Overcurrent relaying for

Feeder Protection
 Difference-
-Overload protection, related to thermal capability of
the plant to be protected
-Overcurrent protection, on the other hand, is directed
entirely to the clearance of faults,
-Although with the settings usually adopted some
measure of overload protection may be obtained
 Why IDMT for feeder protection?

On the other hand, discrimination by current can

be applied only where there is appreciable
impedance between the two circuit breakers
concerned.
Demerit--In the case of discrimination by time
alone, the disadvantage is due to the fact that
the more severe faults are cleared in the longest
operating time.
 Principles of Relay Coordination

The following are general rules to be followed in coordinating time overcurrent relays.

1.The CT ratios for each location are selected so that the steady state secondary current
does not exceed 5 amperes (for 5 amp CTs).
2. The pick-up setting is chosen so that it is greater than twice the maximum load current
and less than one-third of the minimum fault current for which the relay must operate.

3.The time dial setting for the last relay on a feeder chain is selected at the fastest
possible setting- which usually corresponds to 1/2. other time dials are chosen so that
for the maximum fault current for which the two relays under consideration may
operate, the back-up relay must be slower than the primary relay by 0.3 s.
4.For a given fault, the back-up relay should pick up for a somewhat greater current
than the primary relay. Ground fault protection is considered separately from
phase fault protection.
Overcurrent relay characteristics
 Example

System for coordination of time overcurrent relays

Maximum Load and Minimum and Maximum Fault Currents for the System
Bus, Relay Max load Minimum Maximum
current(A) fault fault
current(A) current(A)

D, Rd 600 --- ---

C, Rc 400 3200 6000
B, Rb 300 2000 4000
A --- 1200 3000
Time
S= Co-ordinating time
S= Co-
ordinating S= Co-
time ordinating
time

Increasing distance from source Increasing fault current

Relay co-ordination principle

 1. Settings for Rb

Since the maximum load current seen by this relay is 300 amps select a CT
ratio of 300:5.

The secondary maximum load current is 300 x CT ratio : 300 x5/300= 5 A

The minimum fault current for which this relay must operate is the minimum at bus A:
1200 A
Therefore we may select a pick-up setting between 2x 5 and 20/ 3 amps
Select a pick-up setting of 10 amps'

Since this is the last relay in the string to be coordinated' select the
Fastest time-dial setting of 1/2
2.Setting for Rc

Maximum load current is 400 A. Select a CT ratio of 400:5. the

corresponding secondary current is 5 A. The minimum fault current for
which this relay must operate is at bus A (in back-up mode) 1200 A .
The corresponding secondary current is 1200*5/400=15 A. The ratio
between the maximum load current and minimum fault current is only
3.
Hence an optimum pick-up setting is not possible.
A compromise pick-up of 7.5 A can therefore be selected.

This relay Rc must coordinate with Rb at the maximum fault, both relays
will see. This will be the maximum fault current at bus B: 4000 A. Relay Rb
will see this current as 4000*5/300=66.7 A , which is 66.7/10=6.67 times
pick-up of Rb.
• The relay Rc sees the same current as 4000*5/(400*7.5) =6.67 times
pick-up. Relay Rb has a time-dial setting of ½ hence from the
characteristics corresponding to TD ½ at 6.67 times pick-up , we see
that Rb will operate in 0.13 S for this fault. The back-up relay Rc must
operate in 0.13+0.3=0.43 S, 0.3 being the coordinating margin. From
figure --- , 0.43 S operating time at 6.67 times pick-up will require a time-
dial setting of 7 for Rc.
• Setting for Rd
Maximum load current is 600 A. Select a CT ratio of 600:5. the corresponding
secondary current is 5 A.
The minimum fault current for which this relay must operate is at bus B (in the
back-up mode), 2000 A. the corresponding secondary current is
2000*5/600=16.67 A. the ratio between the maximum load current and
minimum fault current is only 3.33 , hence an optimum pick-up setting is not
possible. A compromise pick-up setting of 7.5 A can therefore be selected.
This relay must coordinate with Rc at the maximum fault both relays will see.
This will be maximum fault current at bus C: 6000 A. Relay Rc will see this
current as 6000*5/400=75 A, which is 75/7.5=10 times pick-up. Relay Rc
has a time-dial setting of 7; hence from the characteristics corresponding to
TD of 7 at 10 times pick-up, we see that it will operate in 0.35 S for this fault.
The back-up relay Rd must operate in 0.35+0.3=0.65 s. 0.3 s being the
coordinating margin . From fig. ----operating time at 6.67 times pick-up will
require a time-dial setting 9.5 for Rd.
These settings are summarized as follows:

