NOJA-769-04

NOJA Power

Application Note
Directional Protection

www.nojapower.com.au
NOJA-769-04

Revision History

Rev Author Date Comment

0 JM 18/03/08 Draft
1 BOS 18/06/08 First Release
2 BOS 25/06/08 Improved ITS drawing. Fixed typographical error.
3 OA 26/03/14 Included reference to RC10 and ITS-03 (NOJA-596).
4 OA 14/02/17 Added negative phase sequence components, powerflow direction
configuration and enabling directional protection in CMS.

NOJA Power® and OSM® are registered trademarks of NOJA Power Switchgear Pty Ltd. This document
is copyright and is intended for users and distributors of NOJA Power Switchgear product. It contains
information that is the intellectual property of NOJA Power Switchgear and the document, or any part thereof,
should not be copied or reproduced in any form without written permission from NOJA Power Switchgear.
NOJA Power® and OSM® are registered trademarks of NOJA Power Switchgear and should not be
reproduced or used in any way without written authorisation.
NOJA Power Switchgear applies a policy of ongoing development and reserves the right to change product
without notice. NOJA Power Switchgear does not accept any responsibility for loss or damage incurred as a
result of acting or refraining from action based on information in this User Manual.

© NOJA Power Switchgear Pty Ltd 2002 - 2017

www.nojapower.com.au
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Table of Contents

1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1
2. Symmetrical Components ....................................................................................................................... 1
2.1. Sequence Components ................................................................................................................... 1
2.2. Non-Faulted Three Phase System .................................................................................................... 2
2.2.1. Positive Sequence Components ................................................................................................... 2
2.2.2. Negative Sequence Components .................................................................................................. 3
2.2.3. Zero Sequence component .......................................................................................................... 3
3. System Faults ........................................................................................................................................ 4
3.1. Three Phase................................................................................................................................... 4
3.2. Phase to Phase .............................................................................................................................. 5
3.3. Two Phase to Earth ........................................................................................................................ 5
3.4. OC Torque Angle ............................................................................................................................ 6
3.5. Earth Fault ..................................................................................................................................... 7
3.6. EF Torque Angle ............................................................................................................................ 7
3.7. Negative Phase Sequence Fault ....................................................................................................... 8
3.8. NPS Torque Angle .......................................................................................................................... 8
4. NOJA Interface Test Set (ITS) ................................................................................................................ 9
5. Directional Elements ............................................................................................................................ 10
6. Power Flow Direction Configuration ...................................................................................................... 12
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1. INTRODUCTION
The Recloser control cubicle features directional protection capability. This document describes how to calculate
the torque angle associated with a given set of current voltage phasors for a three phase system.
Worked examples are provided for each of three phase, phase to phase, phase to phase to earth and earth
faults together with a suggested setup to allow testing using the NOJA Power Interface Test Set.

2. SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS
In a multi phase system, an unbalanced fault can be determined by application of Fortescue’s theorem. When
applied to a three phase system the theorem states that three unbalanced phasors can be resolved into three
balanced systems of phasors. The balanced systems are referred to as Positive, Negative and Zero sequence
components.
The NOJA Power implementation of directional protection calculates polarising voltage, operating angle and
current to determine fault direction. The representation below is for a positive direction fault.

where: Upol polarising voltage

Iop operating current
Aop operating angle (angle between Upol and Iop).
At preset torque angle

Quantities, Upol, Iop and Aop are determined using Positive Sequence values for phase Overcurrent (OC)
protection, Negative Sequence values for Negative Phase Sequence Protection (NPS) and Zero Sequence values
for Earth Fault (EF) and Sensitive Earth fault (SEF) protection.

2.1. SEQUENCE COMPONENTS

The equation to determine the positive, negative and zero sequence components are as follows:

I0 = 1/3 (Ia + Ib + Ic) V0 = 1/3 (Va + Vb + Vc) Zero Sequence Current and Voltage
1 2 1 2
I1 = /3 (Ia + aIb + a Ic) V1 = /3 (Va + aVb + a Vc) Positive Sequence Current and Voltage
I2 = 1/3 (Ia + a2Ib + aIc) V2 = 1/3 (Va + a2Vb + aVc) Negative Sequence Current and Voltage

where “a” is an operator that rotates the phasor by 120° and “a2” rotates it by 240°.

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2.2. NON-FAULTED THREE PHASE SYSTEM

In a non-faulted three phase system, the phases are equal in magnitude with 120 0 phase shift between each
phase.

2.2.1. POSITIVE SEQUENCE COMPONENTS

The result for a balanced set of phasors is that the Positive Sequence value will always equal the A phase value.

