Busbar Protection Fundamentals

July 3, 2020
Learning objectives

 Types of bus configurations

 Current transformer characteristics and their effect
on bus protection
 Types of bus protection schemes
 Modern Numerical Bus Protection Features

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 2
Why bus protection?

 Usually high current faults

 Need to clear quickly for internal faults and stays stable for
external faults.
 A Delayed bus trip or a mis-trip could lead to:
 Network instability of nearby generators
 Possible system collapse
 Bigger fault related damages & risk to human life or
injury

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 3
Bus fault protection
 Easy to detect because of robust nature
 Easy to protect for internal faults (87B)
 Summation of currents not equal to zero for internal fault
 External faults can cause current transformer saturation
which results in unwanted differential currents
 Infrequent, but must be cleared with high speed for internal
fault and stable for external faults
 Substation is well shielded
 Protected environment

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 4
Bus configurations

 Single bus
 Main and transfer bus
 Double bus, single breaker
 Double bus, double breaker
 Breaker and a half
 Ring bus

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 5
Single bus

 Distribution and lower Transmission

Levels
 No Operating flexibility
 Fault on the bus trips all circuit
breakers

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 6
Main and transfer bus

 Increased Operating flexibility

 Any breaker can be taken out
for service for maintenance
without disrupting supply
 Mainly Transfer bus is used for
breaker maintenance purpose

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 7
Double bus single breaker
Advantages
1. Permits some flexibility with two operating
buses.
2. Either main bus may be isolated for
maintenance.
3. Circuit can be transferred readily from one
bus to the other by use of bus-tie breaker
and bus selector disconnect switches.
Disadvantages
1. One extra breaker is required for the bus
tie.
2. Four switches are required per circuit.
3. Bus protection scheme may cause loss of
substation when it operates if all circuits are
connected to that bus.
4. High exposure to bus faults.
5. Line breaker failure takes all circuits
connected to that bus out of service.
6. Bus-tie breaker failure takes entire
substation out of service.

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 8
Double bus, double breaker

Advantages
1. Each circuit has two
dedicated breakers.
2. Has flexibility in permitting
feeder circuits to be connected
to either bus.
3. Any breaker can be taken out
of service for maintenance.
4. High reliability.

Disadvantages
1. Most expensive.
2. Would lose half of the circuits
for breaker failure if circuits are
not connected to both buses.
©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 9
Breaker and one half
Advantages
1. Most flexible operation.
2. High reliability.
3. Breaker failure of bus side breakers
removes only one circuit from service.
4. All switching is done with breakers.
5. Simple operation; no disconnect switching
required for normal operation.
6. Either main bus can be taken out of service
at any time for maintenance.
7. Bus failure does not remove any feeder
circuits from service.

Disadvantages
1. 1 1/2 breakers per circuit.
2. Relaying and automatic reclosing are
somewhat involved since the middle breaker
must be responsive to either of its associated
©ABB
circuits
7/5/20 | Slide 10
Ring bus
Advantages
1. Low initial and ultimate cost.
2. Flexible operation for breaker maintenance.
3. Any breaker can be removed for maintenance without
interrupting load.
4. Require only one breaker per circuit.
5. Does not use main bus.
6. Each circuit is fed by two breakers.
7. All switching is done with breakers.

Disadvantages
1. If a fault occurs during a breaker maintenance period, the
ring can be separated into two sections.
2. Automatic reclosing and protective relaying circuitry rather
complex.
3. If a single set of relays is used, the circuit must be taken out
of service to maintain the relays. (Common on all schemes.)
4. Requires potential devices on all circuits since there is no
definite potential reference point. These devices may be
required in all cases for synchronizing, live line, or voltage
indication.
5. Breaker failure during a fault on one of the circuits causes
loss of one additional circuit owing to operation of breaker-
failure relaying.

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 11
Main-Tie-Main

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 12
Some issues

 Availability of overlapping protection zones (CTs)

 Blind or end zone protection
 Will loads or sources be switched from one bus to the other
 Current transformer switching from one zone to another
 Open circuit current transformers
 CT Saturation

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 13
Zones of protection

Station A Station B

G
G
G

Station C

Bus
Station D
protection
M
©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 14
Zones of protection

CT for CT for
Green Zone Blue Zone

Green Zone
Blue Zone
Dead tank breaker,
two CTs

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 15
Zones of protection
CT for
Green Zone CT for
Blue Zone

Green Zone
Blue Zone
Live tank breaker,
single CT

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 16
Current Transformers: Equivalent circuit of a CT

