Basics of

Protection

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 Power System Structure

Generation Transmission / Sub transmission Distribution

Medium 24 kV Extra High Voltage 765 kV

Medium Voltage 33 kV
Voltage 21 kV 400 kV
22 kV
15 kV 220 kV 11 kV
13.8 kV High Voltage 132 kV
110 kV
66 kV

 Transmission circuits handle/route largest power , interconnect various power stations

& feed to load centres
 Subtransmission circuits feed to distribution substations & bulk consumers within a
geographical area.
 Distribution circuits fed from distribution substations feed domestic , medium size
industries and commercial consumers.
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Switchyards Design features

Design Aspects
Single line diagram
Busbar Arrangement
Fault level
Type of construction
Creepage & Clearance
Grounding & Lightning Protection
Safety Interlocks
Other Miscellaneous items e.g lighting , civil

Considerations for Choice of Busbar Arrangement

Importance of Substation
Reliability
Redundancy
Economics and availability of finance
Availability of Space and Right Of Way for approaching lines
Future Expansion
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Switching Devices

Ratings Level Isolator Switch Circuit Breaker

Current Carrying Load Yes Yes Yes

Fault Yes Yes Yes

Current Making Load No Yes Yes

Fault No No Yes

Current Breaking Load No Yes Yes

Fault No No Yes

 Isolator is rated only for carrying current,

 Make/Break small line charging current.
 OPEN/CLOSE operation done under ZERO current condition.

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Single Bus System

B: Single Bus with Bus C: Single Bus with Bus

A: Single Bus System
section isolator system section breaker system

Simplest and Economical Arrangement

To improve Reliability bus section isolator/CB is introduced

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 Single Bus System- Primary Components,
Protection Zone
Bus

Bus- Bus-
Earthing Bus- Potential
Switch Isolator Transformer

Circuit-breaker Protection-zone,
busbar
Current
Transformer
Protection-zone,
line/trafo

Line Line
Earthing- Earthing-
Isolator switch Isolator
switch

Wave Wave
Trap Trap

Potential
Surge Transformer
arrester

Line 1 Transformer Line 2

R Suresh
 Single Bus System- Primary Components,
Protection Zone
Bus

Bus- Bus-
Earthing Bus- Potential
Switch Isolator Transformer
Protection-zone,
Current busbar
Transformer Protection-zone,
line/trafo
Circuit-breaker

Line Line
Earthing- Earthing-
Isolator switch Isolator
switch

Wave Wave
Trap Trap

Potential
Surge Transformer
arrester

Line 1 Transformer Line 2

R Suresh
 Single Bus System- Primary Components,
Over-lapping Protection Zone
Bus

Bus- Bus-
Earthing Bus- Potential
Switch Isolator Transformer

Circuit-breaker Protection-zone,
busbar
Core ! Core !
Current
Transformer Core 2 Core 2 Protection-zone,
line/trafo

Line Line
Earthing- Earthing-
Isolator switch Isolator
switch

Wave Wave
Trap Trap

Potential
Surge Transformer
arrester

Line 1 Transformer Line 2

R Suresh
 Single Bus with sectionaliser System- Primary Components,
Over-lapping Protection Zone
Bus Section-isolator
Bus A Bus B

Bus- Bus PT 1 Bus PT 2

disconnect

Circuit-breaker

CT

VT
Earthing switch

Line-
disconnect Surge arrester

Earthing switch

To improve Reliability bus section isolator/CB is introduced

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Main & Transfer Bus Arrangement

Main Bus Transfer Bus coupler

x x x x

CT CT CT CT

Earthing- Line Earthing- Line Earthing- Line

switch Isolator switch Isolator switch Isolator

Transfer Transfer Transfer

Isolator Isolator Isolator
Transfer Bus
Wave Wave Wave
Trap Trap Trap

Surge Surge Surge

arrester arrester arrester
Line 1 Line 2 Line 3

A Transfer Bus Coupler & All feeders need one additional isolator.

