EEL 3023 System Protection & Coordination SO1-1
Basics of Power System Protection
1- Introduction
Power system protection is a branch of electrical power engineering that deals with the
protection of electrical power systems from faults through the isolation of faulted parts from
the rest of the electrical network. The objective of a protection scheme is to keep the power
system stable by isolating only the components that are under fault, whilst leaving as much of
the network as possible still in operation.
This chapter presents methods for the study of fault protection of radial lines and is generally
applicable to radial distribution feeders and radial transmission lines. Radial lines provide an
appropriate introduction to fault protection since there is only one source of supply in a radial
system. This permits one to become familiar with the characteristics and applications of
protective equipment without the distraction and added complexity of loop or network
system configurations. The coordination of fault protection equipment in a radial system is
interesting and useful study, it provides a good basis for the study of more complex
problems.
3- Types of protection
Various types of protections used in the feeders are:
a- Overcurrent protection
- Non-directional relay which responds to overcurrent condition
- Instantaneous overcurrent relay ( no intentional time delay)
- Time overcurrent relay using various curve types
b- Directional overcurrent protection
Relay responds to overcurrent condition in the forward direction only. It will not respond
to reverse faults
c- Distance protection
The distance relay (also known as impedance relay) determines the impedance by
Z = V/I. If the impedance is within the reach setting of the relay, it will operate.
d- Pilot relaying protection
A protection scheme which employs communications to send a signal from one station to
another to allow high speed tripping (permission) or to prevent high speed tripping
(blocking).
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e- Differential protection
The differential relay trips when the difference of the currents flowing through it is more than
the pickup current
4- Selective Coordination of Protective Devices
Today, more than ever, one of the most important parts of any installation – whether it is an
office building, an industrial plant, a theater, a high rise apartment or a hospital - is the
electrical system. Nothing will stop all activity, paralyze production, inconvenience and
disconcert people and possibility cause a panic more effectively than a major power failure.
Isolation of a faulted circuit from the remainder of the installation is mandatory in today’s
modern electrical systems. Power blackouts cannot be tolerated see Figure (1.4, a)
Figure 1.4: Concept of selective coordination
It is not enough to select protective devices based solely on their ability to carry the system
load current and interrupt the maximum fault current at their respective levels. A properly
engineered system will allow only the protective device nearest the fault to open see Figure
(1.4, b), leaving the remainder of the system undisturbed and preserving continuity of
service. This is called selectivity.
Blackout consequences
Loss of service in a large area or population region
Hazard to human life
May result in enormous economic losses
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Blackout Main Causes
Overreaction of the protection system
Bad design of the protection system
5- Overcurrents (OC)
Overcurrents exist when the normal load for a circuit is exceeded. It can either be an
overload or short circuit condition.
- An overload condition is any current flowing within the circuit path that is higher
than the circuit’s normal full load current (FLC) see Figure 1.5. An overload is
typically 2 to 5 times the magnitude of a circuit’s normal operating current
- A short circuit is an overcurrent condition that leaves the normal current path and
which is greatly exceeds the normal full load current of the circuit by a factor of tens,
hundreds, or thousands. Components and equipment can be damaged by both types of
overcurrents.
Figure 1.5: Short circuits produce high current
a- Effects of Short-Circuits
- Thermal; explosion. Heat energy I2t. Excessive heat will soften and melt
conductors, melt and ignite insulation, cause overhead conductors to fall down, cause
fires, suddenly heat gases and cause explosion
- Mechanical. Forces I2. Excessive forces result in physical damage to equipment
see Figure 1.6. High forces can cause rupture of transformers see Figure 1.7.,
mechanical failure of busbars, etc.
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Figure 1.6: Mechanical force exerted on a rigid conductor due high
current
- Safety – Burns, electrocution. Heat from arcs and fires can maim or kill people,
excess fault currents can cause local potential rise in the earth and risk of
electrocution
Figure 1.7: Damage caused by abnormal conditions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF5EDV6T7es
b- Short-Circuits, Open-Circuits and Overloads Comparison
- Short circuits: Are faulty conditions. The coming together of two or more
conductive surfaces operating at different voltages, through solid material or air
(arcs). Cause mechanical and thermal damage to power system equipment.
- Open Circuits: Are faulty conditions – may not cause thermal damage to system, but
cause problems for customers’ equipment. Loss of one phase causes voltage out of
balance which can damage motors and generators.
- Overloads: Not a faulty condition – a case of too much current or too much
mechanical load being applied
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6- The Nature and Causes of Power System Faults
Failures may occur in each part, such as insulation failure, fallen or broken transmission
lines, incorrect operation of circuit breakers, short circuits and open circuits.
- Lightning is one of the major causes of faults on overhead transmissions lines Fig
(1.8, a): The insulators on transmission towers are designed to withstand about twice
the rated voltage, the lightning strike can momentarily increase the voltage to much
higher level.
- Storm damage and other mechanical damage: Severe wind, rain or snow conditions,
blown debris, fallen trees, etc see Fig (1.8, b).
- Bush fire: flash over on transmission lines due to the effects of bush fire Fig (1.8, c):
sometimes power lines can cause bush fires, so which was the cause and which was
the effect?
