Prepared By DEC 2023

Effect of
Negative sequence current
on
MACHINES

Prepared By
DIPESH GANGODA NAMAN DAVE
Power System Engineer Power System Engineer
(M.Tech. – Electrical Power Systems) (M.E. – Electrical Power Systems)
System Protection, Vadodara System Protection, Vadodara
 EFFECT OF NEGATIVE SEQUENCE CURRENT ON MACHINES

Contents
1. Introduction .................................................................................... 2
2. Causes and Effects of Negative Sequence Components ..................... 3
2.1 Causes: ............................................................................................ 3
2.2 Effects: ............................................................................................ 3
3. How to Mitigate the effects of Negative Sequence Current ............... 5
4. Analysis of Negative Sequence Current ............................................ 5
5. SIEMENS: SIPROTEC - 7UM62 RELAY ............................................... 6
6. ABB: MOTOR PROTECTION RELAY – REM615 .................................... 8
7. SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC: Easergy P3U30 RELAY .................................. 9
8. Conclusion ..................................................................................... 10
9. Bibliography................................................................................... 11

List of Figures
Figure 1 : Sequence components – A) Positive, B) Negative & C) Zero .......... 2
Figure 2 : Difference in salient pole rotor and round or cylindrical rotor....... 4
Figure 3 : Tripping Zone of the Unbalanced Load1 Protection .............................. 7
Figure 4 : Negative-sequence overcurrent protection function ........................... 8
Figure 5 : Dependent Operation Delay of Negative Sequence Current
(ANSI 46)3 ............................................................................................................... 10

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 EFFECT OF NEGATIVE SEQUENCE CURRENT ON MACHINES

1. Introduction
Negative Sequence Current refers to an electrical phenomenon where the
current flowing through a system is out of phase with the positive sequence
current. It occurs when the phases become imbalanced due to various factors
such as asymmetrical loads, faults, or system unbalances.

Unlike positive sequence current that flows in the intended direction in

balanced system, negative sequence current flows in the opposite direction,
potentially causing detrimental effects on electrical equipment and the power
system itself. It’s a crucial parameter in analysing and diagnosing issues within
power systems, as its presence indicates an imbalance that can lead to
overheating, increases losses, voltage fluctuations, and potential damage to
motors, generators, transformers, and other Equipments.

Understanding and monitoring negative sequence currents are essential in

maintaining the stability and reliability of electrical systems. Utilities and
engineers use protective relays and monitoring devise to detect and mitigate
these imbalances, ensuring efficient and safe operation of the electrical power
system.

Figure 1 : Sequence components – A) Positive, B) Negative & C) Zero

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 EFFECT OF NEGATIVE SEQUENCE CURRENT ON MACHINES

2. Causes and Effects of Negative Sequence Components

Negative sequence components in electrical systems arise due to
asymmetrical conditions or unbalances in three-phase systems. These
imbalances can be caused by various factors and have several effects:

2.1 Causes:
1. Unbalanced Loads: When various loads are connected unevenly
across the phases in a three-phase system, it can create imbalances,
leading to negative sequence components.
2. Faults: Short circuits, Ground Faults, or Phase-to-Phase faults in the
system can cause sudden imbalances and introduce negative
sequence currents.
3. Transformer & Motor Imbalance: Any imbalance in the
transformer windings or in the motor stator windings can result in
the generator or absorption of negative sequence currents.
4. Uneven Capacitor Bank Connection: If capacitors are connected
unevenly across phases, it can introduce imbalances and cause
negative sequence current.

2.2 Effects:
1. Equipment Damage: Negative sequence currents can lead to
overheating and increased losses in motors, generators,
transformers, and other equipment, potentially causing damage or
reducing their lifespan.
2. Loss of Efficiency: Increased losses due to imbalances can reduce
the overall efficiency of the system, leading to energy wastage.
3. Voltage Fluctuations: Imbalances caused by negative sequence
components can result in voltage fluctuations and may affect the
stability of the electrical system.
4. Operational Issues: Uncontrolled negative sequence currents can
cause operational issues, including erratic behaviour in motors,
reduced system performance, and potential tripping of protective
relays.

This negative sequence component induces double frequency currents in the

surface of the rotor, the slot wedges of the rotor, the retaining rings, and the
field windings of the rotor of the machines. These doubly induced high
frequency currents will raise the rotor temperature very high and damages the
machine if operated continuously.

