Protection Of Tuned Capacitor Banks

Felix Nepveux Senior Member, IEEE Jacobs Engineering P.O. Box 5456 Greenville, SC 29607 USA
Abstract - The purpose of this paper is to describe several different methods of protection of tuned capacitor banks, and how the relay protection settings for each are determined. Problems with the different schemes are described, and a new protective scheme is proposed. Index Terms - Capacitor, reactor, tuned bank
1. INTRODUCTION

the method of bank protection which requires the least additional equipment.

II. BANK PROTECTION

A. General Discussion

The protection of a capacitor bank is a combination of protection of the bank from the power system, and the protection of the power system from the bank. Both of these goals are accomplished by the detection of abnormal operation of capacitor banks. Many schemes for the detection of abnormal operation of banks are described and discussed in ANSI/IEEE C37.99 [1]. The purpose of this paper is discuss and provide examples of several of these schemes using an industrial sized tuned capacitor bank. The purpose of protection of the bank is to avoid conditions which can result in further damage to the bank. As example of this is individual capacitor cans voltage. As cans fail, and are isolated by their individual fuses, the voltage on remaining cans in the same phase may rise to levels which can damage the remaining cans in the same phase. Protection of the power system from abnormal operation of a capacitor bank has often only included protection from faults in banks or in the cables connecting the bank to the system. Protection from inappropriate connection of a bank to a system, such as during periods of very low plant load, should also be considered. In the case of tuned banks, protection from amplification of power system harmonics as cans fail must be considered.

The bank used for examples and calculations in this paper is a tuned bank made up of four cans per phase rated at 500 KVAR at 9960 volts. The reactors in each phase are 5.956 mH. At typical line to neutral voltage in a 13.8kV system the cans produce 319.95 KVAR each. The total bank is 4022 KVAR. Note that this is more than 12 x 319.95 due to the effect of the voltage rise in the reactors in the bank. The bank is connected as an ungrounded wye. The detection of abnormal conditions inside a bank is usually accomplished using data collected outside of a bank. To do this the abnormal conditions must be identified, and then the external currents and voltages associated with each condition must be calculated. Methods are described in C37.99 involving internal sensors, but this drives up the cost and complexity of the bank. Schemes with numerous internal sensors are not typically usually used in small industrial banks.

Abnormal operation is typically detected as imbalances in current or voltage inside a bank, with higher levels on voltage or current indicating more severe abnormal conditions. In some methods special connection schemes and equipment are required to allow detection of the unbalanced conditions. A new method of detecting abnormal operation is suggested in this paper based on under-current in individual phases. The use of negative sequence current components for the evaluation of unbalanced current is mentioned several times in C37.99, but is not clearly described. The use of negative sequence components is described in this paper since this may be

One method for determining external voltages and currents for various failure conditions is to use charts in ANSI C37.99. The C37.99 methods appear to provide magnitudes of currents and voltages, but not the angles. There is also no way to help you feel confident of the magnitude values derived from counting components and using a formula for a particular connection. If you choose the wrong formula, or count the wrong components, you may get results that are wrong, and you have no way to check them. also do not know if the C37.99 methods can be used at all to determine currents and voltages when cans are lost in different phases. Rather than taking time to understand the C37.99 methods, found it to be far easier to simply solve the currents and voltages as an unbalanced three phase system problem.
In the discussions of various protection schemes that follow, normal system voltage of 13,800 volts is assumed. The effects of abnormal system voltage from 95% to 110% of normal are discussed separately after the different

schemes are described.

The first step in the solution of the unbalanced three phase circuit problem is to define the current and voltage phase vectors. The vector quantities that represent the

1-4244-1 192-0/07/$25.00 C2007 IEEE.

bank, and a circuit diagram defining the circulating currents, are as shown in Figure 1. Note that the circuit diagram in Figure 1 is not a "vector" diagram, and the phases are not shown in a counter clockwise rotation. The phases are shown as they are to make a neat presentation of Vab and Vbc. Also note that ii and i2 are defined in the circuit diagram as currents circulating in the system. These are not positive and negative sequence components, just currents assigned to be flowing in the loops. This is part of the procedure for solving the unbalanced three phase system problem.

is used in the link between the neutrals of the two sides of the bank. The CT must be rated or installed in a manner that provides protection from full system voltage. Wiring is required from the CT to a relay.

