CT Saturation Tutorial

Presented by
Tony Giuliante

Bushing CT

IS

IP
N Turns

Copyright ATG Consulting 2003 1

Physical Properties of Core

Length L

Area A

B-H Characteristic

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 B-H Characteristic
B

Flux to Volts per Turn

Φ= ∫s B • dA

Φ = B • A sin (ωt)

V = dΦ = ω • B • A cos (ωt)
N dt

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 Flux to Volts per Turn

V = ω•B•A
N

Electric Field to Ampere Turns

ΝΙ = ∫H • dL

ΝΙ = H • L

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 Convert B-H Characteristic
B

V = ω•B•A
N

H
ΝΙ = H • L

V/N vs. NI
V
N

NI

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 CT Exciting Characteristic

2000:5

300:5
VS

IS

Simplified Bushing CT Circuit

IS
IP REB
N

REB = RLEADS + RDEVICES

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 Simplified Bushing CT Circuit
RCT
IS

IP REB
XM
N
IM

Simplified Bushing CT Circuit

IS

IP V = IS RTB RTB
XM
N
IM

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 Flux vs Voltage

V = N dΦ
dt

∫V
1
Φ= N • dt

∫ IS RTB
1
Φ= N • dt

Flux vs Voltage

∫ IS RTB
1
Φ= N • dt

Flux equals the AREA under the Voltage

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 Voltage Demand
IS RTB

Voltage & Flux Waveforms

IS RTB

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 Flux Design Limits

+ ΦS

Φ
- ΦS

Secondary Current
No Saturation

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 Increased Voltage Demand
Five times IS RTB
5*IS RTB

Flux for Ideal CT

No Saturation
5*IS RTB

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 Current Output for Ideal CT
No Saturation

Primary Current Secondary Current

Amperes

Time (Seconds)

Flux Design Limits

+ ΦS
- ΦS

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 Flux Design Limits

+ ΦS
- ΦS

Flux Excursion

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 Current vs Flux

AC Saturation

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 AC Saturation
• Large Fault Current

• Large Burden

• Low CT Kneepoint Voltage

AC Saturation
Relay Applications
• Large Fault Current
– Unit Auxiliary Transformers
• Large Burden
– High Impedance Bus Differentials
• Low CT Kneepoint Voltage
– Compact Distribution Switchgear

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Unit Auxiliary Transformers

87UAT

DC Offset
Transformer

Fault current includes a dc component, or offset,

that makes the current asymmetrical.
L/R = 100 ms X/R = 37.7

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 Offset Current vs Flux
Primary Current Flux

Sec. Amperes
or
Flux Density

Time (Seconds)

Secondary Current
Primary Current
Secondary Current

Amperes

Time (Seconds)

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 Secondary Current
Observations
• Secondary current is distorted due to the
core flux saturation
• Secondary current distorts after a short time
(time-to-saturation)
• Distortion slowly dissipates as primary dc
offset decays

Secondary Current
100
I PRIM
Amps

50
0
I SEC
-50
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Magnetic Flux Density (B)
2
Tesla

1
0
-1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Cycles

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 Large Differential Current
Secondary Current
Primary Current

Amperes

Differential Current

Time (Seconds)

DC Saturation Factors
• Large DC Time Constant

• Large Burden

• Low CT Kneepoint Voltage

• High Remanent Flux

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 Remanent Flux
• Trapped magnetic flux in core if a previous
offset current is interrupted before reaching
a symmetrical state
• High X/R ratios make remanent flux more
likely due to the slow decay rates of offset
current

Remanent Flux Survey

Remanent flux Percentage
in % of saturation of cts
0 - 20 39
21 - 40 18
41 - 60 16
61 - 80 27

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 Remanent Flux Example
• CT data
– 1200:5, C800, burden = 1.6 +j 0.7 ohm
• Fault current 24,000 amps with dc offset
• X/R ratio = 19
• Display ct secondary output current for
remanence of 0%, 50% and 75% of
saturation

0% Remanent Flux
Primary Current
Secondary Current

Amperes

Time (Seconds)

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 50% Remanent Flux

Primary Current
Secondary Current

Amperes

Time (Seconds)

75% Remanent Flux

Primary Current
Secondary Current

Amperes

Time (Seconds)

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 Remanent Flux Results
Remanent flux Time-to-saturation

0% 1+ cycles
50% 1/2 cycle
75% 1/3 cycle

IEEE Guide for the Application of

Current Transformers Used for
Protective Relaying Purposes

C37.110-1996

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 CT Classification

CT Accuracy Class
• ANSI defines accuracy rating classes by a
letter and number
C100, C800 or T100, etc.
• Letter designates how the accuracy can be
determined
• Number designates the minimum secondary
terminal voltage under a standard burden

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 Accuracy Class Letter
• “C” means by Calculation
– non-gapped cores with negligible leakage flux,
such as bushing cts
• “T” means by Test
– cts with leakage flux, such as cts with wound
primaries
• Old classes “H” and “L”
H T and L C

Accuracy Class Number

• Minimum secondary terminal voltage
produced
– at 20 times rated current
– into a standard burden
– without exceeding a 10% ratio correction factor

