Testing Low Impedance Bus Differential Relays

International ProTesT User Group Meeting Vancouver, BC

What Youll Learn

Basics of bus differential protection Differential Protection Methods Guidelines for testing low impedance bus differential relays

Basics of Differential Protection

Based on Kirchoffs Current Law (KCL)
The sum of currents entering and exiting a node must equal 0 Think of a bus as a node

Simple Bus Normal Flow

I1 = 10 I2 = 1180 I1 + I2 = 0, per KCL
52

I1
52

I2

i1

i2

Simple Bus External Fault

I1 = 30 I2 = 3180 I1 + I2 = 0, per KCL
52

I1
52

I2

i1

i2

Simple Bus Internal Fault

I1 = 30 I2 = 30

I1
52 52

I2
I1 + I2 = 6, >0! I1 + I2 = ID, the differential current

i1

i2

Differential Protection
Looks for the presence of differential current Reliable protection concept Several different techniques

Bus Fault Protection Requirements

High speed
Bus faults are typically high-magnitude, damaging events

Secure
Incorrect tripping a bus can drop a significant part of the system

Bus Protection Techniques

Overcurrent High Impedance Differential Low Impedance Differential

Overcurrent Bus Protection

I1
52 52

I2

Uses an overcurrent element to detect ID ID = i1 + i2 = 0, or does it?

CT replication error CT Saturation

i1 ID
50

i2

CT Replication Error

I1
52 52

I2

CT performance rated 10% (per ANSI) I1 + I2 = 0 i1 + i2 0

As much as 20% error
+10% on i1 -10% on i2

i1 ID
50

i2

50 element must be set less sensitive!

CT Saturation

I1
52 52

I2

Saturated CT produces no current output I1 + I2 = 0 i1 + i2 0

i2 = 0 due to saturated CT

i1 ID
50

i2

ID = i1 50 element must be extremely unsensitive

High Impedance Differential

I1
52

Actually an overvoltage relay

Relay operates on voltage across internal resistance from ID

I2
52

ID + V R
87

High Impedance Differential

Pluses
Clever solution to CT saturation
High impedance forces differential current through other CTs Voltage developed is less than that of internal fault

Minuses
Dedicated CTs Matched performance class CTs Identical CT ratios, tapped at full ratio

Reliable

Low Impedance Differential

I1
52 52

I2

i1

i2

87

Mathematically sums currents Uses restraint to maintain security No special CT requirements

Different ratios, performance class

ID= i1 + i2

Can provide waveform capture, and communications

Low Impedance Characteristic

ID
High Current Setting

Operate w/o Restraint

ID = i1 + i 2

Operate w/ Restraint

Restrain

S2

IOmin

S1

IR = i1 + i 2
IRs

IR

Low Impedance Load Flow

I1
52 52

I2

i1 ID= |i1 + i2| IR = |i1| + |i2|

i2

87

I1 = 10 I2 = 1180 ID = |i1 + i2| = 0 IR = |i1| + |i2| = 2

Restrain

ID
High Current Setting

Operate w/o Restraint

Operate w/ Restraint

S2

IOmin

S1

IRs

IR

Low Impedance External Fault

I1
52 52

I2

i1 ID= |i1 + i2| IR = |i1| + |i2|

i2

87

I1 = 30 I2 = 3180
Operate w/o Restraint

ID
High Current Setting

ID = |i1 + i2| = 0 IR = |i1| + |i2| = 6

Restrain

Operate w/ Restraint

S2

IOmin

S1

IRs

IR

Low Impedance Internal Fault

I1
52 52

I2

i1 ID= |i1 + i2| IR = |i1| + |i2|

i2

I1 = 30 I2 = 30 ID = |i1 + i2| = 6 IR = |i1| + |i2| = 6

Operate w/ Restraint
Restrain

87

ID
High Current Setting

S2

IOmin

S1

IRs

IR

CT Error: Low Impedance

ID
High Current Setting
External fault w/ CT Saturations

Operate w/ Restraint

Restrain

Load flow w/ CT Error

S2

External fault w/ CT Error

IOmin

S1

Low Impedance Relays

NxtPhase B-PRO GE B-30 SEL 487B All use similar operating characteristic All use 6 inputs

