LOW IMPEDANCE RESTRICTED EARTH FAULT PROTECTION
P. Bertrand, B. Gotzig, C. Vollet
Schneider Electric, France
1NTRODU.CTION
In a nowadays competitive environment, investments
must have a minimum global cost. For protection relays,
as for any other electrical device, users need standard,
packaged solutions, with a minimum engineering study.
Restricted earth fault (REF) protection, as other
protections, is a good candidate because it needs' no time
grading study. Recent evolution in computer relaying
have made this protection available in a multi-functional
device for transformer application. In such an
implementation a low impedance principle in used. No
extemal stabilising resistor nor class X CTs are needed,
making the installation of the protection straightforward.
It is thus possible to build a fully packaged cubicle for
transformer protection, 'including CTs and multi-
functional relay giving improved transformer protection
thanks to a REF protection.
WHY TRANSFORMER EARTH-FAULT
PROTECTION MUST BE IMPROVED
The detection of transformer internal fault must be
fast in order to avoid tank explosion or fire.
The tripping time of an earth-fault protection system
using only residual over-current relays may be very long,
due to time-grading .
Figure 1 : a typical definite time elf protection system for
an industrial network. Insulation faults in the transformer
are cleared within 1.3s !
Developments in Power System Protection, Conference Publication No.479 0 IEE 2001.
The need for sensitivity is half the maximum earth-
fault current on delta side, but much more on star
side.
The need for sensitivity of an earth-fault protection
system is based on the maximum earth fault current,
limited by the grounding impedance. This value may be
much lower than the rated current of the transformer.
When a phase-to-earth fault occurs in a star-connected
winding, at a distance of x% from the neutral point, the
value of the fault current is x% of the maximum earth-
fault.
For protecting 90% of the ,transformer winding, the
sensitivity of the earth-fault detection must be set to 10%
of the maximum earth-fault current, as limited by the
neutral impedance.
In general, the earth-fault detection .level of a
transformer differential protection is not sufficient.
A power transformer is very often protected by a
transformer differential protection (87T), which measures
primary and secondary phase currents. Such a protection
detects any fault occurring inside the transformer and is
particularly efficient for interkm fault detection
(Bertrand et al., (1) & (2)).
In case of a phase-to-earth fault, it is important to know
more about its basics.
When comparing the primary and the secondary current,
it is first of all necessary to take into account the winding
connection and to carry out a compensation. Three
different methods may be used ; they are explained in
Table 1 in the case of a delta-star transformer. These
methods are also chosen in order to provide zero
sequence current compensation in case of an earth fault
occurring outside the protected zone.
After compensation, the relay computes the differential
current (Id) and the through current (It). The latter inay be
obtained in different ways ; we have considered here the
maximum value between primary and secondary currents.
The differential protection trips when both of the
following conditions are satisfied :
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 Id exceeds a threshold, usually set to about 30% of
the transformer rated current
IdIt exceeds a threshold, (the slope of the
characteristic)here set at 30%
Table 1 shows that the earth-fault current must exceed 0.3
to 0.74 times the transformer rated current to be detected.
In many cases, this is not satisfactory.
In a system where the neutral impedance has been
designed so that the maximum earth-fault current is
sufficiently high (more than 50% of the transformer rated
current), the REF protection will then ensure effective
protection of the transformer.
Due to its unit protection characteristic, the REF relay
trips instantaneously. A tripping time of 40 ms is a
common value for digital relays

REF PRINCIPLE
The REF typically protects the star winding of
transformer where the neutral point is earthed. It
measures the four cyrrents flowing to the star point - one
neutral and three phase currents.
When an earth fault occurs inside the protected zone, the
differential current - sum of these four currents - appears.
Due to its unit protection characteristic, the REF
protection does not need any time grading, hence it is fast
and, furthermore,.sensitive.
BACK TO THE PAST :DESIGNING A HIGH
IMPEDANCE PROTECTION
The basic principle is bright and simple ...
The stabilising resistor forces the false differential current
to flow outside the differential circuit.
...but the design of the protection needs engineering
forces ...
In order to find the rate of the stabilising resistor, the
value of the wiring impedance must be estimated. The
sizing of the CT depends on the value of the resistor. This
means that the complete engineering study of the
protection must be achieved before ordering the
switchgear panel.