(a) (b)
(c
)
Figure 1.8: Electric Power System Exposure to External
Agents
7- Distribution Protection Rules
As mentioned earlier, distribution automation is becoming important to the power industry
today. Each utility is competing to provide quality to its customers. By using automation, we
can improve the speed of protection coordination and, at the same time, increase the accuracy
of the result.
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The Basic distribution protection rules are as follows:
- Assume the fault is temporary for a certain amount of time
- Lock out for permanent faults
- Try to isolate as small a number of customers as possible
8- Power System Protection Design
Severe damage and/or public safety risk (e.g. dangerous voltages, fires, explosions) can result
to a power system if a fault remains undetected and uncorrected.
The protection system in all sections of a network must be able to:
- Identify as fast as possible that an abnormal condition exists and that the network is in
danger (sensitivity)
- Identify which element of the network is faulty and remove the faulted element as
quickly as is necessary to protect the integrity of the system, but minimize the
disconnection of healthy sections of the system (selectivity)
- Be highly reliable (dependability)
The system once disconnected, must remain disconnected until manual inspection reveals the
cause of the fault and its severity and necessary repairs are undertaken.
9- What Protection Systems Must Have?
- Reliability – work every time – good design and maintenance
- Selectivity – must only isolate the faulted equipment; leave as much of the healthy
system connected
- Sensitivity - must detect faults, not open a healthy system e.g. operate on the
minimum current possible
- Stability - must remain operating under normal transient overload conditions e.g.
transformer inrush current
- Speed - must operate as quickly as possible.
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10- Overload and Short-Circuit Protection
- O/L and S/C are two separate functions – may need separate devices to adequately
address both needs.
- A S/C is a fault, an O/L is not a fault, rather excess current being drawn
- Power system protection schemes are for short-circuits in the network conductors and
plant – do not provide O/L protection for the customers’ equipment
- Care needed! Some overloads are transient and quite normal – e.g. starting current for
induction motors, magnetizing inrush for transformers.
Normal rules of thumb are:
- Direct Over Load Current (DOL) starting current for induction motors equals
5 to 6 times normal full-load current, for up to 15 seconds
- Magnetizing inrush for transformers up to 12 × normal FL current for 0.01 sec
and 6 × FL current for 0.1 second.
11- System Protection and Personal Safety
- Power system protection schemes are designed to detect ands clear faults on the
system – and by doing so minimize risk of fires, explosions, etc.
- Power system protection schemes will not prevent electrocution or burns due to
inadvertent contact between persons and live wires. System insulation, earthing
design and physical barriers will do this.
12- What Power System Protection Does ...
- Detect & isolate faulty equipment as quickly as possible
- Minimise extent of damage to the faulty equipment
- Minimise effect of the fault on the rest of the system
- Minimise disruption to supply
- Minimise danger to life
It Does Not …
- Protect customers load equipment and apparatus (customer has to do that)
- Protect against overload (thermal) (additional protection systems needed for that)
- Provide operator and public safety (system design provides this).
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13- Power system protection components
Protection systems usually comprise five components:
Current and voltage transformers to step down the high voltages and currents of the
electrical power system to convenient levels for the relays to deal with
Protective relays to sense the fault and initiate a trip, or disconnection. Fuses are
capable of both sensing and disconnecting faults.
Circuit breakers to open/close the system based on relay and autorecloser commands;
Batteries to provide power in case of power disconnection in the system.
Communication channels to allow analysis of current and voltage at remote terminals
of a line and to allow remote tripping of equipment.
14- Power system protection scheme
The basic element in Over-current protection is an Over-current relay.
The Over-current relays are connected to the system Figure 1.9, normally by means of CT’s
(Current Transformers).
Figure 1.9: Current Transformer – Circuit Breaker Connection
Note: Protective line called also feeder means a connecting link between two circuits. Feeder
can be in the form of overhead transmission lines or cables.
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Operation: (detailed operation is coming in the next lecture)
Actually circuit breaker isolates the faulty system from rest of the healthy system and this
circuit breakers automatically open during fault condition due to its trip signal comes from
protection relay. The main philosophy about protection is that no protection of power system
can prevent the flow of fault current through the system, it only can prevent the continuation
of flowing of fault current by quickly disconnect the short circuit path from the system. For
satisfying this quick disconnection the protection relays should have following functional
requirements.
In the picture the basic connection of protection relay has been shown. It is quite simple. The
secondary of current transformer is connected to the current coil of relay. Whenever any
fault occurs in the feeder circuit, proportionate secondary current of the CT will flow
through the current coil of the relay due to which mmf of that coil is increased. This
increased mmf is sufficient to mechanically close the normally open contact of the relay.
This relay contact actually closes and completes the DC trip coil circuit and hence the trip
coil is energized. The mmf of the trip coil initiates the mechanical movement of the tripping
mechanism of the circuit breaker and ultimately the circuit breaker is tripped to isolate the
fault.
15: Protection System Devices
Very High Voltage CT Medium-Voltage CT
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High Voltage VT Medium voltage VT
Circuit Breaker Cutout fuse
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Protective Relays in Substation DC Supply System in Substation
Microprocessor based relay
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