TECHNICAL REPORT

APPLICATION GUIDE
TITLE:Restricted Earth Fault

PREPARED BY:-

A.Robson

..................................

APPROVED :-

M Holden

..................................

REPORT NO:-

990/TIR/06/03

DATE :-

08 Dec 2003

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Issue
Revision 1
Revision 2
Revision 3

Date
3 March 1999
03 July 2003
08 Dec 2003

Modification
First Issue
Updated
Corrections to 4.7, 4.8 & 4.9. Text mods to 4.2

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1.

INTRODUCTION

A low impedance earth fault overcurrent relay may, with the addition of an external series resistor,
and a non -linear resistor be connected as a high impedance restricted earth fault relay for the
protection of transformer windings or the stator windings of large machines. This document
provides guidelines and a worked example in establishing the relay settings and design
parameters for external resistors and, where required, a non-linear resistor, for Restricted Earth
Fault (REF) protection.
2.

ABBREVIATIONS

Vs
V stab
Vf s
V pk
If
Ifs
Rct
RL
N
Vk
Imag
Inlr
Rs
Is
P con
P half

,relay circuit setting voltage

,min vo ltage required to ensure stability
,rms value of relay circuit voltage not withstanding CT saturation
,peak voltage produced across relay circuit during internal fault
conditions
,maximum in-zone fault current
,max through fault current
,CT secondary winding resistance
,CT lead resistance (loop)
,CT turns ratio
,CT knee point voltage
,CT magnetisation current
,non-linear resistor current
,setting resistance
,relay setting current
,continuous power rating of resistor
,0.5 second power rating of resistor

3.

THEORY OF REF SCHEMES

3.1.

Determination of Stability

The stability of a REF scheme using a high impedance relay circuit depends upon the relay circuit
setting voltage being greater than the maximum voltage which can appear across the relay circuit
under a given through fault condition (i.e. external fault). This voltage can be determined by
means of a simple calculation which makes the following assumptions:
a) One CT is fully saturated making its excitation impedance negligible.
b) The resistance of the secondary winding of the saturated CT together with the leads
connecting it to the relay circuit terminals constitute the only burden in parallel with the relay.
c) The remaining CTs maintain their ratio.
Thus the minimum stability voltage is given by:
Vstab = Ifs (Rct + RL)
For stability, the relay circuit voltage setting should be made equal to or exceed this calculated
value. No factor of safety is necessary because this is built into the assumptions made above.

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3.2.

Current Transformer Requirements

The CTs used in this type of scheme should be of the high accuracy and low leakage reactance
type and the minimum CT knee voltage should be greater than twice the minimum stability
voltage setting calculated for the relay circuit.
3.3.

Setting Resistor

If the relay used in the scheme has a low burden, then a series setting resistor will be required to
provide the relay circuit setting voltage for stability. Assuming the relay burden is very small and
the CTs do not have very low knee point voltages (less than 25V), the relay burden can be
neglected and the setting resistor value is then given by:
Rs = Vs / Is
3.4.

Non Linear Resistor

The maximum internal primary fault current in the protected zone will be the same as that for the
stability condition when the primary network circuit is solidly earthed. This current may cause high
voltage spikes across the relay at instants of zero flux since a practical CT core enters saturation
on each half-cycle for voltages of this magnitude.
A formula in common use, which gives a reasonable approximation to the peak voltage produced
under internal fault conditions, is expressed as:
V pk = 2v [2V k (Vfs -V k)]
To protect the CTs, the secondary wiring, and the relay from damage due to excessively high
voltages, a non -linear resistor is connected in parallel with the relay circuit if the peak voltage
would exceed 3kV. If the calculated peak voltage is less than 3kV it is not necessary to employ a
non-linear resistor.
The type of non-linear resistor required is chosen by:a) Its thermal rating as defined by the empirical formula:
P = 4/p x If s x Vk
b) Its non-linear characteristic i.e. V = CI B; where C and B are constants.
A resistor with C and B values is selected which ensures the peak voltage cannot exceed 3kV
and, in the region of the relay circuit setting voltage, the current shunted by the non-linear resistor
is very small (e.g. <10mA).

4.

WORKED EXAMPLE PROTECTION OF POWER TRANSFORMER HV DELTA

WINDING (FIGURE 1) USING THE REF ELEMENT OF AN ARGUS RELAY

4.1.

Data required

(With values inserted from a typical example)

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4.1.1.

CT secondary winding resistance 3O

4.1.2.

Lead resistance (loop) 3O

4.1.3.

Magnetising characteristic of CT see Fig. 4 [ Vk > 270 ]

4.1.4.

