Basics of Substation

Protection
Said Salim Palayi
AEE,
Electrical Division, KSEB Limited,
Manjeri, Kerala, South India
sspalayi@yahoo.com

Protection - Why Is It Needed?

All Power Systems may experience faults
at some time.
FAULT
Short circuit produced by failure of insulation.
PROTECTION IS INSTALLED TO :
Detect fault occurrence and isolate the faulted
equipment.
SO THAT :
Damage to the faulted equipment is limited;
Disruption of supplies to adjacent equipment is
minimized.

Danger to staff or the public is avoided

Faults Are Mainly Caused By

Insulation Failure
Underground Cables

Diggers
Overloading
Oil Leakage
Ageing

Faults Are Mainly Caused By

Insulation Failure
Overhead Lines
Lightning
Kites
Trees
Moisture
Salt
Birds
Failure of discs
Broken Conductors

Faults Are Mainly Caused By

Insulation Failure
Machines
Mechanical Damage
Unbalanced Load

Types of Fault
/E

a
b
c
e

//E

a
b
c
e

a
b
c

a
b
c

3/E

a
b
c
e

BREAKER
EQPT / FEEDER

RELAY
BATTERY

INSTRUMENT

TRANSFOR
MERS

Types Of Protection - Principles

Most of the protective relays in
substation works in the following
principle.
1.Over current Protection
2.Differential Protection
3.Pilot wire protection
4.Distance Protection

1. Overcurrent Protection
IF

IF'

51

DC
BATTERY

SHUNT
TRIP COIL

Requires secure DC auxiliary

No trip if DC fails

1. Overcurrent Protection
Earth Fault Relay Connection - 3 Wire System

E/F

OC

OC

OC

Combined with OC relays

E/F

OC

OC

Economise using 2x OC relays

Over current protection Parallel

Feeders
Consider fault on one feeder :I1 + I2
I1

51 A

51 B

I2

51

51

LOAD

Relays C and D see the same fault current

(I2). As C and D have similar settings both
feeders will be tripped.

Parallel Feeders
Solution:- Directional Control at C and D
I1 + I2
I1

51 A

51 B

I2

67

LOAD

67

Relay D does not operate due to current flow

in the reverse direction.

Establishing Direction:Polarising Voltage

The DIRECTION of Alternating Current may only
be determined with respect to a COMMON
REFERENCE.
The most convenient reference quantity is
POLARISING VOLTAGE taken from the Power
System Voltages.

Polarizing Voltage for

Directional Over current
Relay

MAX SENSITIVITY
LINE

OPERATE

IA

VA

RESTRAIN

IA FOR MAX
SENSITIVITY

VA
45

90

45

VBC

VC

135

VB

RELAY CURRENT VOLTAGE

A

IA

VBC

IB

VCA

IC

VAB

VBC

Residual Voltage for E/F Relay

May be obtained from broken delta V.T. secondary.

V RES = V A-G + VB- G + V C- G = 3V0

A
B
C

VA-G

VB-G

VC-G

VRES

Application of Overcurrent
Protection

Overcurrent & Earth fault Protection is

used.
HT lines
Transformers
Generators
Reactors
Capacitor Banks
Motors
Neutral displacement relays in capacitor banks
EHT lines (Directional overcurrent &E/F)
Breaker failure Protection

2. Differential Principle
It works on the principle of comparing the
current entering and leaving a protected
object.
If there is a difference, It is assumed that
there is some internal fault and relay operates
according to the setting
Protected
object
Rela
y

Differential Protection
Principle (1)
P1
S1

P2

P2

Protected
Circuit

S2

S2

P1
S1

External fault - Current circulates between the HV & LV

CTs;
no current thro
the relay
No Trip

Differential Protection
Principle (2)
P1
S1

P2

Protected
Circuit

P2

P1

S2

S2

For an internal fault the unbalanced current flows

thro the relay So Relay operates

S1

Application of Differential Relay

Differential Relays are used for
Transformers
Generators

Restricted Earthfault
Protection

Uses differential principle

Increased sensitivity for earth
faults
REF elements for each transformer
winding
CTs may be shared with differential
element
64

64

64

Restricted Earthfault Protection

REF Case I : Normal Condition

Stability level : usually maximum through fault level of

transformer
P1
P2
S1

S2
P1
S1

P1

S1

P2

S2

P2
S2
P1

P2

S1

S2

Under normal
Soconditions no current flows thro Relay
, No Operation

Restricted Earthfault Protection

REF Case II : External Earth Fault

External earth fault - Current circulates between the phase

& neutral CTs; no current thro the relay

So, No Operation

Restricted Earthfault Protection

REF Case III : Internal Earth Fault

For an internal earth fault the unbalanced current flows thro

the relay

So, Relay Operates

Bus bar protection Relay

Bus bar protection works on the
differential principle.

