Power System Protection

Lecture 4 & 5
Last requirement is the Economics of protective system; we have discussed this 6 requirements of the
protective system starting from selectivity speed discrimination reliability selectivity and the last one that is
economics;
as a protection engineer we want maximum number of protective features that is included in the relay and at
the same time we also want its cost should be minimum; so we want maximum protective features in the relay
and with minimum cost; for this is not possible because both are contradictory;
so we have to always optimize between how much features we want and against that how much cost we want
to spend on that protective device; usually when we decide on what protective device to select, we have to
consider what application we are utilizing that protective device;
so if you use the protective device for low voltage application, then the number of features included in the
relay that is less important; and if you consider that we use the protective relay for the device which is located
on high voltage system or very important equipment like power transformer, then we need more number of
features in that;
we have to optimize between the cost and the number of features we want;
So with this background, there is also a Statistics given, if we consider the cost of the whole system
100%, for example let us say we we want to protect a particular Power Transformer, and its cost is
hundred percent; then what are the cost of different components used to protect the Transformer; if
consider relay than its cost is roughly .5 % or .6 % of the total cost; if I consider panels and its cost
is .2 % to .3 %; if I consider wearing and relay room then its cost is .11 % to .15% and if I consider
CTs and it cost is roughly three to four percent.
Similarly for PT also its cost is 1 to 2%; so to summarize our combine all this the total cost of
protective gear that comes out to be 5% to 7%; so that means if I want to protect a transformer whose
cost is hundred percent than whatever protective device I put or installed on the Transformer for the
protection of Transformer against all types of faults and abnormality is its cost should not be higher
than maximum 10% of the total cost of the equipment to be protected; so these statistics is very
important and we need to consider when we use or utilize or even when we want to decide any
protective device for a particular equipment;
so with this background we have considered all the seven requirements of the protective system; now one
more requirement which I have not listed here that is also sometimes comes in picture and that is known as
the simplicity; so what do you mean by simplicity? simplicity means whatever protective device we select or
we use for a particular device or equipment, those devices or those protective relay that does not contain any
Complex system; that means whenever we want to carry out setting of any protective device we can easily
carry out; the system should not be very complex; this is also a one of the requirement of the protective
system other than the seven requirements which we have discussed;
So we have already discuss the seven requirements of protective system so now the next topic is known as
unit protection; unit protection Scheme is a scheme that operates for a fault within its own zone; it means that
the zone of protection is decided considering the at what point on location we place the CT; for example if we
consider any winding of the equipment and if you place the CT on each side of this equipment and if we
connect this with relay; then this scheme is known as unit Protection Scheme; Unit Scheme why? because in
this case any fault occurs inside this equipment winding of the equipment so that means any fault occurs on
left hand side of this CT 2 and any fault occurs on right hand side of the CT 1 that is taken care by this
protective scheme; so that's why it is known as Unit protection scheme; Usually this type of schemes that
is used for protection of the Transformers, it is also used for the protection of generator, it is also used
for the protection of induction motors, and sometimes reactor, also so this is known as unit Protection
Scheme. This type of scheme that is widely used for the differential protection.
The other type of protection scheme that is known as non-unit protection scheme; for this type of scheme the
protection that is achieved by grading of different relays located at different bus; so for example relay is
located at bus number 1, then there is a transmission line connected to bus number 2; and then we have
another line connected with bus number 2 and bus number 3; then if you want to achieve a non-unit
protection for different relay located in line one connected between 1 and 2 and line two connected between
bus 2 and 3 then this can be achieved by proper coordination for grading of this two relay R1 and R2; This is
known as non-Unit Scheme;

