ELECTRICAL PROTECTION

DISTANCE PROTECTION

EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Selection of distance relay settings

Consider the simple network configuration shown in Figure Ex.1.1 with data given in Table Ex.1.1.

Figure Ex. 1.1. A Sample System for Distance Relaying Application

Table Ex. 5.1. Data needed for Calculation of Settings for a Distance Relay
Line Impedance
Data Line 1-2 Line 2-3
Line impedance 0.1 + j1.0 0.1 + j1.0
Maximum load 100 MVA 100 MVA
Line voltage 138 kV 138 kV
CT ratio (CTX) = 400/5 = 80
VT ratio produces a secondary voltage close to 69 V
Assume a load power-factor of 0.8 lagging.

Calculate

(a) The apparent impedance of the protected line.

(b) Relay zone settings for zones 1 and 2.
(c) Determine whether or not the relay will pick-up for a solid three-phase-to-ground fault half-way
along Line 1-2.

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Solutions:

The impedance seen by the relay under specific loading conditions is called the apparent
impedance of the protected line. This impedance is calculated using the voltages and currents
measured at the relaying point.

(a) Apparent impedance of the protected line:

CT sec. current:
Maximum load current (line),
Max. MVA 100  106
I Load-max.    cos 1 0.8    cos 1 0.8  418.4  36.9 A
3  V ph 3  138 10 3

CT ratio is 400/5 = 80, which produces 5 A in the secondary winding.

I 418.4  36.9
CT sec. current = Load-max   5.23  36.9 A
CTtx 80
VT ratio:
Primary phase voltage = (138 103 / 3)0  79.7 103 0 V
Let VT secondary voltage = 69.3 V (to avoid decimal points in the VT ratio)
Therefore VT ratio = 79.7  103 / 69.3  1150 /1  1150
Apparent impedance (at maximum load):
VT sec. voltage 69.30
ZLoad    13.2536.9  =10.6  j8.0 
CT sec. current 5.23  36.9

(b) Relay zone 1 and zone 2 settings:

CTX 80
Secondary line impedance seen by the relay: Zs  Z p  (0.1  j1.0)   0.07  j 0.7
VTX 1150
Selection of zone settings:
CTX
Zone 1: 80-90% of protected line. Take 80%, Zr-1 = 0.8  Zline  = 0.8(0.07+j0.7) = 0.056 + j0.56
VTX
CTX
Zone 2 : 120 - 150% of protected line. Take 120%, Zr-2 = 0.8  Zline  = 1.2(0.07 + j0.7) = 0.084 + j0.084
VTX
(c) With a solid three-phase-to-ground fault:

Vph (138 103 / 3)0

Fault current (line), Ifault    315,542  84.3 A
Z ph (0.1  j1.0) / 2
Fault current 'seen' on the secondary side of the CT:
I 315,542  84.3 A
Ifault-CT = fault   3944.3  84.3 A
CTtx 80
Apparent fault impedance:
VT sec. voltage 69.30
Zfault    0.01756976884.3  0.00174  j 0.0175
CT sec. fault current 3944.3  84.3
The zone 1 relay will pick-up since Zfault  Z r 1

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Exercise 2: Drawing Relay Settings

The setting of distance relays can be represented in diagrams as time against reach in ohms for the item of
equipment being protected. The reach clearly depends on the settings having been defined in accordance
with the methodology seen in our lessons on zones of distance protection. It should be noted that the
settings calculated using the equations are subject to two restrictions:
(i) Limitations for the particular relay, when the calculated value is excessively high and it is impossible to
set the relay.
(ii) Limitations for the load, when the value for the reach of zone 3 approaches the maximum load point too
closely.
When the first type of restriction applies, the reach is adjusted to the maximum available on the relay.

The following case study illustrates the procedure that should be followed to obtain the settings of a distance
relay. Determining the settings is a well-defined process, provided that the criteria are correctly applied, but
the actual implementation will vary, depending not only on each relay manufacturer but also on each type of
relay.
For the case study, consider a distance relay installed at substation No. 10 in the circuit to substation No. 11
in the system shown diagrammatically in Figure Ex. 2.1, which provides a schematic diagram of the
impedances as seen by the relay. The numbers against each busbar correspond to those used in the short-
circuit study, and shown in Figure Ex. 2.2. The CT and VT transformation ratios are 600/5 and 1000/1,
respectively. It is given that the Zone 3 element uses an Off-set Mho relay with a characteristic angle of 75⁰
and that the power transferred from bus 10 to bus 11 is S = 30.4 + j13.2 MVA.

Figure Ex. 2.1. Impedance diagram showing impedances seen by a relay on substation 11 at substation 10.

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 Figure Ex.2.2. Fault current distribution for the network of Figure Ex. 2.1 with a fault at bus 11.

(I) ZONE IMPEDANCE SETTINGS

Zone 1 (Setting: 80 – 90% of the protected line).

