AUXILIARY POWER SUPPLY PROTECTIONS

Presentation Overview

 Auxiliary Power Supply Systems

 What are Faults
 Fault Calculations
 Protection System Design
 Standard Protection Schemes in NTPC
 Motor Protections
 Feeder Protections
 Transformer Protections
 Numerical Relays
 Numerical relay Networking
 Demo
Auxiliary Power Supply System

 Failure of Auxiliaries can cause Outage of Power

Plant
 Auxiliaries need Reliable Power Supply
 System designed to cater to this need
 Loads segregated on the basis of
 Rating (to decide Voltage)

 Location (to decide the Feeding Point)

 Change-over schemes & Alternate Power Supply

arrangement to ensure Reliability
Elements of Aux. Power System

 More than 95% of the auxiliaries are driven by

Motors
 Different Voltage levels are interconnected
through Transformers
 Miscellaneous Elements
 Incomers

 Ties

 Diesel Generators
 Power Plant Auxiliaries

 Important Links that form the Structure of the

Power Generating System
 Amount to Consumption of about 8 – 9% of
Total Generated Power
 Ratings range from a few watts to few mega
watts
 Located over a large area
 Work under varied Operating Conditions
TYPICAL PLANT SLD
Fault in Electrical System
 Electrical Equipment are prone to Fault
 Fault is ‘Flow of Excessive Current in a Circuit or
Equipment’
 Fault caused by various factors
 Failure of Insulation

 Inadvertent connection between points at different

voltage levels
 Overload

 Equipment / Circuit components / System Stability affected

by Fault
What is Protection ?

 Remove Electric Power from the Faulty

Equipment / Circuit
 Minimize the Damage of Faulty Equipment
 Healthy Equipment shall not be Disturbed
 Protect the Equipment from Continuous
Overload
 Maintain the System Stability
Essential Qualities of Protection System

 Reliability – Operate when Required

 Selectivity – Isolate only the Faulty Part
 Sensitivity – Accurately Observe
Parameters
 Speed – Act Fast to Minimize Damage
 Economy – Strike the Right Balance
 Fault Calculations

FAULT CALCULATION SIMULATION TOOL

Key Aspects Of Protection System Design

Zone Overlapping
Co-Ordination
Primary, Supplementary
& Back up Relays
Single failure criterion
Key aspects of protection system design

Zone Overlapping
Protection zones are the regions of primary sensitivity
Zones are decided by the CT locations
Proper overlapping of zones for the primary protections to avoid
blind zones.

Coordination
Determination of graded settings of Time and Current to achieve
selectivity
Key aspects of protection system design

Primary Relays
Relays with in a particular zone that should operate
for prescribed abnormalities with in that zone
Back up Relays
Relays outside a given primary protection zone,
independently of the primary Relays.
 Key Aspects of Protection System Design

The following inputs are required for selection of

Protection Philosophy and Relay parameterization

Type of the feeder (Incomer / Tie / Bus-coupler / Motor /

Transformer)
System fault level, System Parameters, Earthing philosophy and
Rating of the feeder
Details like % impedance of Transformer, Starting current, Starting
time & Starting / Hot Withstand characteristics of Motor
Protection CT Details
 Chronology Of Relay Technology Development

TECHNOLOGY FEATURES

ELECTRO  Galvanic isolation in simple cheap and reliable method

MECHANICAL  Resistant to mechanical shocks.

 High burden on CTs

 Operating characteristics at times affected by aging of

elements.
 Space requirement is substantial.

 Technology is now obsolete. Availability of spares is an

issue.

STATIC  User programming to the extend of adjusting relay

characteristics.
 Device became compact.

 Wear and tear was avoided due to absence of moving

parts.
 Burden on CT/VT reduced to a certain extend.

 Very susceptible to electrical interferences, requiring

effective shielding.
Chronology Of Relay Technology Development

TECHNOLOGY FEATURES

DIGITAL More accurate relay characteristics.

Wider range of settings.
Communication is possible.
Time of operation is increased if the sampling frequency is
inadequate.
Functions limited to only protection functions / only one in a
hardware system.

