Unit-6

Over Current protection

• Over current relay operates when load current
exceeds a pre-set value
• Used for protection of distribution lines, large
motors, power equipment etc.
The relay has two settings.
 Time setting and the plug setting.
 The time setting decides the operating time
of the relay
 Plug setting decides the current required for
the relay to pick up.
Definite time Over current Relay
 Relay operates after a predetermined
time when current exceeds its pickup
value
 Above pickup value the operating time is
constant
 Desired definite time is set with the help
of intentional time delay mechanism
Instantaneous Overcurrent Relay
 When the current exceeds the pickup
value , the relay operates
 There is no intentional time delay
 Operating time is constant , irrespective
of magnitude
 Operates in 0.1 seconds or less
Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay
 When the current exceeds the pickup
value , the relay operates
 Operating time depends on the
magnitude of the current
 operating time deceases as current
increases
Definite time and Inverse Time
characteristics
Inverse Definite Minimum Time (IDMT)
 Gives inverse-time characteristics at lower
values of fault current
 Definite time characteristics at higher values
of fault current
 For PSM = 10 to 20, it has definite time
characteristic ( straight line-horizontal)
 Widely used for protection of Distribution
lines
Very inverse time over current Relay
 Gives more inverse characteristic than normal
inverse relay or IDMT relay
 Time-current characteristics lie between IDMT and
extremely inverse characteristic
 Used where IDMT relay fails to achieve good
selectivity
 Used where there is substantial reduction in fault
current as distance from power station increases
 Effective with ground faults (because of steep
characteristic)
Extremely Inverse-time O/C Relay
 When IDMT & very inverse fail in selectivity &
not suitable for grading with fuses, Extremely
inverse relays are employed
 Gives time-current characteristics more than very
inverse & IDMT relays
 Suitable for the protection of machines against
Overheating
 IDMT relay not able to distinguish the rapidly
decaying inrush current of load & persistent
fault current, hence it trips again after reclosing
• Extremely inverse relay distinguishes both
current and is quite suitable for load
restoration
• Unbalanced load or fault current results in
overheating of rotor, in this type of situations
extremely inverse in conjunction with negative
sequence network is used.
Applications:
Used for protection of Alternators, power
transformers, earthing transformers, expensive
cables, railway trolley wires etc.
 Expression for time current
characteristics
𝐾
General formula 𝑡=
𝐼𝑛 −1

0.14
• IDMT 𝑡=
𝐼0.02 −1

13.5
• Very Inverse 𝑡=
𝐼 −1

80
• Extremely inverse 𝑡=
𝐼2 −1
 If core is designed to saturate at the pick-up
value of the current- relay gives Definite time
characteristic
 If core designed to saturate at later stage –
IDMT characteristic is obtained
 If core designed to saturate at still later stage
– a very Inverse characteristic is obtained
 If core designed to saturate at very later stage
– an Extremely Inverse characteristic is
obtained
• The operation of relay requires certain flux
• There are no of tapping's on the current coil
for current setting.
• Phase to phase fault – set to 50% to 200% of
rated current in steps of 25%
• Earth faults – set to 20% to 80% of the rated
current in steps of 10%
The current rating of an O/C relay is 5A. The
relay has a plug setting of 150% and TMS of 0.4.
The CT ratio is 400/5. Determine the operating
time of the relay for a fault current of 6000A. At
TMS=1, operating time at various PSM are

PSM 2 4 5 8 10 20
Operating time 10 5 4 3 2.8 2.4
in seconds
CT ratio = 400/5 = 80
Relay current setting = 150% of 5A = 7.5A
𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝐹𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑡 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡
PSM =
𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 ∗𝐶𝑇 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
6000
PSM = = 10
7.5 ∗ 80
For PSM =10 operating time from table = 2.8 sec
Actual operating time = TSM * 2.8
= 0.4 * 2.8
=1.12 seconds
 Over current Protective Schemes
Time-graded system
Current-graded system
Combination of time and current
grading
 Time graded system
 Definite –time overcurrent relays are used,
trips the breaker after a pre-set time
 Operating time of the relays is adjusted in
increasing order from the far end of the
feeder
• Time difference between two adjacent relays is
generally kept as 0.5 sec and possible with
modern relays to make 0.4sec or 0.3sec
• If fault occurs beyond C, fault current flows thru
all of them, relay C operates and fault is cleared
and relays A & B are reset
• If relay or Circuit breaker at C fails, then after 1
sec, relay at B operates and CB at B will trip and
clear the fault
• If relay or Circuit breaker at B fails, then after 1.5
sec, relay at A operates and CB at A will trip and
clear the fault
Drawback:
If fault occurs at power source, it has to carry
fault current for more time (1.5sec) , which is
undesirable.