Set at 85% of line (10-11):

Z1 = 0.85Z10-11 = 0.85(7.21∠80.5°) = 6.13∠80.5° primary ohms

Zone 2 (Setting: 120 – 150% of the protected line, i.e. 100% of the protected line + 20 – 50 % of the
shortest adjacent line)
set at 150% = 100% of line (10-11) + 50% of line (11-9):

Z2 = Z10-11 + 0.5(1 + K1)Z11-9

In this case the in-feed constant is defined as:

for a fault at busbar 11.

From the short-circuit values in Figure Ex. 2.2

In making this calculation it should be noted that the values of current are referred to the receiving bus-bar.
This gives

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so that 1 + K1 = 4.38.

Therefore, the setting for zone 2 is

Z2 = 7.21∠80.50° + 0.5(4.38 × 0.712∠82.90°) = 7.21∠80.50° + 1.56∠82.90° = 1.19 + j 7.11 + 0.19 +j1.55 = 1.38
+ j8.66 = 8.77∠80.94° primary ohms

Zone 3 (Setting: The protected line plus 120 – 180% of the adjacent (or next) longest line (if more
than one)).
set to 125% of adjacent line = 100% of line (10-11) + 100% of line (11-17) + 25% of Tx impedance:

Z3 = Z10-11 + (1 + K2)Z11-17 + 0.25(1 + K3)Ztransformer

In this case, the in-feed constant K3 will be taken to be the same as K2 since under reach on that section is not
significant. This approach is common when determining Zone 3 settings. Moreover, the in-feed currents will
still be the same in this case.

For a fault on busbar 11, the in-feed constant is defined as

Thus:
2232.8  90.08  1333.8  85.54  5364.6  85.88  449.9  86.34
K2 
2112.6  85.55
i.e.

so that 1 + K2 = 5.44∠ - 1.10°

Therefore the setting for zone 3 is Z3 = 7.21∠80.50° + (5.44∠ - 1.10° × 8.07∠68.71°)

  + (5.44∠ - 1.10° x 11.95∠90°) = 114.32∠80.35°
The relay settings, in primary ohms, are as follows:
Z1 = 6.13∠80.5°
Z2 = 8.77∠80.94°
Z3 = 114.32∠80.35°
600
CTtx 5  120  0.12
The secondary ohms are calculated using the following expression: Z R  Z prim 
VTtx 1000 1000
1
Therefore, Z1 = 0.736⁄80.5⁰ Ω, Z2 = 1.052⁄80.94⁰ Ω, and Z3 = 13.72 ⁄80.35⁰ Ω.

(II) TIME SETTINGS:

Time delay for zone 2 = 0.5 s
Time delay for zone 3 = 1.0 s

(III) LOAD CHECK

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This check is made to ensure that the maximum load impedance will never be inside the outermost
characteristic, which is normally Zone 3. To fulfill this, the distance between the characteristic of Zone 3 (Z X)
and the maximum load point (ZC) should be at least 25 percent of the distance between the origin and the
maximum load point (OZC)for single circuit lines, and 50 percent for double circuit lines.

Off-set Mho Relays

Typically the mho relay operating characteristic for

Zone 3 has a displacement (off-set) of 10 percent of
the setting value, as illustrated in Figure Ex. 2.3.
The maximum load point is defined as

In the diagram, Za and φ are the setting and the

characteristic angle of the relay, respectively.
From Figure Ex. 2.3.
Figure Ex. 2.3: Check of maximum load for mho relay
 

Applying the sine theory (Law of sines: a/sin(A) = b/sin(B) = c/sin(C))

from which

From the previous expression the value of α can be obtained. Also, from Figure Ex. 2.3, α = 180° - β - (φ - 30°)
and
 

Therefore: Zx = 0.55Za sinα/sin(φ - 30°)

For all cases, it is possible to calculate the reach of the relay in the direction of the load by applying the last
equation above. The check involves verifying that

where P = 0.5 for double circuit lines, and 0.25 for single circuit lines, as mentioned earlier.

The setting of the unit that determines the longest operating characteristic of the relay should be checked to
make sure that it does not overlap the load zone.

The reach of the relay in the direction of the load is determined as follows:
sinβ = 0.818 sin(φ - 30°), where the relay setting φ = 75°; sinβ = 0.818 sin(45°); i.e.
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β = 35.34°
α = 180° - β - (φ - 30°)
giving α = 99.66° so that the reach will be:

Given that the power transferred from bus No. 10 to bus No. 11 is S = 30.4 + j13.2 MVA = 33.14 MVA, then

and hence

The distance to the load point, expressed as a percentage, is

Therefore, it is concluded that the setting is appropriate and does not require adjusting in reach as a result of
the load.

Figure Ex. 2.4: Reach of distance protection relays for Exercise 2.