Protection of Busbars and

Lines
Introduction

u Busbars and lines are two important elements of electric power system and
require immediate attention of protection engineers for safeguards
against the possible faults occurring in the system.
u Busbars in the generating stations and substations form important link
between the incoming and outgoing circuits. If a fault occurs on a busbar,
considerable damage and disruption of supply will occur.
u Lines are used to transfer power from one location to another. The
probability of faults occurring on the lines are much more due to their
greater length and exposure to atmospheric conditions.
Busbar Protection

u The two most commonly used schemes for busbar protection are:
Ø Differential Protection
Ø Fault Bus Protection
Busbar Protection

u Differential Protection
Ø The secondaries of CTs in the generator lead, in
line 1 and in line 2 are all connected in parallel.
The protective relay is connected across this
parallel connection.
Ø All CTs must be of the same ratio regardless of
the capacities of the various circuits.
Ø Under normal load conditions or external fault
conditions, the sum of the currents entering the
bus is equal to those leaving it and no current
will flow through the relay.
Busbar Protection

u Differential Protection
Ø If a fault occurs within the protected zone, the
currents entering the bus will no longer be equal
to the currents leaving it. The difference of these
currents will flow through the relay and cause
the opening of the circuit breakers.
Busbar Protection

u Fault Bus Protection

Ø This type of protection is achieved by providing
earthed metal barrier (known as fault bus)
surrounding each conductor throughout its
entire length in the bus structure. The metal
supporting structure or fault bus is earthed
through a current transformer.
Ø A relay is connected across the secondary of
this CT.
Ø With this arrangement, every fault that might
occur must involve a connection between a
conductor and an earthed metal part.
Busbar Protection

u Fault Bus Protection

Ø Under normal operating conditions, there is no
current flow from fault bus to ground and the
relay remains inoperative.
Ø A fault involving a connection between a
conductor and earthed supporting structure will
result in current flow to ground through the fault
bus, causing the relay to operate. The operation
of the relay will trip breakers connecting
equipment to the bus.
Protection of Lines

u The requirements of line protection are:

a) In the event of short-circuit, the circuit breaker closest to the
fault should open, all other circuit breakers remaining in closed
position.
b) In case the nearest breaker to the fault fails to open, back-up
protection should be provided by the adjacent circuit breakers.
c) The relay operating time should be just as short as possible in
order to preserve system stability, without unnecessary tripping
of circuits.
Protection of Lines

u The common methods of line protection are:

a) Time-graded overcurrent protection
b) Differential Protection
c) Distance Protection
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection – in this scheme of overcurrent

protection, the time setting of relays is so graded that in the event
of fault, the smallest possible part of the system is protected.
u A few important cases shall be discussed such as:
1) Radial Feeder
2) Parallel Feeders
3) Ring Main System
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder – the main characteristic of a radial system is that power can
flow only in one direction, from generator or supply end to the load. It has the
advantage that continuity of supply cannot be maintained at the receiving
end in the event of fault. Time-graded protection of a radial system can be
achieved by using (1) definite time relays and (2) inverse time relays.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder

Ø Consider a fault P1 to the right of B3, we

want breaker B3 to open while B2 and B1
remain closed so that only L3 is interrupted.
To accomplish this, we could select a longer
time delay for the relay at B2, so that B3
operates first. Thus, for any fault to the right
of B3, B3 provides primary protection. Only
when B3 fails to open will B2 open, after time
delay, providing backup protection.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder

Ø The coordination time interval is the time

interval between the primary and remote
backup protective devices. It is the
difference between the time that the
backup relaying operates and the time that
the circuit breaker clears the fault under
primary relaying.
Ø Typical coordination time intervals from 0.2
to 0.5 seconds are selected in most practical
applications.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
Example 1. Data for the 60-Hz radial system shown in the following figure are
given in tables below. Select current tap settings and time-dial settings to
protect the system from faults. Assume three CO-8 relays for each breaker,
one for each phase, with 0.3-second coordination time interval. Assume a
34.5-kV voltage at all buses during normal operation. Also, future load growth
is included in the given tables such that maximum loads over operating life of
the radial system are given.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
Solution:
First, select TSs such that the relays do not operate for maximum load currents.
Starting at B3, the primary and secondary CT currents for maximum load L3
are:
6 MVA
I L3 = Ð - 18.1950 A = 100.4Ð - 18.1950 A
3 (34.5 kV )
100.4Ð - 18.1950
I L3 ' = = 2.51Ð - 18.1950 A.
(200 / 5)
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder