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Main & Transfer Bus Arrangement –Normal operation

Main Bus

x x x x

Transfer Bus

Line Line Transformer Transfer Bus coupler

Power Flow

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Main & Transfer Bus Arrangement –Normal operation

Main Bus

x x x x

Transfer Bus

Line Line Transformer Transfer Bus coupler

Power Flow Charged

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Main & Transfer Bus Arrangement –Bay Outage

Main Bus

x x x x

Transfer Bus

Line Line Transformer Transfer Bus coupler

Power Flow Bay Out of Service

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Main & Transfer Bus Arrangement
CT location
Main Bus

x x x x

Transfer Bus

Line Line Transformer Transfer Bus coupler

Protection / CT Transfer Switch required

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Main & Transfer Bus Arrangement
CT Location
Main Bus

x x x x

Transfer Bus

Line Line Transformer Transfer Bus coupler

Trip Transfer Switch Required

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 Double Main Bus System
or Main & Reserve Bus system
Bus- Bus-
Bus I Bus-coupler PT -I PT -II

Bus II
Bus-
Isolators

Circuit-breaker Bus-
Earthing-I, II

CT

Earthing-
Line switch Line
Earthing-
Isolator Earthing- Isolator
switch
switch

Wave
Trap Wave
Trap

Surge
arrester Surge
arrester
Line 1 Line 2 Transformer

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 Double Main & Transfer Bus Arrangement
(DMT)
Transfer Bus- Bus-
Bus I Bus-coupler Bus-coupler PT -I PT -II

Bus II
Bus-
Isolators

Circuit-breaker Bus-
Earthing-I, II

CT
Earthing- Earthing-
Line
switch Isolator switch

Transfer
Isolator

Wave Wave
Trap Trap

Surge Surge
arrester arrester

Line 1 Line 2

Almost all PGCIL 220kV substations use this arrangement

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245kV Switchyard Layout

245 kV Outdoor switchyard (AIS) Double busbars, classical layout

1 Bus I 3 Bus-disconnector 5 CT 7 Line-disconnector with built-on earthing switch

2 Bus II 4 Circuit-breaker 6 VT 8 Surge arrester

Almost all PGCIL 220kV substations use this arrangement

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One and a Half Breaker Arrangement

Bushing Bus A

Q0 11 Q0 41

For future use

Q0 13

Q0 12 Q0 42

Bushing
Bus B

Almost all PGCIL 765kv,400kV substations use this arrangement

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Power Line Carrier Coupling

A Line Trap B A B
Coupling Cap.

HF HF

4 / 988

Single Phase to Ground Coupling

HF HF
A B
Inter – System - Coupling

4 / 988

HF HF
Phase to Phase Coupling

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System Disturbances

Short Circuits in earthed systems

Symmetrical (3 phase)
Phase to Phase (and Earth)
Phase to Earth

Earth Faults in non effectively

earthed systems

Overload Conditions

Underfrequency/Undervoltage

Overvoltage

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Protective Relaying

Role of Protection

Protective Relaying is the most important

feature of power system design aimed at
minimising the damage to equipment and
interruption to service in the event of faults. It
is therefore a co-factor among other factors
resorted to improve reliability of power system.

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The Purpose of Protection
The protection can not prevent system faults,

But it can:
Limit the damage caused by
short circuits

While:
Protecting people and plant from
damage

Selectively clearing faults in

miliseconds

Protecting plant from overload

conditions

Power system must operate in a safe manner at all times.

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Transient & Permanant Fault

Transient Faults are faults which do not damage the

insulation permanantly and allow circuit to be safely re-
energized after a short period. Typical example is insulator
flashover after a lightning strike

Permanant faults are result of damage of insulation. In this

case equipment has to be rectified before re-energization

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Principles of Relaying
Since protective relaying comes into action at the
time of equipment distress, a certain safeguard is
necessary in the unlikely event of its failure to act at
the hour of need. Hence, two groups of protective
schemes are generally employed -

a) Primary Protection
b) Back-up Protection

Primary Protection is the first line of defense,

whereas back-up relaying takes over the protection
of equipment, should the primary protection fail.

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Primary Protection

The Primary Protection has following characteristic

features -
1. It has always a defined zone of operation.

2. It should operate before any back-up protection

could operate, therefore, it should be faster in
operation.

