Protective Relays

Suhas Dambhare
Dy.Manager
POWERGRID

Why Protection is
required
To protect equipment which
has generated the fault
from further damage
To Isolate the faulty
equipment from running
system.
To protect other
neighboring equipment from
damage.

Main components of
Protection

Monitoring Equipments:-

1) Current Transformers (CT)

Bus
Trip Ckt

CT

CB

2) Voltage Transformers
(CVT)

Current
DC SOURCE
CV
T

3) Transducers (Temp,
Humidity, Flash)

Voltage

Rela
y

Main components of
Protection

Bus

CONTROLLING ELEMENT:Trip Ckt

1) Relay

OPERATING ELEMENT:-

CT

CB
Current
DC SOURCE
CV
T

1) Circuit breaker
Voltage

Rela
y

Protection Philosophy

Primary relaying First line of

defense

Back up relaying functions only

when primary relaying fails.

Primary relaying may fail because

of failure in any of the following:
a. Current or voltage supply to
the relays
b. DC Supply
c. Protective relaying
d. Tripping circuit
e. Circuit breaker

Bus
Trip Ckt

CT

CB
Current
DC SOURCE
CV
T

Voltage

Rela
y

REQUIREMENTS OF PROTECTIVE
RELAYS
SENSITIVITY :

The relay shall be sensitive to operate for

minimum quantity of operating parameter.

SELECTIVITY:

The relay/scheme should be able to select the

faulty section and isolate.

SPEED :

The relay should operate faster so that fault

is isolated as fast as possible.

RELIABILITY:

The relay/scheme should operate for all

types of faults with repeatability and
reliability.

COST:

The relay/scheme should be economical .

Main Components of
Substation Protection
Transmission line
Transformer & Reactors
Bus Bar
L.T system Protection
Fire Protection

Transmission line
Protection
The transmission lines are the most widely spread
part of the power system and overhead lines are the
least protected from environmental influences.
The number of line faults is consequently very high
compared to the number of faults on the other
elements of the power system.
The reliability & security of power transmission line
largely depends on protection system.

Protection for
Transmission line
Main-I / Main-II (Distance Protection Relay)
Over voltage Protection
Autorecloser Relay
Local Breaker Backup Relay (LBB)
STUB Protection

Distance Protection Scheme

Bus-2
Bus-1

RELAY

CB

21

Z=

CB

CB

V
I

Ckt-1

Ckt-2

One and Half Breaker

Scheme

Distance protection
zones
X
Z3
Z2
Z1

Load
Area

Setting criteria of Distance

Protection relay
Reach Setting:
Zone-1 : To cover 80-85% of protected line section.
Zone-2 : To cover minimum 120% to 150% of length of
principal line section.
Zone-3 : To cover 120% of principal section plus
adjacent longest section.

Setting Criteria
Zone-3
Zone-2

Zone-1

80%
120
%

120% of ZAB+ ZBC

Setting criteria of Distance Protection relay

Time setting:
Zone-1 : Instantaneous
Zone-2 : 0.3 sec, 0.5 sec
Zone-3 : 1.0 sec.

Distance protection
Station B

Station A

RELAY

RELAY

A
Inst

RELAY A ZONE-1 (80%)

300 ms

RELAY A ZONE-2 (120%)

1000 ms

RELAY A ZONE-3 (150%)

RELAY B ZONE-1
RELAY B ZONE-2
RELAY B ZONE-3

RELAY

Distance protection
PUR Scheme
Station B

Station A

Inst
Carier Aided Trip=
Signal from Relay B (Z1)
+ Relay A (Z2)

RELAY

RELAY

RELAY

RELAY A ZONE-1 (80%)

300 ms

RELAY A ZONE-2 (120%)

1000 ms

RELAY A ZONE-3 (150%)

RELAY B ZONE-1
RELAY B ZONE-2
RELAY B ZONE-3

Distance protection
POR Scheme
Station B

Station A

Inst
Carier Aided Trip=
Signal from Relay B (Z2)
+ Relay A (Z2)