Using CO-8 time curves, we select for

the B3 relay a 3-A TS, which is the
lowest TS above 2.51 A.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
At B2, the primary and secondary CT currents for maximum load are:

4 MVA
I B 2 = I L3 + Ð - 18.1950 = 167.3Ð - 18.1950 A
3 (34.5 kV )
167.3Ð - 18.1950
I B2 ' = = 4.18Ð - 18.1950 A.
(200 / 5)
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder

Select for the B2 relay a 5-A TS, which is

the lowest TS above 4.18 A.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
At B1, the primary and secondary CT currents for maximum load are:

11 MVA
I B1 = I B 2 + Ð - 18.1950 = 351.4Ð - 18.1950 A
3 (34.5 kV )
351.4Ð - 18.1950
I B1 ' = = 4.39Ð - 18.1950 A.
(200 / 5)
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder

Select a 5-A TS for the B1 relay.

Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
Next, select the TDS.
TDS for the B3 relay: Since this relay is at the end of the radial system, no
coordination with any other relay is necessary. Consequently, the fastest
possible operation is desirable. The TDS is therefore chosen to be TDS3 = 0.5.
This relay must operate for all currents above 700 A (minimum).
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
TDS and coordination for B2 relay: This relay must back up B3 relay. To
determine the TDS, it is customary to require that the backup relay operate at
least 0.3 sec after the time the relay being backed up should have operated.
We must provide for B2 relay a delay of 0.3 sec for the highest fault current
seen by the B3 relay rather than the lowest fault current. Neglecting CT
saturation, the fault-to-pickup current ratio at B3 is:

2000
IF '
=
(200 / 5) = 16.7
IP 3
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
Ø From the 0.5 TDS curve, the relay
operating time for B3 relay is T3 =
0.05 sec. Adding the breaker
operating time (5 cycles = 0.083
sec), B3 clears this fault in T3 + Tbreaker
= 0.133 sec.
Ø Hence, B2 relay operating time T2 is:

T 2 = T 3 + Tbrea ker + Tcoordination

= 0.05 + 0.083 + 0.3 = 0.433 sec
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
Ø For the same fault, the fault-to-
pickup current ratio at B2 is:

2000
IF '
=
(200 / 5) = 10
IP 5

Ø Select TDS2 = 2.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
TDS and coordination for B1 relay: The largest fault current through B2 is 3000
A. The fault-to-pickup current ratio at B2 for this fault is

3000
IF '
=
(200 / 5) = 15
IP 5
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
Ø From the TDS = 2 curve, T2 = 0.38
sec.
Ø Hence, B1 relay operating time T1 is:

T 1 = T 2 + Tbrea ker + Tcoordination

= 0.38 + 0.083 + 0.3 = 0.76 sec
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Radial Feeder
Ø For the same fault, the fault-to-
pickup current ratio at B1 is:

3000
IF '
=
(400 / 5) = 7.5
IP 5

Ø Select TDS1 = 3.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Parallel Feeders – where continuity of supply is particularly necessary, two

parallel feeders may be installed. If a fault occurs in one feeder, it can be
disconnected from the system and continuity of supply can be maintained
through the other feeder. The parallel feeder cannot be protected by non-
directional overcurrent relays only. It is necessary to use directional relays and
to grade the time setting of relays for selective trippings.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Parallel Feeders
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Parallel Feeders

Ø The protection of this system requires that:

1) Each feeder has a non-directional
overcurrent relay at the generator end.
These relays should have inverse-time
characteristics.
2) Each feeder has a directional relay at
the substation end. These relays should
be instantaneous type and operate
only when power flows in the reverse
direction, i.e., in the direction of arrow.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Parallel Feeders