A
+2400
+1200

Ia Ib <1200 Ic <2400

I1 = 1/3 (Ia + aIb + a2Ic) =1/3 (Ia + Ib<120o + Ic <240o)

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2.2.2. NEGATIVE SEQUENCE COMPONENTS

The result for a balanced set of phasors is that the Negative Sequence value will always be 0.

Ic <1200 Ib <2400
+1200

A Ia

+2400

I2 = 1/3 (Ia + a2Ib + aIc) = 1/3 (Ia + Ib<240o + Ic<120o) = 0

2.2.3. ZERO SEQUENCE COMPONENT

The result for a balanced set of phasors is that the Zero Sequence value will always be 0.

Ia

Ic Ib

I0 = 1/3 (Ia + Ib + Ic)=0

Note: EF and SEF protection elements will trip on the magnitude of the residual current, In where In= 3 x I0.

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3. SYSTEM FAULTS
For an 11kV distribution system we could expect fault conditions as depicted below.

3.1. THREE PHASE

Under a B phase to C phase fault condition we have voltages and currents as follows:
Ia = 12kA -43°
Ib = 12kA -163°
Ic = 12kA 77°

Va = 3.0kV -43°
Vb = 3.0kV -163°
Vc = 3.0kV 77°

I1 = 1/3 (Ia + aIb + a2Ic)

V1 = 1/3 (Va + aVb + a2Vc)

To do the vector addition, quantities must be converted from polar to rectangular co-ordinates, as follows:
Ia = 12kA -43° = 12000cos(-43) +j12000sin(-43)
aIb = 12kA (-163°+120°) = 12000cos(-43) +j12000sin(-43)
a2Ic = 12kA (77°+ 240°) = 12000cos(-43) +j12000sin(-43)

Therefore, I1 = 1/3 [(8776 +8776 + 8776)+j(-8184-8184-8184)]

= 8776 – j8184
= √(87762 + (-8184)2) tan-1( -8184/8776)
= 12000A -43°

Similarly, V1 = 3.0kV -43°

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3.2. PHASE TO PHASE

Under a B phase to C phase fault condition we have voltages and currents as follows:
Ia = 0A 0° (load is negligible compared to fault)
Ic
Ib = 12kA -127°
Ic = 12kA 53°

Vc
Va = 6.4kV 0° Va
Vb
Vb = 4.5kV -169°
Vc = 2.2kV 157°

Ib

From this we can derive

I1 = 6.9kA -53°
V1 = 3.8kV -11°

3.3. TWO PHASE TO EARTH

Under a B phase to C phase to earth fault condition we have voltages and currents as follows:
Ia = 0A 0° (load is negligible)
Ib = 11.5kA -143°
Ic = 9.3kA 53°

Va = 6.4kV 0°
Vb = 4.6kV -166°
Vc = 2.7kV 112°

From this we can derive

I1 = 6.6kA -40°
V1 = 4.3kV -17°

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3.4. OC TORQUE ANGLE

Having determined V1 and I1 associated with a range of phase fault scenarios we can determine an OC torque
angle to suit this system.
Plotting the V1 and I1 pairs for the three fault types considered
above we can see that the largest variation in angle between
voltage and current occurs for the phase to phase fault.
Accordingly, if we select the torque angle to suit this fault
scenario, the others will automatically be catered for.

Considering the phase to phase case in isolation we see that an

OC torque angle of -40° is suitable for this system.
Setting an angle of 320° in the relay will achieve this.

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3.5. EARTH FAULT

Under an A phase to earth fault condition we have voltages and currents as follows:
Ia = 12.3kA -43°
Ib=Ic = 0A 0° (load is negligible)

Va = 3.0kV -43°
Vb = 6.3kV -118°
Vc = 6.4kV 118°

From this we can derive zero sequence values

I0 = 4.1kA -43°
V0 = 1.4kV -153°

We can also determine zero sequence components for the two phase to earth fault reviewed in section 3.3.
From the phase components we can derive:
I0 = 1.2kA 172°
V0 = 0.6kV 56°
Note that this is a border-line case since the collapse in the B and C phase voltages results in a zero sequence
voltage of only 600V. The relay requires at least 500V in order to determine direction.

3.6. EF TORQUE ANGLE

Having determined V0 and I0 associated with some earth fault scenarios we can determine an EF torque angle to
suit this system.
Plotting the zero sequence components reveals that in each case,
V0 and I0 have similar separation of around 110°.

Considering the two phase to earth fault in isolation we see

that a setting of 110° for Earth Fault torque angle is suitable
for this system.