CT turns ratio 1/200

4.1.5.

Nameplate rating of power transformer 30MVA

4.1.6.

Voltage ratio of power transformer 132/11kV

4.1.7.

Required primary fault setting 10% to 60%

4.1.8.

Power transformer impedance 9.5%

4.1.9.

System earthing solid

4.1.10. Maximum system fault level 3500MVA

4.1.11. Relay data, Argus 1 relay (REF/SEF version)
REF setting range 0.5% to 96% of In in 0.5% steps
AC burden, 5A tap 0.4VA
1A tap 0.2VA
4.2.

A UK standard in use for some years now, EATS 48-3, recommends that the figure used
for If s should be 16 times the rated current of the protected winding. This is a typical figure
based on infeeds to an external earth fault from the transformer under consideration,
which is in parallel with the remainder of the system up to the point of connection of the
transformer. Note that if this value results in an impractically high voltage setting
requirement, it is usually acceptable to assume that the transformer impedance limits the
through earth fault current to the through 3 phase fault current.

Ifs (primary) = 16 x transformer rating

3 x system voltage
Ifs (primary) = 16 x

30MVA
= 2.1kA
3 x 132kV

Ifs (secondary) = 2100/200 = 10.5A

The minimum CT knee point voltage should be greater than 2Ifs (RCT+RL) volts.
Thus

Vkmin = 2[10.5(3+3)] = 126V

Minimum stability voltage to ensure stability during maximum through fault is:
Vstab

> Ifs (RCT+RL)

> 10.5 (3+3)

> 63V

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Although the relay circuit voltage setting does not need to be more than this calculated value,
since the CT Vk is more than 270V, a setting of 90V is proposed.

4.3.

EATS 48-3 recommends that the primary fault setting should be in the range of 10% to
60% of the rated current of the protected winding (when the protected winding is
connected to a solidly earthed power system).

The acceptable limits for the primary fault setting are:

3MVA to 18MVA = 13.1A to 78.7A
3 x 132kV
(i.e. for 30MVA transformer)
Therefore the relay operating current limits are:
13.1 to 78.7 = 65mA to 400mA
200

4.4.

The Argus relay REF element has a setting range from 0.005 to 0.96A in 5mA steps. An
initial setting of 0.18A is chosen. However the shunt connection of all other paths must be
subtracted from this to allow the actual fault setting to be determined. The fault setting is
the actual current (primary amps) at which the relay operates. Shunt paths = number of
CTs x their magnetising current + non-linear resistor (if required).

Thus, actual setting = 0.18 - 3Imag - Inlr*

* In restricted earth fault applications where the relay setting voltage is considerably lower than
the non-linear resistor C value, Inlr can be ignored. The magnetising current of all parallel CTs
must be taken into account at the relay setting voltage, Vs, which is now calculated.
In reference to figure 4, the magnetisation curve shows a knee point voltage of 270V. A stability
voltage within the range Vk/4 to Vk/2 is normal unless a customer has special requirements,
therefore a value of say 90V for Vs can be chosen. This is more than the minimum value of Vstab
calculated at 63V (see section 4.2 above) and is less than Vk/2.
The value of magnetising current, Imag, at Vs is 0.011A.

Reverting to the calculation of current setting this can now be completed.

Setting, in secondary amps,
Is = 0.18 - 3(0.011) = 0.147A
Say 0.15A (nearest setting for Argus 1 relay)

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4.5.

Based on a relay circuit setting voltage of 90V, the series stabilising resistor can now be
calculated by the following formula,
Rs = (V s - Vrelay )/Is

The Argus relay burden is very small and can be neglected.

Rs = 90/0.150 = 600

The resistor value of 600 can be obtained, with standard tolerance band e.g. +/- 5%.

Thus the relay circuit setting voltage becomes,

Vs = 0.15 x 600 = 90V
4.6.

To check whether a voltage limiting device is required to protect the relay circuit,
calculate Vpk .
Vpk = 2 [2Vk (Vfs -V k )]> 3000

Where,
Vk = 270V (from fig.4)
Vf s = If (Rs + Rrelay )

If = 3500
3 x 132

x1
200

(Secondary Amps)

= 77 Amps
Vf s = 77 x 600 = 46.2kV
Thus,

Vpk = 9.96kV

Therefore it is recommended that a voltage limiting device is connected into the circuit. If the
shunt current at Vs is significant, relative to the relay setting, this must be taken into account in
the calculation, item 4.4, in establishing the relay setting current required to achieve an
appropriate primary operating current value.