Ø If a ground fault occurs on feeder 1, it is

desired that only circuit breakers at A and P
should open to clear the fault whereas
feeder 2 should remain intact to maintain
the continuity of supply.
Ø Relay A will operate while relay B remains
inoperative. This is because both relays have
inverse-time characteristics and current
flowing in relay A is in excess of that flowing
in B.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Parallel Feeders

Ø Power flow in relay Q will be in normal

direction but is reversed in the relay P. This
causes the opening of circuit breaker P.
Ø In this way, only the faulty feeder is isolated.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Ring Main System – in this system, various power stations or substations are
interconnected by alternate routes, forming a closed ring. In case of damage
to any section of the ring, this section may be disconnected for repairs and
power will be supplied from both ends of the ring, thereby, maintaining
continuity of supply.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Ring Main System
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Ring Main System

Ø In order that only faulty section of the ring is

isolated under fault conditions, the type of
relays and their time settings should be as
follows:
Ø The two line leaving the generating
station should be equipped with non-
directional overcurrent relays.
Ø At each substation, directional relays
should be placed in both incoming and
outgoing lines.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Ring Main System

Ø In order that only faulty section of the ring is

isolated under fault conditions, the type of
relays and their time settings should be as
follows:
Ø There should be proper relative time-
setting of the relays.
Protection of Lines

u Time-graded overcurrent protection

Ring Main System

Ø Suppose a short circuit occurs at the point as

shown in the figure, it is desired that only
circuit breakers at E and F should open to
clear the fault to maintain continuity of
supply for the unfaulted sections.
Ø It is clear that relays at A, B, C and D as well
as J, I, H and G will not trip. Therefore only
relays at E and F will operate before any
other relay operates because of their lower
time-setting.
Protection of Lines

u Differential Pilot-wire protection – is based on the principle that

under normal conditions, the current entering one end of a line is
equal to that leaving the other end. When a fault occurs between
the two ends, this condition no longer holds and the difference of
incoming and outgoing currents is arranged to flow through a relay
which operates the circuit breaker.
u Two schemes shall be discussed such as:
1) Merz-Price Voltage balance system
2) Translay scheme
Protection of Lines

u Differential Pilot-wire protection

Merz-Price Voltage Balance System – in this system, identical CTs are placed
in each phase at both ends of the line. The pair of CTs in each line is
connected in series with a relay in such a way that under normal conditions,
their secondary voltages are equal and in opposition, i.e., they balance each
other. However, a fault will cause their secondary voltages to become
unequal and circulating current will flow through the pilot wires and relays.
Protection of Lines

u Differential Pilot-wire protection

Merz-Price Voltage Balance System
Protection of Lines

u Differential Pilot-wire protection

Translay Scheme – in this system, the balance or opposition is between the

voltages induced in the secondary windings wound on the relay magnets
and not between the secondary voltages of the line CTs.
Protection of Lines

u Differential Pilot-wire protection

Translay Scheme
Protection of Lines

u Differential Pilot-wire protection

Translay Scheme

Ø When the feeder is healthy, the

currents at the two ends are
equal so that the secondary
currents in both sets of CTs are
equal. The currents flowing in the
relay primary winding, 11 and 11a,
will be equal and they will induce
equal voltages in the secondary
windings, 12 and 12a.
Protection of Lines

u Differential Pilot-wire protection

Translay Scheme

Ø Since these windings are

connected in opposition, no
current will flow in them or in the
operating windings, 13 and 13a.
Ø In the event of fault, the line
current at one end must carry a
greater current than that at the
other end.
Protection of Lines

u Differential Pilot-wire protection

Translay Scheme

Ø The result is that voltages induced

in the secondary windings, 12 and
12a, will be different and the
current will flow through operating
coils, 13 and 13a, and the pilot
circuit.
Ø Under these conditions, both
upper and lower elements of
each relay are energized and a
forward torque acts on the relay
disc.
Protection of Lines

u Differential Pilot-wire protection

Translay Scheme

Ø The operation of the relays will

open the circuit breakers at both
ends of the line.
Protection of Lines

u Distance protection – both time-graded and pilot-wire protections

are not suitable for the protection of very long high voltage
transmission lines. This has led to the development of distance
protection in which the action of the relay depends upon the
distance (or impedance) between the point where the relay is
installed and the point of fault. This system provides discrimination
protection without employing pilot wires.