REF Protection

Restricted Earth Fault:
An earth fault occurs Fault current flow through earth return path.
path
Normally, current flows only through the intended live conductors.
But when it leaves these conductors and flows through the earth earth fault.
Earth fault issues:

Like most of the faults, Occurrence of earth fault reducing circuit Impedance to
a small value in addition of flow of current in earth return path.
path
When there are
earth faults
Over-current issues
Restricted Earth Fault: (Cont)

Over-current faults short-circuit faults
Short circuits phase faults + earth faults
Short-circuit currents 5 to 20 times of full load current.
Fast fault clearance is desirable for short-circuits
short winding a transformers issue
short winding close to neutral point + current flow in transformers earth return
path local overheating
Insulation breakdown primary reason for such fault.
This local overheating if not detected Buchholz relay operation
To avoid Buchholz operation for these kind of faults a separate protection is
provided in transformers having earth return path known as RESTRICTED
EARTH FAULT protection.
2
Restricted Earth Fault Protection:

REF terminology IEC domain.
same function is described as Ground Differential Protection, 87G function in
the ANSI domain.
Restricted earth fault relay working ground differential function.
The net ground differential current earth fault relay feed detection of
internal winding to ground fault.
The relay responds Internal faults in the protected equipment.
The relay does not respond Any external fault.
In transformers, Restricted Earth Fault relays are used to detect internal earth
faults in a given winding more sensitively than overall transformer differential
Protection is able to do.

Question arises:
Why Restricted Earth Fault protection is needed while having main

Differential protection?????
Answer is:
In most of the ground faults close to neutral point,

Operating Current lies in restraining region of differential relay. Because
Differential relay settings involves CT errors compensation less
sensitive settings for these kind of faults.
4

Basic Concept: (Cont)
internal
Given isearth
the graph
fault
of a generic
flow of very
differential3
low
relay.current in the transformers
earth return path.
Fault in Operate region relay operation
Operate
I diff
This kind of fault somewhere in
Restrain region of main diff protec
As shown,
%
2
K
Restrain
Basic Sensitivity
Internal faults Detection involving
earth need of REF protection.
e
p
o
l
S
lope
K1% S
I restraining

Restricted Earth Fault is a type of earth fault in which
Protection is restricted to
1. An internal fault in which earth is involved.

Mainly for impedance grounded WYE-winding faults close to neutral points.
2. An internal earth fault but within a specific region defined

by the CTs.

Basic Concept:
Breaker
Breaker
Fault
REF Protection 87G
Suppose
REF
relaytransformer
will detect these
comestypes
across
of internal
an internal
faults
earth
involving
fault near
earthtoifneutral
current
level is
point
of more
WYE than
connected
the basic
winding,
sensitivity
whichlevel
causes
of relay.
a flow of fault current,
Based on
whose
magnitude
the fault depends
level, transformer
on GND impedance
tripping canvalue
be taken.
and fault position
w.r.to neutral point.
7

Basic Concept:
Winding
30%-35%
REF Zone
Rg
Differential Zone
internal
Resultant
earth
primary
fault current
close towill
neutral
be negligible
point of WYE
for faults
connected
on the lower
winding
30% of the
flow
winding
of fault current,
Resultant diff
current may be below the slope threshold of main
Magnitude
diff protection
of fault
fault
current
undetected.
depends on
1. GND impedance value
2. fault position w.r.to neutral point.

Two types of REF protection are available.
1.
Low impedance REF protection.
2.
High impedance REF protection.
Since due to CT saturation, there can be some residual current due to

external high through fault currents.
Restraining is required for REF protection.

Low impedance REF Protection:
Low impedance differential relay Overcurrent differential element
Current Operated
Can share CTs with other protections
Applicable in circuits with CTs of lower accuracy
Disadvantages:
Potential stability problems
Suppose
External Ph-Ph fault No neutral current + No GND current
If at this stage
One or more CTs saturate Relay mal operation
10

Low impedance REF Protection:
Thats why.
Low impedance differential relay More focus on relay settings
Ensures protection stability during

CT saturation conditions
Required restraining signals
Modern UR relays provide necessary restraining

signals by implementing different algorithms Taking
into account possible worst conditions.
11

High Impedance REF Protection:
High Impedance relay Simple + fast + low relaying cost
Overcurrent differential element + Stabilizing resistor
Low current or voltage operated
Stabilizing resistor In Series with relay coil
Dedicated + CTs having specific knee point voltages required
Fault detection based on Current flowing in high impedance differential circuit
Relay Settings:
Settings should contemplate the possibility of CT saturation conditions
Current settings milli Amperes
12

High Impedance REF Protection:
METROSIL:
CTs Protection + Relay protection + Wiring Protection under heavy fault
conditions Addition of non linear resistor called Metrosil
Metrosil Across Stabilizing resistor and relay coil
Reduce its value as voltage across it increases and limit the
voltage b/w 1KV and 2KV
13

REF Protection

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Restricted Earth Fault:

Earth fault issues:

Restricted Earth Fault: (Cont)

Restricted Earth Fault Protection:

Restricted Earth Fault: (Cont)

Why Restricted Earth Fault protection is needed while having main

In most of the ground faults close to neutral point,

Restricted Earth Fault: (Cont)

Restricted Earth Fault: (Cont)

1. An internal fault in which earth is involved.

2. An internal earth fault but within a specific region defined

Restricted Earth Fault Protection:

REF Protection 87G

Restricted Earth Fault: (Cont)

Restricted Earth Fault Protection:

Low impedance REF protection.

High impedance REF protection.

Since due to CT saturation, there can be some residual current due to

Restricted Earth Fault Protection:

Restricted Earth Fault Protection:

Ensures protection stability during

Required restraining signals

Modern UR relays provide necessary restraining

Restricted Earth Fault Protection:

Restricted Earth Fault Protection:

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