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ICE4CT2021 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2312 (2022) 012005 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2312/1/012005

Performance of Restricted Fault and Bias Differential

Protection Against Earth Fault on a Transformer

N.H. Hashim1, N.H. Halim1, S.N.M. Arshad1, M.H. Hussain1, S.R.A. Rahim, A.A.
Suleiman2

1
Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy (CERE), Faculty of Electrical
Engineering Technology, Pauh Putra Main Campus, Universiti Malaysia Perlis,
02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia.
2
Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social
Development, Abuja Nigeria

Email: norhaidar@unimap.edu.my

Abstract. In this paper, the effectiveness of restricted earth fault and bias differential protection
against earth fault on of transformer winding is presented. Earth fault is one of the failures that
occurs on a power transformer winding. Its magnitude depends on how the neutral is connected
and the location of fault. For a transformer which is connected to Neutral Earth Resistance
(NER), as the fault moves towards its neutral, the magnitude of fault current decreases and the
detection of fault diminishes, thus limiting percentage of winding that can be protected. To
overcome this problem, restricted earth fault is employed. This paper will show that based on
its principles, restricted earth fault protection is more sensitive and provide better coverage for
the star winding against earth fault especially resistance earthed.

1. Introduction
Possibly the most important and expensive equipment in a power system is the transformer. The
transformers range in size from large incoming units which deliver power at the distribution voltage to
low voltage utilization at consumer side. Because of its static nature, the power transformer can be
regarded as a very reliable unit. However, there is a possibility of failure because of internal faults as
well as being subjected to stresses from external sources which could cause internal fault condition.
Some of faults which are internal in origin are failure of winding insulation resulting in inter-turn fault
or earth-fault.

2. Earth Fault Current and Neutral Earth Resistance

In solidly connected neutral to earth, the magnitude of earth fault current on transformers is limited
only to the value of soil resistance and leakage reactance. It is also proportional to the distance of fault
from the neutral point. This will result in very high fault current and will eventually damage the
transformers. Neutral Earthing Resistors (NERs) are therefore employed to limit the fault current for
safety of the equipment. NER is inserted between neutral to ground in order to increase the net resistance

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ICE4CT2021 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2312 (2022) 012005 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2312/1/012005

and limit the fault current to a safe level. The ratio of transformation between primary winding and the
short circuit-turns varies with the position of the fault to the square of proportion of winding short
circuited.

Figure 1 A delta-star connected power transformer with its star point is connected to NER.

Figure 1 shows a delta-star connected power transformer with its star point is connected to NER. An
earth fault current along star connected winding is denoted by “X”. As the fault moves towards the
neutral point, “X” is “0”, and “1” when the fault occurs at transformer terminal. For simplicity
impedance “Z” is neglected. An earth fault current for any phase is given by:

𝑉𝑆
𝐼𝑓𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦 = (𝑥 )/𝑅 (1)
√3

When an earth fault occurs at phase “C”, the fault current will flow through an earth or grounding and
then through NER and nuetral. This secondary fault on the LV side will reflected on phase “A” and
“C” on HV. The fault current reflected on primary side IA and IC are given by:

𝑥𝑉𝑠
⁄
√3
𝐼𝐶 = −𝐼𝐴 = (𝐼𝑓𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦 ) ∗ (2)
𝑉𝑝
𝑉𝑆 𝑥𝑉𝑠
⁄ ⁄
√3 √3
𝐼𝐶 = −𝐼𝐴 = 𝑥 ∗ ∗ (3)
𝑅 𝑉𝑝

𝑉𝑆2⁄
2 3
𝐼𝐶 = −𝐼𝐴 = 𝑥 ∗ (4)
(𝑉𝑝∗ 𝑅)

Equation (4) shows that the ratio of transformation between HV winding and the short circuit-turns
varies with the position of the fault to the square of proportion of winding short circuited.

Following numerical example will explain more details about the effect of fault location in relation
with magnitude of fault current in transformer secondary winding.

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ICE4CT2021 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2312 (2022) 012005 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2312/1/012005

S = 10 MVA; Ratio= 33/11 kV; Neutral Earth Resistance = 60 ohm;

CT ratio (primary) = 200/1, CT ratio (secondary) = 600/1, Impedance, Z = 7%

Impedance, Z in ohm = 7% * 11k 2/10M = 0.847 ohm

As the leakage reactance << NER, it will be neglected throughout the calculation.

From equation (1), the maximum fault current when “X” = 1

11𝑘
𝐼𝑓𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑡= ( )/60 = 105.85A
√3

Maximum fault current at primary side at phase “A” and “C” is given by:

From Equation (4)

11 𝑘 2⁄
𝐼𝐶 = −𝐼𝐴 = 12 ∗ 3 = 20.37 𝐴
(33𝑘 ∗ 60)

Table 1 and Figure 2 shows the relationship between fault current on LV winding to HV winding
when X is varied from 0% to 100%.

Table 1 The relationship between fault current on LV winding to HV winding when X is varied
from 0% to 100%.
Position of "X" from Fault Current Fault Current I1 I2
Neutral (%) (LV side) (HV side) (Relay current on (Relay current on
LV side) HV side)
0 0 0 0 0
10 12.70 0.24 0.06 0.00
20 25.40 0.98 0.13 0.00
30 38.11 2.20 0.19 0.01
40 50.81 3.91 0.25 0.02
50 63.51 6.11 0.32 0.03
60 76.21 8.80 0.38 0.04
70 88.91 11.98 0.44 0.06
80 101.61 15.64 0.51 0.08
90 114.32 19.80 0.57 0.10
100 127.02 24.44 0.64 0.12

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ICE4CT2021 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2312 (2022) 012005 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2312/1/012005

Figure 2 The relationship between fault current on LV winding to HV winding when X is varied
from 0% to 100%.