FIGURE 2 SPLIT-WYE BANK

Al_C,A2 r-)

A3CiA4

Ph,,, A

FIGURE 1 PHASOR AND CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS

Vcg
Vca Vectors rotate ia is at 90 degrees ib is at -30 degrees

Counter-Clockwise
Vbc ia \|

of~~~~~~~
Vab

Vag g

The current in the CT in the neutral jumper is used to detect the loss of a capacitor can. The currents in each phase are first determined by the three phase solution for the unbalanced condition being examined. These phase currents are then split between the cans in each phase to determine the neutral jumper current. An example of this is shown in Appendix C. In the example for this paper the current in the neutral jumper is 22.8 amps for one can lost in any phase, and 49.5 amps for two cans lost in the same phase on the same side of the bank.

Vbg
a

ia
Vab

Za

1 4Zb ib -*-/ic -

IcVbc

i2

The currents i1 and i2 can be determined using simultaneous equations. Then i1 and i2 can be used to determine phase currents ia, ib, and ic. Phase and neutral voltages, and negative sequence components can all be calculated using these phase currents. For the case of the loss of one can in phase A of the typical bank all of the phase currents and voltages, for normal system voltage, are listed in Appendix A. The voltages and currents for system voltages ranging from 90% to 105% voltage, for normal operation and for operation with one or two cans lost are shown in Appendix B.
B. Protection Scheme 1, Split-Wye
Probably the most popular scheme discussed in ANSI C37.99 involves splitting the bank in two sections and monitoring current flow between the neutral points of each side. This is typically called a split-wye bank. Each side of a split-wye bank must have the same amount of capacitance in each phase. But note that the two sides do not have to be equal in capacitance. There can be two cans per phase on one side and three cans per phase in the second side, as long as each side has an equal amount of capacitance in each phase. A current transformer, CT,

The second can that fails will probably be in the same phase as the first can that failed since can voltage in this phase rises from 8345 volts to 9026 volts. The can voltages in the other two phases both drop to 7981 volts. But then there are three cans left in the phase with the failed can, one on the same side as the first can that failed, and two on the other side. All three have an equal chance of failure. It is more likely that the second can that fails will be on the other side of the bank since there are two on that side. In this case the neutral current between the sides of the bank returns to zero, and there is no trip because even the alarm condition is lost. If the split-wye scheme is used alone the bank should be tripped on the loss of the first can.

Although unlikely, if the second can that fails is on the same side of a bank, but in a different phase, the neutral current stays approximately the same. The neutral current is 22.8 amps for one failed can, and rises to only 25.1 amps if a second can fails in a different phase on the same side. Some relays have sufficient accuracy to discriminate between these two levels, but some may not. This is another reason that the split-wye bank should be tripped upon the loss of the first can.

C. Protection Scheme 2, Neutral to Ground Voltage

If a bank is built as a single ungrounded wye unit, the voltage from the neutral of the bank to ground can be monitored to determine the loss of one or more capacitor cans. A potential transformer, PT, is required, typically 14400/120V for a 13.8KV system, and it is connected from the neutral of the bank to ground. The PT primary must be rated for full system voltage. Wiring from the PT to a relay is needed.