Low Impedance Applications

I1 I2 I3

52

52

52

B-PRO NxtPhase

52

52

52

(6) 3-phase inputs 87B function Possible 27, 59, 81 50/51, possible 67 for each input 50BF for each input Possible multiple protection zones

I4

I5

I6

Possible applications
50BF

I1
50BF

I2
50BF

I3
50BF

I4
50BF

I5

87B

I1
50BF

I2
50BF

I3
50BF

I4
50BF

I5
50BF

I6
50BF

87T

52

52

52

52

52
B-PRO NxtPhase

52

52

52

52

52

52
B-PRO NxtPhase

87B
50BF

52

52

52

52 52

52

52

52

52

52

52

I6

I6
50/51 50N/ 50BF 51N

I1
50BF 50/51 50N/ 51N

52
87T 87T 87B

B-PRO NxtPhase

52

B-PRO NxtPhase

87B

81
4

50/51 50N/ 51N

52

50BF

I5

50/51 50BF

50N/ 51N

50/51 50BF

50N/ 51N

50/51 50BF

50N/ 51N

50/51 50BF

50N/ 51N

50/51 50BF

50N/ 51N

50/51 50BF

50N/ 51N

50/51 50BF

50N/ 51N

50/51 50BF

50N/ 51N

50/51 50BF

50N/ 51N

52

52

52

52

52

52

52

52

52

87B

I1

I2

I3

I4

I2

I3

I4

I5

I6

Testing a Low Impedance Bus Differential Relay

4 Pieces of Knowledge
How is the operating characteristic defined?
Curve equations

How does the relay calculate ID and IR? Does the characteristic work in amps or per unit Relay settings

GE B-30
ID = |i1+i2+i3+i4+i5+i6| IR = max (I1, I2, I3, I4, I5, I6) Per unit. Base is maximum primary current on an input

SEL 487B
ID = |i1+i2+i3+i4+i5+i6| IR = |i1|+|i6| Per unit. Base is max CT ratio

NxtPhase B-PRO
ID = |i1+i2+i3+i4+i5+i6| IR = (|i1|++|i6|)/2 Per unit base on Bus MVA / Bus Voltage

Testing Issues
Do I have to test 3-phase?
No! Differential protection is single-phase element

Do I have to test all 6 inputs at the same time?

No! No current into an input is 0 current. Differential characteristic still performs correctly.

B-PRO Characteristic
ID
High Current Setting

Operate w/ Restraint
Test Zone 1 Test Zone 3

Restrain

IO = S1 * IR 100 IOmin

S2

S1

* IR + b 100 (S1 S 2) IRs b= 100

IO = S 2

(0, IOmin)

IO min* 100 , IO min S1

(IRs, (S1100)* IRs)

IRs

ID = i1 + i 2 + i3 + i 4 + i5 + i 6

IR =

i1 + i 2 + i3 + i 4 + i5 + i 6 2

( S1 S 2 ) IRs High I 100 , High I S2 100

IR
)

Test Plan
Test Obvious External Fault
Verifies that test setup is correct

Test Obvious Internal Fault

Verify relay operation, test setup

Test characteristic performance

Possible Test Setup

Test Source 1 0o Test Source 2 180o

Input 1 A Phase

Input 2 A Phase

Input 3 A Phase

Input 4 A Phase

Input 5 A Phase

Input 6 A Phase

Differential Relay

Possible Test Setup

Test Source 1 0o Test Source 2 180o

Input 1 A Phase

Input 2 A Phase

Input 3 A Phase

Input 4 A Phase

Input 5 A Phase

Input 6 A Phase

Differential Relay

Divide all calculated test currents by 3!