7/5/20 l Slide 17
Current transformer
Ratings of concern for bus protection
 Ratio: 200/5, 1200/5, …500/1
 Burden capability: VA burden
 Accuracy Class: C800, K200, T400
 Knee point, saturation voltage (can be derived from
chart in C class CTs)
 CT availability
 IEEE Standard C57.13-1993 (R2003), IEEE Standard
Requirements for Instrument Transformers
 IEEE Standard C37.110-1996, IEEE Guide for the
Application of Current Transformers Used for Protective
Relaying Purposes

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 18
Steady State Performance of CT
1000

500 V
VSM
VX C400
230 V 10% error for 20 times rated
VK
secondary current (5 A)
Secondary Excitation Voltage, VS

100 What is C rating?

VB(max) = VSM – 100 x RS
VB(max) = 500 – 61 = 439 V
Select next lower rating level, C400
VX = 400 V (saturation voltage)

Excitation voltage, VS = IS x (RS+ ZB)

(operating maximums)
10
Saturation Factor, KS = VX/VS

Can this ct have a K class rating?

Rule: VK > 0.7 x VX

CT Ratio: 1200/5, RS (secondary winding resistance) = 0.61 W

1
0.001 0.01 0.1 1.0 10 100
Secondary Excitation Current, IE
ANSI current transformer accuracy class

 Example 1200/5 C800

 This current transformer will deliver 800 volts on
its secondary when it is connected to a standard
burden and 20 times rated current is flowing in the
primary winding without exceeding 10% ratio
error.

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 20
ANSI accuracy class
Standard chart for class C current transformers

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 21
CT saturation

 CT core may reach saturation flux density due to a

combination of dc offset in the fault current, with possibility
remnant flux (20-80%, no way to predict, but can be erased
by demagenatizing)
 The output current suddenly changes from a proportional
signal to zero
 DC saturation depends on
 system time constant (X/R)- large close to generating
stations
 secondary burden

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 23
CT saturation

 CT secondary model
 a perfect current source in parallel with an exciting
impedance branch that drives proportional current
 Exciting impedance is normally very high
 At saturation, exciting impedance drops to a very low value
 the CT appears short-circuited
 neither delivers nor resists current flow
 Time to saturation is important in low impedance bus
protection

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 24
Issues effecting bus protection selection

 Bus arrangement
 Fixed
 Switchable
 Availability and characteristics of current transformers
 Performance requirements
 Speed
 Dependability
 Security
 Sensitivity (for high impedance grounded system)

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 25
Types of bus protection

 Differential
 Differentially connected overcurrent
 Percentage-restrained differential (low Z)
 High impedance differential
 Partial differential
 Zone interlocked scheme
 Back up schemes (eg. remote over-reaching zones)

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 26
Differentially connected over-current relay

51

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 27
External fault case

Protected Bus
= FAULT
LOCATION

IE
IT TOTAL OUT OF
TOTAL INTO BUS BUS MINUS IE
TOTAL OUT
OF BUS

Relay I d = IE

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 28
Internal fault case
Protected Bus

I1 I2 I3 I4

Id

Id = I + I + I +
1 2 3 I4
Overcurrent relay bus differential

 Application OK if:
Protected bus
 Symmetrical CT secondary current
less than 100
 Burden less than rated
 Typical pickup setting IPU > 10A
 Trip delay greater than 3 x primary
time constant (L/R) Id

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 30
Multiple restraint Percentage Differential (Legacy)
PROTECTED BUS
A B C D

R,S AND T ARE

RESTRAINT
COILS All circuits have 10
R S
Amp contribution
10 10 10 30
Net restraint (0) T (20) Restraint = 60
20 20 Operate = 0
(40)
ONLY ONE PHASE
SHOWN
0 OPERATE COIL

External fault example – 4 circuit connection

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 32
Multiple restraint Percentage Differential (Legacy)
PROTECTED BUS
A B C D

R,S AND T ARE

RESTRAINT
COILS
All circuits have 10
R S
Amp contribution
10 10 10 10
Net restraint (0) T (0) Restraint = 0
20 20 Operate = 40
(0)
ONLY ONE PHASE
SHOWN
40 OPERATE COIL

Internal fault example – 4 circuit connection

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 33
Torque for typical multi-restraint relay

Operating
Torque

Two Restraint

One Restraint

0 20 40 60 80 100
Amperes
©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 34
Torque for typical multi-restraint relay

55 A. of restraint overcomes 7 A
Operating of operating current with one
Two Restraint restraint winding
Torque

One Restraint

0 7 20 40 55 60 80 100
Amperes
©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 35
Multi-restraint percentage differential

 Good sensitivity
 Good security
 Allows other relays on the same CT core
 Different CT ratios with Aux CTs.
 Slow compared to high impedance
 Number of feeders limited by restraint windings
 Each CT is wired to relay
 Not easily extendable

