DEFENCE ENGINEERING COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL POWER ENGINEERING

Advanced Power System Protection(EP-6081)

Negasa Muleta (PhD)

For 1st year MSc Student

 Introduction

Power System Protection

 Cause of Faults in Power System
 Insulation Failure: Insulation breakdown can lead to faults, such as
short circuits, where current bypasses its intended path and flows
through unintended routes. Occur due to aging, contamination, or
physical damage to insulation materials.

 Lightning Strikes: Lightning can cause high-voltage surges and

transient over voltages, leading to insulation breakdown and faults
in power lines and equipment

 Equipment Failures: Malfunctions or failures of electrical

equipment, such as transformers, circuit breakers, and switchgear
 Cause of Faults in Power System
 Environmental Conditions: Adverse environmental factors, including
high winds, ice buildup on power lines, and extreme temperatures, can
lead to physical damage to power system components and cause faults.
 Human Error: Mistakes during maintenance, operation, or construction
activities
 Wildlife Interference: Birds, animals, and vegetation coming into
contact with power lines or equipment
 Overloads and Short Circuits: Excessive currents due to overloading
or short circuits can cause faults in the power system, leading to
equipment damage and potential safety hazards
Consequence of Faults in Power System

◦ Disruption of Power Supply

◦ Equipment Damage
◦ Safety Hazards
◦ Loss of Revenue
◦ System Instability
◦ Environmental Impact
◦ Customer Dissatisfaction
 Benefit of Protecting the Power System
 Equipment and Personnel Safety: Prevent damage to electrical equipment and
minimize the risk of electrical hazards, ensuring a safe working environment
for personnel.
 Reliability and Continuity of Service: Minimize the impact of faults,
reducing downtime and maintaining the availability of electrical power to
consumers.
 Asset Preservation: By promptly isolating faults, protection systems help
prevent damage to costly equipment, such as transformers, generators, and
switchgear, thereby extending their operational lifespan.
 System Stability: Properly coordinated protection systems contribute to
maintaining system stability by isolating faults and preventing cascading
failures that could lead to widespread outages.
 Benefit of Protecting the Power System
 Minimizing Economic Losses: By swiftly responding to faults and minimizing the
duration of interruptions, protection systems help reduce economic losses
associated with power outages, particularly in commercial and industrial settings.
 Improved Control and Monitoring: Modern protection systems often incorporate
advanced control and monitoring capabilities, enabling better visibility into the
condition of the power system and facilitating proactive maintenance and
troubleshooting.
 Enhanced Grid Resilience: With the integration of smart grid technologies and
advanced protection schemes, power systems can become more resilient and
adaptive to changing operating conditions and increased penetration of renewable
energy sources.
 Components of Protection System

 Relay:- is the brain of the system

 Circuit breaker:- clear the fault

 Load break switch:- is used to open and close the system under
no load and full load condition.
 Components of Protection System
 Isolating switch:- Open the ckt during no load condition

 Fuse:-destroyed during overload conditions

 Lighting arrestor:-protect the insulation and conductors of the

system from the damaging effects of lightning
 Current transformer:-measure the current of another circuit
 Potential transformer:-for accurate voltage measurement
 Relays
 Relays are devices that can detect abnormal conditions
(short circuit or overload) in the Power System and
initiate appropriate responses, such as isolating faulty
components or tripping circuit breakers to prevent
further damage.

 Purpose: prevent damage and maintain the reliability

of the power system

 Plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and stability

of electrical power systems
 Protective zones
 Areas within the system where protective devices are installed to detect and
isolate faults quickly to prevent damage to equipment and ensure the safety
of personnel
 Generator protection zone: This zone includes overcurrent, overvoltage,
reverse power flow, and other faults that can damage the generator.
 Transformer protection zone: includes overcurrent, overvoltage,
overtemperature, and winding faults. Essential zone for preventing damage
to the transformer and ensuring continued operation of the power system.
 Feeder protection zone: overcurrent, ground faults, and short-circuits. Help
to isolate faults quickly to minimize disruption to the rest of the system.
 Busbar protection zone: This zone includes overcurrent and short-circuits, to
isolate the faulted section of the busbar and prevent damage to the rest of the
system.
 Line protection zone: overcurrent, overvoltage, and short-circuits. Help to
detect and isolate faults quickly to prevent damage to the lines and ensure
continued operation of the power system.
Protective zones
 Overlapped Zone
 As the zones are overlapped hence there is no chance of existence of
the ‘dead spot’ (the zone which is unprotected )

 For failures within the region where two or more zones are
overlapped, more circuit breaker get tripped than minimum necessary
to disconnect the faulty element

 If there are no overlaps then dead spot may exist, which means
circuit breaker lying within the zone may not trip even through the
fault occurs, may cause damage to the healthy system
Overlapping zones in the primary relaying
 Protective Relay
 The fault in the power system can not be completely avoided but
can be minimized
 The protective relaying plays an important role in:
 Sensing the fault
 Minimizing the effect and damage of faults
 Improve the service

 The relays are compact and self contained devices which can
sense the abnormal condition.