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 EFFECT OF NEGATIVE SEQUENCE CURRENT ON MACHINES

Negative sequence currents are produced because of the unbalanced currents in the
power system. The flow of negative sequence currents in electrical machines
(generators and motors) is undesirable as these currents can generate high and
possibly dangerous temperatures in a very short period of time which can damage
the insulation of the machines causing them to fail prematurely. This heating effect
in turn results in the loss of mechanical integrity and insulation failures in electrical
machines within seconds. Therefore, it is not advisable to operate the machine during
an unbalanced condition when negative sequence currents flow in the rotor.

The massive induced current flowing in these bars could produce sufficient heat to
anneal the bar, resulting in mechanical breakdown under centrifugal force as shown
in Figure 2.

Figure 2 : Difference in salient pole rotor and round or cylindrical rotor

In a generator if the phase currents are equal and the vectors are displaced by 120
degree (Supplying the balanced load), only positive sequence components flow in
the power system. With unbalance existing in the system, it exists in voltage and
current components, both in magnitude and phase angle causing negative sequence
components to flow in the power system. These negative sequence components will
have same magnitude as positive sequence components but rotate in opposite (anti-
clockwise) direction to them in the power system.

Zero sequence components that flow during an unbalanced condition will cause the
current to flow through the neutral of the power system.

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3. How to Mitigate the effects of Negative Sequence Current

Identify their sources causing negative sequence current. This includes any device
that provides or receives power from an AC source, such as generators, inverters,
transformers, and motors. It’s important to ensure that all devices are properly
installed to correct the phase sequence.

It’s important to ensure that all devices are properly grounded and bounded, as this
helps reduce the risk of fire and shock hazards due to unbalanced currents.
Additionally, installing surge protection can help protect against voltage fluctuations
that could lead to negative sequence currents. Surge protections should be installed
on any device’s input and output sides connected to an AC source to provide
maximum protection from voltage surges.

4. Analysis of Negative Sequence Current

Negative sequence currents are important to consider when analysing harmonic
content, they can cause severe problems for electrical equipment if not checked and
managed correctly. When negative sequences are present, they interact with other
currents in the system and produce higher harmonics, leading to overheating torque
pulses and reduced efficiency. To prevent these issues from occurring, engineers
must use sophisticated methods to analyse the harmonic contents of negative
sequence currents and take appropriate measures to reduce them.

Table 1: Generalised Protection Functions in both relays (Motor Feeder)

SR. Protection List SIEMENS: ABB: SE: EASERGY

No. (ANSI CODE) 7UM62 REM615 P-3U30

1 Phase Overcurrent (51/50)

2 Earth Overcurrent (51N/50N)

3 Undervoltage (27)

Negative Sequence Overcurrent

4
(46)
Motor Start-up Supervision
5
(48)

6 Thermal Overload (49M)

7 Locked Rotor (51LR)

8 Motor Restart Inhibition (66)

Note : Other Fuctions are also available as listed in relay technical manuals.

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5. SIEMENS: SIPROTEC - 7UM62 RELAY

It is designed to safeguard electrical systems against

unbalance loads by monitoring negative sequence currents
(ANSI 46).

Here’s an explanation:

Functionality:

1. Filtering Fundamental Harmonic Components:

The 7UM62 protection relay filters the fundamental
harmonic components from the phase currents. This
filtering process helps isolate and extract the
symmetrical components from the incoming current.
2. Symmetrical Components for Evaluation:
These symmetrical components obtained from the filtering process are utilized
to assess the negative-phase sequence system, particularly focusing on the
negative phase-sequence current (I2). Negative sequence currents are
indicative of unbalanced loads or system faults.
3. Threshold-Based Protection:
The relay sets a predefined threshold value for the negative phase-sequence
current. If the calculated value of the negative phase-sequence current
exceeds this threshold, it triggers the protection mechanism.
4. Trip Time and Trip Command:
Upon surpassing the threshold, a timer (trip time) initiate. If the negative
phase-sequence current remains above the threshold for the set duration, a
trip command is activated. The relay transmits a trip command to the circuit
breaker or relevant switching devices responsible for interrupting the electrical
flow. This action safeguards the system by isolating the faulted section.

➢ Warning stage

If the value of the continuously permissible, negative phase-sequence current

I2> is exceeded, after expiry of a set time T WARN a warning message I2> Warn
is issued.