... and the protection brings high voltage and heat

dissipation in the cubicle.

data :
transformer : 20 MVA
1 1 kV
Rct CT: 1250/5
Rct = 2 . 4 0
RW wiring: R w = 0 . 7 ~
resistor : Rs = 2200

short-circuit current :
3-phase : 8.7 kA
ph/earth : 3 kA
Figure 2 : The REF protection is sensitive to the phase-to-
protection :
earth faults inside the protected transformer winding setting: 10%

HOW REF IMPROVES TRANSFORMER

PROTECTION

A REF protection may be as sensitive as 5% of the CT
rated current.
This limit is due to CT accuracy. For usual protective
current transformers class 5P,the maximum error at rated
current is +/- 1% (IEC, (3)) ; hence, under normal
balanced load conditions, a false differential current may
appear, which must not exceed the threshold of the relay.
Moreover, high impedance protection needs a
comfortably sized CT winding for its own.
When an internal fault occurs, CTs are forced into
saturation, which could lead other protections sharing the
same CT core to an unwanted behaviour.

480
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHNEIDER'S LOW
IMPEDANCE SOLUTION
With its digital, multi-functional Sepam relay range,
Schneider Electric has developped a low impedance REF
protection.
The basic principle is to compare the residual current
to the differential current.
The differential current is given by : Id = Ia+Ib+Ic-In
(phase currents are considered positive when flowing to
the transformer, neutral current is considered positive
when flowing to the earth). When a fault occurs inside the
protected zone, the differential current is equal to the
current flowing to the earth. When the fault is located
outside the protected zone, the differential current is zero,
as long as the CT errors remains low.
In order to compensate the CT errors and to ensure the
stability of the protection in case of an external fault, a
restraint quantity is chosen equal to the residual current :
Ir = Ia+Ib+Ic
The Sepam REF protection is a percentage differential
protection ; it trips when both of the following conditions
are satisfied :
Id exceeds the Ido threshold, adjustable between 5
and 50% of the transformer rated current
IdIt exceeds 1.05 (a fixed threshold )
t Id = la+Ib+lc+In
/ In case of an external phase-to-earth fault, this constraint
Ir = la+Ib+Ic
Figure 4 : Sepam REF tripping characteristic
This principle ensures good stability in case of CT
saturation on the source side.
If we consider a REF protection located on the primary
side of the transformer, one of the requirement is to
ensure stability during transformer energisation.
Because of the DC component of the inrush current, the
phase CT saturate, causing a false differential current.
As no current flows through the neutral point, Ir = Id and
the Sepam REF protection remains stable (no trip).
On the load side, an extra restraint element is needed.
We now consider a REF protection located on the
secondary winding of the transformer.
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When a three-phase fault occurs outside the protected
zone, the phase CTs may saturate ; as seen in the previous
case, Ir = Id and the stability of the protection is ensured.
In case of a phase-to-earth fault with a long DC time
constant (inductive earthing system), leading the phase
CT into saturation, the problem is more difficult : Id
increases, Ir decreases and the operating point may reach
the tripping zone.
The stability is achieved by increasing the stabilising
current as soon as an external fault is detected
An external fault is detected as soon as the following
conditions become valid :
the residual current.exceeds the seking (Ir > Ido)
and remains lower than the.differentia1 current (Ir < Id)
From that moment, the restraint current of the protection
is increased in order to guarantee the stability of the
protection : Ir (external fault) = Ia+Ib+Ic+In/3
Thanks to the stabilising element, the relay does not
need specific CTs to work properly.
The general CT sizing rule is 5P20, according to IEC (3).
With the additional external fault detection system
described above, the sizing of the CTs must ensure
correct measurement during the first cycle of the fault.
can be expressed in terms of CT saturation current (Isat)
with the following rules, where Ief is the maximum value
of the current flowing through the earthing impedance of
the transformer :
REF located on the primary (source side) : Isat > 0.8 Ief
REF located on the secondary (load side) : Isat > 2.4 Ief
The two requirements differ because on the source side,
only one third of the neutral point current flows into the
phase CTs.
It can be seen that, with 5P20 CTs, the rules are always
valid, except when the REF is located on the secondary
winding and the limited earth-fault current exceeds 8x the
phase CT rated current. This case is usually encountered
on LV networks only.
In the case of an external two-phase-to-earth fault, the
fault current is limited by the short-circuit impedance of
the transformer. Many simulations and tests with 5P20
CTs have shown the protection's stability.
A limit appears when the maximum 3-phase short-circuit
current at the secondary side of the transformer exceeds
13x the phase CT rated current. This means that the short
circuit voltage of the transformer, USC,is below 8%. In compensated by the current flowing to the earthing coil,
that case, the CT sizing rule becomes : so that the earth-fault current can have very low values.
Isat > 22x transformer rated current.
And this additional rule has been tested with transformer Using such an earthing system, a REF protection may not
USC values as low as 4%. be sensitive enough to detect the fault. Furthermore the
REF protection principle described above is not adapted :
in case of an intemal fault, Ir, the total network capacitive
ADVANTAGES O F THE SEPAM REF current, will exceed Id, the earth fault, and the protection
PROTECTION AND LIMIT OF ITS USE will not trip.

