FEEDER & BUSBAR PROTECTION

Switchgear & Protection

Unit-VI
 Feeder & Bus-Bar Protection
1. Protection of Lines/Feeders
1. Over Current Protection
2. Distance Protection
3. Differential Pilot Wire Protection
4. Translay Protection
5. Carrier Current Protection
2. Protection of Bus-bars
1. Differential Current Protection
2. High Impedance
3. Relay Scheme Frame Leakage Protection
 1. Protection Lines & Feeders: Requirements

 The main requirements are:

 In the event of a short circuit, the CB nearest to the
fault should open, all other CBs remaining in a closed
position.
 If the CB nearest to the fault fails to open, backup
protection should be provided by the adjacent CB.
 The relay operating time should be the smallest possible
in order to preserve system stability but without
unnecessary tripping of circuits.
 Cont..
 The selection of a particular scheme depends on the
following factors:
 Economic justification of scheme to ensure 100%
continuity of supply.
 Types of feeders: Radial or Ring mains

 Availability of Pilot Wires.

 Number of Switching Stations in series between

supply end and far end of the system.
 System earthing- whether the neutral is grounded
or insulated.
 1. Protection Lines & Feeders
 Classification of Protective Schemes:
 Non-Unit Type:
 Time Graded Over Current Protection,
 Current Graded Over Current Protection and
 Distance Protection.
 Unit Type:
 Pilot Wire Differential Protection and
 Carrier Current Protection.

 Separate protection schemes are necessary for

Ground (Earth) Faults because ground faults are
more frequent on overhead lines than phase faults.
 1. Protection of Lines & Feeders
Types of Protection Remarks
• Applied as main protection for distribution lines
Over Current
and back-up for main lines where main
Protection
protection is of distance or other faster type.
- Time graded or
• IDMT relays preferred for time graded
current graded
systems.
- Directional or
• Instantaneous relays for current graded
non-directional
systems.
•Faster than over current protection. Several
Earth Fault Protection combinations of schemes available depending
upon length of line.
Pilot wire differential For important line of relatively short length (a
protection few tens of km)
Where length of transmission line is long and
Carrier Current
simultaneous opening of CBs at both ends is
Protection necessary.
 1.1 Over Current Protection: Time Graded
Protection of Radial Feeders: 2 sec

Operating Time
1.5 sec
 It is desired that smallest
possible part of the system 1 sec
should be off during a fault. 0.5 sec

 This is conveniently achieved Distance

by employing time-graded CB CB CB CB 3CB 5
2 4
protection. 1

 Farther the relay from the

OC OC OC
1 OC2 OC
3 4 5
generating station the lesser 2 sec 1.5 sec 1 sec 0.5 sec insta
the time of operation.
 When the fault occurs on the far side the relay OC5 should operate
first not any other.
 It is also essential to have the time of operation dependent on
the severity of the fault.
Over Current Protection: Time Graded
Protection of Parallel Feeders

SENDING RECEIVING
END END
A INSTANTANEOUS

CB FEEDER -1
CB CB

L O A D S
C
B INSTANTANEOUS

FEEDER -2
CB CB
CB
D
NON DIRECTIONAL FAULT
DIRECTIONAL
 1.1Over Current Protection: Current Graded
 In addition to time grading,

Relay Pickup Current

current grading protection can
be applied when the impedance
12.5A
between two substations is 10A 5A
sufficient. Distance
A 12.5 B C 5A
 Short-circuit current along the Infeed 10A
A
length of the protected circuit 400/5A 400/5A 400/5A
decreases with the increase in 5,000A 4,000A 3,000A

distance between the supply

end and the fault.
 The relays will operate at a progressively higher the supply
towards end.
 Uses high speed high set over current relays
 Over Current Protection: Drawbacks
 Time Graded:
 Time lag is to be provided which is not desirable on short
circuits.
 Is suitable for only radial lines with supply at one end
only.
 Can not be used for ring mains and interconnected
lines.
 It is difficult to coordinate and requires changes with the
addition of loads.
 It is not suitable for important long distance
transmission lines where rapid fault clearance is
necessary to ensure stability of the system.
 Over Current Protection: Drawbacks
 Current Graded:
 Relay cannot differentiate between the faults which
are very close.
 Difficulty experienced in relay setting, since fault
currents are different for different types of faults.
 Asystem without directional control is not suited
since power flow to the fault from either direction for
ring mains, parallel feeders, and interconnected
systems
 1.2 Distance Protection
Note: Refer to Unit-III: Distance Relays
 Impedance Relays
Reactance Relays
Mho Relays
Off-set Mho Relays