3. It should be able to completely isolate the fault

from all the current feeding sources.

4. It should be stable for all operating conditions.

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Back-up Protection

1. Back-up protection should provide sufficient time

for the primary protection to perform its duty.

2. Back-up protection covers a wider zone of

protection. Therefore, there is always a possibility
of large scale disturbance, when back-up relays
operate.

3. Under primary protection failure, several back-up

relays may operate for complete isolation of fault.

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Reasons of Primary Protection Failure

Primary protections failure could be due to any of

the following reasons -
1. Current or Potential Transformer failure
2. Loss of Auxiliary Control Voltage
3. Defective Primary Relays
4. Open Circuits in Control & Trip Coil
5. Failure of Breaker
It is therefore logical that back-up relays should not
utilise any of the above items as common with
primary relays.

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Protection Concept

Circuit Breaker
CT / VT

Cabling

DISTANCE RELAY

Protection Battery

 The system is only as strong as the weakest link!

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Basic Protection Requirements

 Reliability dependability (availability)

high dependability = low risk of failure to trip

 Security stable for all operating conditions ,

high security = low risk of over-trip

 Speed high speed minimizes damage

high speed reduces stability problems

 Selectivity trip the minimum number of circuit breakers

 Sensitivity notice smallest fault value

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Zones of Protection

 To limit the extent of the power system that is disconnected when a fault
occurs, protection is arranged in zones
 Zones of protection should overlap, so that no part of the power system
is left unprotected
 Location of the CT connection to the protection usually defines the zone
 Unit type protections have clear zones reach e.g Diff. Relay, REF relay
 Zone reach depends on measurement of the system quantities e.g OC ,
EF, distance relays . The start will be defined but the extent (or ‘reach’) is
subject to variation, owing to changes in system conditions and
measurement errors.

R Suresh
Redundancy Concept of DC
Circuits

Battery 1
Battery 2

Main Protection Back-up Protection Busbar Protection

87T 50/51 87BB BF

TR TR TR

TC 1 TC 2
Trip remote infeed
L- L-

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Typical Protected Objects

 Generators G < 1MVA upto 1500 MVA

 Transformers 0,1 MVA upto 1000 MVA

 Busbars from 110 kV up to 750kV

 Lines from 1kV upto 750 kV

 Motors M approx. 100 kVA upto 20 MVA

 Reactors, Capacitor etc.

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Redundancy
Concepts

Line Protection Busbar Protection

1 out of 2 principle 2 out of 2 principle

LP1 Section
 trip line 1
& trip section 1
LP2 1
Check
Zone
Transformer Protection

1 out of n principle Section & trip section 2

Relay
1 2
. trip transformer
. 
. 1
Relay
n

R Suresh
Why Digital Protection?

Integration of the protection functions for one

feeder:

Feeder protection device

Example: overhead line of extra high voltage

 Distance protection with I>> or u</i>-exitation
 Three-pole reclosure
 Directional earth fault detection
 Fault location
 Event log
 Fault recording

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Why Digital Protection?

Self-supervision

Raising of the availability

 Plausibility control of the input values

 Supervision of the a/d-conversion
 Internal testing of the computer systems (watch-dog)
 Supervision of the memory chips
 Testing the trip-relay-coil

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Contact Terms

Contacts provide electrical outputs for tripping and remote

indication purposes
Self-reset
 The contacts remain in the operated condition only while the controlling quantity is
applied, returning to their original condition when it is removed.
Hand or electrical reset
 These contacts remain in the operated condition after the controlling quantity is removed.
They can be reset either by hand or electrically by an auxiliary electromagnetic element
A 'make' contact
 is one that closes when the relay picks up
A break contact
 is one that is closed when the relay is de-energised and opens when the relay picks up.

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CIRCUIT BREAKER FAILURE PROTECTION : CBF

The function of circuit breaker failure makes possible to check,

when a tripping order is given to a circuit breaker, that this one
opens correctly.
CBF operation can be used to backtrip upstream circuit breakers
to ensure that the fault is isolated correctly.
CBF operation can also reset all start output contacts, ensuring
that any block asserted on upstream protection are removed

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 ONE & HALF BREAKER DESCRIPTION

1. IN THIS TWO BUSES ARE PRIOVIDED.

BUS-1 2. THESE TWO BUSES ARE INTER CONNECTED BY THREE BREAKERS.