The same initial calculation is needed in this scheme as is needed for the split-wye scheme to determine all the phase currents. Then the phase currents and impedances are used to calculate the voltage drop from each phase to neutral, then from neutral to ground. It is good if the calculations for all three phases yield the same answer for neutral to ground voltage. The voltage from neutral to ground is 752 volts for one can lost in any phase, and 1638 for two cans lost in the same phase.
If a second can fails in a different phase the neutral to ground voltage shifts from 752 volts to 831 volts. A setting between 752 and 831 volts should be able to detect a second can failing, in the same or a different phase. There is about the same difference in voltage in this scheme as there is difference in current in the split-wye neutral current sensing method for the loss of a can in a different phase.
D. Protection Scheme 3, Negative Sequence Current

F. Protection Scheme 4, Bank Current

No matter how cans are lost bank current will be reduced. Protection based on bank current could be set up as an under-current tripping scheme. In some cases individual phases would be monitored. In other cases average current can be monitored, but most of the older digital relays do not compute an average of phase currents. The current in a phase with an isolated can will drop from 168.2 amps to 136.5 amps. The current in the other two phases will be 160.9 amps, so an under-current trip setting between 160.9 and 136.5 should indicate a lost can. For the loss of two cans in the same phase the current drops to 99.1 amps, while the current in the other phases drop to 153.9 amps. A current in one phase below 136.5 amps indicates the loss of at least two cans in a single phase. For two cans lost in different phases the current drops to 131.7 amps in those two phases. So, current between 136.5 amps and 131.7 amps in two phases indicates that two cans are lost. The reduction of current scheme of bank protection may be the easiest and the most secure method of bank protection, with the least additional equipment and wiring requirements. It involves only the unbalanced system current calculations. It also works for both plain capacitor banks and tuned banks. It will probably not work for large banks with many series and parallel connected cans since the loss of a few cans will make little difference in total bank current output. This scheme is not discussed in ANSI C37.99, but probably deserves consideration.

Another scheme that can be used to detect the loss of a can in a bank built as a single unit is to monitor negative sequence current, 12. No CTs or PTs are required in the bank. The phase CTs in the breaker protecting the bank against overcurrent provide the data required for measuring 12. A protection relay that can monitor 12 is required. These are now common and are not expensive. No additional current circuit wiring is needed when a multifunction relay is used that incorporates negative sequence and over current. The same initial calculation is needed for this scheme as for the split-wye bank and the VNG sensing scheme to determine all the phase currents. An additional step is then needed to calculate the negative sequence component of the three unbalanced phase currents. This is done using the formulas for sequence components as shown in Appendix D. The calculated negative sequence current is then used as the basis of the relay setting. The 12 current for a single can failed is 15.9 amps. The 12 current for two cans lost in the same phase is 34.6 amps. The 12 current for two cans lost, but in different phases, is 13.0 amps. The 12 current scheme can not be used to detect a second can lost in a different phase. But then again, the most likely second can to fail will be in the same

G. The System Voltage Problem

The difficulty with all of these schemes is that bank currents and voltages vary with system voltage. Appendix A shows bank currents and voltages for various conditions at 0.9, 0.95, 1.0, and 1.05 system voltage. It can be seen that settings for the various schemes that work at 1.05 times normal system voltage may not work for 0.95 times system voltage. Trying to find just the right setting that works for a reasonable voltage range is possible, but then it may trip improperly under extreme voltage conditions when the bank is really needed.
A means of solving this voltage problem is to have a current trip function that varies with voltage, such as the 51V function. Even the latest versions of several digital relays now available do not appear to have trip functions that respond to variable set-points. This could possibly be done with the logic capabilities of several new relays, but it would be difficult. A definite time current trip function that can be controlled by system voltage could become the function of choice for capacitor bank protection. This function, with time delays, could easily accommodate system swings and transients. And then, for free, the advantages of the data collection, communication, and alarm capabilities of the modern digital relays will also be available.

phase.

E. Loss of Cans in All Three Phases

One further situation to consider is the equal loss of capacitance in all three phases. This is an unlikely situation, but a positive method of detection of this situation would add to the security of the protection scheme. As mentioned earlier this results in significant loss of VARs and a significant rise in the tuning frequency of the bank. The voltage and 12 schemes will not detect this at all. The split-wye scheme will detect this situation only if the cans fail on different sides of the bank.

