Electrical Installation A

│ Topic 4B │

IDMT Protection Relay

© VTC 2015 1
IDMT Protection Relay

2
3
Features of IDMT
 The IDMT protection relay should integrate with circuit breaker (MCCB,
ACB, VCB) to provide over-current and earth fault protection. When the
IDMT relay detects over-current and earth fault current, it transmit trip
signal to operate circuit breaker(MCCB, ACB).
 Suitable for high current incoming switch and outgoing switch.
 The IDMT has not direct contact with circuit and can detect the fault
current at remote position.
 It has plug setting (PS), time multiple setting (TM) and instant trip which
can adjust the current and time setting. i.e. a very flexible device.
 The cost is high.

4
5
6
Operation of the IDMT Relay
 Induction disc relay
 The current flow into the relay
there are two electromagnetic
magnets. The phase shift
between the flux of the upper
magnet and the flux of the
lower magnet produce a torque
which tends to rotate the disc.
 When the current exceeds
certain value, the disc starts to
rotate. After rotating through a
certain angle, a pair of tripping
contact is closed.
 The larger the current, the
higher the operating torque
and the faster the operating
time

7
Circuit Diagram
 O/C: Overcurrent protection relay (3 nos.)
 E/F : Earth fault protection relay (1 no.)
 MCT: metering CT
 PCT: protection CT
 ACB: air circuit breaker
 A: ammeter

8
Adjustable Settings

9
Current, Multiples of Setting
 Select curve with TM=1
 Inverse Definite Minimum Time
characteristic curve. The larger
current the faster of protection relay
operation.
 Log-Log curve

10
Time Multiple Setting
 Adjust the time multiple
setting
 The characteristic curves
move vertical upward (less
sensitive)/ downward (more
sensitive)

11


E.g. A IDMT protection relay monitor the current transformer with CT

ratio of 1000A/5A. Calculate the plug setting multiplier (PMS)
when the plug setting is 0.8 and the fault current is 2000A.
Is= PS x In= 0.8 x 5=4 A
Current through relay = 2000 x (5/1000)=10 A
PSM= 10/4=2.5

12
Determine the Operating Time

13
Standard Inverse Characteristic (SI)

Standard Inverse Characteristic (SI)

0.14
t  TM 
PSM 0.02  1
Very Inverse Characteristic (VI)

13.5
t  TM 
PSM  1
Extremely Inverse Characteristic (EI)
80
t  TM 
PSM 2  1

14
Example:
A IDMT protection relay with very inverse characteristics is connected to a current
transformer with CT ratio of 2500A/5A. The plug setting is 1.1 and the time multiplier
setting is 0.5. Calculate the operating time of the relay when there is a 20 kA fault current.
Given: CT ratio = 5/2500 ; PS =1.1, TM=0.5; I=20kA ; In=5A; very inverse
PSM:
Is= PS x In=1.1x5=5.5A
I=(20000x5/2500)=40A
PSM=I/Is=40/5.5=7.27
Trip time with very inverse characteristic:
t=0.5 x 13.5/(PSM-1) = 0.5 x 13.5/(7.27-1)=1.075s

15
Accuracy of IDMT Relay

16
Accuracy of IDMT Relay

17
Solid State Relay

18
 Setting of Incomer’s
IDMT Protection Relay
with respective to CLP

 The incomer’s IDMT

protection relay should
operate faster than the
supplier’s IDMT
protection relay at the
HV side.

19
Setting of Incomer’s
IDMT Protection Relay
with respective to HKE

20
Grading of Protection Relays (Discrimination) (區分性)

 Consider a short circuit fault at downstream ACB circuit.

 The down stream ACB should operate first and the
upstream ACB should have enough grading margin to avoid
operate two ACBs at the instantaneously.
 Safe time margin=grading margin=0.4s

21