RELAY

RELAY

RELAY

RELAY A ZONE-1 (80%)

300 ms

RELAY A ZONE-2 (120%)

1000 ms

RELAY A ZONE-3 (150%)

RELAY B ZONE-1
RELAY B ZONE-2
RELAY B ZONE-3

Distance Protection
Three impedance Zones Zone-1, Zone-2, Zone-3
Separate measurements for all Phase to Phase & Phase to
ground faults.
Single and three pole tripping capability.
Directional characteristics for Zone-1, Zone-2 and Zone-3.
Capability of operation for close up three phase and switch on
to faults.
Adjustable characteristic angle to match line angle.
Accuracy of better than or equal to 5% of set value for reach
measurement in Zone-1 & Better than equal to 10% of set value
for Zone-2 & Zone-3

Line Protection
Power Swing detection feature for selective blocking, as
required.
Suitable fuse failure protection to monitor all types of
fuse failure and block the protection.
Max operating Time is 45 ms

POWER
SWING

Power Swings are disturbances in system due to various reasons

such as sudden load throw, bad synchronization etc
Power swings are characterized by slow power flow oscillations,
resulting in swinging of voltages and current flows, resulting in
operating point movement into distance relay characteristics, in turn
can cause tripping of distance relays.
Tripping during power swings may be undesirable since no actual fault
is present and moreover a line outage during power swing may cause
further deterioration to system stability.

Power Swing
X
Z3
Recoverabl
e
Swing

Z2
Z1

Load
Area

POWER SWING
BLOCKING
Z3
Power swing
detection zones

Z2
Z1

Autorecloser Scheme
Why Auto-recloser is required?
When there is a transient single phase fault on
transmission line, the line can be restored
automatically after fault clearance.
With this loss of line can be avoided.

Autorecloser scheme

TYPES OF TRANSIENT FAULTS

T
R
S

LIGHTNING STROKES RESULTING IN FASHOVERS

CONDUCTOR SWINGING DUE TO HIGH WINDS

BIRD FAULT

TEPORARY CONTACT WITH FOREIGN OBJECTS LIKE TREE etc.

ABOUT 85 % OF FAULTS ON TRANSMISSION LINES ARE TRANSIENT IN

NATURE THUS GOOD CHANCE FOR A/R.

R
S
T

Autorecloser scheme
FAULT STATISTICS

VOLTAGE LEVEL
400 KV
400 KV
400 KV

220 KV
220 KV
220 KV

FAULT TYPE
SINGLE PH
TWO PH
THREE PH
SINGLE PH
TWO PH
THREE PH

FAULT STATISTICS
70%
23 %
7%
56 %
27 %
17 %

Auto Reclosure Sequence

R

III

II

Autoreclosing scheme
Setting criteria of auto reclosure
Dead time : 1 sec
For allowing the fault to clear and ionized air to recover insulating
strength
Reclaim time : 25 Sec
For allowing CB to build up sufficient air pressure for another A/R
operation
Protections which shall start auto reclosing
Main-I Protection
Main-II Protection

Auto Reclosing scheme

Single Phase and /or three Phase reclosing facilities
Continuously variable single phase and three phase dead
time.
Continuously variable reclaim time
Facility of selecting single phase / three phase /
Single&three phase auto reclosure/Non-auto reclosure
modes.
Facility for selecting check synchronizing
Sequential reclosing facility of breakers in multiple breaker
arrangement.

Auto Reclosing scheme

Protections which block auto reclosing:
LBB
Line reactor Protection
Over Voltage Protection
Bus Bar Protection
Zone-2/3 of distance Protection
Circuit breaker problem
Carrier fail
Receipt of Direct Trip signal.

