DISTANCE OR IMPEDENCE RELAY

DISTANCE PROTECTION SCHEME

Distance protection is comparatively

simple to apply and it can be fast in
operation for faults located along most of a
protected circuit. It can also provide both
primary and remote back-up functions in a
single scheme. It can easily be adapted to
create a unit protection scheme when
applied with a signalling channel.
Why distance relays are used?
Distance protection is very commonly
used in protection of transmission lines.
Distance relays are used where
overcurrenting relaying is too slow and is not
so selective. Distance relays are used for both
phase fault and ground fault protection and
they provide higher speeds for clearing faults
than overcurrent relays.
Why is distance protection necessary?
The protection of transmission line from
any type of fault is very important because any
mis-operation or mal- operation of protection
relays can give a great effect on the stability of
power system entirely. One of the
main protection used to protect transmission
line is distance or impedance relay.
 DISTANCE OR IMPEDENCE!!
•Distance relays finds its application in
transmission systems.
•The functioning of this relay depends upon the
distance of fault in the line .
•Particularly impedance between the point of
fault and the point where relay is installed.
•Since impedance proportional to
distance(length) , it is also known as impedance
relay.
DISTANCE RELAY OPERATING
CURVE
Types of distance relays
1.Impedance Relay.
2.Admittance Relay.
3.Reactance Relay.
 TYPES OF DISTANCE RELAYS:
Dependent on the ratio of V and I there are
three types of distance relays which are,
1.Impedance relay which is based on
measurement of impedance Z.
2.Reactance relay which is based on
measurement of reactance X.
3.Admittance or mho relay which is based on
measurement of component of admittance Y.
 TYPES:
There are mainly two types of distance relay.
• Definite distance relay
• Time distance relay

DEFINITE DISTANCE RELAY:

This is simply a variety of balanced
beam relay.Here one beam is placed horizontally and
supported by hinge on the middle.One end of the
beam is pulled downwards by magnetic force of
current coil fed from current transformer.Due to
torque produced by these two downward forces,the
beam stays at an equilibrium position.The torque due
to voltage coil serves as restraining torque and torque
due to current coil serves as deflecting torque.
 TIME DISTANCE IMPEDANCE
RELAY:
This relay automatically adjust its
operating time according to the distance of the
relay from the fault point.The time distance
impedance relay will not only be operated
depending upon voltage to current ratio.Its
operating time also depends upon the value of
this ratio.
 WORKING PRINCIPLE !!!
•PRINCIPLE : Ratio of system voltage and current
which is nothing but impedance so called
impedance relay.
 PRINCIPLES
• It involves the division of voltage at the
relaying point by the measured current.
• The calculated apparent impedance is
compared with the reach point impedance.
• If the measured impedance is less than the
reach point impedance ,it is assumed that a
fault exists on the line between the relay and
the reach point.
 WORKING
•The operation of such relay depends on the
predetermined value of voltage to current ratio.
Z= V/I

•It only operates when the impedance is less

than its predetermined value.

•Since impedance of transmission line is directly

proportional to its length, distance relay
operates only within a predetermined distance.
 OPERATION
• There is one voltage element from potential
transformer and a current element fed from current
transformer of the system. The deflecting torque is
produced by secondary current of CT and restoring
torque is produced by voltage of potential
transformer.

•In normal operating condition, restoring torque is

more than deflecting torque. Hence relay will not
operate. But in faulty condition, the current becomes
quite large whereas voltage becomes less.
 OPERATION
Consequently, deflecting torque becomes more
than restoring torque and dynamic parts of the
relay starts moving which ultimately close the No
contact of relay.
TRIPPING CHARACTERISTICS
IMPEDANCE RELAY:
It works corresponding to the ratio of V
and I of the circuit to be protected.There are two
elements in this relay ,the one produces a torque
proportional to current while the other produces
a torque proportional to voltage.The torque
produced by the current element is balanced
against torque produced by the voltage element.
The current element produces operating
torque , pickup torque which can be said to be
+ve torque.The voltage element produces
restraining torque ,reset torque which can be said
to be –ve torque.So this relay is voltage
restrained overcurrent relay.
WORKING OF IMPEDANCE RELAY:
When the fault occurs at point F in the protected zone
then the voltage drops while current increases.Thus the
ratio V/I i.e. the impedance reduces drastically.This is the
impedance of line between the point at which relay is
connected and the point F at which fault occurs.So when
the impedance reduces than its predetermined value Z ,it
trips and makes the circuit breaker open.
OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS:
As the effect of spring is dominating for the lower values
of currents ,the characteristics shows a noticiable bend at lower
curren. But for all practical purposes,the dotted line which
represents a constant value of Z may be considered as an operating
characteristics.The impedance Z which is predetermined set value is
given by,
Z=1/slope of characteristics
OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS ON R-X DIAGRAM:
DIRECTIONAL IMPEDANCE RELAY:
The directional impedance relay can
be obtained by adding a directional element in
the basic impedance relay.
DIRECTIONAL IMPEDANCE RELAY
CHARACTERISTICS:
MODIFIED DIRECTIONAL IMPEDANCE RELAY
CHARACTERISTICS:
REACTANCE RELAY:
In this relay the operating torque is
obtained by current while the restraining torque
due to a current –voltage directional relay.The
overcurrent element develops the positive torque
and directional unit produces negative torque.
Thus the reactance relay is an overcurrent
relay with the directional restraint.
The directional element is so designed
that the maximum torque angle is 90degree.
CONSTRUCTION OF REACTANCE RELAY:
The structure used for the reactance relay can be
of induction cup type.It is a four ole structure.It has
operating coil,polarizing coil and a restraining coil.
 The current I flows from pole 1,through
ironcore stacking to lower pole 3.The winding
on pole 4 is fed from voltage V.The operating
torque is produced by interaction of fluxes
due to the windings carrying current coils
i.e.interaction of fluxes produced by poles1,3
and 4.Hence the operating torque is
proportional to the square of current while
the restraining torque is proportional to the
product of V and I.
OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS:
MHO RELAY OR ADMITTANCE RELAY:
The mho relay is made inherently directional by
adding a voltage winding called polarizing winding.This
relay is also called angle impedance relay.
 In this relay the operating torque is obtained
by V and I element while the restraining
torque is produced by a voltage element.The
operating torque is produced by the
interaction of the fluxes due to the windings
carried by the poles 1,2 and 3.While the
restraining torque is produced by the
interaction of the fluxes due to the windings
carried by the poles 1,3 and 4.
OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS:
 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
•High speed fault clearance which over current
relay cannot do.
•This distance protection has both primary and
backup protection.
•If the number of sections in the line is quite
large, the time setting of relay nearest to the
source would be very long. So during any fault
nearer to the source will take much time to be
isolated.
ADVANTAGE:
• The key advantage of distance protection is that
its fault coverage of the protected circuit which
is virtually independent of source impedance
variation.
DISADVANTAGE:
• It gives the resonse of both the CT and PT.Thus
it becomes difficult for the breaker to
determine whether the fault is external or
internal.
• The relay is easily affected by the arc resistance
of the line.
• It is very sensitive to power swing.
THANK YOU !!!