H. Other Bank Protection Schemes There are additional differential current schemes in ANSI C37.99 that require multiple CTs, relays, and much wiring. These are not usually found in small industrial banks. They are normally used in large utility banks with many series and parallel cans in each phase.

calculations of neutral jumper current and negative sequence current components are included in this paper. The typical protection schemes can be blinded by abnormal "abnormal" conditions, such as the loss of cans in different phases or on opposite sides of banks. Several schemes may need to be implemented so that each can cover blind spots of other schemes.

I. Protection After System Shutdowns

There are many horror stories of over-voltage incidents occurring when power systems are re-energized after a shutdown with capacitor banks still connected [2]. When the plant is energized there is no real or reactive load. But the capacitor bank which was left connected produces the full rated VAR output. The VARs have to go somewhere. The VAR flow from the bank to the utility causes a voltage rise on the plant side of the utility tie transformer. A valuable, and easy to implement, protective function is simply a trip of all capacitor banks if system voltage drops to zero for a period of time. The time to trip may need to be based on utility re-closing practices, or re-closing practices may need to be re-evaluated.

Current and voltage levels used in the different schemes vary with system voltage. Settings based on normal system voltage may not function properly over the full range of typical system voltages.
A new scheme is suggested in this paper for the detection of abnormal operation of a bank based on undercurrent, with set-points that vary with system voltage.

It is also hoped that protective relay setup programs could include the calculations of setting levels for the different schemes based on definition of the components in a bank.
IV. REFERENCES

Re-closing of the capacitor bank breaker can also be blocked by various system voltage or utility load criteria. A potential transformer is needed to sense system voltage for this function, but it will probably already be available in any system. A voltage relay is also needed, but this function will probably also be available in any multifunction relay typically used.

[1] ANSI/IEEE C37.99-2000, IEEE Guide for the Protection OF Shunt Capacitor Banks, New York, NY: IEEE.

Ill. CONCLUSIONS
All of the protection schemes for capacitor banks require settings for protective devices. The calculations for all of the schemes usually start with the determination of phase currents in the bank a particular failure condition. Phase currents may then be used to calculate voltages and negative sequence components as needed. Examples of

[2] Ronald M. Simpson, "Misapplication of Power Capacitors in Distribution Systems With Non-Linear Loads - Three Case Histories", Conference Record of 2004 Annual Pulp and Paper Industrial Technical Conference, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, June 27 - July 1, 2004, pages 156 - 166 [3] W. D. Stevenson, Jr., Elements of Power System Analysis, New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. 1962, pages 272-278

APPENDIX A

CALCULATION RESULTS FOR ONE CAN LOST AT 1.0 SYSTEM VOLTAGE

rrans and Systerr

Data: Z, ohms LI, Henrys

MVA
35

%Z
XL1 0.49767 0.00132

x/r

KV,sec
R 0.03318

HV MVA LV MVA 382

0.49877
Tuning Harmonic#

System Vrated 13.8 KV Actual system voltage 1.00 p Capacitor Data / can 5001 KVAR at 9.96kV 4 cans per phase 13.37 uF / can 319.95 kvar/can at Vs 3839 KVAR at Vr 3651 KVAR at Vs

2.245 ohm/ph

13.801 kv,
9960V

I-I

max

53.479 49.601 54.110

uF / phase ohms/ph avg ohms

2.245 5.956 10.43 4.25 4.91 4.44

ohms/ph (XL2 in calc) mH/phase H# of pole w/o reactors in bank H# of pole with all cans H# of zero at reduced capacitance H# of pole at reduced capacitance

What are cap voltages and neutral voltage when 1 fuse opens, then 2 in same Determine if alarming is OK for 1 fuse, then tripping is required for 2 fuses. ia 136.5 < Number of cans open: 1 ib = 160.9 < ic = 160.9 <
=

phase

open.