Relay
Rb
Rc
Rd
 Coordination for System With One Loop

Fig. 3. A distribution system with a single loop.

Consider now the power system shown in above Fig. 3 Consists of a single loop.
which now requires that each feeder segment has a circuit breaker at both
ends.

In addition to the time overcurrent relay, each location will now require
directional element as well. The directional element of each relay will look into
the line segment.
The protection system design for a looped system is exactly as before, except
that it must be done twice : once for relays with subscript 1, and again for other
relays with subscript 2 in Fig. 3. For relays with subscripts 1, the last relay in the
feeder chain is Ra1, so that its protection settings must be determined first. Rb1
will be set next to coordinate with it. Rc1 set to coordinate with Rb1 will be set
next to coordinate with it. Rc1 set to coordinate with Rb1. For relays with
subscript 2 , the last relay in the chain is Rd2 and it will be set first. Design of
Rc2, Rb2, Ra2 and Re2 will follow to complete the protection system design for
this looped system.
As mentioned before, for each of these cases, a set of ground relays must also
be designed. Maximum and minimum ground fault currents must be calculated at
each of the system buses. It is generally assumed that the maximum steady
state ground current is 10% of the maximum load current. This may be
caused by unbalanced loads between the phases of the feeder system.
Consequently the pick-up setting only for ground relays can be set very
sensitive (i.e. the pick-up setting only needs to be greater than 2*10 = 20%
of the maximum load current.
Some observations on overcurrent relaying
1. Overcurrent relays are most effective for protecting radial feeders, which is
the common feature of most distribution networks. In the case of looped
distribution systems, it becomes necessary to supervise the overcurrent
relays with directional elements.
2. Overcurrent relays are generally coordinated with upstream and downstream
elements. The coordination is with time delays. It is also good practice to
make sure that the back-up zones of two neighboring circuits do not overlap.
3. Instantaneous relays are an excellent supplement to overcurrent relays, as
they allow fast clearing of faults with heavy currents. It may not always be
possible to set instantaneous relays so that they do not overreach the end of
the feeder.
4. Overcurrent protection against ground can be set to be far more sensitive
than that for phase faults.
 Data requirement for proper overcurrent setting

i. One-line diagram of the power system involved, showing the type and
rating of the protection
devices and their associated current transformers
ii. the impedances in ohms, per cent or per unit, of all power
transformers, rotating machine and feeder circuits
iii. the maximum and minimum values of short circuit currents that are
expected to flow through each protection device
iv. the maximum load current through protection devices
v. the starting current requirements of motors and the starting and locked
rotor/stalling times of
induction motors
vi. the transformer inrush, thermal withstand and damage characteristics
vii. decrement curves showing the rate of decay of the fault current
supplied by the generators
viii. performance curves of the current transformers
 Directional Relay
A B C
F1 F2

A B

~
Selectivity, security, co-ordination
Applications of Directional Relaying
Application in distribution and transmission
systems
 With overcurrent relay
 High speed transmission protection
 To supervise distance elements
 Form quadrilateral ground distance characteristics
 Differential-
 Used for earth fault protection when selectivity is
required
Directional-overcurrent relay connection
C CT

B CT

A CT

1 D 2
OC
VT

Phase A

Phase B

Phase C Breaker Trip

Coil