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3.7. NEGATIVE PHASE SEQUENCE FAULT

Under a negative phase sequence fault we may have the following voltages and currents:
Ia = 12 kA -43°
B
Ib = 12 kA 77°
Ic = 12 kA -163°

Va = 3.0 kV -43° 430

Vb = 3.0 kV 77° C A

Vc = 3.0 kV -163°

From this we derive:

I2 = 12.0 kV -43°
V2 = 3.0 kV -43°

Under a two phase to earth fault reviewed in section 3.3 we can determine negative phase sequence
components.
I2 = 5.48 kA 130°
V2 = 2.14 kV 21°

We can also determine negative phase sequence components for an A phase to earth fault condition reviewed in
section 3.5.
I2 = 4.1 kA -43°
V2 = 1.67 kV 205°

3.8. NPS TORQUE ANGLE

Having determined V2 and I2 associated with some fault scenarios we can determine an NPS torque angle to suit
this system.
I2 ph-ph-e Plotting the V2 and I2 pairs for the fault types considered
above we can see that the largest variation in angle
1090
between voltage and current occurs for the phase to
earth fault.
V2 ph-ph-e Accordingly, if we select the torque angle to suit this fault
scenario, the others will automatically be catered for.
V2 ph-e

1120
V2 NPS
I2 ph-e

I2 NPS

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Considering the phase to earth case in

isolation we see that an NPS torque angle of
+112° is suitable for this system.
Setting an angle of 112° in the relay will
achieve this.
Reverse V2 ph-e
1120

I2 ph-e
Forward

4. NOJA INTERFACE TEST SET (ITS)

The Interface Test Set is used to simulate the current and voltage signals generated by the sensors inside the
OSM recloser bushings. This can be used with a suitable secondary injection test set to simulate directional
faults.
For directional protection testing the ITS should be connected as follows:

Please refer to the ITS User Manual for more information on the ITS and its applications.

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5. DIRECTIONAL ELEMENTS
Directional elements provide a means of enabling or disabling directional protection for each of the OC, NPS EF
and SEF elements.
When the Directional Element (DE) is enabled for any protection element, the protection element will only
respond to faults in the element’s designated direction. For example, OC1+ would only respond to forward faults,
and OC1- would only respond to reverse faults, provided DE is enabled for both of them.
If DE is not enabled for a particular element then the element will respond to both forward and reverse
overcurrent and operate on the magnitude of the fault only.
The Directional function for Phase Overcurrent, Earth Fault, Sensitive Earth Fault and Negative Phase
Sequence protection is provided by the directional elements, DE OC, DE EF, DE SEF and DE NPS.
The torque angle set by the user is used to determine forward and reverse zones for the fault. If the phase angle
(angle between the polarising voltage, Upol and operating current Iop) is in the forward zone then the fault is in the
forward direction else the fault is in the reverse direction. The torque angle can be set separately for each set of
protection elements.
The phase angle is defined as follows for the different elements:
OC angle between positive sequence polarising voltage and positive sequence operating
current
EF, SEF angle between zero sequence polarising voltage and zero sequence operating current
NPS angle between negative phase sequence polarising voltage and negative sequence
operating current.
The directional element can be enabled in CMS.
Go to the Auto Reclose tab in Offline Settings and tick the DE box next to the desired element.

Figure 1: Enabling Directional Protection

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The “Direction Not Detected” setting determines whether the protection element enabled for directional control
will operate if the direction is not detected. By default this setting is configured to “block” any protection trips.
When set to “Trip” the fastest curve of the elements enabled for directional control will trip once the fault
reaches the pickup value.
The “Dir Change Response” setting determines how the elements, enabled for directional control, behave when
the power flow direction changes while the protection timer is accumulating:
Lock
When the direction (e.g. positive direction) is detected and a protection element e.g. OC1+ detects the fault, the
protection timer for OC1+ starts to accumulate. During this time, if the direction of current suddenly changes
and exceeds the pickup current of the opposite element e.g.OC1-, then OC1- will not detect the fault and the
protection timer continues to accumulate for OC1+.
Dynamic
When the direction (e.g. positive direction) is detected and a protection element e.g. OC1+ detects the fault, the
protection timer starts to accumulate for OC1+. During this time, if the direction of current suddenly changes
and exceeds the pickup current of the opposite element e.g.OC1-, the protection timer resets and starts to
accumulate for OC1-. The OC1+ pickup resets after the fault reset time if the direction does not return back to
the positive direction during the reset time.

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6. POWER FLOW DIRECTION CONFIGURATION

Power Flow Direction can be configured under System Settings in CMS. By default it is set to “RST to ABC”,
which means forward positive sequence powerflow direction in the OSM tank is from the RST side to the ABC
side and reverse positive sequence powerflow direction is from the ABC side to RST side.

Figure 2: Power Flow Direction Configuration

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