Over Voltage Protection

To protect the line equipment such as CVT, Transformers, Line
insulators etc from over voltage stress
There are two stages for Tripping.
Stage-1 is delayed tripping and is set at 110% of line voltage i.e
440KV. Time delay is 5 sec
Stage-2 is fast tripping and is set at 150% of line voltage. i.e
600KV. No Time delay, inst trip
High drop off to pick up ratio.

Over voltage protection takes input from line CVT

59

1.1 Vn

CVT
CB

CB

Vn

Over Voltage Protection shall do

following functions

1.
2.
3.
4.

Trip connected line breaker(s)

Start LBB
Block auto reclose
Send direct trip command

Transformer Protection
Transformer differential protection
Restricted earth fault protection
Over fluxing protection
Back up directional Over current & Earth fault protection on HV
side
Back up directional Over current & Earth fault protection on LV
side

Transformer differential
protection

R
Y
B

BYR

Transformer differential
protection

R
Y
B

BYR

Transformer Protection
Protections & Monitors built-in to transformer

Buchholz relay
Winding temperature
Oil temperature
Oil level
Pressure relief
Fire protection
Protection of tertiary winding
Over load alarm

BUCHOLZ relay

Restricted earth fault

protection

64

Back-Up Over current

protection
3-Pole feature
IDMT characteristic
Variable setting range of 50-200% of rated current
Characteristic angle 30 / 45 degree lead.
High set unit having variable setting range typically 5002000% of rated current
Hand set indicators per phase.

400KV

51
400/220 KV
Transformer
51

220KV

Reactor Protection

Differential Protection
Restricted earth fault Protection
Reactor Back-up protection
Buchholz relay
Winding temperature
Oil Temperature
Pressure relief
Oil Level
Fire Protection

Shunt Reactor
R

Single line to Ground

Fault
R

Reactor Protection
1. Winding Differential protection
2. Backup impedance protection
3. Definite time overcurrent and E/F
protection

Bus Bar Protection

Ckt-1

87

Main
Zone

Ckt-2

Check Zone

87

R
Y
B
N

R
Y
B

Local Breaker Backup

protection
Short operation and drop-off times
Three phase current elements with facility
for phase wise initiation
Current setting range such that the relay
can be set at minimum 200mA (for line) and
50 mA (for generator) for 1Amp CT
secondary
Associated timer with adjustable setting.

Bus-2
RELAY

LBB protection

Bus-1

Trip Ckt

CB

21

Z=

CB

CB

V
I

Ckt-1

Ckt-2

One and Half Breaker

Scheme

Distance to Fault locator

Shall be electronic or microprocessor
based
On line type
Shall be suitable for CB operation of 2
cycles
Built-in display(KM)
3% accuracy for all type of faults

Event Logger
To record the state of switchyard
equipments and relays.
To record the occurrence of alarms.
To record changes in digital inputs
To record switching of primary plant
within sub-station.

Event Logger
Time synchronised with GPS clock
Permissible drift +/- 0.5seconds/day
Print out of current alarm and plant status
available on request.
To entry of date and time from key board.
Programmability at site.
Shall record 40 changes in 10mSec interval.

Disturbance Recorder-Purpose

To understand behavior of the Power

network before or after any disturbance.
To analyze and Line fault and monitor
various line parameters such as current,
Voltages etc during the fault

Disturbance Recorder-Functions
Records instantaneous values of V, I, In and open delta voltage.
Status of relay contacts and CB during disturbance.
Requirement
Recoding capacity-8 analog + 16 digital.
Memory 5 sec
Min. Pre fault 160mSec
Post Fault 2sec- min , not less than 5sec.

Disturbance Recorder-Triggers
Any digital signal triggering.
Analog triggering by threshold levels.
Trigger selection of over/under levels should be
possible.
Time tagging:
Built-in real time clock.
Drift of the clock shall not be more than
0.5sec per day.

PLCC Functions
PLCC- Power line carrier communication
To assist Main-1&2 Distance protection in Carrier aided
tripping by sending and receiving inter-trip signals
To assist tripping of remote end breakers by sending direct
trip in certain situations like O/V tripping, LBB, Hand
tripping.

