OVER CURRENT RELAYS GRADING

Dr. Derek Pinches and Haseeb Aslam Ansari

Staffordshire University, Stafford, England

Abstract
The exercise is to perform protection coordination
or overcurrent relays grading for a an electrical
system and to consider following main points :
• Measurement of Fault Currents on 11kV and
3.3kV bus bar.
• Grading of P121 type over current relays by
calculating operating times.
• Plot of over current relays and fuse
characteristicscurves.
Method
In order to perform over current relays grading of a
system shown in Fig. 1, fault current at each level
of busbars needs to be calculated using the
formula :
IF = MVA
1.732 X kV
It has been shown (Mehta and Mehta, 2003) that
an inverse time relay is one in which the operating
time is approximately inversely proportional to the
magnitude of the actuating quantity. At value less
than the setting current, the relay never operates. Figure 2. Overcurrent Relays Characteristic Curves

Therefore to grade a relay we requried a setting

Introduction current IS ,which should be taken as 10% extra of Figure 1. Single Line Diagram Conclusion
normal FLC with a reset ratio of 95% . Results After carrying out the analysis of a given system it
Power System Protection deals with the protection IS = 1.1 x IF /0.95 The graph in Fig. 2 explains the characteristic has been found that the relay B which has the
of electrical network’s fault currents and to prevent curves of over current relays as to when and which lowest operating time will operate first if there is
such networks from the faulted area in order to relays will operate first. Fuses curves have been any fault occurs over there. If this relay fails then
minimise damages. It ensure the safety of a system The operating time of a particular relay can be plotted directly by taking the data from the data the next upstream relay D will operate after some
and personnel and secure electrical equipments like sheet just to show their comparision with relays. interval of time and so on.
calculated using Extremely Inverse Characteristic
transformers, generators, transmission lines etc.
formula as : Moreover Relay J which is at the top will trip the
Protective device coordination is the process of Table 1. Operating Times of Over Current Relays breaker when all downstream relays have failed
t = 80 x TMS , TMS= Time Multiplier Setting
determining the "best fit" timings of current and hence it provides protection coordination and
Operating Operating Operating Operating Operating Operating
interruption when abnormal electrical conditions [IF / IS]² -1 time of time of time of time of time of time of so over current grading has been achieved.
Relay B Relay D Relay E Relay G Relay H Relay J
occur. The basic principle is to co-ordinate at at at at at at
protection so that the device nearest to the fault Current at
TMS=0.1 TMS=0.18 TMS=0.33 TMS=0.43 TMS=0.44 TMS=0.45

must operates first i.e. the relay closest to the fault Note that a grading margin of 0.4s should be added 3.3 kV

has shortest operating time and so on. 2.66 2.66 8.8 11.46 11.73 12
in the operating time of all the relays in order to (from IS
upto the
0.53 1 3.3 4.3 4.4 4.5
It should be such that if any relay nearest to the have correct co-ordination, so that the relays can Fault
current References
fault fails to operate, then the next up-stream relay IF ) 0.22 0.53 1.76 2.29 2.34 2.4
have sufficient time for discrimination.
should operate and so on in order to islolate the
0.12 0.33 1.1 1.43 1.46 1.72
other part of the plant from the faulted part. Thus, the operating times of all overcurrent relays Mehta. V., Mehta. R. 2003, Principles of Power
System, New Delhi : S. Chand Publications.
are tablulated as shown in Table 1. 0.08 0.23 0.75 0.98 1.38 1.5