Suitable where the distance (impedance)

between the substations is less
Definite time relays (which are cheaper than
IDMT) are employed where Source
impedance (Zs) greater than protective
section impedance (Z1)
 Current-graded system
• This scheme employs (high speed)
instantaneous relays
• Relays are set to pick-up at progressively
higher values of current towards the source
• Operating time is kept same for all relays
• Ideally fault beyond C, relay at C operates
• Fault between B &C, relay at B operates
• Fault between A &B, relay at A operates
Ideal operation is not achieved
 Relay is not able to discriminate the fault, if fault
occurs very close to B on either side as fault
remains almost same in section AB & BC
 Magnitude of fault current cannot be accurately
determined as all ckt parameters are not known
 As transient condition exist during fault,
Performance of relays is not accurate
• To obtain proper discrimination relays are set
to protect 80% of the section
• Therefore this is used in conjunction with
IDMT relays
• Instantaneous relay get affected due to DC
offset current ( during transient period) and
causes the relay to overreach. DC filter ckt is
used to overcome this problem
• This scheme is used where the impedance
between the substations create sufficient
margin in the fault current
• Source impedance (Zs) is lesser than
protective section impedance (Z1)
• Operating time is less near the power source
Combination of Current and Time-grading
 Used for protection of Distribution lines
 IDMT relays are employed in this scheme have
combined feature of current & time grading
𝑬
 If fault occurs near source 𝑰=
𝒁𝒔
𝑬
 If fault occurs at far end 𝑰 =
𝒁𝒔 +𝒁𝟏
 When Zs < Z1 there is significant difference in
fault current . Therefore relay with inverse-time
characteristic operates which is desirable
(current-grade)
 When Zs > Z1 Definite time characteristic
(Time-grade)
PSM 2 4 5 8 10 20
Operating time 10 5 4 3 2.8 2.4
in seconds
Non Directional Induction type Over
current Relay
• Also called as Earth leakage induction type
relay
• Uses only one actuating quantity
• upper magnet E-shaped & Lower magnet – U
shaped
• In between these two aluminium disc is
placed which is free to rotate
• Upper magnet has two windings
Primary – connected to CT secondary with
tapping's which are in turn connected to plug
setting bridge ( for current setting in steps of
25%)
Secondary winding – connected on central limb
of upper magnet and is connected in series with
the winding on lower magnet.
Working:
Supply from CT produces flux φ1 in primary
winding and this induces emf in secondary
winding by electromagnetic induction principle