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 What is a Standard Burden?
• IEEE Standard Requirements for Instrument
Transformers C57.13-1993 the standard
relaying burdens are 1, 2, 4 and 8 ohms at a
lagging 0.5 p.f.
• 20 times rated secondary current of 5 A is
100 A, and 100 A times the standard
burdens yield C ratings of 100, 200, 400
and 800 V

CT Knee Point Voltages

45o Tangent
2000:5
B
A
300:5
VS

IS

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 Knee Point Definitions
• Point A is the ANSI knee point voltage
– point tangent to 45 degree slope line
• Point B is the IEC knee point
– where a 10% increase in voltage causes a 50 %
increase in current
• IEC knee point is higher than ANSI knee
point

CT Excitation Impedance
• Excitation curve represents the exciting
impedance in terms of voltage and current

• The ANSI knee point (A) represents the

point of maximum permeability of the iron
core

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 Examples
• Determine Accuracy Class

• Selecting CT Ratings

• Calculating Time to Saturation

Example - Find Accuracy Class

• Find the approximate ct accuracy class from
the excitation curve
– the C class is defined for a 10% ratio correction
factor at 20 times rated current
• 10% of (20 X 5 A) is 10 A
• for IE = 10 A, use the excitation curve to find VS as
about 500 V
– next find the ct terminal voltage by subtracting
the internal voltage drop from VS
» (continued)

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Example - Equivalent Circuit

IP IS = 100 A

IE = 10 A
VS = 500 VB = ? ZB

Example - continued
– VB (voltage to the burden)
VB = VS - (IS X RS)
VB = 500 - (100 X 0.61)
VB = 439 V

– The approximate ct accuracy class is the next

lowest ANSI class number (C400)

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 Examples
• Determine Accuracy Class

• Selecting CT Ratings

• Calculating Time to Saturation

Avoiding CT Saturation

VX > IS · ZTB (1 + X/R)

VX = saturation voltage
IS = secondary current
ZTB = total ct secondary burden

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CTs for Generator Differentials
• For generators, typically cts cannot be sized
to avoid saturation because of:
– high fault current
– high X/R ratio
• Common applications would:
– select adequate ct primary rating
– select highest practical C class
– match manufacturer and types of cts

Examples
• Determine Accuracy Class

• Selecting CT Ratings

• Calculating Time to Saturation

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 Transient Response of
Current Transformers
Power Systems Relaying Committee

Time to Saturate Equation

-t -t
VK
I F R TB
( I - KR ) = ω TCT TS
T CT - T S {
e
TCT
-e }
TS
+1

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 VK

VK 2000:5
Tangents
Intersect
300:5
VS

IS

Saturation Parameters
R TB = RCT + R LEADS +R DEVICES

I F = FAULT CURRENT
(SEC RMS AMPS)
KR =
{ .5 - .75 IRON CORE
.1 AIR GAP
ω = 377
L
TCT = M
R TB

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 VM & I M
45o Tangent
2000:5
VM

300:5
VS

IM IS

CT Inductance
LM
TCT =
RTB

VM
XM = IM

XM
LM =
ω

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 DC Offsets

DC Offset Current
• Depends on where in the voltage wave the
fault occurs.

• Fault time is defined as:

F I A => Fault Initiation Angle

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 Voltage Waveform
FIA

0 45 90 135 180 225 270 345 360 Degrees

60 Hz 0 4.16 8.33 12.5 16.67 Time ms

Voltage Waveform
FIA

0 45 90 135 180 225 270 345 360 Degrees

50 Hz 0 5 10 15 20 Time ms

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 Power System
R L

Z = √ R2 + X2
G
θ = ARCTAN (ω L / R)

Power System
R L

G
θ = Characteristic Angle

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 Fault at FIA = θ
No Offset
R L

Current Waveform
No Offset FIA = θ
2

0
Current

-1

-2

-3
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time - Milliseconds

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 Fault at FIA = θ ± 90
Max Offset
R L

Current Waveform
Max Offset FIA = θ + 90
2

0
Current

-1

-2

-3
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time - Milliseconds

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 Total Current
2

0
Current

-1

-2

-3
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time - Milliseconds

Equations
v(t) = Vmax * sin ( Wt + Close_Ang )

i (t) = i ss (t) + i trans (t)

i ss (t) = [ Vmax / Z ] * sin ( Wt + Alpha )

Alpha = Close_Ang - ArcTan ( WL/R )

i trans (t) = [ e^ (-R/L) t ] * [ -Vmax / Z ] * sin ( Alpha )

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 Power System
Time Constants
L/R (MS) X/R Ang (deg) Power System
1 0.377 20.66 High Fault Resistance
2 0.754 37.02
5 1.885 62.05 Distribution Lines
10 3.770 75.14 Subtransmission Lines
30 11.310 84.95 EHV Lines
100 37.699 88.48 Transformers
200 75.398 89.24 Generators
400 150.796 89.62
1000 376.991 89.85 Large Generators

Subtransmission Line
L/R = 10 ms
2

0
Current

-1

-2

-3
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time - Milliseconds

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 Generator
L/R = 200 ms
2

0
Current

-1

-2

-3
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time - Milliseconds

EHV Line
L/R = 30 ms
2

0
Current

-1

-2

-3
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time - Milliseconds

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 Distribution Line
L/R = 5 ms
2

0
Current

-1

-2

-3
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time - Milliseconds

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