Latest in the family : NUMERICAL RELAYS

MOTOR PROTECTIONS
 AC Motors

 Almost ALL motors used in Power Plant are

Three Phase Squirrel Cage Induction Motors
 Motors Drive a variety of Equipment, viz.,
Pumps, Fans, Pulverizers, Blowers, Compressors,
Conveyors
 Characteristics of Motors depend on the Driven
Equipment’s characteristics
 AC Motors

 Voltage level of motors selected according to kW rating

 <= 200kW - LT (415V)
 > 200kW & <= 1500kW - HT (3.3kV)
 > 1500kW - HT (11kV)
 Type of Control selected according to duty
 LT Motors – Breaker control for ratings >110kW
 LT Motors – Contactor control for all duties
 HT Motors – Contactor control for frequent Start-Stops
 HT Motors – Breaker control for Other duties
Motor Faults

 Electrical Faults
 Short-circuit

 Winding Faults (Phase-Phase, Inter-turn)

 Earth Fault

 Dangerous Operating Conditions

 Overload (Continuous & Cyclic)

 Stalling

 Single-Phasing
 Switching Over-voltage
 Under-voltage
Numerical Relay Protection of Motors < 2000kW

 Thermal Overload Protection (49): This is the most basic

protection applied for all motors. Since majority of winding failures
are either indirectly or directly caused by overloading, this
protection serves as the first line of defense against winding
failure. The characteristics of this protection shall be chosen to
closely match the thermal withstand characteristics of the
protected motor.
 High set Over current Protection (50): This protection is applied to
protect the motor against phase faults occurring at the motor
terminals, such as terminal flashovers. This is an instantaneous
protection.
 Low set Over current Protection (51): This is used as a backup to
the High set Over current Protection, set to operate with a time
delay.
Numerical Relay Protection < 2000 KW

 Earth Fault Protection (50N): This protection is employed in all motor

feeders as the most common winding fault that can occur in a motor is an
earth fault, caused by breakdown in the winding insulation. This protection
may be applied in the residual circuit of Phase Current Transformers or with
a separate Core Balance Current Transformer.
 Stalling Protection (50LR): This protection is used to disconnect the motor
from supply in case it stalls when running or is unable to start because of
excessive load. Contact of Motor Speed Switch is generally used to
activate / deactivate this protection to avoid unwanted tripping of the
motor.
 Current Unbalance or Negative Phase Sequence Protection (46): Current
unbalance occurs in motors due to various reasons like supply voltage
unbalance, single phasing, phase reversal, etc. Current unbalance creates
Negative sequence currents which make the motor windings overheated,
thereby reducing the insulation life.
Numerical Relay Protection > 2000kW

In addition to those protections described above, Motor Differential

Protection (87M) is employed for protection of large motors against
internal winding faults. The protection is of High Impedance type
and Instantaneous.

49, 50,
51, 50N,
49, 50, 50LR, 46,
51, 50N, 87M
50LR, 46
M

M
 HT Motor Protection
(Vacuum Contactor Controlled Motors)

 Single-Phasing
 Essential as Back-up Fuses are used
 Over-Voltage
 Surge Arresters between Each Phase and Earth
 Under-voltage
 From Bus U/V Relay (Essential for Mechanically Latched
Contactors)
 LT Motor Protection
(Breaker Controlled Motors)

 Short-circuit
 Instantaneous Over-current Protection
 Instantaneous Earth Fault Protection in Residual
Circuit
 Overload Similar to HT Motors
 Under-voltage
 From Bus U/V
 LT Motor Protection
(Contactor Controlled Motors)

 Short-circuit & Earth Fault

 Back-up Fuse
 Since LT System is Solidly Grounded, Earth Fault Current
is Equal in Magnitude to the Short-circuit Current
 Overload
 Bimetal (Thermal) Overload Relays
 Single-Phasing
 BMR with In-built Single-Phasing Preventer available
TRANSFORMER PROTECTIONS
 Power Transformers

 Connect Systems of Different Voltage Levels

 Located near the Load Centres
 Supply Power to Switchboards which is Distributed to the
Loads
 Ratings from few hundred kVAs to several MVAs
 Power Transformer Faults

 Electrical Faults
 Phase to Phase Fault
 Inter-turn Fault
 Core Fault
 Earth Fault
 Externally applied Conditions
 Overload
 Over-voltage
 Power Transformer Protection

 Electrical Protection
 Differential
 Earth Fault
 Over-current

 Mechanical Protection
 Temperature (Oil & Winding)
 Pressure Relief Device
 Buchholz Relay
 Transformer Differential Protection

 Works on Circulating Current Principle

 Most Efficient Protection against Electrical Faults
 Applied for Transformers Rated ≥ 5MVA
 Interposing Current Transformers – To compensate for
Mismatch of Line CTs (Not Req For Numerical relays)
 Stability from Magnetic Inrush Current – Harmonic
Restraint
 Transformer Over-current Protection