 Whenever an abnormal condition exists, the relay contacts get

closed and causes closes the trip circuit of a circuit breaker

 The circuit breaker are capable of disconnecting a faulty element,

when they are called upon to do so by the relays
 Working principle of relays

The relay circuit connections can

be divided into three parts
i. primary winding of a current
transformer (C.T.) which is
connected in series with the
line to be protected.
ii. Second part consists of
secondary winding of C.T. and
the relay operating coil.
iii. Third part is the tripping
circuit which may be either
A.C. or D.C. It consists of a
source of supply. the trip coil
of the circuit Breaker and the
relay stationary contacts
 Instrument Transformers
 Instrument transformers are devices used in the measurement and
control of electrical power systems.
 Used to step down the high voltages and currents in power systems to
levels that can be safely and conveniently handled by instruments
 Current Transformers (CTs)
 Voltage Transformers (VTs)
 Provide a safe and reliable way to monitor and control high voltages
and currents without direct connections to the power system.
 They are commonly used in substations, power plants, and industrial
facilities to ensure the safe and efficient operation of electrical
 Current Transformers (C.T.)
 Used to step down high current to a lower, more manageable level for
measurement and protection purposes

 CTs consist of a primary winding, which is connected in series with the

electrical circuit carrying the current to be measured, and a secondary
winding, which is connected to a measuring or protection device

 The ratio of turns in the primary and secondary windings determines the
amount by which the current is stepped down

 Installed in electrical switchgear, panelboards, and other power

distribution equipment

 Provide accurate current measurements for metering, monitoring, and

protection purposes in industrial and commercial applications
Current Transformers (C.T.)
 Current Transformers (C.T.)

 A current transformer basically has primary coil of one or more turns

of heavy cross-sectional area.

 In some, the bar carrying high current may act as primary.

 This is connected series with the the line carrying high current.

 The secondary of transformer is made of larger number of turns of

fine wire having small cross-sectional area.

 usually rated for 5A, connected to the coil of normal range ammeter
.
 Voltage Transformers (VT)
 A voltage transformer, Potential Transformer (PT) is a device used
to step down high voltages to lower, safer levels for measuring and
monitoring purposes.

 Used in electrical power systems to provide accurate voltage

measurements for meters, relays, and other devices.
 Potential Transformers (VT)
 Consist of a primary winding connected to the high voltage source
and a secondary winding connected to the measuring instrument

 The ratio between the primary and secondary windings determines the
amount by which the voltage is stepped down.

 Voltage transformers are important for ensuring the safety and

efficiency of electrical systems

 Help protect equipment and personnel from the dangers of high

voltages.
 Factor affecting the choice of protecting
 Type of fault: Different types of faults, such as overcurrent, overvoltage, or
differential faults, may require different types of relays for effective
protection.
 System voltage level: The voltage level of the system being protected can
impact the choice of protecting relay, as different relays are designed to
operate at different voltage levels.
 System complexity: The complexity of the system, including the number of
buses, breakers, and transformers, can influence the choice of protecting
relay needed to effectively protect the system.
 Cost: The cost of the protecting relay, as well as installation and
maintenance costs, can impact the choice of relay and overall protection
scheme.
 Reliability: The reliability of the protecting relay, including its operating
speed and sensitivity, is an important factor to consider when selecting a
relay.
 Factor affecting the choice of protecting
 Industry standards: The industry standards and regulations that apply to the
system being protected may also influence the choice of protecting relay.

 Communication requirements: If the protecting relay needs to communicate

with other devices or systems, the type of communication protocol and
compatibility with other devices may be factors in the choice of relay.

 Environmental factors: The operating environment, such as temperature,

humidity, and presence of corrosive substances, can impact the choice of
protecting relay that is suitable for the conditions.

 Compatibility with existing equipment: The protecting relay should be

compatible with the existing equipment and protection scheme in the system
to ensure seamless operation and integration.
The electrical quantities changes under fault conditions

 The electrical quantities that change under fault conditions :

 Voltage
 Current
 Frequency
 Phase angle
 Function of Protective Relaying
 Detection of abnormal conditions: monitor electrical parameters such as
voltage, current, frequency, and phase angle to detect abnormal conditions
such as overcurrent, under/over voltage, over-frequency, and phase
imbalances.
 Fault isolation: when a fault is detected, protective relays quickly isolate
the faulty section of the power system by tripping the circuit breakers or
disconnecting devices to prevent the fault from spreading to other areas.
 Coordination of protection devices: designed to coordinate with other
protection devices in the system to ensure that the correct device operates
first and isolates the fault while minimizing the impact on the rest of the
system.
 Selective tripping: programmed to selectively trip only the specific circuit
breakers or devices that are necessary to isolate the fault, minimizing the
disruption to the rest of the system and reducing downtime.
 Monitoring equipment health: relays are equipped with diagnostic
features that monitor the health and performance of the equipment,
providing early warnings of potential failures and preventing catastrophic
events.
 Category of Protection
 Overcurrent protection: detects excessive current flow in a circuit and trips
the breaker to prevent damage to equipment.
 Voltage protection: ensures that the voltage levels in a circuit remain within
predefined limits to prevent damage to equipment.
 Short circuit protection: detects short circuits in a circuit and trips the
breaker to prevent damage to equipment.
 Ground fault protection: detects ground faults in a circuit and trips the
breaker to prevent electrical shocks and damage to equipment.
 Differential protection: compares the input and output currents of a
transformer or a generator to detect any abnormalities and trip the breaker if
necessary.
 Distance protection: measures the impedance of a transmission line to
detect faults and trip the breaker to isolate the faulted section.
 Overvoltage protection: detects voltage surges in a circuit and trips the
breaker to protect equipment from damage.
 Under-voltage protection: ensures that the voltage levels in a circuit do not
drop below a certain threshold to prevent damage to equipment
Category of Protection
 The protection provided by the protective relaying equipment
can be categorized
 Primary Protection: is the first line of defense and is
responsible to protect all the power system elements
from all the type of faults