4.7.

The resistors incorporated in the scheme must be capable of withstanding the associated
thermal conditions.

Continuous power rating of the setting resistor = Pcon = (Icon) x Rs

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where

Icon = continuous resistor current, normally taken as being the current at circuit
setting voltage
Pcon = 0.15 x 600 = 13.5Watt

The short time rating of the resistor is taken to be 0.5 seconds. This is considered so as to ensure
that the relay circuit components are not damaged in the event of a circuit failure causing a fault
to be cleared by back-up or CB fail protection.

The 0.5 second rating of the setting resistor, P half = Ir x Rs , where Ir =

Vf /Rs.

The rms voltage, Vf, developed across Rs under internal fault conditions is defined from the
empirical formula as follows:
Vf = (Vk x Rs x If ) x 1.3
where If = rms value of secondary fault current for maximum system fault level, calculated above
in 4.6 (If = 77 Amps).
Vf = (270 x 600 x 77)

x 1.3 = 1270V

Therefore,
Phalf = Vf /Rs = 1270/600 = 2.69kW for 0.5 sec
4.8.

The required thermal rating of the non-linear resistor can be calculated by the formula,
P = 4/p x If x V k
P = 4/p x 77 x 270 = 26.5kW

This is above the declared withstand of a standard 3 diameter type Metrosil non-linear resistor
and a 6 diameter type would be required.
4.9.
N = 200

Primary fault setting, or primary operating current (p.o.c.) = N (Imag + Is)

Imag at 90V is approximately 15mA

Is = 0.15A

P.O.C. = 200(3 x 0.015 + 0.15) = 39A

Full load current at 30MVA = 131A

Therefore P.O.C. = 30% of rating.

This ignores any current passed through the Metrosil at the setting voltage. With typical standard
values for the Metrosil characteristic for B and C, the current at setting voltage would be relatively
very low, e.g. < 1mA.

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4.10.

Recommended Settings and Components

>Argus REF setting = 0.15A (Resultant fault setting, e.g. the p.o.c. = 39A)
>External setting resistor

= 600O (Vs = 90V)

>Non -linear resistor = 3 inch type with C and B values chosen to suit, i.e. to limit the maximum
peak voltage to 3kV (at maximum in zone fault = 77amp in this example), and to ensure that the
current drawn by the Metrosil at the relay circuit setting voltage, is not significant (e.g. less than
1.0mA). If this current is significant it needs to be included in the expression for the p.o.c. in item
4.9 above
Figure 1 Typical Application, Protection of Delta Winding

R1

R1

R1
Line Current
Transformers

R4

R2

P2

Vs

S2

S2

S2

S1

S1

S1

Non-Linear
Resistor

l
>

P1
R3
HV

10

R1 = C.T. Secondary Winding Resistance.

R2 + R3 = Pilot Loop Resistance, RL.
R4 = Setting Resistance.
Vs = Relay Circuit Setting Voltage, or Stability Voltage.

LV

Figure 2 Typical Schematic Diagram for Application of 4-Pole Argus 1 Relay to Star
Winding

Current transformers
Class 5P

Class PX
A

HV

S1

LV
P1

S2
B

S1

S2

S1

S2

IMPORTANT NOTE.
Where one set of current
transformers are used to provide
both IDMT and REF protections,
then they must meet the
performance requirements for both
protection systems
P1

C
Non-linear resistor

R1
53
l >

49
l >

54

45

25

l >
50

Argus 1

l >
46

26

S1

S2
P2

P2

Argus 1 having 2OC + 1EF + REF

R 1- =Restricted
s e t t i n g r eEarth
s i s t a Fault
n c e Rev3.doc
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Figure 3 Typical Schematic Diagram for Application of 4-Pole Argus 1 Relay to Delta
Winding
A
S2 B

S1

P1

S1

P2

S2
C

S1
53

49

l>

l>
54

45

25

l>
50

S2
l>

46

26
Non - linear
resistor

Argus relay
(3OC + REF)
R1

Figure 4 Typical Current Transformer Magnetising Characteristic Class PX to IEC60044

Secondary winding resistance = 3 ohms at 75 oC

R.M.S Volts (min) multiply by 30

A
10

Vk

a) Vk = 9.0 x 30 = 270V
Iexc = 0.165 x 0.3

b) 1.1Vk = 9.9 x 30
Iexc = approx 1.5 x (a)

curve "A"
curve "B"

.02

.06

.1
1.0

.14

.18

.22

.26

2.0

.3
3.0

Secondary Excitation Current Multiply by 0.3 R.M.S Amps (max)

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