7th International Conference on ‘Power System Protection and Automation’

REMEDIAL MEASURES TAKEN AGAINST REPEATED MAL-

OPERATION OF BUSBAR PROTECTION AT A LARGE
THERMAL POWER STATION----- A CASE STUDY

by

SUTANU BANERJEE
SENIOR DIVISIONAL ENGINEER (ELECTRICAL)
CENTRAL TESTING CIRCLE ,DVC,MAITHON

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THE INCIDENTS
IN 2011, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT, EITHER 220 KV MAIN BUS-1 OR MAIN BUS-2
IN MEJIA THERMAL POWER STATION OF DAMODAR VALLEY CORPORATION
STARTED TO TRIP THROUGH BUS BAR / LBB LOCK-OUT RELAYS (96).
HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY ACTUAL FAULT IN THE PRIMARY
SYSTEM.
TRIPPING WAS CAUSING OUTAGE OF ONE/ TWO 210 MW UNITS, LINES,
TRANSFORMERS.
A REAL THREAT FOR DVC BOTH IN TERMS OF
SYSTEM STABILITY
AND COMMERCIAL LOSSES

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THE SEARCH BEGINS

AS A CONVENTIONAL PROCEDURE FOLLOWING STEPS WERE TAKEN TO

FIND OUT THE ROOT CAUSES WITH UTMOST CARE TO AVOID ANY
INADVERTENT TRIPPING DURING THE TESTS :
1.CHECKING OF BUS BAR/ LBB RELAYS.
2.CHECKING OF AC CIRCUITRY ASSOCIATED TO BUSBAR / LBB PROTECTION.
3.CHECKING OF DC PROTECTION CIRCUITRY ASSOCIATED TO BUSBAR / LBB
PROTECTION.
THE TESTS REVEAL NO SPECIFIC CAUSE.

THEN WHAT ?
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THE BREAKTHROUGH
THE FIRST RAY OF LIGHT WAS SEEN WHEN IT WAS DETECTED THAT DC
POSITIVE IN THE SYSTEM GETTING INTERMITTENTLY EARTHED.
SINCE THE DC POSITIVE GENERALLY TRAVELS ALL THE SWITCHYARD/OUT
DOOR PLACES FOR PROTECTION/ CONTROL AND OTHER PURPOSES AND
THE NEGATIVE IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE COILS TO REDUCE
ELECTROLYTIC EFFECT, IT IS NOT A VERY RARE PHENOMENON THAT DC GOT
EARTHED DUE TO LOW I.R IN THE OUTDOOR CUBICLES, BOXES, TBs ETC. IN
A LARGE POWER HOUSE LIKE THIS CASE.
NOW THE QUESTION WAS, CAN EARTHING IN DC SYSTEM COULD LEAD TO
TRIPPING OF THE WHOLE BUS?

AND THE ANSWER WAS YES

BUT HOW ?
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7th International Conference on ‘Power System Protection and Automation’

SLD FOR 2 MB AND 1 TB BUS ARRANGEMENT

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DIAGRAM SHOWING OPERATION OF CT SWITCHING RELAY

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7th International Conference on ‘Power System Protection and Automation’

SIMPLIFIED BUS BAR / LBB DC SCHEME FOR 2 MB 1 TB ARRANGEMENT

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MULTIPLE EARTHING CAUSING BYPASS OF PROTECTION RELAY CONTACTS

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SINCE MULTIPLE EARTHING / LOW I.R IN THE PROTECTION SCHEME CAUSING

INADVERTENT OPERATION OF BUSBAR/LBB LOCK-OUT RELAYS, ALL THE
EFFORTS WERE MADE TO REMOVE DC EARTHINGS FROM THE SYSTEM.
ALL THE VULNURABLE POINTS WERE TAKEN CARE.
TWO VOLTMETERS WERE CONNECTED IN THE PANELS SHOWING
CONTINUOUSLY POSITIVE-TO-EARTH AND NEGATIVE-TO-EARTH VOLTAGES.
SO THAT, WHENEVER ANY EARTHING IN THE DC SYSTEM OBSERVED,
IMMIDIATE ACTION CAN BE TAKEN TO REMOVE IT.
ALL THESE ACTIONS STARTED TO PAY; AS THERE WAS NO SUCH TRIPPING
TOOK PLACE FOR A LONG PERIOD

BUT
IT WAS NOT A CHECKMATE TO THE PROBLRM

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VOLTMETERS TO DETECT ANY DC EARTHING

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PROBLEM RETURNED
THE JOY OF SUCCESS DID NOT LAST VERY LONG AS THE SAME THING
HAPPENED AGAIN IN 2015.
NOW IT WAS CLEAR THAT IN SPITE OF THE BEST EFFORTS, NON
RECURRENCE OF DC EARTHING CAN NOT BE FULLY GURANTEED FOR
SUCH LARGE POWER HOUSE.
IT WAS STRONGLY FELT WE REQUIRE SOME TOTALLY DIFERENT
APPROACH TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM PERMANENTLY WITHOUT ANY
RECURRENCE.

SO HOW IT WAS DONE ???

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REPLICATING PROTECTION SCHEME IN NEGATIVE SIDE OF THE LOCK-OUTS

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BUS BAR DC CIRCUIT MODIFICATION (PHYSICAL VIEW)

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THE MAJOR CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENT THE MODIFICATIONS WERE :

1. WORKING IN BUS BAR/LBB CIRCUIT SPECIALLY FOR A LARGE POWER
HOUSE ITSELF IS A BIG CHALLENGE. ANY MISTAKE MAY LEAD TO
WIDESPREAD TOTAL POWER FAILURE IN THE SYSTEM.
2. SINCE 04 NO.S OF GENERATORS WERE ALSO INVOLVED AND THE
GENERATOR RELAY PANELS (HAVING GENERATOR LBB RELAY) ARE
SITUATED ALMOST 2KM AWAY FROM THE MAIN SWITHYARD CONTROL
ROOM; NEW CABLE/SPARE CABLES NEED TO BE LAID/IDENTIFIED FOR THE
PURPOSE.
3. AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MODIFICATION, ENSURING
HEALTHINESS OF THE SCHEME.

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7th International Conference on ‘Power System Protection and Automation’

THE VICTORY
WITH THE JOINT EFFORT OF O&M WING AND CTC, THE SCHEME
WAS FINALLY COMMISSIONED ON MAY,2015
AND
IN JULY 2015, THE SCHEME OPERATED SUCCESFULLY FOR A REAL
LBB OPERTION
ALSO
NO SUCH MAL OPERATION OCCURRED TILL DATE ALTHOUGH SOME
INCIDENTS OF DC EARTHING WAS DETECTED IN THE PERIOD.
STILL
UTMOST CARE IS TAKEN BY THE O&M WING TO REMOVE ANY DC
EARTHING IN THE SYSTEM TO AVOID SUCH NUISANCE.
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