CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
 CONTENTS
TABLE OF
1.1 Remember the objective for
protection of a power system.

1.2 Understand the basic requirements for

evaluating power system protection

1.3
Understand the types of fault that can
occur in a power system and their
effects.

1.4 Understand the basic components of

protection.

1.5 Apply the basic concept of protection

system for protecting power system
network.
POWER SYSTEM
PROCESS
 DIAGRAM
SINGLE LINE
• Single line diagram is the representation of a power system using the simple symbol for each
component.
• The single line diagram of a power system is the network which shows the main connections and
arrangement of the system components along with their data (such as output rating, voltage,
resistance and reactance, etc.).
OBJECTIVE OF PROTECTION

Safeguard the entire system to maintain continuity of supply.

Minimize damage and repair costs where it senses fault.

Ensure safety of personnel.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR EVALUATING PROTECTION
assurance that the protection will perform correctly.
Reliability
maximum continuity of service with minimum system
Selectivity disconnection.

detect even the smallest fault, current or system

Sensitivity abnormalities and operate correctly at its setting

minimum fault duration and consequent equipment

Speed damage and system instability.

minimum protective equipment and associated circuitry

Simplicity to achieve the protection objectives.

minimum cost but stillLAST

REVENUE able YEAR
to perform the required task.
Economy
TYPES OF FAULTS

SYMMETRICAL
FAULT
Three Phase Fault
Faults giving rise to equal currents in lines
displaced by equal phase angles i.e 120o
in three phase systems.

Example: short circuit of all three phase

conductors of a cable at a single
location

Three Phase- Earth Fault

TYPES OF FAULTS

UNSYMMETRICAL Phase- Phase Fault

FAULT
Faults in which not all the line currents are
equal and not all have the same phase.

Example (any one): single phase line to Two Phase- Earth Fault
ground fault (L-G), two phase to ground
(LL-G) fault and phase to phase (L-L)
fault.

Single Phase- Earth Fault

TYPES OF FAULTS

OPEN CIRCUIT
Single Phase Open Circuit
FAULT
Faults giving rise to equal currents in lines
displaced by equal phase angles i.e 120o
in three phase systems.

Example: short circuit of all three phase

Two Phase Open Circuit
conductors of a cable at a single
location

Three Phase Open Circuit

 SYSTEM
FAULT CLEARING
Copyright: TNB ILSAS
 SYSTEM
FAULT CLEARING
Open, trip or isolate Fault
fault Detect the fault
current

Current transformer Current transformer

Circuit breaker Transmit current value Circuit breaker
Transmit trip
command

Powered Relay Relay

Transmission media
Decide Transmit information

DC charger DC battery
DC battery DC charger
BASIC COMPONENTS OF PROTECTION

VT & CT
To monitor and give accurate
feedback about the
healthiness of a system/to
decrease primary voltage and
current.
RELAY
To convert the signals from
the monitoring devices, and
give instructions to open a
circuit under faulty conditions.

CIRCUIT DC
BREAKER BATTERY
To break the circuit To give power source
carrying the fault to the circuit breaker
currents trip coil
  Figure shows basic connections of circuit breaker

OPERATION
control for the opening operation. The protected
circuit X is shown by dashed line.

 When a fault occurs in the protected circuit the

relay (2) connected to CT and PT actuates and
closes its contacts (6).

 Current flows from battery (5) in the trip circuit (4).

As the trip coil of circuit breaker (3) is energized,
the circuit breaker operating mechanism is
actuated and it operates for the opening operation.

 Thus the fault is sensed and the trip circuit is

actuated by the relay and the faulty part is isolated.
TYPES OF PROTECTION SCHEME

PRIMARY PROTECTION
First in line of defense is main protection which ensures
quick action and selective clearing of faults within the
boundary of the circuit section or the element it protects.

Main protection is essentially provided as a rule.

BACKUP PROTECTION
It is the second line of defense in case in failure of primary
protection.

It is designed to operate with sufficient time delays so that

primary relaying will be given enough time to function if it is
able to.

Back up protection gives back up to the main protection,

when the main protection fails to operate or is cut out for
repairs etc.
 SNEAK PEEK
Which one is a primary and back up protection?
i. Primary protection.
It is the protection scheme which is designed to protect the component part of
the power system. Thus referring to Figure, each line has an over-current relay
that protects the line, If faults occur on any line, it will be cleared by its relay
and circuit breakers. This form the primary or main protection and serves as
the first line of defense. The service record of primary relaying is very high with
well over ninety percent of all operations being correct. However, sometimes
faults are not cleared by primary relay system because of trouble within the
relay, wiring system or breaker. Under such conditions, back-up protection does
required jobs.

ii, Back-up protection.

It is the second line of defense in case of failure of the primary protection. It is
designed to operate with sufficient time delay so that primary relaying will be
‘given enough time to function if it is able to. Thus referring Figure, relay A
provided back-up protection for each of the four lines. If a time fault is not
cleared by its relay and breaker, the relay A on the group breaker will operate
after a definite time delay and clear the entire group of lines. Its evident that
when back-up relaying functions, a larger part is disconnected than when
primary relaying functions correctly. Therefore, greater emphasis should be
placed on the better maintenance of primary relaying.
 UNIT PROTECTION

1. Able to detect and respond to fault occurring only within its own zone
protection.
2. Have absolute discrimination. Its zone of protection is well defined.
3. It does not respond to the fault occurring beyond its own zone
protection.
4. Also referred to as “main protection”
5. Fast operating time
Example: differential protection of alternators, transformer or bus bars, frame
leakage protection, pilot wire and carrier current protection.
NON-UNIT PROTECTION

1. Does not have absolute discrimination(selectivity).

2. No defined area of coverage
3. Also known as “back-up protection”
4. Slower operating time

Example: distance protection and time graded, current graded or both time and
current graded.
PROTECTION ZONE
Protection zone are defined for:
• Generator protection
• Transformer protection
• Bus protection
• Transmission and distribution
line protection
• Motors/ load protection
Protection zone have the
characteristics:
• Zones are overlapped.
• Circuit breakers are located
in the overlap region
• (For a fault anywhere in a
zone, all circuit breaker in
that zone open to isolate
the fault)
PROTECTION ZONE

Transformer
Protection Zone
STAGE 1

Generator Motor/ Load

Protection Zone Busbar Protection Zone
Protection Zone
Transmission Line
Protection Zone
 EXERCISE
Draw protection zone of the following power system and
identify which circuit breaker will open at Fault P1 and P2

i.

ii.

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 PAST YEAR QUESTIONS
1. Explain the following basic requirement for protection system
i. Selectivity
ii. Sensitivity
iii. Simplicity

2. Draw a circuit diagram that shows basic connection of circuit breaker and
explain its operation.

3. With the aids of suitable diagram, write the operation for primary and
backup protection
THANK YOU