NUMERICAL RELAY 

TECHNOLOGY 
Protective Relay Technology

According to evolution protective relays are classified as:

 Electro‐mechanical relays
 Static relays
 Digital relays
 Numerical relays

In the last thirty years electromechanical relays have 
been replaced successively by static, digital and 
numerical relays, each change bringing with it reductions 
in size and improvements in functionality with same 
reliability levels and improved availability
 The first protection devices based on microprocessors
were employed in 1985.

 The widespread acceptance of numerical technology by

the customer and the experiences of the user helped in
developing the second generation numerical relays in
1990.

 Modern power system protection devices are built with

integrated functions.

 Multi-functions like protection, control, monitoring and

measuring are available today in numeric power system
protection devices.

 Communication capability of these devices facilitates

remote control, monitoring and data transfer.
• Electromechanical and static protection relays offered
single-function, single characteristics, whereas modern
numeric protection offers multi-function and multiple
characteristics.

• Some protections also offer adaptable characteristics,

which dynamically change the protection characteristic
under different system conditions by monitoring the input
parameters.

• The measuring principles and techniques of conventional

relays (electromechanical and static) are fewer than those
of the numerical technique, which can differ in many
aspects like the type of protection algorithm used,
sampling, signal processing, hardware selection, software
discipline,
 First generation numerical relays were mainly
designed to meet the static relay protection
characteristic, whereas modern numeric protection
devices are capable of providing complete
protection with added functions like control and
monitoring.

 Numerical protection devices offer several

advantages in terms of protection, reliability, and
trouble shooting and fault information. Numerical
protection devices are available for generation,
transmission and distribution systems.
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 Numerical Relays
• The distinction between digital and numerical relay is very fine 
and they are development over digital relays as a result of 
advances in technology.
• They use specialized digital signal processor (DSP) as the 
computational hardware, together with the associated software 
tools. 
• By using DSP processor along with multiple microprocessors, a 
number of functions previously implemented in separate items of 
hardware are included within a single item. 
• They have very high sampling speed i.e.1200 samples per second 
resulting in an exact digital replica of the analogue input.
• The analogue to digital conversion is done by an A/D converter 
which is integrated with the processor.
A numerical relay consist of 

i. The main DSP processor
ii. Coprocessors (doing aux functions i.e. bus communication, HMI)
iii. Memory
iv. A/D converter
v. Analogue & Digital Inputs & outputs
vi. Aux. supply
vii. Internal communication bus
 The frequency of sampling must be carefully considered,   as 
the Nyquist criterion applies:
fs ≥ 2 x fh

fs = sampling frequency
fh = highest frequency of interest

 A modern numerical relay may sample  each analogue 
input quantity at between 16 and 24 samples per cycle. 
 All subsequent signal processing is carried out digitally in
software, final digital outputs use relays to provide 
isolation.
Advantages of numerical  relays over static relays:
• Several setting groups
(8 in RHO3 & Argus, 2 in REF610,  2 in P225 etc)
• Wider range of parameter adjustment
( CDG11:  50% to 200% in steps of  25%  for current
0.1 to 1.0 in steps of  0.1 for TMS
REF610: 30% to 500% in steps of 1% for current
0.05 to 1.0 in steps of  0.01 for TMS
7SR11  : 5% to 250% in steps of 1% for current
0.025 to 1.6 in steps of  0.025 for TMS)               
• Auxiliary protection functions 
• Internal Fault diagnosis (IRF)
• Trip Circuit Supervision (TCS)
• Power system measurements available
• Distance to fault locator
• Disturbance, event, fault recorder
• Supervision (CB, CT, PT etc)
• User‐definable logic
• Backup protection functions in‐built
• Consistency of operation times ‐ reduced  grading margin
• Remote communications built in
Features:
A. Basic Protection functions
i. Over current Protection (50/51) : 
I> (definite time,50‐1/ IDMT,51‐1) 
I>> (definite time,50‐2/inst )
I>>> (Instantaneous ,50‐3)
ii.      Earth fault protection (50N/51N):
I0> (definite time,50N‐1/ IDMT,51N‐1)
I0>> (definite time,50N‐2/inst )
iii. Thermal (49):
Matching Thermal curve        
Theta inhibits 
RTD influence
iv.    Under voltage (27)  & Over Voltage (59)
B. Additional functions:

i. Thermal protection for cables  Ө :( detects prolonged 
overloading resulting in thermal stress) 
ii. Phase discontinuity Protection  ∆I : (phase unbalance due to 
broken conductor ) 
iii. Circuit breaker failure protection 
iv. Auto reclose function 
v. Trip lockout function
vi. Auto doubling of highset stage (e.g. during transient 
conditions)
C.  Supervisory functions:
i. Internal Fault diagnosis (IRF)
ii. Trip Circuit Supervision (TCS) 
iii. CBFP,  State Indication and  Condition Monitoring 
iv. VT/CT Supervision 
D. Measurement Functions:
i. sequence quantities (positive, negative, zero)
ii. power, reactive power and power factor
iii. energy (kWh, kvarh)
iv. max. demand in a period (kW, kvar; average and peak 
values)
v. harmonic quantities
vi. frequency
vii. temperatures/RTD status
viii. motor start information (start time, total no. of starts / 
reaccelerations , total running time)
ix. distance to fault
E. Status indication:
i. LCD display
ii. Status LEDs  & Programmable LEDs

F. Recording Functions:
i. Event recorder
ii. Fault recorder
iii. Disturbance recorder 

G.     Communication:
i. Optical communication port (infrared)
ii. Optical fiber communication
iii. Serial communication etc
 Multiple of FLC 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
Motor Thermal Withstand Time 525 300 195 135
RHO3 Numerical Relay
RHO3 Trip time with curve 13 459 224 136 92
RHO3 Trip time with curve 14 (NEW 494 242 146 99
Setting)

RHO3 Trip time with curve 15 529 259 157 106

CTMM Static Relay
CTMM Trip time with curve 3a 630 260 100 69
CTMM Trip time with curve 3 (OLD 450 140 69 48
Setting)

CTMM Trip time with curve 2 270 75 39 27

Percentage of thermal capacity used in RHO3 = [494/525]*100 = 94%

Percentage of thermal capacity used in CTMM = [450/525]*100 = 86%

Conclusions
The provision of extra facilities in numerical relays may 
avoid the need for other  measurement/ control devices to 
be fitted in a substation. 

 The protection relay no longer performs a basic protection 
function; but is becoming an integral and major part of a 
substation automation scheme.

 Similarly integration of control functions with protection 
functions will make the complex control circuitry in industry 
redundant.