Over Current Relay

In an over current relay or o/c relay the actuating quantity is only current. Overcurrent Relay is a
type of the protection relay, which operates when the current increases beyond the operating value
of the relay

Working Principle of Over Current Relay:

In an over current relay, there would be essentially a current coil. When normal current flows
through this coil, the magnetic effect generated by the coil is not sufficient to move the moving
element of the relay, as in this condition the restraining force is greater than deflecting force. But
when the current through the coil increases, the magnetic effect increases, and after a certain level
of current, the deflecting force generated by the magnetic effect of the coil, crosses the restraining
force. As a result, the moving element starts moving to change the contact position in the relay.
Although there are different types of overcurrent relays but basic working principle of overcurrent
relay is more or less same for all.

Types of Over Current Relay:

Depending upon time of operation, there are various types of Over Current relays, such as,
1. Instantaneous over current relay.
2. Definite time over current relay.
3. Inverse time over current relay.

Inverse time over current relay or simply inverse OC relay is again subdivided as inverse definite
minimum time (IDMT), very inverse time, extremely inverse time over current relay or OC relay.

1. Instantaneous Over Current Relay:

Construction and working principle of instantaneous over current relay is quite simple.
Here generally a magnetic core is wound by a current coil. A piece of iron is so fitted by hinge
support and restraining spring in the relay, that when there is not sufficient current in the coil, the
NO contacts remain open. When the current in the coil crosses a preset value, the attractive force
becomes enough to pull the iron piece towards the magnetic core, and consequently, the no contact
get closed.

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We refer the pre-set value of current in the relay coil as pickup setting current. This relay is referred
as instantaneous over current relay, as ideally, the relay operates as soon as the current in the coil
gets higher than pick upsetting current. There is no intentional time delay applied. But there is
always an inherent time delay which we cannot avoid practically. In practice, the operating time
of an instantaneous relay is of the order of a few milliseconds.

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2. Definite Time Over Current Relay:
This relay is created by applying intentional time delay after crossing pick up the value of the
current. A definite time overcurrent relay can be adjusted to issue a trip output at an exact amount
of time after it picks up. Thus, it has a time setting adjustment and pickup adjustment.

3. Inverse Time Over Current Relay:

Inverse time is a natural character of any induction type rotating device. Here, the speed of rotation
of rotating part of the device is faster if the input current is more. In other words, time of operation
inversely varies with input current. This natural characteristic of electromechanical induction disc
relay is very suitable for overcurrent protection. If the fault is severe, it will clear the fault faster.
Although time inverse characteristic is inherent to electromechanical induction disc relay, the same
characteristic can be achieved in microprocessor-based relay also by proper programming.

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 Inverse Definite Minimum Time Over Current Relay or IDMT O/C
Relay:
Ideal inverse time characteristics cannot be achieved, in an overcurrent relay. As the current in the
system increases, the secondary current of the current transformer is increased proportionally. The
secondary current enters the relay current coil. But when the CT becomes saturated, there would
not be a further proportional increase of CT secondary current with increased system current. From
this phenomenon, it is clear that from trick value to certain range of faulty level, an inverse time
relay shows specific inverse characteristic. But after this level of fault, the CT becomes saturated
and relay current does not increase further with increasing faulty level of the system. As the relay
current does not increase further, there would not be any further reduction in time of operation in
the relay. We define this time as the minimum time of operation. Hence, the characteristic is
inverse in the initial part, which tends to a definite minimum operating time as the current becomes
very high. That is why the relay is referred as inverse definite minimum time over current relay
or simply IDMT relay.

 Very Inverse Relay:

The inverse characteristic of the relay is more than the IDMT. Such type of relay is used in the
feeder and on long transmission lines. The relay is used in the places where there the magnitude
of the short-circuit current fall rapidly because of the large distance from the source. It is used for
sensing the fault current which is free from the fault location.

 Extremely Inverse Relay:

The characteristic time of the relay is extremely large as compared to the IDMT and the Very
inverse relay. This relay is used for protecting the cable, transformer, etc. The relay can operate
instantly when the pickup value of the current is more than the relay setting time. The relay
provides faster operation even under the fault current. It is used for sensing the overheating of the
machines.The inverse time relay is used in the distribution networks and the power plants. The
relay gives the fast operation in the fault conditions because of their fault time characteristic.