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 36
High impedance bus protection
 High resistor (R > 1500 ohm) in
series with relay coil and a MOV to
prevent over-voltages
 High voltage develops for internal
faults. lower Voltage will develop on
external faults under ct saturation
 Voltage unit must be set higher than
the maximum junction point voltage
for any external fault
 The lowest achievable sensitivity
must verified for the application
R
 Proven reliability and very sensitive
 Operating times of less than one
cycle for internal faults

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 37
High impedance bus protection
EXTERNAL FAULT - SECURITY
Setting VR > (IF / N ) ( RL +R S)

K = margin factor
IF = Max external fault current
RS = Ct secondary resistance
RL = Lead resistance to junction box
N = ct turns ratio

INTERNAL FAULT - SENSITIVITY

IM I N = (XIE + IR + IV ) N

X = number of circuits
IE = Ct exciting current at VR
IR = resistor current at VR
IV = Varistor current at VR

©ABB
7/5/20 R > 1500 W
| Slide 38
High impedance bus protection
Criteria to be met
 Objective: Keep VR and Imin low
 Ct secondary loop resistance kept low
 Impedance from junction point to relay is of no consequence so
good practice to parallel the CTs as close to the CTs as possible.
 Theoretically no limitations in the number of parallel CTs but
sensitivity reduced with each parallel connection
 Setting VR higher that the CT rated voltage (400V for C400 CTs)
will produce errors when estimating CT exciting branch current,
hence inaccurate sensitivity calculation.
 All cts must have the same ratio and magnetizing characteristics

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 39
Differential comparator (Legacy, Static type)
RADSS/REB103

Developed to lessen restrictions
imposed by high impedance

All CT secondary circuits connected via
interposing cts

Connection made using a special diode
circuit producing rectified incoming,
outgoing and differential currents
AUX CTs

IOUT SR

IDIFF
DR
IIN

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 40
Differential comparator
Single phase connection
 IIN is sum of all feeder instantaneous
positive values
 IOUT is sum of all feeder instantaneous
negative values
 IDIFF = IIN - IOUT
AUX CTs

Start
IDIFF VOp

IOUT Trip
VRes
IIN

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 41
Differential comparator
L1 L1

L2 L2

Internal
L3 L3

L4 L4

L1 L2 L3 L4
X
IIN IIN

External
IOUT IOUT

IDIFF IDIFF

External Internal
©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 42
Differential comparator
Single phase connection
 IDIFF is typically small (normally 0) for
external fault and restraint voltage, VRes, is
greater than operating voltage, VOp.
 IDIFF is typically large for an internal fault
and operating voltage, VOp, is greater than
restraining voltage, VRes. This produces
AUX CTs voltage across trip relay.
Trip / LO
Start Start
IDIFF VOp
Trip

IOUT Trip
VRes
IIN

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 43
Numerical differential comparator
 Analog input currents are instantaneously sampled and
quantized to numerical number
 Similar technique to legacy differential comparator, but
with measured sampled data
 Secondary circuit loop resistance no longer a critical
factor
 Critical factor is time available to make the
measurement, i.e. time to saturation. (only 3ms required
to properly restrain for heavy external faults)
 Algorithms for Ct saturation Detection and CT state
supervision

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 44
Differential comparator

 All measurement decisions based on

three quantities
 IDIFF -difference of input current and output
current (IDIFF = IIN - IOUT)
 IIN - total input current
 S - % differential setting
 IDIFF > S x IIN
 e.g. for setting S=50%, differential current 
50% of incoming current before operation
©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 45
Differential comparator

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 46
Differential comparator
Advantages over high impedance differential

 Lower ct requirements
 Allows much higher ct loop resistances
 Accommodate different CT ratios / auxiliary CTs
 Fast operating times for internal faults
 Detects internal 1 - 3 ms
 Before ct saturation

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 47
Quick operation for internal fault
Internal Fault

16
14
12 REB 670 detects that
10
I_IN goes up while i_in
Curre n t

I_OUT goes down at

i_out
8 the beginning of the
internal fault and I_IN
6 enables fast tripping
I_OUT
4
When ID>Diff Operation Level
2 trip is issued
0
11

41

51

81
16
21
26
31
36

46

56
61
66
71
76
1
6

Samples

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 48
Proper & secure restrain during external fault
External Fault REB 670 detects this short
interval when i_in=i_out
(after every fault current
16
zero crossing) and restrain
properly during external
14
fault
12
REB 670 detects that
I_IN=I_OUT at the
10
beginning of the i_in
Cu rre n t

external fault i_out

8
I_IN
I_OUT
6

0
13

17

21

29

33

37

45

49

57

61

65

69

73

77

81
25

41

53
1

Samples

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 49
Fast open CT algorithm
REB 670 detects that I_IN
Open CT
doesn't change while
I_OUT goes down when
1,6 some of the CTs is
open/short circuited
1,4

