Introduction to Power System Protection

Contents :

• Power system structure

• Function of protection system

 Power system structure

Generation Loads

Power system
 Power system protection

What do we want to protect ?

• Power system consists of many electrical components

➢ Electric generators ➢ Transformers

➢ Substations ➢ Motors
➢ Transmission lines ➢ Cables
➢ Busbars

• No part of the power system is left unprotected

 Power system protection

❑ Branch of electrical power engineering that deal with the protection of

electrical power system components against abnormal conditions

Abnormal conditions

• Electrical faults
(short circuits )
 Power system protection

❑ Branch of electrical power engineering that deal with the protection of

electrical power system components against abnormal conditions

Abnormal conditions
• Over and under voltage
• Over and under frequency
• Overloads
• The reversal of power flow
• Loss of synchronization in generators
Power system protection

Function of protection system

Disconnect the
Prevent or limit faulted part only
damage during (healthy part of the
faults or overloads system should be
unaffected)
Power system protection

Should be disconnected
by the protection system
 Protection System Elements

• Current Transformer (CT)

• Voltage Transformer (VT or PT)
• Protective Relay
• Circuit Breaker
• Batteries
 Current Transformer

❑ It is used to reduce the high currents to lower values suitable for monitoring,
control and measurements to be used by the protection system
 Voltage Transformer

❑ It is used to reduce the high voltages to lower values suitable for monitoring,
control and measurements to be used by the protection system
Ct & VT connections :
 Protective Relay

• It is a smart logic element which is designed to trip circuit breaker when

the fault is detected

• Inputs to relay are :

➢ Current from CT
➢ Voltage from VT
 Protective Relay

• It is a smart logic element which is designed to trip circuit breaker when

the fault is detected

Current from CT
Protective Trip signal to C.B
Voltage from VT Relay

Relay settings
 Circuit Breaker

• It is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to interrupt the

circuit in case of faults to protect power system from damage

• It has to handle high voltages and currents

• It opens on relay command

 Circuit Breaker

• It is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to interrupt the

circuit in case of faults to protect power system from damage

C.B opens

Normal condition Fault condition

 Terms in Protective Systems

• Pick up Value

• Fault clearing time

• Relay time

• Breaker time
 Pick-up Value

• Pick up value or level is the value of operating quantity which is threshold,

above which the relay operates and gives signal to C.B to interrupt the circuit

Normal operation Abnormal operation

• Normally the relay setting corresponds to pick-up value

 Fault Clearing Time

• Time elapsed between the instance of occurrence of fault and instant

of final arc extinction in circuit breaker

• It is expressed in milliseconds or cycles

For 50 Hz system :

One cycle 1/50 seconds = 20 ms

 Relay time

• Time interval between the instant of fault occurring and closure of

relay contacts

Breaker time

• Time interval between the closure of relay contacts and final arc
extinction of the circuit breaker
Fault occurs

Relay closes its contacts C.B opens its contacts Fault is cleared

Relay time Breaker time

Fault Clearing Time

 Trip circuit connection
• It is the circuit which controls the circuit breaker for opening operation in case
of faults
 Trip circuit connection
❑ Operation :

➢ In case of fault or overload :

• When the current in the main line exceeds a

certain value, the current in the relay coil
increases

• The relay contacts close the tripping circuit

• Tripping coil opens the contacts of the circuit

breaker which opens the circuit
 Primary and Backup Protection

• Primary Protection

• Backup Protection

• Reasons for Failure of Primary Protection

• Methods of Backup Protection

 Primary Protection
▪ The main protection or primary protection is the first line protection which provides
essential protection for the electrical equipment

Backup Protection
▪ The backup protection provides the back up to the main protection whenever it fails
in operation or its cut out for repairs

▪ The backup protection is the second line of defense which isolates the faulty section
of the system in case the main protection fails to function properly
Reasons for Failure of Primary Protection

➢ Failure in circuit breaker

➢ Failure in protective relay

➢ Failure in tripping circuit

➢ Loss of voltage or current supply to the relay

➢ lose contact or insufficient contact to reach the trip circuit.

Methods of Back up Protection

1. Relay backup

2. Breaker backup

3. Remote backup

4. Back up protection by time grading

5. Back up protection by duplication principle

1. Relay Backup
▪ Same circuit breaker is used by both main and back-up protection, but
protective systems are different

▪ Separate trip coils may be provided for the same-breaker

2. Breaker Backup
▪ Different breakers are provided for main and back up protection, both
the breakers are being in the same station.

3. Remote Backup
▪ Main & back up protection provided at different stations and are
completely independent.
 4. Backup Protection By Time Grading

❑ Coordination time : 0.3 – 0.5 seconds

▪ Disadvantages:
1. Larger isolated area
2. Only 5 sections can be provided ( 2, 1.6 , 1.2 , 0.8 , 0.4 ) seconds
3. Time of breaker increases near the generator while the S.C is higher
 5. Backup by duplication principle

• All equipment used in protection are duplicated

• Both primary and backup protections are provided at the same station and operate at the
same speed

• Used for protection of EHV lines , Large transformers , Large generators

• Such protection is costly

▪ Advantages:
1. Fast fault clearing time (Almost instantaneous)
2. Improve stability of the system
3. Complete reliability