Vog =

Vcapa Vcapb Vcapc

Z in phase with all fuses Z in phase a with # fuses lost

= =

MVAR -

0 1

90.0 -25.1 205.1 < 180.0 Vn with 1 fuse(s) open in Ph A 752.21 < 9026.1 0.0 Ph A OK 7980.5 < -115.1 Ph B OK 7980.5< 115.1 PhCOK 3.651 With -1 fuse(s) open j 0 i 49.601 +j 2.25 -47.36 0 i 66.134 +j 2.25 -63.89 j
= =

APPENDIX B

PHASE CURRENTS AND VOLTAGES FOR CAN FAILURES AT VARIOUS SYSTEM VOLTAGES
System Voltage
1.05 14490 All up 1 out in 2 out in 1 out in 1 out in Ph A Ph A A& B A /side
1 13800

ia
176.7 143.3 104.0 138.3 90.0 90.0 90.0 85.1 176.7 168.9 161.6 138.3

ib
-30.0 -25.1 -18.8 -25.1

ic
176.7 168.9 161.6 158.2 210.0 205.1 198.8 210.0

I .

VNG

789.8 1719.9 872.1

Ph A 8762.5 9477.4 10319.3 9144.7

Can Voltages I Ph B Ph C 8762.5 8762.5 8379.5 8379.5

8015.1 9144.7
8015.1 7849.0

2
0.0 16.7 36.3 13.7

Split-Y IN 0.0
23.9 52.0 26.4

0.0
ia
168.2 136.5 99.1 131.7
90.0 90.0 90.0 85.1

ib
168.2 160.9 153.9 131.7 -30.0 -25.1 -18.8 -25.1 168.2 160.9 153.9 150.7

ic
210.0 205.1 198.8 210.0

All up 1 out in 2 out in 1 out in 1 out in

VNG 0.0
752.2 1638.0 830.6

Ph A Ph A A& B A /side
0.95 13110

8345.2 9026.1 9827.9 8709.2

8345.2 7980.5 7633.4 8709.2

8345.2 7980.5 7633.4 7475.2

0.0 15.9 34.6 13.0

0.0
22.8 49.5 25.1

0.0

All up
1 2 1 1

out out out out

in in in in

Ph A Ph A A& B A /side
0.9 12420

ia 159.8 129.7 94.1 125.1

90.0 90.0 90.0 85.1

ib 159.8 152.9 146.2 125.1

-30.0 -25.1 -18.8 -25.1

ic 159.8 152.9 146.2 143.2

210.0 205.1 198.8 210.0

VNG 0.0
714.6 1556.1 789.1

7927.9 8574.8 9336.5 8273.7

7927.9 7581.5 7251.7 8273.7

7927.9 7581.5 7251.7 7101.4

0.0 15.1 32.9 12.4

0.0 21.6 47.1 23.9

0.0
ia 151.4 122.8 89.2 118.5

All up 1 out in 2 out in 1 out in 1 out in

*

Ph A Ph A A& B A /side

90.0 90.0 90.0 85.1

ib 151.4 144.8 138.5 118.5

ic

-30.0 -25.1 -18.8 -25.1

VNG
210.0 205.1 198.8 210.0

151.4 144.8 138.5 135.6

0.0

677.0 1474.2 747.5

7510.6 8123.5 8845.1 7838.2

6870.C

7510.6 7182.5
7838.2

7510.6

7182.5
6870.0 6727.6

0.0 14.3 31.1 11.7

0.0
20.5 44.6 22.6

0.0

In the Split-Y bank the neutral current is calculated for cans lost on the same side of the bank In the Split-Y bank the neutral current is calculated for one can lost in Phase A on each side of the bank

APPENDIX C
SPLIT-WYE BANK NEUTRAL CURRENT CALCULATION FOR ONE FAILED CAN
Amps ia ib ic

for case of one capacitor can lost: 136.4805 < 90 = 0.00 +J ( 160.8949 < -25.0956 = 145.71 +J ( 160.8949 < 205.0956 = -145.71 +J (

0.00+J(

136.48) -68.24) -68.24) 0)

Method 1, Sum the currents in each side: ia comes from 3 cans, 1 on side 1 and 2 on side2 of the bank ib and ic come from 4 cans, 2 on sidel and 2 on side 2 of the bank
The sum of the currents in all three phases on each side will equal the current that has to be supplied through the neutral