PLCC codes

PLCC system consists of two channels at both ends called channel-1

&2

Each channel has three codes called code-1, code-2, and code-3.

Each code has one Transmit and receive counter called Tx & Rx.

Code-2 & code-3 are called inter-trip signals and are used by Main-1
& Main-2 distance protection for carrier aided tripping.

Code-1 is called direct trip signal and is used for tripping remote end
breakers in certain situations like Over-voltage tripping, LBB, Hand
trip etc.

PLCC codes
Channel-1
Direct trip

Channel-2

Intertrip

Intertrip

Main-1

Main-2

Direct trip

Intertrip

Intertrip

Main-2

Main-1

Code-1

Code-2

Code-3

Code-1

Code-2

Code-3

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

PLCC codes
Channel-1
Direct trip

Channel-2

Intertrip

Intertrip

Main-1

Main-2

Direct trip

Intertrip

Intertrip

Main-2

Main-1

Code-1

Code-2

Code-3

Code-1

Code-2

Code-3

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Over voltage
LBB
Hand trip

Group A
Trip relay

Main CB

Group B
Trip Relay

Tie CB

PLCC codes
Channel-1
Direct trip

Channel-2

Intertrip

Intertrip

Main-1

Main-2

Direct trip

Intertrip

Intertrip

Main-2

Main-1

Code-1

Code-2

Code-3

Code-1

Code-2

Code-3

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Main-1

Main-2

Technology comparison for

Protective Relays
Sl.
No.

Subject

1.

Measuring
Elements/
Hardware

2.

Construction
size
Parameter
setting

3.

Electromechanical
Induction disc,
Electromagnets,
Induction cup,
Balance beam

Static/
Electronic
Discrete R, L,
C, Transistors,
Analogue ICs,
Comparators

Numerical

Microproce
ssors,
Digital ICs,
Digital
Signal
Processors
Bulky
Modular,
Most
Compact
compact
Plug setting, Dial Thumb wheel,
Keypad for
setting
Potentiometers, Numerical
Dual In Line
values
switches

Technology comparison for Protective Relays

continued

Sl. Subject
No.
6.

Self
monitoring

ElectroStatic/
mechanical Electronic
No

Numerical

Yes

Yes

.Hardware

.Hardware

partially

.Power supply

.Power supply .Output relays

.Software

7.
8.

Temperature Yes
stability
Vibration
No
proof

No
Yes

.CT, PT, Ckts

Yes
Yes

Technology comparison for Protective

Relays continued

Sl. Subject
No.

Electromechanical

Static/

9.

Harmonic
immunity

No

10.

Calibration

Frequently
required as
settings
drift due to
ageing

Possible
through analog
filtering
Required as
settings drift
due to ageing

Numerical

Electronic
Yes, digital
filtering
incorporated
Not required as
settings are
stored in
memory in
digital format

Technology comparison for Protective

Relays continued
Sl.
No.

Subject

11.

Auxilliary supply

12.

13.
14.

Electromechanical

Static/

Numerical

Electronic
Required

Required

Electromagnetic/ Immune
electrostatic/HF
disturbance
Multiple
Not possible
characteristics

Susceptible

Immune

Not possible

Possible

Integrated
protective
functions

Not possible

Possible

Required

Not possible

Technology comparison for Protective

Relays continued
Sl. Subject
No.

Electromechanical

Static/
Electronic

Numerical

15.

Range of settings

Limited

Wide

Wide

16.

Operational value
indication
Fault disturbance
recording
Digital
communication
port
Commissioning
support from
relay

Not possible Not Possible Possible

17.
18.

19.

Not possible Not possible Possible

Not possible Not
available

Available

No

Yes

No

Numerical Distance Relay

Signal Input
Analog filter
Sample & Hold

Trip /alarm

Multiplexer
A/D converter
Digital Filter

Relay logic
Protn. algorithm