseonlyforsimplicityofunderstanding.Forthreephasesalternatorstherewillbesuch
threegroups.

Thisschemeisusedformultiturnalternator,thewindingofeachphaseisdividedintotwo
equal sections (S1 and S2) as shown in figure. Two identical CTs are connected in
respectivewindings.TheCTsecondarysareconnectedinphaseoppositionandarelayR
isconnectedinCTsecondaryloop.
Thefunctioningofthisschemeissimilartodifferentialprotectionprinciple.
Under normal operating conditions, the currents through S1 and S2 are same, so CT
secondariescarrysamecurrent.AndnocurrentflowsthroughrelayR.
IftheadjacentturnsofS1areshorted,currentssharedbyS1andS2differshencethereis
difference in CT secondary currents. The difference current flows through the loop and
relaynowcarriescurrentandproducestripsignalforCB.
OVERHEATINGPROTECTION
StatorOverheatingProtection: Overheating in stator may be caused by the failure of
thecoolingsystem,overloadingorcorefaultlikeshortedlaminations.
Modernalternators9above2MW)employtwomethodstodetectoverheating.
Inonemethod,theinletandoutlettemperaturesofcoolingmediumaremeasured.Cooling
medium may be gas (hydrogen) or liquid (water). The inlet and outlet temperatures of
cooling medium are compared and if drastic difference is there, it means over heating is
occurring.Thus,overheatingcanbedetected.
In second method, temperature sensors are embedded in stator slots. The temperature
sensorsmaybeaRTD(ResistanceTemperatureDetector),thermistor,thermocouple.

Whetstone'sbridgeprincipleisusedtodetectoverheating.P,QandSarethefixedvalue
resistances.TheRTDisconnectedinonearmasshown.ThisRTDiskeptinstatorslotof
alternator.Whentemperatureiswithinlimits,pointaandbarehesamepotentialandrelay
coil does not carry any current i.e. bridge is balanced. When overheating occurs, RTD
resistancechangescausingimbalanceandsomepotentialdifferenceiscreatedacrossa
andb.Therelaycoilisthusenergizedandrelayoperatesthealarmcircuit.
NegativeSequenceProtectionofAlternatorAgainstUnbalanceLoad
Whenstatorcurrentsareunbalanced,theyproducenegativesequencecomponent.This
component rotates at synchronous speed and in opposite direction to rotor. This cause
double frequency currents to be induced in the rotor. So, rotor iron losses increase and
heatingofrotoroccurs.Thedoublefrequencycurrentalsoproducesvibrationsandheating
ofstator.
Figureshowsaschemeforprotectionagainstunbalanceloads.
ThreeCTsareconnectedinstarandthesecondarysareconnectedtonegativesequence
filter,overcurrentrelayisconnectedtosequencefilter.
Thenegativesequencefiltersconsistsofnumberofinductorsandresistors.Thisnegative
sequencefilterdetectspresenceofnegativesequencecomponentduetounbalanceand
operates.

REVERSEPOWERPROTECTION
The turbine drives the alternator. Alternator is connected to supply system through
transformers, bus bars etc. And at a time many alternators are connected to the supply
system.Butwheninputtoanyoneturbineisstopped,thealternatorcontinuestorotateas
a motor i.e. it takes electrical power from supply and supplies mechanical input to the
turbinesoitdrivestheturbine.
Sopreviouslythepowerflowwasfromturbinealternatorsupplysystemandnoitis
from supply system motor (alternator acting as a motor) turbine i.e. power flow
reverses.Whenelectricalpowerflowsinreversedirection,itstillmaintainsthebalancein
threephases.Soreversepowerflowcanbedetectedbyusingasinglerelayinanyone
phases.
Directional relay can be used to detect reverse flow. Figure shows induction type
directionalrelaytodetectreversepowerflow.

The shunt magnet coil and series magnetic coil are excited from any one alternator
winding. When power flow direction is correct the disc rotates in normal direction. But
http://electrologic.blogspot.com/2015/01/ofalternatorchapter4indroduction.html

3/5

6/7/2015

ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!

whenpowerflowreverses,thediscrotationisinoppositedirectionandoppositerotation
causestripcircuitcontactstoclose.Thus,tripsignalisproduced.
SOLVEDEXAMPLE
A20MVA11kV,3phasestarconnectedalternatorisprotectedbyMertzPriceprotection
scheme.Thestarpointisearthedthrougharesistanceof5.IfCTshavearatioof1000/5
andtherelayissettooperatewhenthereisanoutofbalancecurrentof1.5Amp.
Calculate:
i)Thepercentageofeachphaseofthestatorwindingwhichisunprotected.
ii)Theminimumvalueofearthingresistancetoprotect90%ofthewinding.
Solution:i)LetX%ofthewindingisunprotected,Earthingresistancere=5
11x103
Vph=Voltageperphase==6350.85volts
3
Theminimumfaultcurrenttooperatetherelay=1000/5x1.5=300Amp.
e.m.f.inducedisX%ofstatorwinding,=Vphx(X/100)=63.508xVolt.
Earthfault,currentthatwillflowbecauseofvoltageinducedinX%winding
=63508X63.508
==12.7Xamps.
re5
Thiscurrentshouldbeequaltominimumfaultcurrentrequiredtooperatetherelay.
12.7X=300soX=23.62%
ii)Letre=minimumearthingresistancerequiredtoprotect90%ofthestatorwinding.The
10%windingwillbeunprotected.
63.508x10
i.e.X=10%300=63.508X/re300==12.7XAmp,re=2.12.
re

EXERCISE

1.Statetheabnormalitiesandfaultsinalternatorwithnecessaryprotection.
2.Drawadiagramofdifferentialprotectionschemeforastarconnectedalternatorand
explainitsworking.
3.Drawadiagramofpercentagedifferentialprotectionschemefordeltaconnected
alternatorandexplainitsworking.
4.ExplainearthfaultprotectionofalternatorusingCBCT.
5.WithaneatsketchexplainoverheatingprotectionusingWheatstonebridge.
6.Drawaprotectionschemefordoublefrequencycurrentusingnegativesequence
filters.

***************************************************

PostedbySureshApreat08:17
+1 Recommend this on Google

Labels:PROTECTIONOFALTERNATOR

Nocomments:
PostaComment

http://electrologic.blogspot.com/2015/01/ofalternatorchapter4indroduction.html

4/5

6/7/2015

ElectrifyingElectrologic!!!

Enteryourcomment...

Commentas:

Publish

GoogleAccount

Preview

NewerPost

Home

OlderPost

Subscribeto:PostComments(Atom)

PictureWindowtemplate.PoweredbyBlogger.

http://electrologic.blogspot.com/2015/01/ofalternatorchapter4indroduction.html

5/5