MAIN BAY(1ST BAY) FOR FEEDER-1

3. THEY ARE DESIGNATED AS 1-52 CB, 2-52 CB, 3-52 CB.
4. LINE-1 IS CONNECTED IN BETWEEN 1-52 CB & 2-52 CB.
1-52 CB 5. LINE-2 IS CONNECTED IN BETWEEN 3-52 CB & 2-52 CB.
6. LINE-1 HAVING TWO FEEDING PATHS i.e
A. VIA BUS-1 & 1-52 CB
B. VIA BUS-2, 3-52 CB & 2-52 CB
7. LINE-2 HAVING TWO FEEDING PATHS i.e
LINE-1 A. VIA BUS-2 & 3-52 CB
B. VIA BUS-1, 1-52 CB & 2-52 CB
TIE BAY (2ND BAY ) FOR FEEDER-1 & 2 8. FOR INTURUPTING LINE-1 THE 1-52CB AND 2-52CB IS TO BE TRIPPED.
9. FOR INTURUPTING LINE-2 THE 3-52CB & 2-52CB IS TO BE TRIPPED.
10. FOR ANY PROBLEM IN LINE-1 OR LINE-2 THE MIDDLE BREAKER(2-52 CB)
MUST TRIP.
11. NORMALLY IN ALL TYPES OF BUSBAR CONFIGUARATIONS ONE BREAKER
2-52 CB IS SUFFICIENT FOR ONE FEEDER.
12. HERE TWO FEEDERS ARE CONTROLLING BY THREE BREAKERS.
13. SO THESE TWO FEEDERS CONTROLLING BY THREE CIRCUIT BREAKERS
IT IS CALLED ONE & HALF BREAKER SYSTEM.
14. THE BAY BETWEEN BUS-1 & LINE-1 IS CALLED MAIN BAY FOR FEEDER-1.
15. THE BAY BETWEEN LINE-1 & LINE-2 IS CALLED TIE BAY FOR FEEDER-1 & 2.
LINE-2 16. THE BAY BETWEEN BUS-2 & LINE-2 IS CALLED MAIN BAY FOR FEEDER-2.
MAIN BAY(3RD BAY) FOR FEEDER-2

3-52 CB

BUS-2 R Suresh
 ONE & HALF BREAKER SYSTEM (4CT’S METHOD)

BUS-1 BUS-2

1-89 3-89

1-52CB 3-52CB

P2 P2
1-CT 3 3 3-CT
P1 P1
1-89A 3-89A

2-ACT 2-BCT
3

3
P2 P1 P1 P2
2-89A 2-52CB 2-89B

1-89L 3-89T

LINE 1
T/F-1
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 ONE & HALF BREAKER SYSTEM
(5CT’S METHOD)

BUS-1 BUS-2

1-89 3-89

1-52CB 3-52CB

P2 P23
1-CT 3 3-CT
P1 P1
1-89A 3-89A

2-CT

3
P1 P2
2-89A 2-52CB 2-89B

1-89L 3-89T

3 3-TCT
P2 P2
1-LCT 3P1 P1

LINE 1

T/F-1 R Suresh
 ONE & HALF BREAKER SYSTEM
(6CT’S METHOD)