But it must be kept in mind that the low impedance

The low impedance principle described above has two REF overcomes the main disadvantages of the
limitations. traditional high impedance solution.
The first limitation is that it cannot be used on a three-CT And, when this solution is included into a Sepam multi-
arrangement :' In case of an internal fault, as the neutral functional relay, it improves the protection scheme for
point is not connected to earth, the differential current is little cost and effort !
equal to the residual current and the protection does not
detect the fault. BIBLIOGRAPHY
This arrangement appears on the primary side of a power
1. Bertrand P, Martin E, Guillot M, 1997, "Neural
transformer, when the neutral point may or may not be networks, a mature technique for protection relays",
grounded, depending on the exploitation constraints.
CIRED 97
2. Bertrand P, Devalland A, Bastard P, 1993, "A
In-that case, an additional elf protection must enabled simulation model for transformer,intemal faults, base for
when the neutral switch is opened. As a second harmonic the study of protection and monitoring systems", CIRED
restraint is available for this elf protection, stability 93
during transformer energisation is ensured. -
3. Schiel L, "Stromdifferentialschutzanordnungf i r einen
Transformator", Europaische Patentschrift EP 0758497B1
The second limitation concerns its use with compensated 4. 1996, IEC 60044-1 Instrument transformers - Part 1 :
earthing systems. In such systems, the residual capacitive Current transformers
current appearing when an earth-fault occurs is
star-delta zero-sequence neutral-point current
compensation elimination elimination. Scheil(3)
1a'-Ib'
Ja'= -
Ja' = Ia'
J5
Ib'-Ia'
Jb'= Ib' Jb'= -
9 Jc' = IC'
Js
IC'-Ia'
Jet= -
J5
Ia - Ic
M
Jb Jc Ja = -
If Ja
Ia + Ib+ Ic
compensation
Js Ja = Ia -
3
In
Ja = Ia--
3
Ib-Ia
a=- Ia + Ib + Ic In
0 IIa Ib IC J5 Jb=Ib-
3
Jb=b--
3
IC-%
0 JC= - Ia + Ib+ Ic In
Js JC= IC-
3
JC=IC--
3
Value of the differential and through Id =
:urrents (Id & It)
y6 Id=%lf Id = If
It = II+ %If
[f : fault current
[l : load current
It = II+ y& It = Il+%lf
note : the source i!
connected to the delta side
Fault current detected - at no load 0.52 0.45 0.30
- at rated load 0.74 0.64 0.38
note : settings as indicated in the text of the document
.tive enough for earth ault detection. A F E
protection must be added.

482