 Instantaneous O/C
 For Short-circuit & Winding Fault Protection of
Transformers Rated < 5MVA

 Definite Time Delayed O/C

 On Transformers of All Ratings
 Back-up to Differential / Instantaneous O/C
 Transformer Earth Fault Protection

 On HV Side
 Instantaneous E/F Relay on Residual Circuit
 Sensitive E/F Scheme (with CBCT) for Transformer Feeders
with CT Ratio ≥ 50/1A
 On LV Side
 Restricted E/F (REF) Protection on All Transformers – With
Neutral & LV Side CTs
 Back-up E/F (Time delayed) Protection for Large Transformers
With Neutral CT
REF Protection

 Works on Circulating Current Principle

 Excellent Protection for E/F within the
Protected Zone
 Three Phase CTs & One Neutral CT
connected to a High Impedance Relay
 Stabilizing Resistor – To Ensure Stability
on Faults Outside the Zone
 Relays Calibrated on Voltage due to Fault
work without Stabilizing Resistors
 Can be Combined with Differential
Protection to save One Set of CTs
 Mechanical Protection

 Winding Temperature – Alarm & Trip

 Oil Temperature – Alarm & Trip
 Buchholz Relay
 Reliable Protective Device for Transformers with
Conservator
 Incipient Faults – Alarm
 Severe Winding Faults – Trip
 Oil Pressure Relief Device
 TRANSFORMER PROTECTION IN NUMERICAL RELAYS

 Protection of Small Transformers (Less than 5MVA) :

 High set Over current Protection (50): Used to protect the feeder from
heavy fault currents as in the case of Short Circuit condition. No
intentional time delay is provided in this protection.
 Low set Over Current Protection (51): Used to protect the transformer
from over currents in Primary and Secondary side. This is generally used
as a back-up protection for High set Over current Protection. This is a
time-delayed protection and the time delay characteristics shall be selected
based on the system design philosophy. Definite time delay or Normally
Inverse IDMT characteristics may be used for this protection.
 Earth Fault Protection (50N): Used to protect the feeder in case of Earth
Faults. This protection can be achieved by either having the earth fault
element connected to the Residual circuit of the Phase Current
Transformers, or, by providing a Core Balance Current Transformer
(CBCT) on the outgoing cable.
TRANSFORMER PROTECTION IN NUMERICAL RELAYS

 Thermal Overload Protection (49): This protection is used for

protecting the transformer from sustained overload conditions of
magnitude above the tolerance limits but below the pick-up level of
the Overcurrent relay.
 Current Unbalance Protection (46): This protection is used in
case heavy unbalances in phase currents are expected to occur in
the system. This protection works by monitoring the Negative
sequence currents of the feeder, the increase of which signifies
current unbalance.
 Restricted Earth Fault Protection (64R): This protection is
normally provided to protect the transformer in case of earth faults
occurring in the region between transformer secondary winding &
LV switchgear incomer. This is provided for transformers having
Star-connected windings.
 Source Bus Source Bus

Source CB Source CB
P ha s e & Ea rth P has e & Earth
F a ult C Ts F ault C Ts

50, 51, 50N,

C Ts fo r Diffe rentia l
P ro tec tio n
49, 46, 64R,
50, 51, 50N,
87T
49, 46, 64R

P ro tected
Trans fo rm er Neutral C T fo r
P ro te c te d REF P ro te ctio n
Tra ns fo rm e r Ne utra l C T fo r
R EF P ro te c tio n

CTs fo r Differential
P ro tectio n
P ha s e C Ts fo r P has e CTs fo r
R EF P ro te c tio n R EF P ro tec tio n
Load CB Load CB
Load Bus Load Bus
 Protection of Large Transformers (5MVA and above)

 The Load being handled & the criticality of these transformers are far greater
than the previous ones and the protections employed for these transformers
are more sophisticated.
 In addition to those protections mentioned above, the following protections are
provided for these transformers.
 Transformer Differential Protection (87T): This protection covers the
entire transformer circuit from HV outgoing cable to the incoming terminals of
LV circuit breaker. Low impedance, biased differential protection is used for
these transformers.
 Backup or Standby Earth Fault Protection (51N): This protection is
provided for transformers with Neutral grounded through impedance as a
backup to REF protection. This is generally provided with a definite time delay.
 Other Protections: Other protections like over-fluxing protection, under-
voltage protection, over-voltage protection, I2t protection, etc. are employed
for transformers as per special system requirements, if any.
 Incomers

