Advanced

Power System Protection

Dr Kashif Imran
Assistant Professor
USPCASE, NUST
Transformer Protection
1-Types of Transformers
• Generator Transformer
• Power Transformer
• Distribution Transformer
• Pole-mounted lighting transformer

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• Grounding Transformer
• Regulating Transformer
• Welding Transformer
• Converter Transformer
• Instrument Transformer (CT & PT)
2-Protection of a transformer
• A transformer will be provided with as much protection as is commensurate with its
voltage and power rating and the importance of its application.
• A small 100 kVA, 11 kV/440 V
• over-current protection in the form of fuses may be the only protection provided to a

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small 100 kVA, 11 kV/440 V distribution. transformer.
• A 250 MVA, 15 kV/400
• percentage differential protection
• a protection against incipient faults
• protection against over-fluxing as primary protection
• over-current protection will be acting as a backup.
• Transformer is an ideal candidate for the application of differential protection
3-Three phase transformer connections
• Basic types of connections of a three phase transformer are
• Y-Y
• Y-Delta
• Delta-Y
•

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Delta-Delta
• (Y-Delta) and (Delta-Y) transformers introduce a phase shift between the voltages
and currents on the primary and secondary
 3-Three phase transformer connections

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 3-Three phase transformer connections

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3.1-Phasor diagram for a three phase transformer

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 4-Equivalent Circuit of a Transformer

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 4-Equivalent Circuit of a Transformer

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4.1-Equivalent Circuit of a Transformer

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5-Types of faults in transformer
• Winding to core faults (most common)
• Due to weakening of insulation
• Phase faults
• Normally occur at the terminals

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5.2- Other sources of faults in transformers
• Malfunction of OLTC gear
• Oil leakage in oil immersed type tranformer
• Inter turn faults giving rise to hot spots inside windings
• Over fluxing

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6-Overcurrent Protection
• In case of small
transformers OC
protection can be
provided as primary
protection

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• Used as a
backup
protection
for larger
transformers
7-Percentage differential protection of a transformer:
Development of CT connections

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7.1-Determination of line currents on both sides of
transformer

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7.2-Final Connection of Percentage Differential Relay

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7.2.1-Phase c to ground (c-g) External fault

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7.2.1-Phase c to ground (c-g) Internal fault

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 8-Inrush phenomenon in Transformer

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8-Inrush phenomenon in Transformer
• Steady state operation

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8-Inrush phenomenon in Transformer
• Flux: Transient vs Steady state

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8-Inrush phenomenon in Transformer
• Magnetization Current: Steady State vs Inrush

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8.1-Characteristics of Inrush Current
• Flux in transformer is a function of
• Residual flux
• Instant of switching
• Magnetic properties of core
• A non zero residual flux can increase the flux requirements even further

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• Consequently inrush current will become more severe
• An adjacent transformer may also experience a small sympathetic inrush
9-Percentage Differential Relay with Harmonic Restraint
• Inrush current seems like an internal fault to the differential scheme
• Percentage differential relay is likely to mal-operate on magnetizing inrush current
• An apparent solution to this problem is desensitizing the relay at the instant of
switching

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• The aforementioned solution is not a desirable one, since the probability of
insulation failure at the instant of switching is very high
• Desensitized relay will be blind to faults taking place at the switching moment
• Inrush current is rich in harmonics whereas an internal fault current only consists of
the fundamental
• Develop additional restraint based on harmonic content of the current
9-Percentage Differential Relay with Harmonic Restraint
• Harmonic content of a typical inrush current wave.

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9-Percentage Differential Relay with Harmonic Restraint
• Conceptual Scheme/ Flow chart

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9-Percentage Differential Relay with Harmonic Restraint

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10-High Resistance Ground Faults
• Percentage differential relay has a certain minimum value of pick up
• Single phase to ground (winding-to-core) faults involve high resistance
• Resulting fault currents may be below the pick up value
• Need more sensitive relaying scheme for such high resistance faults.

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• Reach must be restricted to transformer winding or else the relaying scheme may
operate on ground faults elsewhere
• This results in scheme known as “Restricted earth fault protection
• For internal earth faults of transformer separate restricted earth fault protection
schemes are used on star and delta sides of the transformer
10.1-Restricted Earth Fault Protection for Y side

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10.2-Restricted Earth Fault Protection for Delta side

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11-Incipient Faults in Transformer
• Faults which are not significant in the beginning but which slowly develop into
serious faults are known as incipient faults
• Such as inter-turn faults
• Winding-to-core faults
•

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Ventilation system failure
• Oil leakage or decomposition
• How to protect transformer against such faults?
12-Inter-turn Faults
• Inter turn faults are difficult to detect using over-current or differential protection
• They cause severe hot spots resulting in deterioration of insulation

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13.1-Gas operated Protection: Bucholz Relay

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13.1-Gas operated Protection: Bucholz Relay

• Incipient faults cause severe heating of the oil

• This causes gases to be liberated from the oil
• There is a build up of oil pressure causing the oil to rush into the conservator

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• Oil flow and oil level changes are used to close normally open contacts
• Trip signals can be generated or alarms can be raised
 12.1.1-Bucholz Relay: Construction

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12.1.2-Analysis of Trapped Gases
• The trapped gases in the gas release pocket of Bucholz relay can give a valuable clue
to the type of damage that has taken place inside the transformer.
• Different kinds of faults produce different kinds and compositions of gases

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13.2.1-Auxillary protection equipment: Dehydrating
Breather associated with Conservator Tank

• The dehydrating breather absorbs moisture content from

the air entering the conservator tank to maintain the
dielectric strength of oil

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13.2.2-Auxillary protection equipment: Oil/ Winding
Temperature indicators

• The oil temperature indicator and winding temperature

with alarm and trip facilities are also available, which
actuate in case of failure of ventilation system.

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• Ventilation system may fail due to blocking of radiator,
failure of oil pump/pumps or failure of some or all of fans.
 14-Overfluxing in Transformer

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14-Overfluxing in Transformer
• Over-fluxing can be due to
• High voltage applied at the nominal frequency
• Under frequency operation at the nominal voltage
• Over-fluxing can lead to
• Higher values of flux causing saturation of core

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• Excessive magnetization current is drawn
• Increased core losses and hence more heating of transformer
• Saturation of core causes the flux to flow into adjacent structures
• High eddy current losses in the core and other conducting structures
• Transformer should be tripped if over excited for a long duration
14-Overfluxing in Transformer
• V/f ratio must not exceed the certain limit to keep the flux within permissible limit

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 15-Faults affecting Transformer

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 16-Application of Protective Schemes

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 17-Solved Problem

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 17-Solved Problem

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 17-Solved Problem

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17-Solved Problem
• Assuming a slope of
40%, spill current
required for
tripping is

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• Actual spill current,
3.938-3.936=0.002A
 18-End of Chapter Problem

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 18-End of Chapter Problem

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I F.L=9164.28A I F.L=360.84A
25% OL=451.05A
25% OL=11455.36A 3.984A 4.0093A

11500:5
450:5

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CT’s connected CT’s connected
in Y in Delta

6.944A
A

B
3.984A 3.981A