19

Shunt and Series Reactor Protection

When selecting protective relaying schemes for series and shunt reactors, it
is important to recognize the potential impact of a failure. If the reactor is
an oil-filled unit, there is the possibility of tank rupture with an oil spill and
fire that spreads to the surrounding area. If the reactor is an air-core unit,
the impact of a reactor failure would be an arc flash similar to a line fault.
Shunt reactors are used to control VAR loading. Series reactors are used
to reduce short-circuit current by increasing impedance or to control
power flow by changing transmission-line impedance.
Differential relays are used to detect failures quickly and to initiate iso-
lation of failed oil-filled reactors and air-core shunt reactors. Tank sudden
pressure relays may be used to provide an alternate means of detecting
failures. Overcurrent or impedance relays can be used to provide backup
protection. Air-core series reactors are usually considered to be in the
zone of protection provided for the associated transmission line, distribu-
tion line, or transformer.
A one-line diagram for a shunt reactor tapped off a transmission line is
illustrated in Figure 19.1. When protective relays operate, tripping of the
reactor circuit breaker would be initiated. If the switching device is a cir-
cuit switcher rather than a circuit breaker, a circuit switcher block tripping
scheme may be required. Separate zones of protection are established for
the shunt reactor and for the transmission line. CT connections for one set
of line relays, one set of differential relays, and backup overcurrent relays
for a shunt reactor are shown in Figure 19.2.
A typical shunt reactor would be a three-phase, 100-MVA, 345-KV reac-
tor that has an impedance of j1190 ohms per phase and rated current of
167 amps. Since shunt reactor current is proportional to system voltage,
maximum shunt reactor current should be less than 110% of rated as sys-
tem voltage should not exceed 110% of rated voltage.
A one-line diagram for a switchable, oil-filled series reactor (used to
change apparent line impedance) of a transmission line is illustrated in
Figure 19.3. The bypass switch—a circuit switcher or a circuit breaker—
functions as a switching device; that is, the bypass switch is not opened by
protective relays. The zone of protection for the transmission line includes
the series reactor. Reactor differential relaying is provided to detect faults
within the reactor tank. When the reactor differential relay operates, trip-
ping of the associated line circuit breakers at Bus 1 and Bus 2 would be ini-
tiated. In series reactor applications, switchable protective relay settings

307
© 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
308 Protective Relay Principles

Line CB Line CB
Bus 1 Bus 2

Reactor CB

Shunt Reactor

Figure 19.1
Shunt reactor tapped off transmission line.

Bus 1 Bus 2
Reactor Overcurrent Relay

Line Relay

Reactor
Differential
Line Relay Relay

Figure 19.2
CT connections for shunt reactor tapped off transmission line.

Bus 1 Bus 2
Bypass CB

Switchable Series Reactor (disconnect switches for bypass CB and reactor

disconnect switches not shown)

Figure 19.3
Switchable, series reactor installation.

(or switchable protective relays) are required if phase distance relays are
used for line protection. Otherwise, it may not be possible to develop prac-
tical Zone-1 and Zone-2 relay settings.
Bypass circuit-breaker position disagreement protection should be
considered if failure of one bypass circuit breaker (to open) can result in
transmission-line failure. Consider, for example, four parallel transmis-
sion lines equipped with switchable series reactors. If the self impedance
of each transmission line is 10 ohms and the impedance of each series

© 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Shunt and Series Reactor Protection 309

reactor is 10 ohms, each line would carry 25% (1/4) of the total current
when all reactors are in or out of service. If, however, three series reactors
are in service and the bypass circuit breaker for the fourth series reactor
fails to open, the three lines with series reactors in service would each
carry 20% and the fourth line with the series reactor bypassed would
carry 40% of total current.
Pole disagreement protection should be considered for each bypass cir-
cuit breaker if failure of one pole (to open) can result in transmission-line
failure. The difference between bypass circuit-breaker position disagree-
ment protection and pole disagreement protection is that pole dis­
agreement checks current flow through the three phases of each bypass
circuit breaker whereas circuit-breaker position disagreement checks cur-
rent flow through parallel transmission lines.
CT connections for one set of line relays and one set of differential relays
for a switchable, oil-filled series reactor are shown in Figure 19.4.
A typical switchable, oil-filled series reactor would be a three-phase,
345-KV reactor that has an impedance of j35 ohms per phase and rated
current of 2000 amps. Since series reactor current is affected by transmis-
sion-line impedance and parallel paths, maximum reactor current should
be calculated using load flow methodology. Generally if the impedance
of a series reactor is less than one-half of the transmission-line reactance,
the maximum series reactor current can approach maximum, short-time
transmission-line current (that is, maximum transmission line current
when the series reactor is bypassed). If, however, the impedance of a series

CB Pole CB Position
Disagreement Disagreement
Protection Protection
Bus 1 Bus 2

Line Relays Line Relays

with with
Switchable Switchable
Settings Settings

Reactor
Differential Relay

Bypass CB Bypass CB
Open/Close Open/Close
Position Position
Input Input

Figure 19.4
CT connections for switchable series reactor.

