Generator Protection - Rotor Earth Fault Protection (64R1/

64R2)

Rotor Earth Fault Protection (64R1/64R2)

The field circuit of generator (i.e. rotor winding) is an

isolated D.C. circuit and not earthed anywhere. The field can be
exposed to abnormal mechanical or thermal stresses due to
vibration, excessive currents or choked cooling medium flow. This
may result in a breakdown of the insulation between the field
winding and the rotor iron at one point where the stress has been
too high.

A single earth fault in the field winding or its associated

circuits, therefore, gives rise to a negligible fault current and
does not represent any immediate danger. If however a second
ground fault should occur, heavy fault current and severe
mechanical unbalance may quickly arise and lead to serious
damage. It is essential therefore that any occurrence of
insulation failure is discover and that the machine is taken out
of service as soon as possible. Normally the machine is tripped
instantly on occurrence of second rotor earth fault. Three
methods are available to detect this type of fault.

First Rotor Earth Fault Protection 64 R1

Potentiometer method
A.C. injection method
D.C. injection method

POTENTIOMETER METHOD

In this scheme, a centre tapped resistor is connected in parallel

with the main field winding as shown in Fig. C. The centre point
of the resistor is connected to earth through a voltage relay. An
earth fault on the field winding will produce a voltage across
the relay. The maximum voltage occurring for faults at the ends
of the winding.

A blind spot exists at the centre of the field winding, this

point being at a potential equal to that of the tapping point on
the potentiometer. To avoid a fault at this location remaining
undetected, the tapping point on the potentiometer is varied by a
push button or switch. It is essential that station instructions
be issued to make certain that the blind spot is checked at least
once per shift. The scheme is simple in that no auxiliary supply

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is needed. A relay with a setting 5% of the exciter voltage is
adequate. The potentiometer will dissipate about 60 volts.

Fig C: Potentiometer Method

A.C. INJECTION METHOD

This scheme is shown in Fig. D, it comprises of an auxiliary

supply transformer, the secondary of which is connected between
earth and one side of the field circuit through an interposed
capacitor and a relay coil.

The field circuit is subjected to an alternating potential at the

same level throughout, so that an earth fault anywhere in the
field system will give rise to a current which is detected by the
relay. The capacitor limits the magnitude of the current and
blocks the normal field voltage, preventing the discharge of a
large direct current through the transformer.

This scheme has an advantage over the potentiometer method in

that there is no blind spot in the supervision of the field
system. It has the disadvantage that some current will flow to
earth continuously through the capacitance of the field winding.
This current may flow through the machine bearings, causing
erosion of the bearing surface. It is a common practise to
insulate the bearings and to provide an earthing brush for the
shaft, and if this is done the capacitance current would be
harmless.

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 Fig D: A.C Injection Method

D.C. INJECTION METHOD

The capacitance current objection to the a.c. injection scheme is

overcome by rectifying the injection voltage as shown in Fig. E.
The d.c. output of a transformer rectifier power unit is arranged
to bias the positive side of the field circuit to a negative
voltage relative to earth. The negative side of the field system
is at a greater negative voltage to earth, so an earth fault at
any point in the field winding will cause current to flow through
the power unit. The current is limited by including a high
resistance in the circuit and a sensitive relay is used to detect
the current.
The fault current varies with fault position, but this is not
detrimental
Provide the relay can detect the minimum fault current and
withstand the maximum.
The relay must have enough resistance to limit the fault current
to a harmless value and be sufficiently sensitive to respond to a
fault which at the low injection voltage may have a fairly high
resistance.

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Insulation leakage current, taking into account of the high
voltage to earth at the negative end of the winding and any over
voltage due to field forcing and so on.

Fig E: D.C. Injection Method

2ND ROTOR EARTH FAULT PROTECTION (64R2)

In this test system is replaced by a replica field system in the

form of potential divider , two work 1 K potentiometer in
parallel with station D.C. is used so in fig.(F) SW1 at 1st rotor
E / F position. Closed switch S1 check that 1st rotor E/F relay
VAEM (64R1) operated. Shift S1 to balance. Obtain balance on the
mA meter (Galvanometer) by coarse / fine adjustment of
potentiometer. Shift SW1 on test position check operation of
relay 64R2 by closing switch S2 thus creating an unbalance which
simulates second E/F.

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 Fig F: Second Rotor Earth Fault Protection

ROTOR EARTH FAULT

The scheme to detect rotor earth in case of brushless excitation

system is show in fig.(G) in this case, rotor earth fault relay
forms the three arms of a bridge whose forth arm is the field
winding capacitance to rotor body. During rotor earth fault, this
capacitance gets shorted and the bridge becomes unbalanced
operating the relay. Main exciter winding, rotating diodes and
generator field winding is protected by this relay.

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Fig G: Rotor Earth Fault

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