Three Zone Protection using various Distance

Relays
Their operating principle and characteristics
 1.2 Comparison between Distance Relays

Impedance Relay Reactance Relay Mho Relay

Operating Directional Element,
Current Current
Quantity MAT = τ
Restraining Directional Element.
Quantity Voltage MTA = 900 Voltage
Directional
Property NO NO YES
Performance on
Load Restrains Trips Restrains
Effect of Fault Under reach more
Resistance Under-reach Reach unaffected than relay impedance
Area occupied on
RX-plane Moderate Very Large Smallest
Mal-operates, but
Effect of Power
Mal-operates Mal-operates affect is less than
Swing Impedance relay
MAT= Maximum Torque Angle
 1.2 Philosophy of Three Zone Distance protection

Zone Purpose Reach Operating Time Remarks

• Avoids loss of selectivity with
First Primary 80-90% of line Instantaneous
protection of next zone in
Zone Protection section (Tint) case of maximum over-reach
• Provides primary protection to
100% of line
Primary part of line left out of first zone
under and provides some backup to
Protection Tint + Selective
Second consideration
of Time Interval = the bus and next line.
Zone + 50% of • If the longest adjoining line is
remaining T1
shortest
20-10% considered, then it causes
adjoining line loss of selectivity
• Idea is to provide full backup
to the adjoining line, even in
100% of line
case of maximum under-
under reach.
T1+ Selective
Third Backup consideration + Time Interval = • Longest adjoining line has to
Zone Protection 100% of longest T2 be considered. If shortest is
adjoining line + considered then the longer
10 – 20% extra line will not get back-up
protection
 1.3 Differential Pilot Wire Protection
• Pilot wire protection is economical for distances up to
8 or 15km, beyond which carrier current pilot becomes
more economical.
• Is based on the principle that the currents compared at
each end of the line or feeder by use of pilot wires.
• The system is quite similar to that employed for
protection of alternators & Transformers.
• Afew schemes:
1.Current Balance Differential Protection.
2. Merz-Price Voltage Balance System
 1.3 Differential Pilot Wire Protection
1. Current Balance Differential Protection.

Advantages:
1. The relay operating current increases automatically with the
increase of through fault current which eliminates the possibility
of malfunctioning of the relay.
2. As the pilot capacitive current flows through the restraining coil
instead of operating coil, this current adds to restraint.
1.3 Differential Pilot Wire Protection
2. Merz-Price Voltage Balance System
 1.3 Differential Pilot Wire Protection
2. Merz-Price Voltage Balance System
Advantages:
1 Independent of operating voltage and power factor
.
2. Can be used for both ring mains and parallel feeders

3. Provides instantaneous protection against ground

faults
 1.3 Differential Pilot Wire Protection
2. Merz-Price Voltage Balance System

Disadvantages:

1. Trouble due to capacitive currents in the pilot wires

2. Does not provide backup protection or over-load
protection
3. There is no time delay

4. Cannot be used beyond 33kV

5. Very expensive owing to the greater length of
pilot wires required.
1.4 Translay Protection
1.4 Translay Protection

• Translay scheme is a balanced voltage

scheme with the addition of a directional
feature. (this is also pilot wire scheme)
• This scheme can be applied for the protection
of feeders of single phase or three phase
against both phase and earth faults.
• Under healthy conditions the line current
transformers CT1 and CT2 , is same and
induce same emf’s.
 1.4 Translay Protection
• If Fault occurs, the current through one CT is
greater than that of other so a small current
circulates through the operating coils & pilot
wires and when it attains the preset value the
relay is caused to close the tripping circuit thus
disconnects the faulty feeder.

• Its construction is similar to an over current

induction type relay.
1.4 Translay Protection
Advantages over Merz-Price System
1. Capacitive currents do not affect the normal operation
of the relays.
2. Only two pilot wires are required
3. The current transformer of normal design with air gap
can be employed.
4. The pilot resistance does not affect the operation as
major part of energy required to operate the relay is
obtained from current transformer.
5. The closed copper loop provided in the relay prevents
the relay from operating for through fault current.
1.5 Carrier Current/ Carrier Aided Protection

 Most widely used scheme for the protection of

EHV and UHV power lines.
 Acarrier channel of high frequency is employed.
 The carrier signal is directly coupled to the same
high voltage line that is to be protected. (pilot is
termed as power line carrier)
 Frequency range of the signal is 50kHz to 700kHz
 Carrier current schemes are faster & superior to
distance schemes.