 Convey Power from Transformers to Switchboards

 Protection Scheme
 Over-current
 Instantaneous O/C Relay

 Earth Fault
 Instantaneous E/F Relay in Residual Circuit
 Tie Feeders

 Connect Two Switchboards of Same Voltage Level

 Provided to Enhance Reliability
 Can work both as Incomer & Outgoing according to
Operational Philosophy
 Protection Scheme Similar to Incomer
Coordination between Incomers, Ties & Outgoings (HT)

Reverse-Blocking

 Tripping of the Incomer should be Blocked by the Outgoings

 Time Gradation between the Two Ends of Ties
 Take care whether a Tie Feeder works as Incomer or Outgoing
Relay Setting
Incomer from Transformer, Tie Feeder, Bus-coupler

Short Circuit Protection: The Current setting for this relay shall be
kept at Three (3) times the Transformer Full Load Current
i.e., Relay Setting =
Maximum Earth Fault Current
 0.5
CT Ratio
Note: (i)The setting shall be checked for stability under starting of largest
be checked for stability under
motor on the corresponding board.
Earth Fault Protection: The Current setting shall be kept at 50% of the
Maximum Earth fault current
i.e., Relay Setting =

Trans. kVA
3
3  Secondary kV  CT Ratio
Relay Setting

Transformer feeder (Rating < 5MVA)

 Short Circuit Protection: The Current setting shall be arrived at

based on the Fault current on Transformer Primary
 i.e., Relay Setting = Trans. kVA
3  Primary kV  % Impedance  CT Ratio

Notes: (i) Negative Tolerance shall be considered for % Impedance

(ii) The setting shall be checked for stability under Magnetic Inrush,
which is typically 12 times the Transformer Full Load Current.

 Definite Time delayed Over current Protection: The Current setting shall be kept at Three
(3) times the Transformer Full Load Current. The time delay shall be typically kept at 0.3s.
 Earth fault Protection: The Current setting is done at 10% of the CBCT Secondary current.
 REF Protection: The Current setting is done at 10% of the CBCT Secondary current.
Relay Setting
Transformer feeder (Rating < 5MVA)

 Differential Protection: Minimum available setting shall be

adopted for this protection
 Definite Time delayed Over current Protection: The setting
shall be done as explained above
 Earth fault Protection The setting shall be done as above
 REF Protection The setting shall be done as explained
above
 Standby Earth Fault Protection: The Current setting shall be
kept at 50% of the Maximum Earth fault current
Maximum Earth Fault Current
i.e., Relay Setting = CT Ratio
 0.5
Relay Setting
Motor Feeder
Short Circuit Protection: The Current setting shall be arrived at based on the
Starting Current of the motor. This setting shall be kept well above the starting
current to avoid spurious tripping during motor starting condition. Typically, this
relay is set at 10 times the Full Load Current of the motor
Overload Protection: IDMT Characteristics are being used for this protection.
Hence, the motor starting & hot withstand characteristics shall be superimposed
on the relay IDMT characteristics. The Current setting shall be kept at 120% of
the motor Full Load Current, the time setting shall be selected as per the relay
characteristic curve falling in between the motor starting characteristics & motor
hot withstand characteristics.
Earth fault Protection: The Current setting is done at 10 - 12% of the CBCT
Secondary current
Overload Alarm: The Current setting shall be kept at 105% of the motor Full Load
Current, the time setting shall be kept at 3s more than the motor starting time with
driven equipment coupled.
Locked Rotor Protection: The current setting shall be kept at 3 times the motor Full
Load Current. This protection is used only if the motor is provided with Speed Switch.
Otherwise this protection is disabled
Differential Protection:
Minimum available setting shall be adopted for
this protection For Motors above 2MW
Relay Setting

Incomer from Transformer, Tie Feeder, Bus-coupler of LV System

 Definite Time delayed Over current Protection: The Current setting

shall be kept at 250% the Transformer Full Load Current
 For Incomers without other than from transformers, the setting shall
be 250% of the total load on the board.
 For tie feeders, the current setting at source end shall be the same
as that at the load end.
 For bus-couplers, the current setting shall be kept at times the
Incomer setting. The time delay shall be decided based on the
coordination between different breakers.

Note: The setting shall be checked for stability under starting of largest
motor on the corresponding board
Relay Setting With Numerical Relays
COMMUNICABLE NUMERICAL
RELAYS
Diesel Generator

 Used for Emergency Power Supply

 Three-Phase Three-Wire System
 Protection Scheme
 Differential
 Voltage Controlled Over-current (Backup)
 Reverse Power
 Overload Alarm (on One Phase)
 Earth Fault Alarm