Transformer Protection

Over-current protection in the form of fuses

may be the only protection provided to a small
100 kVA, 11 kV/440 V distribution transformer.
A 250 MVA, 15 kV/400 kV generator-transformer
in a large thermal power station,on the other
hand, may be provided with very elaborate
protection. This may consist of percentage
differential protection (with harmonic restraint),
a protection against incipient faults and a
protection against over-fluxing as primary
protection. These will be backed up by the over-
current protection.
 Transformer connection
There are four basic types of connections of a three-phase
transformer, namely Y-Y,Y-, -Y and - .
The Y- and the -Y transformers introduce certain phase
shifts between the voltages and currents on the primary and
the secondary side. These phase shifts have to be carefully
considered while applying differential protection.
While connecting the CT secondary windings, we can choose
such connections that nullify the phase shift.
Further, because of transformation ratio between the primary
and the secondary sides of the power transformer, the
primary currents for the CTs on the two sides will be different.
The CTs must, therefore, have such ratio of transformation
that currents in the relay pilot wires, coming from the CTs on
the two sides are equal.
Thus, ratios of transformation of the CTs on the primary and
secondary side of the transformer, will in general, be different.
This will ensure that during normal load flow as well as during
external fault conditions, the differential scheme remains
stable.
 Types of Faults in Transformers
The following is a brief summary of the types of faults that can
occur in a power transformer:
HV and LV bushing flashovers (external to the tank)
HV winding earth fault
LV winding earth fault
Inter-turn fault
Core fault
Tank fault.
Phase-to-phase faults within the tank of a transformer are
relatively rare by virtue of its construction. They are more likely
to occur external to the tank on the HV and LV bushings.
If a transformer develops a winding fault, the level of fault
current will be dictated by:
Source impedance
Method of neutral earthing
Leakage reactance
Position of fault in winding (i.e. fault voltage).
 Percentage Differential Protection of Transformers
Factors Affecting Differential Protection
In applying differential protection, several factors must be
considered:
1. Magnetizing inrush current , overexcitation, and CT
saturation. These conditions can result in an unbalance to
the currents applied to thevrelay, compared with the
expected currents when power flow into the transformer
is equal to the power flow out of the transformer .
2. Different voltage levels; hence , the current transform
ers are of different types, ratios , and performance char
acteristics.
3. Phase shifts in wyedelta -connected banks.
4. Transformer taps for voltage cont ol.
5. Phase shift or voltage taps in regulating transformers.
Development of Connections
Phase c-to-Ground (c-g) Internal Fault
 Over-current Protection

Such a scheme may serve the purpose of providing either the

primary protection for smaller transformers or the back-up
protection for bigger transformers.
The pick-up value of the phase-fault over-current units is set
such that they do not pick up on maxir.um permissible overload,
but are sensitive enough to pick up on the smallest phase fault.
The pick-up of the earth fault relay, on the other hand, is
independent of the loading of the transformer.
The neutral current under load conditions is
quite small. The neutral current is essentially
because of load unbalance.

It is interesting to note that the third harmonic

currents, in particular and triple-n harmonics
(harmonics of order 3, 6, 9, ...) in general, which
arise due to distortions introduced by electronic
loads, also end up as zero sequence currents
and flow through the neutral.
Restricted Earth Fault Protection(High Resistance Ground Fault)
A percentage differential relay has a certain
minimum value of pick-up for internal faults.
Faults with fault current below this value are not
detected by the percentage differential relay.
Winding-to-core faults, which are of the single
phase-to-ground type, involving high resistance, fall
in this category .
Therefore, we must have a more sensitive relaying
scheme to cater for high resistance ground faults.
The reach of such a protection must be restricted to
the winding of the transformer,otherwise it may
operate for any ground fault, anywhere in the
system, beyond the transformer.
Hence, such protection is known as restricted earth
fault protection.
 High Resistance Ground Faults on the Delta Side

If there is a fault on the star side then the currents flow in the
lines connected to the delta side in such a way that there is no
spill current through the relay on the CT secondary side, thus the
reach is automatically restricted to the delta side.

Since this is a current balance scheme, it is independent of the

load current and hence can be made as sensitive as desired.
 High Resistance Ground Faults on the Star Side

Ground faults beyond the star side CTs, anywhere in

the system,do cause current to flow on the secondary
of the CTs. However, the currents circulate through the
CT in the neutral path and the CT in faulted phase.

Thus, no spill current flows and the scheme remains

stable on external faults.
 Incipient Faults in Transformers
Faults which are not significant in the beginning but which slowly develop into
serious faults are known as incipient faults. Buchholz relay provides
protection against such incipient faults.
Buchholz Relay
Transformer Protection Application Chart