This type of scheme is widely used for the protection of distance relays.
the next topic is primary and backup protection; Whenever we use any protective device that
protective device if fault occurs in that zone than that protective device operates instantaneously
or according to the characteristic of the relay; if that device fails to operate then we need some
other device which will provide sufficient back up to that relay; so to understand this let us
consider one simple example: we have bus A and bus B and in between that we have a line
connected; also consider the another line connected between bus B and bus C; so line 1 that is
connected between A and B; and line 2 that is connected between bus B and C; we use relay R2 to
protect from any faults in line section 2; obviously the zone of protection for this line, zone of
protection of this relay R2 is like this;
for any fault occurs in this zone relay R2 operates primarily; by means because of some reason
because of failure of relay or maybe some other reason if relay R2 fails to protect for a fault at this
point then we need some other relay or device which will provide backup to this relay; so we need
some another relay here R1 in line section 1, which operates only when there is a failure of relay R2
for a fault in line section 2; so this type of scheme is known as the primary and backup scheme; So
Relay R2 acts as a primary relay or main relay for any fault inside the line section 2; whereas relay
R1 acts as a backup relay for any fault inside the line section 2; of course if any fault occurs in line
section 1, R1 also acts as a primary relay; and the other relay located towards the source on this
side somewhere here further that will act as a backup relay;
This primary and backup protection of any protective device or any equipment that can be
achieved by different ways. There are three types: one is known as Relay backup; another is known
as breaker backup; and the third one is known as remote backup; so this three are the types using
which we can define the primary defense and secondary line of Defense; let us start with relay
backup; so in this separate or duplicate primary relays, CTs, PTs, all are there so if anyone relay fails,
than the other relay will provide backup; however this type of scheme is not used in actual practice
because we need to require all the relays, CTs, PTs, is doubled than the actual requirement which
increases the cost.
The second type of backup is known as breaker backup; in breaker backup scheme whenever a
fault occurs on a feeder on which the breaker is installed and if that feeder breaker fails to operate
than that fault Virtually becomes the bus bar fault; so in this case a time delay relay is operated by
the main relay due to which all the Breakers emanating from the bus bar that is installed on all the
feeders those are going to trip if the main breaker fails to operate in this situation;
Third type of scheme that is known as remote backup scheme; so in this scheme the backup is
achieved by the bus located towards the source end; for any relay located near the load end if that
fails to operate for fault in its own zone than the other relay which is located toward the next bus
towards the source that relay will act as a backup and fault will be taken care by that relay;
This is all about the primary and the backup scheme of the protective system;
Regarding the basic tripping mechanism of the relay; now we know that relay is always connected
either on the secondary of CT or secondary of PT; We may use either CT or PT or both; so the main
function of relay is to just detect or sense the Inception of fault; whereas the rest of the tripping
task that is isolation of the faulted part or circuit or section that is done by auxiliary relay or circuit
breaker; since the relay does the function of just sensing or detection of fault; some relay may
operate instantaneously depending upon the magnitude of fault current;
so what is the function of auxiliary relay? Auxiliary relay has two main task; first it carries high trip
coil current during the fault: so relay will just only sense the fault and the remaining task that is
carrying of high trip coil current that is carried out or done by auxiliary relay; Second it also gives
signals to perform several other functions like alarm, interlocking, we may require mechanical
interlocking or we may require electrical interlocking, those task that is performed by the auxiliary
relay.
To understand this let us consider a simple example, we have a bus A and there is a line connected
between bus B; so on this let us assume that there is a CT placed at bus A and there is a PT also
placed at this bus; so this is the current transformer and this is the potential Transformer; now if I
consider the relay then the relay usually indicated or denoted by circle and then R; relay has
basically two coils, one is known as the current coil, this is known as current coil of the relay, and
this is known as the potential or voltage coil of the relay; so the signal to the current coil of the
relay is given through secondary of CT whereas signal to voltage coil of the relay that is given by
secondary of the PT;
So whenever any abnormal condition or fault occurs on this line then depending upon the
magnitude of current, whether the relay is of single input relay or multiple or two input relay, relay
operates and it gives signal to the circuit breaker or further auxiliary relay; this circuit is known as
the power circuit.
The Other circuit which relay has that is the control circuit; so in control circuit all the contacts of
the relay that is connected; So if I just draw the control circuit, it requires 220 volt dc supply,
sometimes it may get 110 volt dc supply, nowadays the multiple means you can also give the AC
supply also; so if I consider the relay connected in power circuit that is R, then this relay has certain
or several contacts; so clearly there are two types of contacts available in the relay, one contact is
known as normally closed contact, and the other contact is known as normally open contact;
For normally closed contact or normally open contacts are those contacts which are normally
closed contact that will remain closed condition when the coil of relay is de-energized; whereas
normally open contact that remain in open condition when coil of relay is de-energized; so if I
consider that this relay R has normally open contact, and its contact that is available here this is
normally open contact, let us give the name R-1; whenever any fault occurs on this line the coil of
the relay is energized and it gives signal to its contact;
so this relay will give signal to its contact R-1; as this contact is normally open whenever the relay
coil is energized this contact closes; and it gives further signal to the auxiliary relay; so auxiliary
relay is indicated by the standard number  86; so whenever any fault occurs the relay coil is
energized and it gives signal to its contact R1 which is normally open; and due to closure of this
contact coil of auxiliary relay 86 that is energized; this 86 of auxiliary relay has several contacts; if I
consider that this 86 auxiliary relay has normally open contact; let us say it is 86-1, so because of
energization of the coil of auxiliary relay 86 its contact 86-1 closes which gives signal to the trip coil
of circuit breaker; Circuit breaker is indicated by the number 52; so whenever any fault occurs in
the system or circuit then the coil of relay is energized and it gives signal to its contact; so its
contact closes;
If normally open contact is there then it closes; if normally closed contact is there then it becomes
open; accordingly the further coil of auxiliary relay 86 is energized and due to closure of its contact
the trip coil of circuit breaker that is energized; which further give signal to the circuit breaker;
circuit breaker is somewhere here and this circuit breaker becomes open so the faulted section
that is isolated or disconnected from the network; so this is all about the working of the tripping
mechanism of the relay;

So if I consider the main thing, whenever you trace or whenever you go to substation, and
whenever you trace any control circuit or Power circuit for the relay, any type of relay, than
one thing you have to keep in mind that in control circuit all the relay coil that is shown in
de-energize condition; and all the circuit breakers are shown in open condition.