φ2 is produced in secondary and have a phase

difference ′𝛼′
 i1 and i2 are the respective eddy currents produced
by the windings and these circulate in the disc.
 Eddy currents produced in the disc by ∅1 interact
with ∅2 and produce torque
 Eddy currents produced in the disc by ∅2 interact
with ∅1 and produce torque
The resultant torque rotates the disc
 𝐹 ∝ ∅1 ∅2 sin𝛼
 Force or torque is Maximum when phase
difference is 900
• Control torque is provided by the spiral spring
• When current exceeds pre-set value, disc
rotates and makes contacts with trip circuit
terminals.
• The trip circuit opens the circuit breaker and
isolates the faulty part
 Directional over current relay comprises over-
current relay and power directional relay
 It is set such that it actuates for faults occurring in
one direction only
Example:
 If the prime mover fails, the generator continues
to run as a motor and takes power from bus-bars.
 In directional over-current relay, the directional
element does not measure the magnitude of
power. It senses only direction of power flow.
 However, in Reverse Power Relays, the directional
element measures magnitude and direction of
power flow.
 Reverse Power or Directional Relay
• Uses two actuating quantities voltage & current
• ∅2 & ∅1 are set by voltage & current respectively
• Eddy currents produced in the disc by ∅1 interact
with ∅2 and produce torque
• Eddy currents produced in the disc by ∅2 interact
with ∅1 and produce torque
• ∅2 ∝ 𝐼2 and ∅1 ∝ 𝐼1
• The resultant torque rotates the disc
• During fault, voltage becomes low also under
certain conditions, power factor is poor.
Therefore to produce required torque
compensating and shading coil are provided.
• Here one of the actuating quantity is voltage,
current flowing thru this voltage coil say I2 lags
the voltage by 900
• Current flowing thru the current coil say I1 lags
the voltage by an angle φ
• Angle between I1 & I2 is (90 – φ)
• 𝑇 ∝ 𝐼1 𝐼2 sin 90 − ∅ ∝ 𝐼1 𝐼2 𝑐𝑜𝑠∅ ∝ 𝑉𝐼 𝑐𝑜𝑠∅
• Torque is maximum when V & I are in phase
Induction cup type directional Relay
• Two opposite poles are energised by voltage and
other two opposite poles are energised by
current
• Voltage is the polarising quantity( produces one
of the two fluxes and taken as reference)
• Φ= 00 to 900 , Torque is positive
• Φ= 900 to 1800 , Torque is negative
• For the power flow in normal direction, angle
between actuating quantities is kept (180 – φ),
torque produced is negative
• If for any cause power flow direction reverses,
then torque produced is positive and it operates
 For normal flow of power flow, relay is
supplied with V and -I , Torque is negative
 For reverse flow, relay is supplied with V and
I, Torque produced is positive and it operates.
This can be achieved by reversing the current
coil as shown in fig b.
Directional Relay Connections
 To get sufficient torque during fault relay connections are to be
modified.
 For all faults phase angle seen by relay is well below 90o
 30 o connection: current coil of relay of Phase A is energised by
IA & VC-A
 90o connection: gives better performance (for 3-ph faults) ,
current coil of relay of phase A is energised by IA & VB-C
Directional Overcurrent Relay
• Operates when current exceeds pre-set value in
specified direction
• Contains overcurrent unit (non-directional) &
Directional unit
Directional unit:
 It is nothing but directional power relay- operates
when power flows in the specified direction
 Voltage coil (upper magnet) is energised by Potential
transformer
 Current coil energised by CT
 The secondary winding of non-directional unit is kept
open
 When directional unit operates, closes the contacts of
secondary winding of non-directional unit
Non-directional Unit
 Current coil of directional unit is connected in
series with the primary winding of non-
directional unit.
 Contacts of 1-1’ directional unit are connected
in series with winding on the lower magnet of
non-directional unit.
 1-1’ controls the function of ND unit
 One terminal of CT connected to Plug setting
bridge to make current setting on the primary
winding of Non-directional unit
Operation:
 Under normal condition power flows in proper
direction, therefore directional unit will not
operate.
 When fault occurs and if power or current
flows in reverse direction .
 Voltage coil produce flux ∅1
 Current coil produce flux ∅2
 Both fluxes interact and produce torque which
rotates the disc
 Trip contacts 1-1’ gets closed and directional
unit operates and the secondary winding of
ND unit has closed path and produces the flux
 Primary winding of ND unit produces another
flux
 Both the fluxes interact and produce torque
and the disc rotates . Thus the contacts of trip
circuit get closed and operates the CB
 Protection of Parallel Feeders
 A & B are Non-directional relays
 C & D are directional relays
 If fault occurs at F, B will operate & current in D is
reversed therefore D operates and isolates the faulty
feeder
 If C&D are also non-directional then C will also trip
and both feeders are tripped which is not desired
Protection of Ring Mains
 Protection of ring feeders is costly and
complex
 Each feeder requires two relays
 A non-directional relay at one end and other
end a directional relay
 Operating times of relays are decided by
grading
 If fault occurs at F1, CI and DI trip and isolate
the faulty feeder
 If fault occurs at F2, AI and D trip and isolate
the faulty feeder
Earth Fault and Phase fault Protection
• Faults that involve ground are called earth
faults
• Faults that do not involve ground are called
phase faults
• protection scheme for power system against
earth faults is known as earth fault
protection, use earth fault relays
• protection scheme for power system against
phase faults is known as phase fault
protection, use overcurrent relays
• Earth fault relay and overcurrent relay
construction features & operational principles
are same
• They differ only in current setting
• For earth faults plug setting varies from 20%
to 80% in steps of 10%
• For phase faults plug setting varies from 50%
to 200% in steps of 25%
 Residual Current Transformer

Alternator Special CT
• Earth fault get energised when residual (ia + ib +
ic) current flows thru it
• Under normal condition (balanced) this current is
zero
• When fault occurs this current is non-zero
• Ideal case doesn’t exist is not true bcoz of
unbalanced loads. Therefore minimum plug
setting is made as 20% or 30%
• Fault impedance of earth fault is much higher
than phase fault. Therefore earth fault current is
low compared to phase fault currents