Transient behaviour of current transformer

In general current transformers are used to step down the primary system
current (few thousand of amperes) to a level which the measurement and
protection circuit can handle. Depending on the purpose for which the CT’s are
intended, such as metering and protection. The difference mainly concerns
about CT behaviour when conducting overcurrent. While the metering CT
designed not to supply secondary current more than 1.2 times of rated current.
But protection CT has to transform exact primary current to enable the
protective device has to detect a fault.

So when concentrating on protection CT here, the response of CT core to

transients, harmonics, high DC component is of consequences on some kind of
protection.

Example:

 Large turbo generator protection

 Transmission line protection
 Bus zone protection

The main parameters to be considered for protection application CT’s are as

follows,

1. Rated current of primary and secondary

2. Class
3. Rated burden
4. Rated overcurrent factor

From the above the rated overcurrent factor needs to discuss in detail. This
factor of the core must be chosen such that the operation of protection is not
impaired by the core entering into saturation.

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From the above equation the effective overcurrent factor n t increased by
reducing the burden St. This fact is frequently used in practice to improve CT
overcurrent performance.

Transient behaviour:

Assume the power system with a relatively large L/R ratio for the fault loop,
which indicate long time constants for the DC component contained in the fault
current and this is especially significant close to large turbo generators.

DC component can cause CT’s with closed iron cores to saturate at relatively
low magnitude of current. Thus entire DC component contribute to the flux of
the core.

Figure: The excursion of the flux of a CT for a fully off-set current.

So the design consequences on conventional CT imposes to consider oversizing

factor (Kt), remanence factor (Kr). So consider a high oversizing factor for a CT
with iron core (approx. 25) to preclude saturation but CT cost become even
worse. When remenance factor (Kr) increased to 0.8 for CT with closed iron
core leads to an enormous cross section area of iron core. This is technically and
economically difficult to follow.

Thus conventional CT’s cannot be prevented from saturating, especially where

fault currents are exceptionally high and long operating time. In case saturation
occur the secondary current is no longer faithful representation of the primary

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current, ration and phase error become inadmissible values and therefore
discriminative operation of graded protective device is no longer valid.

Figure: Secondary current of saturated CT by a fully off-set primary current

In such a special kind of protection, classes of CT’s have also been introduced
to handle large DC component current with the type of designations TPX, TPY
and TPZ.

Class TPX includes oversized CT’s with closed iron core which are designed
according to higher oversizing factor (Kt) and remenence factor (Kr) as
described above. Their main disadvantage is large cross of the iron core section,
installation issue and cost.

Air gap current transformer:

Class TPY and TPZ CT have air gap in the magnetic path. The introduction of
an air gap in the iron core reduces main inductance (Lµ) and CT time constant
(Tw). So outcome is much smaller oversizing factor (Kt) is permissible, which
means cross section of iron core is greatly reduced in compare with TPX class
CT.

Class TPY and TPZ differs in air gap length, time constants and residual flux
factors. Its comparisons are tabulated as given below.

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 Class TPY TPZ
Anti-remenence air-gap
Referred as Linearized CT
CT
Residual flux factor 0.1pu Almost zero

Time constant 0.1 to 1s < 60ms

DC component
Relatively accurate Poor (imprecise)
transformation
Ratio error ±1 % ±1 %

Application:

 TPZ referred mainly on differential protection scheme of higher rated

power plants.
 TPY referred mainly on transmission lines of strong power system.

Reference: “Protection techniques in electrical energy system” by Ungrad.

Reference standard on CT transient behaviour: IEC 60044-6

Note: In a differential protection scheme the combination of TPZ class with

other CTs is possible as long as CT ratio and CT errors are provided and
correctly dimensioned.

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