BUS-1 BUS-2

1-89 3-89
P2
1A-CT 3P1 P2
3 3A-CT
P1
1-52CB 3-52CB

P2 P2
1B-CT 3 3 3B-CT
P1 P1
1-89A 3-89A

2A-CT 2B-CT

3
3
P2 P1 P1 P2
2-89A 2-52CB 2-89B

1-89L 3-89T

LINE 1
T/F-1
R Suresh
 PROTECTION TRIP SCHEME

86-A 86-A 86-A

MTR/ MTR/ MTR/
MAIN-1
HSTR MAIN-1 HSTR HSTR

TRIP COIL-1 TRIP COIL-1 TRIP COIL-1

1-52CB 2-52CB 3-52CB
TRIP COIL-2 TRIP COIL-2 TRIP COIL-2
BUS-1 BUS-2

86-B 86-B 86-B

REL521
MTR/ MTR/ MTR/
MAIN-1
HSTR MAIN-2 HSTR MAIN-2 HSTR

86-A : GROUP-A MASTER TRIP RELAY / HIGH SPEED TRIP RELAY

86-B : GROUP-B MASTER TRIP RELAY / HIGH SPEED TRIP RELAY

R Suresh
 BUS

3
3
3
3
1-89
3 2 1

1-52CB
P1
1

BUS BAR PROTECTION 3

2

BUS BAR CHECKUP PROT 3

3

METERING 3
1-CT
CORES
4

MAIN-2 PROTECTION 3
CONNECTION SYSTEM

MAIN-1 PROTECTION 3
P2
1-89L

3
2

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3
3
3
3
1-CVT
 CURRENT TRANSFORMER CONNECTIONS IN 4CT METHOD

1- CT 2-BCT 2-ACT 3-CT

CT SECONDARY CT SECONDARY
CORE-1 CORE IS
SPARE SPARE CORE IS
(PS) CONNECTED TO CONNECTED TO
BUSBAR-1 BUSBAR-2
PROTECTION PROTECTION

BUSBAR-1 CHECKUP BUSBAR-2 CHECKUP

CORE-2 PROTECTION
SPARE SPARE PROTECTION
(PS) (SPARE) (SPARE)

2CT’s SECONDARIES ARE CONNECTED IN 2CT’s SECONDARIES ARE CONNECTED IN

CORE-3 PARALLEL AND CONNECTED TO PARALLEL AND CONNECTED TO
(0.5/0.2) PANEL METERS & ENERGY METER PANEL METERS & ENERGY METER

2CT’s SECONDARIES ARE CONNECTED IN 2CT’s SECONDARIES ARE CONNECTED IN

CORE-4 PARALLEL AND CONNECTED TO PARALLEL AND CONNECTED TO
(PS) MAIN-2 PROTECTION MAIN-2 PROTECTION
AFTER LBB/BFR AFTER LBB/BFR

2CT’s SECONDARIES ARE CONNECTED 2CT’s SECONDARIES ARE CONNECTED

CORE-5 IN PARALLEL AND CONNECTED TO IN PARALLEL AND CONNECTED TO
(PS) MAIN-1 PROTECTION MAIN-1 PROTECTION

R Suresh
CURRENT TRANSFORMER CONNECTIONS IN 5CT METHOD

1-CT 1-LCT 2-CT 3-TCT 3-CT

BUSBAR-1 TEED PROT-1 TEED PROT-1 TEED PROT-1 BUSBAR-2

CORE-1 PROTECTION (BAY 1&2) (BAY 2&3) (BAY 2&3) PROTECTION
(PS)
BUSBAR-1 TEED PROT-2 TEED PROT-2 TEED PROT-2 BUSBAR-2
CORE-2 CHECKUP (BAY 1&2) (BAY 2&3) (BAY 2&3) CHECKUP
(PS) PROTECTION PROTECTION
(SPARE) (SPARE)

SPARE METERING & SPARE METERING & SPARE

CORE-3 ENERGY ENERGY
(0.5/0.2) METER METER

TEED PROT-2 MAIN-2 TEED PROT-2 MAIN-2 TEED PROT-2

CORE-4 (BAY 1&2) PROTECTION (BAY 1&2) PROTECTION (BAY 2&3)
(PS) AFTER AFTER AFTER
LBB/BFR LBB/BFR LBB/BFR
(1-52) (2-52) (3-52)

TEED PROT-1 MAIN-1 TEED PROT-1 MAIN-1 TEED PROT-1

CORE-5 (BAY 1&2) PROTECTION (BAY 1&2) PROTECTION (BAY 2&3)
(PS)

R Suresh
 TYPICAL ONE & HALF BREAKER SYSTEM ADOPTED IN GIS

DS : DISCONNECTOR SWITCH, GS: GROUNDING SWITCH, CT: CURRENT TRANSFORMER, VD: VOLTAGE DIVIDER

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