Test Procedure
Collect B-PRO settings Calculate relay base current Determine test points from differential characteristic Calculate secondary currents Test

Base Current
Base Current is defined by Bus MVA, Bus Voltage

Base MVA = 796

Voltage = 230 kV Base MVA 1000 I Base = 3 kV 796 1000 = 2000 Apri I Base = 3 230

Test Point Load Flow

i1 = 10 o per unit i 2 = 1180o per unit ID = i1 + i 2 = i1 i 2 = 0 per unit i1 + i 2 1 + 1 IR = = = 1 per unit 2 2

Test Point Load Flow

I Base = 2000 Apri 1 per unit I Base = 1 2000 = 2000 Apri Input 1 CTR = 2000 : 5 Input 2 CTR = 3000 : 5 Test Source 1 Current = Test Source 2 Current = 2000 Apri 2000 Apri

(2000 5 )

= 5 Asec @ 0o = 3.33 Asec @ 180o

(3000 5 )

Operating Quantity Display

Bus Differential (87B) -----------------------------Operating Current, IO (PU) Restraint Current, IR (PU) Note: 1 PU = 796.0 MVA for 87B A Phase ---------0.0 1.0 B Phase ---------0.0 0.0 C Phase ---------0.0 0.0

Test Point Internal Fault

i1 = 10o per unit i 2 = 10o per unit ID = i1 + i 2 = i1 + i 2 = 2 per unit IR = i1 + i 2 2 1+1 = = 1 per unit 2

Test Point Internal Fault

I Base = 2000 Apri 1 per unit I Base = 1 2000 = 2000 Apri Input 1 CTR = 2000 : 5 Input 2 CTR = 3000 : 5 Test Source 1 Current = Test Source 2 Current = 2000 Apri 2000 Apri

(2000 5 )

= 5 Asec @ 0o = 3.33 Asec @ 0o

(3000 5 )

Operating Quantity Display

Bus Differential (87B) -----------------------------Operating Current, IO (PU) Restraint Current, IR (PU) Note: 1 PU = 796.0 MVA for 87B

A Phase ---------2.0 1.0

B Phase ---------0.0 0.0

C Phase ---------0.0 0.0

Testing the characteristic

Why cant you start with an external fault, and vary 1 current until the relay operates? Answer

You can
Possible Trip Points

IOmin

Initial test point

IRs

ID and IR vary with changing current You must calculate to determine that i1 and i2 from test source match characteristic Must verify this is on characteristic!

A better way
(IR, IO)

IOmin

Determine ID and IR for a specific test point Calculate i1 and i2 Test, varying slightly around this region

Initial test point

IRs

Calculations
Test at (IR, ID ) = (1.00, 0.25) per unit IO = IBin IBout IR = IBin + IBout 2 Continuing example...

IO = IBin IBout 2 IR = IBin + IBout IO + 2 IR = 2 IBin IBin = IBout IO + 2 IR 2 = IBin IO

IBin = IBout

0.25 + 2 1.00 = 1.125 per unit 2 = IBin IO = 1.125 0.25 = 0.875 per unit

Calculations
IBin = 1.125 per unit = i1 IBout = 0.875 per unit = i 2 1.125 per unit 2000 Apri = 2250 Apri i1 = 2250 Apri

(2000 5 )CTR

= 5.625 Asec @ 0o

0.875 per unit 2000 Apri = 1750 Apri i1 = 1750 Apri

(3000 5 )CTR

= 2.92 Asec @ 180o

Operating Quantity Display

Bus Differential (87B) -----------------------------Operating Current, IO (PU) Restraint Current, IR (PU) Note: 1 PU = 796.0 MVA for 87B

A Phase ---------0.3 1.0

B Phase ---------0.0 0.0

C Phase ---------0.0 0.0

Summary
Low impedance bus differential is easy to apply Testing
1 phase okay 2 inputs only okay Must understand operating characteristic Have to remember per unit calculations!