© 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

310 Protective Relay Principles

4
Operate Current

Operate Region

1
Restraint Region

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Restraint Current
Minimum Operate Current = 0.25 Amps
Series Order
20% Restraint 15% Restraint 10% Restraint

Figure 19.5
Reactor differential relay operate-restrain characteristic.

reactor approaches or exceeds the transmission-line reactance, the maxi-

mum series reactor current may be less than the continuous rating of the
transmission line.
Figure 19.5 shows an operate-restraint characteristic for a differential
relay with variable percentage restraint.
When setting reactor protective relays, major items to consider include

1. Application—series reactor or shunt reactor

2. MVA rating of the reactor
3. Current rating of windings
4. Current rating of associated components (series reactors)
5. CT ratios, connections, and secondary voltage characteristics
6. Reactor impedance
7. Overload capability (series reactors)
8. Maximum available short-circuit current

© 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Shunt and Series Reactor Protection 311

CT secondary voltage capability must be sufficient to ensure that CTs do

not saturate for fault conditions. For series reactors, 2000/5 or similar, CTs
are required as reactor current capability will be matched transmission-
line capability and CT saturation should not be an issue. For shunt reac-
tors, 200/5 or similar, CTs may appear to be sufficient as reactor current
may be a few hundred amps. When low CT ratios are used at locations
with very high bolted fault current (>50,000 amps), the possibility of CT
saturation needs to be considered. The simplest solution is to utilize time
and instantaneous backup overcurrent relays, connected to higher ratio
CTs (2000/5, or similar), to supplement the reactor differential.

Example 19.1

Determine CT ratios and protective relay settings for a switchable series reactor
with the following parameters:

• Three phase
• 230-KV reactor
• Z = j12 ohms per phase
• Rated current = 2000 amps
• Short time current = 2400 amps

The associated transmission lines have a summer short-time rating of 1800

amps and a winter short-time rating of 2400 amps. A section of the power sys-
tem is illustrated in Figure 19.6. Anticipated power flows across Lines 1, 2, and
3 are listed in Table 19.1. The self impedance of Line 1 is 2 + j24 ohms.
Assuming current transformers for the reactor differential are matched,
2000/5 CTs, the CTs should be set on the 2000/5-amp tap and the differential
relay should be set with 10% restraint. Minimum fault current to actuate the
differential would be 0.25 relay amps × 2000/5 = 100 amps.
Pole disagreement protection—Pole 1, Pole 2, and Pole 3 circuit-breaker
auxiliary switches are all open or all closed—should be provided.

Western Line 1
Eastern
Dispatch
Dispatch
Area
Area
Line 2

Line 3

Figure 19.6
One line diagram showing a series reactor installation.

© 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

312 Protective Relay Principles

Table 19.1
Load Flow Study Results
System Line 2, Line 2, Out of Service
Normal Out of Service Series Reactor Switched In
Line 1 1600 A 2100 A 1800 A
Line 2 1000 A 0
Line 3 1000 A 1500A 1800 A

Phase Distance Relay Settings Considerations

Line 1 impedance, series reactor bypassed: 2 + j24 ohms

Maximum Zone 1 = 21.6 ohms (90% of line impedance)

Line 1 impedance, series reactor in service: 2 + j36 ohms

Minimum Zone 2 = 45 ohms (125% of line and reactor impedance)

Since maximum Zone 1 is less than one-half of minimum Zone 2, protective

relays with switchable settings should be applied.

Example 19.2

Determine CT ratios and protective relay settings for a shunt reactor with the
following parameters:

• Three phase
• 230-KV reactor
• 50 MVA
• Z = j1050 ohms per phase
• Rated current = 126 amps

The associated transmission line has a summer short-time rating of 1800 amps
and a winter short-time rating of 2400 amps. A section of the power system is
illustrated in Figure 19.7.
Assuming current transformers for the reactor differential are matched, 2000/5 CTs,
the CTs should be set on the 300/5-amp tap and the differential relay should be set with
10% restraint. Minimum fault current to actuate the differential would be 0.25 relay
amps × 300/5 = 15 amps.
Assuming current transformers for the backup relays are 2000/5 CTs, the CTs should
be set on the 2000/5-amp tap. The time overcurrent relays should be set on the 0.5-amp
tap, 200 reactor amps, using #1 time dial. The instantaneous overcurrent relays should
be set on the 5.0-amp tap, 2000 reactor amps. (Minimum setting would be twice rated
current with 250% margin 2 × 126 amps × 250% = 630 amps.)

© 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Shunt and Series Reactor Protection 313

Line 1
Western Easter
Dispatch Dispatch
Area Area
Line 2

Line 3

Figure 19.7
One line diagram showing a shunt reactor installation.

© 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC