Transmission Line

Protection
Class Exercise: Autotransformer
Tertiary Winding and Neutral
Fault Current Calculation

© SEL 2022

This exercise reinforces the concept of calculating the zero-sequence fault current magnitude and
direction in the tertiary winding and neutral for a single-phase-to-ground fault at the high-voltage
side of an autotransformer. To complete the exercise, students must previously complete the
PROT 407 Section 02 exercise.

1
Objectives

 Calculate the zero-sequence and phase fault currents in per

unit and amperes in the tertiary winding
 Calculate the zero-sequence current in amperes in
the neutral
 In a single-line diagram, show the magnitudes and
directions of autotransformer zero-sequence currents

Objectives:

Calculate the zero-sequence and phase fault currents in per unit and amperes at the
autotransformer tertiary winding.

Calculate the zero-sequence and phase fault currents in per unit at the autotransformer neutral.

In a single-line diagram, show the magnitudes and directions of zero-sequence currents in the
autotransformer high-voltage side, low-voltage side, tertiary winding and neutral.

2
High- and low-voltage side zero-sequence
fault currents
From PROT 407 Section 02 exercise, the zero-sequence
currents are the following:
 High-voltage side zero-sequence fault current
I0_H =____ A
 Low-voltage side zero-sequence fault current
I0_X =____ A

Fill the blanks with the following data from PROT Section 02 exercise: the autotransformer
per-unit high-voltage side fault current I0_H that flows through the series winding and the per-unit
low-voltage side fault current I0_X.

These currents will serve to calculate the tertiary zero-sequence current.

3
Tertiary winding sequence fault currents

 Positive-sequence fault current: I1_T = ____ A

 Negative-sequence fault current: I2_T = ____ A
 Zero-sequence fault current: I0_T = ____ A
Neutral Bus

I0_T I0_HS

Z0XS ZT Z0HS

I0_X I0_H

ZX ZH I0_F

Calculate the tertiary winding sequence fault currents.

4
Tertiary winding phase fault currents

 A-phase fault current: Ia_T = ____ A

 B-phase fault current: Ib_T = ____ A
 C-phase fault current: Ic_T = ____ A

Calculate the tertiary winding phase fault currents.

5
Common winding zero-sequence fault current

From PROT 407 Section 02 exercise, the common winding

zero-sequence fault current I0_C is the following:
I0_C = ____ A

Fill the blank with the following data from PROT Section 02 exercise: the autotransformer
per-unit fault current I0_C that flows through the common winding.

This current will serve to calculate the neutral zero-sequence current.

6
Neutral fault current

Determine the autotransformer neutral current:

𝐼 = 3𝐼 _ =____ A

7
 Exercise solution

Objectives:

Calculate the zero-sequence and phase fault currents in per unit and amperes at the
autotransformer tertiary winding.

Calculate the zero-sequence and phase fault currents in per unit at the autotransformer neutral.

In a single-line diagram, show the magnitudes and directions of zero-sequence currents in the
autotransformer high-voltage side, low-voltage side, tertiary winding and neutral.

8
High- and low-voltage side zero-sequence
fault currents
From PROT 407 Section 02 exercise we have:
 High-voltage side zero-sequence fault current
I0_H = –j18.847 pu
 Low-voltage side zero-sequence fault current
I0_X = –j6.276 pu

9
Tertiary winding Neutral Bus

zero-sequence I0_T I0_HS

fault current Z0XS ZT Z0HS

I0_X I0_H

ZX ZH I0_F

I 0 _ T _ pu  I 0 _ H _ pu  I 0 _ X _ pu   j 9.52802  ( j 6.27565)   j 3.25243

100,000
I Base _13.8   4,183.7 A
3  13.8
4,183.7
I0 _ T   j 3.25243   j 7,856.1 A
3

We calculate the zero-sequence fault current in the tertiary winding using Kirchhoff's current law
at the wye-point of the zero-sequence network.

To calculate the zero-sequence fault current in the tertiary winding in amperes we must multiply
the per unit current in the tertiary winding by the tertiary winding base current and divide the
result by the square root of three, because the tertiary base current is defined for line quantities.

10
Tertiary winding sequence fault currents

 Positive-sequence fault current: I1_T = 0 A

 Negative-sequence fault current: I2_T = 0 A
 Zero-sequence fault current: I0_T = –j7,856.1 A

The slide shows the tertiary winding sequence fault currents.

11
Zero-sequence fault currents

I0_H = 1,047.8 I0_HS = 1,024.8

I0_F = 2,072.6
I0_X = 1,575.3

I0_T = 7,856.1

I0_C = 527.5

The slide shows the magnitudes and directions of zero-sequence currents.

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Tertiary winding phase fault currents

 A-phase fault current: Ia_T = –j7,856.1 A

 B-phase fault current: Ib_T = –j7,856.1 A
 C-phase fault current: Ic_T = –j7,856.1 A

The zero-sequence fault current circulates inside the tertiary winding in all three phases. The slide
shows the autotransformer tertiary winding phase fault currents.

13
Neutral fault current

From PROT 407 Section 02 exercise, the common winding

zero-sequence fault current I0_C is the following:
𝐼 _ = –j527.5 A

14
Neutral fault current

The autotransformer zero-sequence neutral fault current IN is

the following:
𝐼 = 3𝐼 _ = 3 –j527.5 A) = –j1,582.5 A

15
Neutral fault current

1,047.8 1,024.8

2,072.6
1,575.3

7,856.1

527.5

IN = 1,582.5

The slide shows the magnitude and direction of zero-sequence neutral current IN.

Note that the neutral current flows from the neutral to ground in this example. As we know, the
autotransformer neutral current may reverse in some ground fault cases. For this reason, we should
not use this current for ground directional element polarization.

16
Questions?

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