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Presentation Topic:
Causes of False Differential Currents
Presented By:
Abdul Hameed
2015-EE-706
Causes of False Differential Currents
When a fault external to, but near, the transformer is removed by the
appropriate circuit breaker, the conditions inside the transformer core
are quite similar to those during magnetization of the transformer.
As the voltage applied to the transformer windings jumps from a low pre-
fault value to the normal (or larger) post-fault value, the flux linkages in
the transformer core are once again forced to change from a low pre-
fault value to a value close to normal.
Depending upon the instant at which the fault is removed, the transition
may force a DC offset on the flux linkages, and primary current
waveforms similar to those encountered during energization would
result. It should be noted that as there is no remnant flux in the core
during this process; the inrush is in general smaller than that during the
transformer energization.
3. Initial inrush
When the excitation of a transformer bank is removed, the magnetizing
current goes to O.
The flux, following the hysteresis loop, then falls to some residual value
R. If the transformer were reenergized at the instant the voltage waveform
corresponds to the residual magnetic density within the core, there would be
a smooth continuation of the previous operation with no magnetic transient.
In practice, however, the instant when switching takes place cannot be
controlled and a magnetizing transient is practically unavoidable.
Initial inrush
If the circuit is re-energized at the instant the flux would normally be at its
negative maximum value (- ϕ max) as the residual flux would have a positive
value and since magnetic flux can neither be created nor destroyed instantly,
the flux wave, instead of starting at its normal value (- ϕ max) and rising along
the dotted line, will start with the residual value ( R) and trance the curve ( L)
Initial inrush
Curve t is a displaced
sinusoid, regardless of the
magnetic circuit's saturation
characteristics.
Theoretically, the value of
max is + (| R| + 2| max|).
In transformers designedfor
some normal, economical
saturation density s, the
crest of t will produce super
saturation in the magnetic
circuit.
The result will be a very large
crest value in the magnetizing
current.
Initial inrush
For the first few cycles, the inrush current decays rapidly. Then, however, the
current subsides very slowly, sometimes taking many seconds if the resistance
is low.
The time constant of the circuit (L/R) is not, in fact, a constant: L varies as a
result of transformer saturation. During the first few cycles, saturation is high
and L is low. As the losses damp the circuit, the saturation drops and L
increases. According to a 1951 AIEE report, time constants for inrush vary
from 10 cycles for small units to as much as 1 min for large units.
Initial inrush
The resistance from the source to the bank determines the damping of
the current wave.
Banks near a generator will have a longer inrush because the
resistance is very low.
Likewise, large transformer units tend to have a long inrush as they represent
a large L relative to the system resistance.
At remote substations, the inrush will not be nearly so severe, since the
resistance in the connecting line will quickly damp the current.
Initial inrush
When there is more than one delta winding on a transformer bank, the inrush
will he influenced by the coupling between the different voltage windings.
Depending on the core construction.
Three-phase transformer units may be subject to interphase coupling that
could also affect the inrush current.
Similar wave shapes would be encountered when energizing the wye winding
of a wye-delta bank, or an autotransformer.
Here, the single- phase shape would be distorted as a result of the interphase
coupling produced by the delta winding (or tertiary).
Initial inrush
Maximum inrush will not, of course, occur on every energization.
The probability of energizing at the worst condition is relatively low.
Energizing at maximum voltage will not produce an inrush with no residual.
In a three-phase bank, the inrush in each phase will vary appreciably.
The maximum inrush for a transformer bank can be calculated from the
excitation curve if available, and Table shows a typical calculation of an inrush
current (used phase Avoltage as 0° reference).
For certain external faults, where the fault currents are large, it is likely that one
of the CTs may saturate.
(We will disregard the possibility of CT remnant flux for the present discussion).
The differential current in the relay will then equal the shaded area, which is the
difference between the unsaturated current waveform and the saturated current
waveform. The equation for the shaded current waveform is