Side ial = ibl = icl =

1: a, b, and c all have 2 cans: 1/3 of ia = 45.49 < 90.00 = 1/2 of ib= 80.45 < -25.10 = 1/2 of ic = 80.45 < 205.10 = sum of phases = negative of neutral current

Side 2: b, and c all have 2 cans, a has 1 can: ia2 = 2/3 of ia = 90.99 < 90.00 = ib2= 1/2 of ib= 80.45 < -25.10 = 80.45 < 205.10 = ic2- 1/2 of ic sum of phases = negative of neutral current =

0.00 72.85 -72.85 0.00 22.75 0.00 72.85 -72.85 0.00

+J ( J +J ( +J (

45.49) -34.12) -34.12 -22.75 90.99) -34.12) -34.12) 22.75)

+J(
J +J( +J (

22.75

Method 2. Graphic: Another way to visualize the neutral current: Consider the case of one can lost in Ph. A: The current leaving A is equal to the sum of the currents in B ia = ib + ic The sum of the B + C currents on each side are equal 0.00 +J ( ibl + icl = ib2 + ic2 = The current in A phase in side 1, with only 1 can is ial 0.00 +J The current in A phase in side 2, with 2 good cans is ia2 0.00 +J (

-68.24)

45.49
90. 99)

Side 1 45.49
Ph A
PhB+ C

Total, out of A 136.48 Neutral Jumper

2275 22.75

Side 2 90.99

f
68.24

68.24 136.48 Total into B + C

APPENDIX D RESOLUTION OF SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS [3]

The three phase currents are first described as Ia, Ib, and Ic, and they are the quantities that can be observed. Each is the sum of its own sequence components, for example 'a = laO + 'al + Ia2 The 'a, lb, and I observed currents can be used to calculate the symmetrical components. For a: 'aO = 1/3 (Ia + lb + I'), zero sequence current 'al = 1/3 (Ia + alb +a2I1), positive sequence current Ia2= 1/3 (la + a2lb +alc), negative sequence current
Note that "a" as a subscript refers to the phase A "all as a normal character refers to the 1200 operator, and a2 2400 "a" rotates a vector 1200, and "a2" rotates a vector 2400

Zero Sequence Component This is easy to resolve. When the three phase currents are simply added together the positive sequence components add up to zero. The negative sequence components also add up to zero. The sum becomes 3 times 10.

Positive Sequence Component This is also easy to resolve. The three phase currents are again added together, but after the b phase is rotated 120 degrees and the c phase is rotated 240 degrees. This makes the three positive sequence component vectors line up with each other and add up to 3 times the magnitude of each positive sequence component. The three zero sequence components are now 120 degrees apart and sum to zero. The three negative sequence components rotate but remain 120 degrees apart, so they also add to zero.

Negative Sequence Component The negative sequence component calculation is the same as the positive sequence component calculation except that the b phase is rotated 2400 and the a phase is rotated 1200. The negative sequence components end up in phase, the zero sequence components are 1200 apart and sum to zero, and the positive sequence components rotate but remain 120 degrees apart, also adding up to zero.
B and C Phase Components: The b and c phase components are simply the a phase components rotated appropriately.

FIND NEGATIVE SEQUENCE COMPONENT Phase currents: 136.5 < 90.0 la 160.9 < -25.1 = ib 160.9 < 205.1 = ic To find ia2, add the degrees of rotation to lb and Ic 90.0 1 36.5 < la2 + <( 160.9 -25.1 + + 160.9 <( 205.1 +

240.0) 120.0)

Convert to Cartesian, then add and di\nde: = 3 ia2 0.0 +j 136.5 + 92.1 -132.0 i + 92.1 132.0 i = 3 ia2 47.7 0.0 -j 0.0 -j 15.9 = la2 The trick: If 'a 100 /0z, then lb 100 /2400 and Ic 100 Z1200 Many people make the mistake of thinking that lb is at an angle of Z1200 and that Ic is at Z2400 (at least I did, many times)