1,2

1
i_in
Cu rren t

Diff Operation Level

i_out
0,8 Must be set to higher value
I_IN
ID>Open CT Level than Open CT Level
0,6 I_OUT
second condition
fulfilled & REB is
0,4 blocked

0,2

0
17

53
13

21

25

29

33

37

41

45

49

57

61

65

69

73

77

81
1

Samples

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 50
Other Features in Modern Numerical Bus IEDs
 Each device capable of connecting multiple bays (eg. CTs) in 3-ph
or 1-ph design
 Multiple differential zones, dynamic bay switching, zone
interconnection, and check zone logic
 External fault/CT saturation detection, open CT detection
algorithms
 Blind zone protection (see next 2 slides)
 End zone protection (see next 2 slides)
 Backup protection (eg. 50/51, 50BF) for each connected bay
 Modern substation automation communication (DNP 3.0,
IEC61850)

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 51
 Blind zone detection for bus coupler bays
 Blind zone between live tank CT and breaker
 Fault strikes in the blind zone
 Tie bkr normally closed: ZA operates but
Zone B restrains -> the fault is persisting
 Tie bkr normally open: ZA operates
unnecessarily and ZB restrains
 Solution: connect BKR NC (open) status to
the bay to remove the tie CT from ZA, ZB
(software)
 ZA will then restrain and ZB operates
properly for the blind zone fault

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 52
 Blind zone detection for feeder bays
 Regions not overlapped by both red and
blue boundaries are blind zones
 CTs are used for both feeder and bus
protection measurement (live tank CTs)
 Common in HV 1-1/2 stations
 For 3. measuring CT can be removed
(BBP) to avoid over-tripping on open pos.
Fast OC set up to DTT (open pos)
 For 4. measuring CT can be removed
(BBP) to force tripping on open pos
(feeder protection operates first)

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 53
Other distribution (MV) bus protection methods

 Partial differential
 Blocking on feeder fault

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 54
Partial differential

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 55
Blocking scheme

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 56
Conventional Blocking Scheme

Zone of protection
T+100 ms
 Traditional busbar
I> 100 ms protection based on
I>>
upstream blocking
blocking

 Dedicated hard-wire
I> signal paths needed
I>>
 Signal path delay needs
to be considered, input
Delay setting with inst. O/C protection
(conventional approach)
and output delay +
Safety marginal, e.g. delay in operation 20…40 ms auxiliary relays
due to CT saturation.

O/C protection start delay + output relay’s <40 ms  Changes in the protection
delay
scheme may require re-
Start delay with receiving relay + retarding
time for the blocking signal *)
<40 ms
wiring
ALL TOGETHER 100…120 ms  Typical needed delay in
incoming relay is over 100 ms
Blocking Scheme with IEC-61850 GOOSE

Yes I am! Delay setting with inst. O/C protection

I’ll block the (REF615 GOOSE approach)
Inst. O/C!
Block-PHIPTOC! Safety marginal, e.g. delay in operation 20…40 ms
due to CT saturation.
IEC 61850-8-1
O/C protection start delay 20 ms

Retardation time of inst. O/C stage 5 ms

blocking

GOOSE delay <10 ms

(Type 1A, Class P1)

ALL TOGETHER 55…75 ms

Who is
interested?
PHLPTOC-start!
Bus protection comparison chart
COST EASE OF SENSI- DEPEND SECURITY FLEXI- SPEED
USE TIVITY ABILITY BILITY

SIMPLE OVER- LOW GOOD POOR GOOD GOOD GOOD POOR

CURRENT  
MULTIPLE MED POOR BEST GOOD GOOD POOR GOOD
RESTRAINT

HIGH MED GOOD GOOD GOOD BEST GOOD FAST

IMPEDANCE

PERCENTAGE HIGH BEST GOOD GOOD BEST BEST BEST

RESTRAINED
DIFFERENTIAL
PARTIAL
LOW GOOD POOR GOOD GOOD GOOD POOR
DIFFERENTIAL

BLOCKING MED GOOD POOR GOOD GOOD GOOD FAST

 

 
©ABB
7/5/20
  | Slide 59
Questions?
Recommended reading

 ANSI C37.234 Guide for Protective Relay

Applications to Power system Buses

©ABB
7/5/20 | Slide 60
 Thank you for your participation
For more
information on ABB’s protection and control solutions, visit:

www.abb.com/relion

Please subscribe to our YouTube channel to view recorded webinars and technical training

www.youtube.com/ABBSAProductsNAM

© ABB Group
7/5/20 | Slide 61