Lets analyse phase-to-earth faults in a

single-incomer power system

Pos ted O CT 17 201 4 by E DVA RD in E N ER GY AN D PO W ER , P RO TE C TI ON wi th 5 CO MM EN TS

Lets analyse phase-to-earth faults in a single-incomer power system

Detect and isolate

Power-system protection should detect faults and isolate the faulty parts of the power system while
keeping the fault-free parts in operation. Protection units are chosen according to the power-system
configuration (parallel operation of generators or transformers, loop or radial power system, neutral
earthing arrangement).
Consideration must be given to:
1.

Earth fault protection, linked to the neutral earthing arrangement:

- Resistance earthing on the transformer
- Resistance-earthed neutral at busbars
- Reactance-earthed neutral

- Isolated neutral
- Solidly earthed neutral
- Compensated neutral

Phase-to-phase fault protection

Ok, this time Ill analyse earth fault protection in a single-incomer power system
2.

Resistance earthing on the transformer

Earth fault protection units ( ANSI 51N) are installed on the feeders, incomer and neutral earthing
connection.

Figure 1 Phase-to-earth fault protection (resistance-earthed neutral at transformer)

Time-based discrimination is used between the different protection units. These units are necessarily
different from phase fault protection units since the fault currents are in a different range.

The feeder protection units are set selectively in relation to the incomer protection unit, which is itself
set selectively in relation to the neutral earthing protection unit (in accordance with discrimination
intervals). The fault current flows through the capacitances of the fault-free feeders and the earthing
resistance.
All the fault-free feeder sensors detect capacitive current.
To prevent inadvertent tripping, the protection unit on each feeder is set higher than the feeders
capacitive current.

fault at 3: the D1 circuit breaker is tripped by the protection unit linked to it,

fault at 4: the A circuit breaker is tripped by the incomer protection unit,

fault at 5: the protection unit on the neutral earthing connection trips circuit breaker H on the
transformer primary circuit. (fig. 1).
The protection unit at D must be selective in relation to the downstream protection units: if the delay
required for protection A is too long, logic discrimination should be used. The neutral earthing
protection unit at H acts as back-up should the incomer protection unit at A fail to trip. The incomer
protection unit at A acts as back-up should a feeder protection unit at D fail to trip.
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Resistance-earthed neutral at busbars

A zero sequence generator is used for resistance-earthing. Earth fault protection units (ANSI 51G)
are installed on the feeders, incomer and zero sequence generator.

Figure 2 Phase-to-earth fault protection (resistance-earthed neutral at busbars)

Time-based discrimination is used between the different protection units. The feeder protection units
and incomer protection unit are set selectively in relation to the earthing impedance protection unit. As
in the previous case, the protection unit on each feeder is set higher than the feeders capacitive
current.
In the event of a fault on feeder 1, only the D1 feeder circuit breaker trips. In the event of fault on
thebusbars 2, only the protection unit on the earthing connection detects the fault. It trips circuit
breaker A.
In the event of fault on the transformer secondary circuit 3 , the incomer protection units detects the
fault. It trips circuit breaker H .
NOTE // when circuit breaker A is open, the transformer secondary circuit neutral is isolated. It may be
necessary to protect it by a neutral voltage displacement measurement (ANSI 59N).

The zero sequence generator protection unit acts as back-up should the incomer protection unit at A or
a feeder protection unit at D fail to trip. If the condition IsD > 1.3 Ic cannot be satisfied for a feeder, a
directional earth fault protection unit may be used to discriminate between fault current and
capacitive current.
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Neutral earthing arrangement

Reactance-earthed neutral
The same procedure is used as for resistance-earthing at the transformer or busbars.
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Isolated neutral
A fault, regardless of its location, produces current which flows through the capacitance of the
fault-free feeders. In industrial power systems, this current is generally weak (a few amperes),
allowing operations to carry on while the fault is being tracked.

Figure 3 Phase-to-earth fault protection (isolated neutral)

Time-based discrimination is used between the different protection units. The fault is detected by an
insulation monitoring device or a neutral voltage displacement protection unit ( ANSI 59N).
When the total capacitive current of a power system is high (in the range of ten amperes), additional
measures must be taken to quickly clear the fault. Directional earth fault protection can be used to
selectively trip the fault feeder.
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Solidly earthed neutral

This is similar to resistance-earthing at the transformer, but the capacitive currents are negligible
compared to the fault current , so the protection function is simpler to implement.
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Compensated neutral
The power system is earthed at the transformer. Faults are detected by a specific directional earth
fault protection unit (ANSI 67NC), which monitors the active residual current and recognizes faults
during their initial transient phase.