It can be seen that the HV side of the transformer yields much less fault current than the LV side for
all “X” position.

3. Performances of Bias Differential Protection

Differential protection is one of the schemes which operates on the principles of discrimination by
comparison which also known as unit protection. It is intended to protect only the unit which are
associated and does not provide the back-up protection unlike discrimination by time schemes. It is
based on the Merz-Price principle which basically measuring current flowing through into the
protected unit and leaving it. Any difference between them indicates there is a fault in the protected
unit and the protection should trip.

Figure 3 Bias Differential Protection Scheme Protecting a Power Transformer.

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ICE4CT2021 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2312 (2022) 012005 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2312/1/012005

Figure 3 shows a bias differential scheme protecting a power transformer. Restraint coil or bias
winding (BW) is added at the pilot wire to ensure more stability against unbalance current due to high
external fault. Assuming an ideal transformer, the secondary current I 1 and I2 are equal in both phase
and magnitude during normal operation and external fault. So there is no circulation current in the
operating coil of the relay. When an internal fault occurs, there is a net current flowing into the
operating coil due to unbalance current. The current in the operating coil and restraint coil are given
by:

𝐼𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 = 𝐼𝐻𝑉 − 𝐼𝐿𝑉 (5)

𝐼 +𝐼𝐿𝑉
𝐼𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡 = 𝐼𝑠 + 𝑘( 𝐻𝑉2 ) (6)

The relay will trip if 𝐼𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 > 𝐼𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡 (7)

From previous example, for phase differential protection on phase “C”, with current in pilot wire of
the current transformer at respective phase and windings.

From equation (5) 𝐼𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 = 𝐼𝐶 − 0 = 𝐼𝐶 ;

If relay setting is set at 10% (0.1 A) and K is set at 20%

𝐼
From equation (6) 𝐼𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡 = 0.1 + 0.2( 𝐶 )
2

𝐼
For relay to trip, from equation (7) 𝐼𝐶 > 0.1 + 0.2( 2𝐶 )

Above expression can be re-written as

𝐼
𝐼𝐶 − 0.2 ( 2𝐶 )> 0.1 or 𝐼𝐶 > 0.11 𝐴; (8)

From equation (8), it was found that for the relay to operate or trip, the current I1 must be higher than
0.11A. Obviously from Table 1.0, the relay will only trip when location of fault, “X” is more than
90% of the LV winding. This means bias differential protection schemes only provide 10% protection
against earth fault on LV side. Reducing pick-up current or bias setting is not recommended due to
error of current transformer and to cater for mismatch of current between HV and LV side on
transformer’s tap changer, OLTC.

4. Performance of Restricted Earth Fault

REF is also one type of protection which based on the principles of discrimination by comparison
which also known as unit protection. It provides protection by comparing the current read by phase
current transformers and neutral CT. Figure 4 shows a power transformer which is protected by REF
scheme. If the fault occurs outside the zone, the current read by phase and neutral current is the same
thus will cancel out each other and the relay will be inoperative. When internal fault occurs then only
the relay will sense the unbalance and will trigger to operate.

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ICE4CT2021 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2312 (2022) 012005 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2312/1/012005

Figure 4 Restricted Earth Fault Scheme Protecting a Power Transformer.

The current measured by the relay is given by

𝐼𝑅𝐸𝐹 = 𝐼𝑛 − (𝐼𝑎 + 𝐼𝑏 + 𝐼𝑐 ) (9)

Where 𝐼𝑛 = 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑢𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟

𝐼𝑎 , 𝐼𝑏, 𝐼𝑐 = 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟

Again, from the example, if an earth fault occurs at phase C of LV winding, the current seen by relay
with the absent of phase current.

From equation (9), 𝐼𝑅𝐸𝐹 = 𝐼𝑛 − (0 + 0 + 0) = 𝐼𝑛

If the relay pick-up current is set at 10% or 0.1 ampere (10% of CT secondary current), it can be seen
from Table 1, the percentage winding protected by the REF scheme is almost more than 80%. The
percentage amount of winding protected can be increase by choosing lower pick-up current setting of
the REF relay. For example, if the pick-up setting is set at 5% or equal to 0.05 A of CT secondary
current, more than 90% of LV winding of the transformer will be protected against an earth fault.

5. Conclusion
It can be concluded from the numerical example that restricted earth fault (REF) scheme is more
effective to provide protection against earth fault on the LV winding compared to bias differential
protection. When the neutral is connected to neutral earth resistance (NER), the current in the HV
winding is much less then LV side and due to its setting, the relay won’t be able to detect imbalance
current for most of fault on the LV side. This is the main reason why most power transformer
employed both type of protection schemes together to provide more effective protection against phase
and earth fault.

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ICE4CT2021 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2312 (2022) 012005 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2312/1/012005

6. References

[1] Reyrolled, Application Guide-Restricted Earth Fault, 2006.

[2] Colin Bayliss, Transmission and Distribution Electrical Engineering, 3rd Edition, 2007.
[3] L.G. Hewitson, Practical Power System Protection, Newness, 2004.
[4] VAMP, Application Notes, Restricted Earth Fault Protection, ANGEN.EN005, 2009.

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the support from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) for the FTKE Research Activities Fund.