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➢ Thermal Characteristic

The machine manufacturers indicate the permissible unbalanced load by means

of formula.
𝐾
𝑡𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚 = 𝐼
(𝐼 2 )2
𝑁
Where,
𝑡𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚 = 𝑀𝑎𝑥. 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡

𝐾 = 𝐴𝑠𝑦𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 (𝑀𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡)

𝐼2
= 𝑈𝑛𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
𝐼𝑁

Figure 3 : Tripping Zone of the Unbalanced Load1

Protection
The asymmetry factor depends on the machine and represents the time in
seconds during which the generator can be loaded with a 100% unbalanced load.
This factor is typically in a range between 5 sec and 30 sec. The heating up of
the object to be protected is calculated in the device as soon as the permissible
unbalanced load I2> is exceeded. In this context, the current time area is
calculated constantly to ensure a correct consideration of various load cases. As
soon as the current time are ((I2/In)2.t) has reached the K asymmetry factor, the
thermal characteristic is tripped.

➢ Limitation

In order to prevent excessive activation of the thermal tripping mechanism

during asymmetrical short circuit, limitations are placed on the input current I 2.
This limitation is defined as the lesser value between 10 times the rated I2adm. or
the specified setting of the I2>stage. Beyond this threshold, the tripping time of
the thermal memory remains consistent. Additionally, the thermal memory is
capped a 200% of the tripping temperature, preventing extended cooling periods
following delayed short circuit tripping events.

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6. ABB: MOTOR PROTECTION RELAY – REM615

REM615 is a dedicated motor protection and control relay for protection, control,
measurement, and supervision of asynchronous motors in the manufacturing and
process industry.

Here’s an explanation:

Two negative-sequence overcurrent protection stages MNSPTOC1 and MNSPTOC2

are provided for phase unbalance protection. These functions are used to protect the
motor against phase unbalance. Unbalance in the network feeder of the motor causes
overheating of the motor.

Figure 4 : Negative-sequence overcurrent protection function

The phase reversal protection PREVPTOC1 is based on the calculated negative phase-
sequence current. It detects high negative sequence current values during motor
start-up, caused by incorrectly connected phases, which in turn causes the motor to
rotate in the opposite direction.

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7. SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC: Easergy P3U30 RELAY

The Easergy P3U30 relay likely incorporates this

Negative Sequence Current Protection (ANSI 46)
protection features among its capabilities. This relay
is a part of SE’s easergy range, which provides
various protection, control, and monitoring
functions for electrical systems.

Here’s an explanation:

Negative sequence overcurrent in a motor induces

double frequency currents within the rotor,
elevating its surface temperature. The rotor's
thermal capacity is notably lower than that of the
entire motor, rendering RMS-current-based
overload protection (Thermal Overload - ANSI 49M)
ineffective against safeguarding the motor from such negative sequence currents.

The protection against negative sequence overcurrent relies on evaluating the

negative sequence of the phase currents at the base frequency. Both definite time
and dependent time characteristics are accessible for this purpose.

➢ Dependent Time Delay

The dependent time delay is based on the following equation:

𝐾1
𝑇=
𝐼
( 2 )2 − 𝐾22
𝐼𝑀𝑂𝑇
Where,

𝑇 = 𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒

𝐾1 = 𝐷𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑀𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑟
𝐼2 = 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦

𝐼𝑀𝑂𝑇 = 𝑁𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟

𝐾2 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼2 > 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑢.

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝐴𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑛𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒.

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➢ More stages (Definite Time Delay only)

If more than one definite time delay stages are needed for negative sequence
overcurrent protection, the freely programmable stages can be used.

Figure 5 : Dependent Operation Delay of Negative Sequence Current (ANSI 46)3

8. Conclusion
In summary, comprehending and closely overseeing negative sequence currents is
fundamental for preserving the safety and functionality of electrical systems. These
currents, arising from variations in phase angles within AC systems, can pose risks
such as equipment damage, voltage imbalances, and reduced efficiency. Hence, it is
mandatory to provide Negative Phase Sequence (ANSI 46) protection for machine
feeders like generator, motor, and in capacitor feeder based on requirements.

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9. Bibliography

1. Siemens SIPROTEC 4 7UM62 Multifunction Generator, Motor and Transformer

Protection Relay manual / documentations.
2. ABB – Motor Protection Relay – REM615 relay manual / documentations.
3. SE Easergy P3U30 Relay: Advanced Protection and Control Solutions relay
manual / documentations.
4. "IEEE Standard for Cylindrical-Rotor 50 Hz and 60 Hz Synchronous Generators
Rated 10 MVA and Above," in IEEE Std C50.13-2014 (Revision of IEEE Std
C50.13-2005), vol., no., pp.1-63, 9 May 2014, doi:
10.1109/IEEESTD.2014.6811137.
5. Draw.io for drawings / figures illustrations and representation.
6. Other available resources.

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