Single bus - Busbar

Protection
BUSBAR
ZONE
F1

Fast clearance by breakers at the busbars

3. Pilot wire Protection

using OFC communication

PGCIL

Areakode
S/S B

A
Communication
Channel

R
Trip A

Relaying
Point

Relaying
Point

Trip B

Relay at End B measures current and transmits the value to

Relay at end A thru optical fibre cable. Relay A
compares measured value and the value recived from B.
If both values are same, relay keeps restraint state.
If there is difference in values. Relays operates.

Pilot wire protection

Used for
EHT cables
short distance EHT transmission lines

4.Distance
. Distance
For : Transmission and Sub-Transmission
Circuits
Also used as Back-up Protection for
Transformers and Generators

Impedance Relay
IF

jIX

zF

IZ
VF

V3

V1

V2

IR
TRIP

Trip

STABLE

Spring

Restrain

Operate

Ampere Turns :

VF

Trip Conditions :

VF < IFZ

IZ

Voltage to Relay
=
Current to Relay
=
Replica Impedance =
Trip Condition :
S2
where :

S1 = IZ Z

S2 = V ZF

Increasing VR has a Restraining Effect VR called Restraining Voltage

Increasing IR has an Operating Effect

V
I
Z
< S1

Basic Principle of Distance

Protection
ZS

VS

Relay
PT.

IR

VR

Impedance measured ZR

ZL

ZLOAD

Normal
Load

VR
ZL ZLOAD
R

The relay is set based on the line impedance.

The measured ZR is more than the relay
setting Z , hence relay restrains

Basic Principle of Distance

Protection
ZL
ZS

VS

IR

VR

ZF

ZLOAD

Fault

Impedance Measured ZR = VR/IR = ZF

Relay Operates if ZF < Z where Z =
setting
Increasing VR has a Restraining Effect
VR called Restraining Voltage
Increasing IR has an Operating Effect

Distance Protection - Zones

It is assumed that there will be an error up to
20% in distance relay measurements.
Hence distance relay setting is divided into Zones
Normally 3 zones are for dist. Relay
Zone-1 is instantaneous and covers 80% of
protected line.
Zone- 2 covers 120% of line & is normally with
0.4 s time delay
Zone -3 covers next line from the substation also
& 0.75 seconds timedelay.

Zones of Protection
jX

Z3A

C
B

Z2A
Z1A

Zones of Protection
Time
Z3A

T3

Z3C

Z2A

T2

Z2C

Z1A
A

Z1B

Z1C
B

T2
Z2B

Z1A = 80% of ZAB

Z2A = 120% of ZAB
Z3A(FORWARD) = 120% of {ZAB +

Distance Relay -features

POWER SWING BLOCKING Provides Stability
during Power swing.
VT SUPERVISION Blocks tripping of Distance
Relay when VT supply fails.
SOTF (Switch- On-To-Fault.) Function enables
high speed tripping when line is energized to a
persisting fault.

Distance Protection- features

AUTORECLOSING
MAINTAINS STABILITY AND SUPPLY BY
FAST RECLOSING OF THE TRIPPED
FEEDER.

CARRIER INTERTRIPS are

provided for fast clearance of
faults for entire line.

Distance Relay Applications

Transmission lines
Sub transmission line
Backup protection for generators

Other type of relays used in

substation

1.Under / Over Voltage

Relays
Used for protection of capacitor banks.
Under voltage relays are also used for
interlocking of line Earth switches.

2.Under Frequency
Relays
Monitors the frequency of Power system
Initiates commands for load shedding if
system goes below specified value.

3.DC supervision
DC supervision relay
Indicates the failure of DC supply to the
panel.
DC source holds the flag in reset
condition
When DC fails, the flag drops.
N/C contact is wired to the annunciator
for alarm.
N/O contact is wired to the SCADA

4.AC supervision relay

Indicates the failure of AC to the
panel.
AC is necessary for the operation of
space heaters.

5.Overfluxing Relay
Over fuxing = V/F

Causes
Low frequency
High voltage
Geomagnetic disturbances

Overfluxing Relay
Effects

Transient Over fluxing - Tripping of differential element

Prolonged Over fluxing - Damage to transformers
Over flux relay measures V/f ratio and in it gives alarm in stage-1 (usually set at 110%)
It gives trip signal in stage-2 (set at 120%)

6.Master Trip Relay

It will transfer the actuation of trip
signal from relays to the circuit
breaker
A circuit breaker normally open (52a)
contact is used to interrupt trip coil
current. This saves trip coil from
burning out due to continuous
current flow.
Burning of trip coil may happen if
this contact is faulty.