 Backup Protection: comes into play only the primary

protection fails.
 Category of Protection

The relay C, D, G and H are primary relays while A, B, I and J are the
backup relay.
Protective Relaying Scheme
The protective relaying is the team work of the following
components.

Current transformers
Voltage transformers
Protective relays
Time delay relays
Auxiliary relays
Secondary circuits
Trip circuits

Each component plays its own role, which is very important in

the over all operation of the scheme.
Essential Qualities of Protective Relaying
 Sensitivity: must be able to accurately detect faults and
abnormal conditions in the power system, even under varying
operating conditions.
 Selectivity and discrimination: should be able to discriminate
between different types of faults and accurately isolate the faulty
section of the power system without affecting the healthy
sections.
 Speed and Time: must operate quickly to isolate faults and
protect the power system from damage. Rapid operation can
minimize the impact of faults and prevent widespread outages.
 Reliability: must be highly reliable to ensure the continuous
operation of the power system. Relays should be able to operate
correctly under varying conditions and remain functional during
power system disturbances.
Essential Qualities of Protective Relaying
 Accuracy: should accurately measure power system parameters,
such as current, voltage, and frequency, to detect faults and
abnormal conditions.
 Coordination: should be coordinated with other protection
devices in the power system to ensure efficient and effective fault
detection and isolation.
 Stability: should operate stably under varying operating
conditions and withstand disturbances in the power system
without malfunctioning.
 Flexibility: should be flexible and adaptable to changes in the
power system configuration and operating conditions. They
should be able to accommodate new devices and technologies to
provide effective protection in a dynamic power system
environment.
 Important terms
Pick-up current
 It is the minimum current in the relay coil at which the relay
starts to operate.
 As the current in the relay is less than the pick-up value, the
relay does not operate and the breaker controlled by it remains
in the closed position.
 When the relay coil current is equal to or greater than the pickup
value, the relay operates to energize the trip coil which opens the
circuit breaker

Current setting
 desirable to adjust the pick-up current to a required value.
 usually achieved by the use tapping the relay operating coil.
Example
 Suppose that an over current relay having current setting of
125% is connected to a supply circuit through a current
transformer of 400/5.
The rated secondary current of C.T. is 5 amperes.
Therefore, the pick-up value will be 25% more than 5 A
i.e. 5x1 .25 = 6.25 A. It means that with above current setting, the
relay will actually operate for a relay coil current equal to or
greater than 6.25A
 Important terms
Plug-setting multiplier (PSM)
 It is the ratio of fault current in relay coil to the pick-up current

 For example, suppose that a relay is connected to a 400/5 current

transformer and set at 150%, With a primary fault current of
2000A. the plug-setting multiplier can be calculated as under:
Pick-up value = Rated secondary current of CT X Current setting
= 5 Ax1.5=7.5A
Fault current in relay coil = 2000A x (5/400) = 20 A
P.S.M. = 20/7.5=2.67
 Cont…
 To calculate the actual time of operation of a relay using a curve
and time-setting multiplier, you first need to determine the
distance along the curve at which the relay trips. This distance
represents the operating time of the relay.
 Next, determine the time-setting multiplier for the relay. This
multiplier is used to convert the distance along the curve to the
actual time of operation.
 Multiply the distance along the curve by the time-setting
multiplier to calculate the actual time of operation of the relay.
 For example, if the distance along the curve at which the relay
trips is 0.5, and the time-setting multiplier is 2, the actual time of
operation would be 0.5 * 2 = 1 second.
 It is important to note that the curve and time-setting multiplier
must be provided by the manufacturer of the relay, as they are
specific to each type of relay.
 Using this curve and time-setting multiplier,
the actual time of operation of a relay can
be obtained. For example, the time in
seconds corresponding to P.S.M of 10 is 4
seconds as shown in fig .multiplying this by
a time-setting multiplier, actual time of
operation can be obtained,

If the time multiplier is Selected as 0.2

while time corresponding to P.S.M of 10 is
4 seconds then
Actual time of operation = time in
seconds*time-setting multiplier
= 4*0.2=0.8 seconds
Home work
 Determine the time of operation
of a 5 A , 3-second overcurrent
relay having a current setting of
125% and a time setting
multiplier of 0.6 connected to
supply circuit through a 400/5
current transformer when the
circuit carries a fault current of
4000 A.