CHAPTER 2

OVER CURRENT PROTECTION

OF TRANSMISSION LINE
 OVER CURRENT PROTECTION
This type of protection which depends on only the
magnitude of the current, without taking any
recognizance of its phase angle, is known as the Non-
Directional Over-Current Protection.

Many times it is required to discriminate between

faults in front of the breaker and faults behind the
breaker. This is possible only if we take into account,
not only the magnitude of the current but also its
phase with respect to the voltage at the relay location.
In such cases, the protection is known as the
Directional Over-Current Protection.
 OVER CURRENT PROTECTION
Fuse (high rupturing capacity HRC)
 OVER CURRENT PROTECTION
Thermal Relays

These relays are used where very quick operation is not called for.
A typical application of the thermal relay is to provide protection
against prolonged overloading of motors. The thermal overload
relay thus lets the motor supply overload for a preset amount of
time before tripping it off.
 OVER CURRENT PROTECTION
Over-current Relay
Instantaneous OC Relay
Definite Time Over-current Relay
Inverse Time Over-current Relay
Inverse definite minimum time (IDMT) over-
current relay
Very inverse time over-current relay
Extremely inverse time over-current relay
 OVER-CURRENT RELAY

Time setting
Plug setting

PSM less than 1 means that normal load current

PSM > 1, the relay is supposed to pick up
 INSTANTANEOUS OC RELAY

Operating time of an instantaneous relay is of the order of a few milliseconds

Relay has only the pick-up setting and does not have any time setting
The operating torque on the armature is proportional to the square of the
current.
 DEFINITE TIME OC RELAY
A definite time over-current relay can be adjusted
to issue a trip output at a definite (and
adjustable) amount of time
INVERSE TIME OC RELAY
 OVER-CURRENT RELAY
PROTECTION OF A DISTRIBUTION FEEDER

Steps in designing the over-current protection

1) CT primary current is decided by the maximum load current
2) CT is decided by the rating of the relay current coil
3) Select CT Ratio
4) Relay Settings (time setting, plug setting)
HOW TO SELECT THE PICK-UP VALUE
OF THE RELAY?
HOW TO SET THE OPERATING TIME
OF THE RELAY??
HOW TO SET THE OPERATING TIME
OF THE RELAY??
 HOW TO SET THE OPERATING TIME OF
THE RELAY??

It can be seen from this figure that as the fault moves towards the source, the fault
currents become larger and the fault clearing time also becomes longer. This is
because the relays nearer the source are deliberately delayed so that they are
selective with relays down stream. Thus, the relay nearest to the source is the
slowest. This is not desirable.
IDMT RELAY ON A DISTRIBUTION
FEEDER
 Deciding the CT ratios and plug
settings
(1) At relay B, the maximum load current,
assuming 25% overload is:
80 A + (0.25 x 80 A) = 100 A
CT ratio = 100 : 1
(2) At relay A the maximum load current,
assuming 25% overload is
(160+80) + (160+80)x0.25 = 300 A
CT ratio = 300 : 1
(3) Plug setting for both relays is 1A (100%)
 Deciding the time-multiplier settings
1. Since RB does not have to maintain selectivity
with any other relay, it can be made to operate
the fastest. Thus the TMS of RB can be selected
as 0.1
2. To maintain selectivity between RA and RB
Maximum fault at B, fault current = 3000 A

Secondary current = (3000/100) = 30 A

PSM = Relay current/PS

= 30/1
= 30

CB operating time = 0.5 sec

Operating time = Relay Time + CB Time = 0.2+0.5
= 0.7sec
Assuming overshoot time of RA to be 10% of 0.7 s

Fault clearing Time = 0.7 + (0.1 x 0.7) = 0.77 sec

TMS of RA can be found from:

PSM (A) = Relay current/PS

= 10/1
= 10
 CHOICE BETWEEN IDMT AND DTOC
RELAYS
If Zs >> ZL
Fault current constant

practice to recommend DTOC relays

PROTECTION OF A THREE-PHASE
FEEDER
PROTECTION OF A THREE-PHASE
FEEDER
PROTECTION OF A THREE-PHASE
FEEDER
 DIRECTIONAL OVER-CURRENT RELAY
Will it be possible to implement the desired
zones using simple over-current relays?

Consider fault Fa. As per the desired zones, only

CBs 4 and 5 should trip. However, j it can be
easily seen that if plain OC relays are used, CBs 3,
4, 5, and 6 will all trip.
 DIRECTIONAL OVER-CURRENT RELAY
The desired relay response is shown

Whenever the fault power flows away from

the bus, it is desired that the OC relay should
trip.
 DIRECTIONAL OVER-CURRENT RELAY
It may be noted that directional relays with tripping
direction away from the bus will be required at locations
'2' and '3'. However, at locations '1' and '4', non-
directional over-current relays will suffice.
 DIRECTIONAL OVER-CURRENT RELAY
A fault in any section causes only the CBs associated with
that section to trip out, and because of the ring topology,
power flows from the alternate path.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DIRECTIONAL
RELAY
 DIRECTIONAL PHASE FAULT
PROTECTION
A-B FAULT Let us consider an a-b fault. It is logical to
choose current Ia, to energize the current coil. However,
the choice of voltage to be applied to the pressure coil is
not immediately apparent
 DIRECTIONAL PHASE FAULT
PROTECTION
Relationship between the unity power factor
(UPF) position of Ia & and these voltages
during the pre-fault condition.
 DIRECTIONAL GROUND FAULT
PROTECTION
Residual current Io
Residual voltage Vo
DIRECTIONAL OC PROTECTION OF A
THREE-PHASE FEEDER