Purpose of overcurrent Protection:

 Detect abnormal conditions
 Isolate faulty part of the system
 Speed Fast operation to minimize damage and danger
 Discrimination Isolate only the faulty section
 Dependability / reliability
 Security / stability
 Cost of protection / against cost of potential hazards

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 Relay Protection Coordination
Relay Protection Coordination means that downstream devices (breakers/fuses) should activate
before upstream devices.This minimizes the portion of the system affected by a fault or other
disturbance. At the substation level, feeder breakers should trip before the main breaker. Likewise,
downstream panel breakers should trip before the substation feeder supplying the panel.
Relay co-ordination plays an important role in the protection of power system. For proper
protection, proper coordination of relays with appropriate relay settings is to be done. Relay
settings are done in such a way that proper coordination is achieved along various series network.
Relay co-ordination can be done by selecting proper plug setting and time multiplication setting
of the relay, considering maximum fault current at the relay location. After selecting the plug
setting and time multiplier setting, the co-ordination can be checked graphically. When plotting
co-ordination curves, certain time intervals must be maintained between the curves of various
protective devices in order to ensure the correct sequential operation of the devices when co-
coordinating inverse time over current relays. For a given fault current, the operating time of IDMT
relay is jointly determined by its plug and time multiplier settings. Thus this type of relay is most
suitable for proper coordination. Operating characteristics of this relay are usually given in the
form of a curve with operating current of plug setting multiplier along the X axis and operating
time along Y axis.

To calculate the actual relay operating time, the following parameters is needed:
1. Time / PSM Curve
2. Plug Setting
3. Time Setting
4. Fault Current
5. Current Transformer Ratio

The process for calculating the actual relay operating time is as the follows:

1. Convert the fault current into the relay coil current by using the current transformer ratio.
2. Express the relay current as a multiple of current setting, i.e. calculate the PSM
3. From the Time/PSM curve of the relay, with the calculated PSM the corresponding time of
operation can be obtained.
4. Determine the actual time of operation by multiplying the above time of the relay by time-
setting multiplier in use.
Let us consider a real time system which is consisting of more than 30 bus systems for relay
coordination using ETAP software. In ETAP we have to design the circuit by calculation for
certain values in the system and some will be taken from the IEC standards. In the designed system
we need to run the following analysis for relay coordination.

They are:
1. Load flow analysis
2. Short circuit analysis
3. CT Selection
4. Relay coordination

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By this we can have proper sequential operation of the relay by this we can isolate the fault
position for the healthier network.

(Sequences of Operation of the Relay and Circuit Breaker)

(Relay Operating Time)

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 (Relay Coordination)

Main objective of protective relay co-ordination in an interconnected power system is to achieve

proper selectivity and speed without sacrificing sensitivity and fast fault clearance time. For
optimal relay co-ordination the current setting of relays are known prior and then find the time
multiplier setting (TMS) of the relays. Current setting and time multiplier setting of all relays are
considered as optimization parameters. By appropriate relay coordination we can achieve proper
fault identification and fault clearance sequence. A coordination study provides data useful for
selection of instrument transformers, protective relay characteristics and settings, fuse ratings, and
other information pertinent to provision of optimum protection and selectivity in coordinating
these devices. Coordination is a systematic application of current actuated devices in a power
system, which in response to a fault or overload will remove only a minimum amount of equipment
from service. The objective of relay co-ordination is to minimize the equipment damage.

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 Overview of Paper on
“Short Circuit Analysis & Over Current Relay Coordination
of IEEE 9-Bus System”

It is an essential and compulsory to design an empty interrupted electrical power system network
having security, stability and reliability in this electricity dependent era. In this paper Short circuit
analysis and Protection relying coordination of IEEE 9-Bus system is analyzed and designing of
overcurrent relaying scheme to operate the relay quickly and disconnect the faulty section from
healthy section. Electrical Power system built in the industry needs appropriate protection strategy
for reliable operation. Undetected and sudden faults can become hazardous and disturb the entire
system, power devices and causes the overheating, unbalanced system conditions, up and down of
the system voltage and blackouts etc. Proposed designing consists of nine buses (two generator
buses, one slack bus and six load buses), three transformers of 100MVA at three buses Bus- 1, 2
&3, placement of transmission lines are used. The load flow and fault analysis study are carried
out before the protection design of the system. The power flow analysis keeps vital role due to
identification of network capability to run with maximum load having no any effect on the system
stability. The load flow and fault analysis study are carried out before the protection design of the
system
A power flow study, which has been considered as an important for the future planned expansion
of Electrical power system and for the reliable and efficient determination of operating existed
system. The basic and preliminary data is magnitude and the phase angle (ɸ) of the voltage (V) at
each bus, active and reactive power (P & Q) flow in each line from the power flow study. The
severe faults due to short circuit or other reasons can damage the whole power system which
obviously disturbs the system, but also give a big financial loss of equipment, conductors,
machines etc. This system design is very much important because sudden and undetected
malfunctioning is hazardous for the whole network, which causes system unbalanced, overvoltage,
overcurrent and blackouts, etc. In this research work the SC analysis of IEEE 9-Bus system
containing two generator buses, one slack and six load buses has been analyzed by putting the
unsymmetrical faults and the designing of OC relay operation with quick disconnect during the
faults has also been analyzed in ETAP software. The faults were placed on the bus-7, relay
operation is checked, and tripping of CBs is also observed with some delay of time. The relay-5
first started energizing due to low effect which tripped the consistent circuit breaker and after that
main portion of protection is checked and observed from the short circuit current of the relay- 6&7.
The proposed protective approaches improved the system benefits to both the utility companies
and consumers.