7.Trip circuit supervision

It gives supervision of trip circuit
healthiness

Pre close supervision checks the

healthiness of CB when the CB is open
condition. (It is wired through the Normally
Closed ( 52b) auxiliary contact of the CB).
Post close supervision checks the
healthiness of CB when the CB is in Closed
condition. (it is wired though Normally
Open ( 52b) auxiliary contact of the CB)

8.Pole discordance relay

Used in CBs with single pole tripping
This relay confirm whether all poles
are Opened or Closed, if not it will
generate a trip signal.

pole discordance relay

scheme

9.Breaker Failure Protection

(LBB)
A PROTECTION WHICH IS DESIGNED TO CLEAR
A SYSTEM FAULTY BY INITIATING TRIPPING
OTHER CIRCUIT BREAKER(S) IN THE CASE OF
FAILURE TO TRIP OF THE APPROPRIATE
CIRCUIT BREAKER.
IN MODERN NETWORKS THE CRITICAL
FAULT CLEARING TIME MAY BE LESS THAN
200ms. HENCE, IF THE FAULT IS NOT CLEARED
DUE TO FAILURE OF THE PRIMARY PROTECTIVE
RELAYS OR THEIR ASSOCIATED CIRCUIT
BREAKER, A FAST ACTING BACK-UP
PROTECTIVE RELAY MUST CLEAR THE FAULT.

LBB/BFR FLOW CHART

MAIN
PROTECTION
OPERATED

YES

TRIP
MAIN
BREAKER

FAULT
CLEARED

YES

RESET
BREAKER
FAILURE
SCHEME

NO

YES

INITIATE
BFR

WAIT FOR
FAULT
CLEARENCE

AND

TRIP
BACK-UP
BREAKERS

10.Low SF6 alarm/lockout

Stage-1 : Alarm
Alarm stage indicates the inadequate
gas pressure inside CB.
Stage-2 :Lockout.
Lock out stage blocks the operation of
CB. No tripping or closing will happen
then.

11.Control Relays
Auto-Reclose Relay
Used to auto reclosing of EHT feeders
Tap change control Relay
Used for regulating the output
voltage of transformer by
raising/lowering the tap

12. Transformer
Accessories

1) Buchholz Relay.
2) Oil Temperature Indicator.
3) Winding Temperature Indicator.
4) Magnetic Oil Level Gauge
( MOLG).
5) Pressure relief device ( PDR).

Oil temperature Indicator.

Indicates the temperature of the oil
inside transformer.
Gives alarm/Trip signal

Capilary
tube

Temperature
indicator

Sensing device
Thursday, November 3,
2016

Oil Temperature
Indicator
Fitted on the
Thermometer
pocket.

Winding Temperature relay

Give indications about the
temperature of winding temperature
of oil.

WTI with
HOT
spot
simulati
on CT
arrange
ment.

FAN CONTROL CUBICLE

Winding temperature indicator

S1=alarm

S3=cooler control 1

S2=trip

S4=cooler control 2

12.2 Pressure Relief Device

(PRD)
When pressure inside transformer
exceeds the PRV will operate to
release excessive pressure inside the
transformer.
It issues a trip command and visual
indication by operation of a liver
(from horizontal position to vertical
position)

Spring Operated Pressure relief

12.3 Buchholtz relay

Mechanical relay which has two
mercury switches.
When gas enters the chamber the
position of switches deflects and it
will make alarm in stage-1 and trip in
stage-2 in Main tank Buchholz relay.
Only trip signal is provided in OLTC
buchholz relay.

Buchholz Relay Installation

5 x internal pipe
diameter (minimum)

3 x internal pipe
diameter (minimum)

Conservator

Oil conservator
3 minimum
Transformer

Buchholtz Relay
arrangement.

12.4 MAGNETIC OIL LEVEL

GAUGE (MOLG)
Mounting 15 0 Inclination.
The movement of the float is transmitted to
the pointer by using a magnetic coupling.
The follower magnet follows the driving
magnet.
The driving magnet remains inside the
conservator and the other magnet out side
the conservator.

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EM
PT
Y

LL
FU

BEARING

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FLOATING MEMBER

PERMANENT MAGNET

Thursday, November 3,
2016

MOLG

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