TRANSFORMER PROTECTION

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 • INTRODUCTION
• Power transformer is a vital link in power
system. Therefore we have to have a reliable,
secured and fast acting protection system for
the transformer. This will minimize the
damage to the transformer in case of internal
fault. The protection system should also have a
proper backup protection scheme to take care
of un-cleared system fault.

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  TYPES OF FAULTS IN TRANSFORMER
 Phase to ground faults and phase to phase
faults.
 Inter turn faults
 Core faults 
 Phase to ground faults and phase to phase
faults:
 The magnitude of the fault current mainly
depends on the source impedance, type of
earthing, location of the fault etc., Phase to
phase faults are however rare

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  TYPES OF FAULTS IN TRANSFORMER
 Inter turn faults:
 Most of the transformer failures are due to
inter turn fault. Transformers are subjected to
impulse voltages like switching transients
which will be several times more than its rated
voltage. This results in failure of insulation
between the turns. Current in the short
circuited winding will be very high compared
to the terminal current.
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  TYPES OF FAULTS IN TRANSFORMER
 Core faults:
 A conducting bridge across the laminated
structure of the core will result in increase in
eddy currents and increase in core
temperature. This finally may result in
deterioration of oil or winding insulation
resulting in failure of transformer. In oil filled
transformers this type of fault is detected by
carrying out Dissolved Gas Analysis. If the
problems become more serious the gas evolved
will operate protective device like Bucholtz
relay and Pressure relief device.
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  Source of abnormal stress in a transformer
  The source of abnormal stress in transformers is
 Overload
 System faults
 Over voltage / reduced system frequency 
 Overload:
 It causes increase in copper loss, which results in
increase of winding temperature. If the transformer is
overloaded continuously, the oil gets deteriorated
resulting in reduced insulation and other consequence
thereafter. It is the temperature rise that decides how
long we can overload the transformer and there should
be proper cooling of transformer oil.
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 • Source of abnormal stress in a transformer
• Over voltages:
• Transient over voltages results in inter-turn faults.
Power frequency over voltages results in increase of
iron losses due to over fluxing and stress on insulation
will also increase. Over fluxing will result in heating of
core bolts and failure of its insulation. This causes more
losses due to short - circuiting of eddy current path. 
• Reduced system frequency:
• This will have similar effect as that of over voltage and
results in increase of flux. Therefore the transformers
should not be operated at high voltages and low
frequencies. 

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 • PROTECTION TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMERS

• To protect the transformers from the above-mentioned

faults, following protection and safety devices are
used.
• The degree of protection schemes depends on
application, voltage and MVA ratings. 

• Surge diverters (Lightning Arresters)

• Circuit breakers
• Over-current and Earth fault relays (Directional/non
directional) for HV/LV
• Differential relay
• Restricted earth fault relay (HV/LV)
• Over fluxing relay
• Bucholtz relay
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 • PROTECTION TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMERS

• Oil and winding temperature indicators

• Oil surge protection for OLTC
• Pressure relief valve for main tank
• Oil level indication
• Protection of tertiary winding (OCR/EFR)
• Monitoring of insulating system (Oil/Paper)
• Capacitance and Tan-delta (DDF) monitoring of
bushing and windings. 
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 •  PROTECTION TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMERS

• Backup directional over current and earth fault relays

both on HV and LV side of the transformer.

• These relays are provided on either side of the

transformer. It will have IDMT characteristic. It will
also have high set instantaneous unit. The current
setting should be set above expected maximum load
current (To take care of possible over load of the
transformer on account of loss of one of the parallel
transformer). 

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 • PROTECTION TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMERS

• Differential protection: This protection takes

care of transformer internal faults. Generally bay
CT's are connected to this protection. The relay
should have proper restraint characteristic such
that it will not operate for inrush current during
charging. Instantaneous over current element,
adjustable bias settings, and harmonic current
restraints are the other features of this relay.

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
 Difficulties in Differential protection
 As the pilot wire lengths of CTs are not the
same due to location of CTs on either side of
the transformer to obtain a equipotential point
on pilot wires becomes difficult.

 To over come this problem adjustable resistors

in series with pilot wires are introduced and is
adjusted at site.

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
 Difficulties in Differential protection
 CT ratio errors during short circuits occur
during short circuits due to inherent CT
characteristics differences arising out of
magnetic circuits, saturation conditions and
unequal dc components in the short circuit
currents. This may result in operation of relay
even for external faults.

 To overcome this difficulty, the percentage

differential relay, or biased differential relay is
used.
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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
 Magnetising inrush current

 When the transformer is energised a large current (6 to

10) times the normal current will rush through the
winding and differential relay may operate though
there is no fault in the transformer.

 This difficulty is overcome by providing harmonic

restraint to the differential relay. The magnetising
current contain a large content of several harmonics
and this is utilised for obtaining restraining torque
during switching in of the transformer.

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
 Difficulties in differential protection

 Tap changing causes change in transformation

ratio of a transformer. Thereby the CT ratios do
not match with the new tap settings, resulting
in current in pilot wires even during healthy
condition.

 This is taken care of by the biased differential

relay.
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 TRANSFORMER PROTECTION

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 PROTECTION TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMERS

 Restricted earth fault protection: This

protection is also meant for internal fault of
transformer. External CT's are connected in
Neutral Circuit to this protection. Its minimum
operating sensitivity will be 10 % of the
nominal current. The relay may be high
impedance or low impedance type.  

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 •  PROTECTION TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMERS

• Over fluxing protection:

• This relay is phase to phase connected. It operates on

the principle of measurement of voltage to frequency
ratio. It will have inverse time characteristic and it
should be compatible with transformer over fluxing. It
provides an independent alarm with a definite time
delay. v/f settings available are between 100 % to 130
% of rated value. To take care of all possible operating
conditions it is recommended to connect this relay on
both side of the transformer. In some case where only
one relay is provided it is connected on the untapped
winding. 

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 •   PROTECTION TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMERS

• Protection of tertiary winding

• Depending on the method of bringing out the tertiary terminal protection
is to be decided i.e. OCR / EFR relays.

• Mechanical protections (transformer mounted)

• Bucholtz Relay / pressure relief device will protect the transformer when
gases are released due to fault in the transformer.
 
• In addition to the above tripping relays, the following annunciation relays
are provided for the transformer.
• a. Bucholtz alarm
• b. Oil level low alarm.
• c. Oil/winding temperature high alarm.
• d. Unhealthy power supply for cooling system alarm.
• e. Fan/pump failure alarms.

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
BUCKHOLTZ RELAY

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
 TEMPERATURE

Temperature monitoring protection:

Oil and winding temperature monitors are provided

with stage operation for alarm and trip circuit. In case
of higher capacity transformer, auto start of fans and
pumps are initiated from the two stages provided
additionally.

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
 PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE
 The pressure relief valve plays a significant
role in the protection of power transformer. A
major fault inside the transformer result in
immediate vapourisation of the oil resulting in
rapid build up of gaseous pressure. The
pressure must be released within few
milliseconds to avoid tank rupture.
 A pressure relief valve is the remedy to the
above situation.
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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
MAGNETIC OIL LEVEL GAUGE

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
 BREATHER

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
THERMO SYPHON FILTER

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PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS
AIR CELL

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 PROTECTION OF TRANSFORMERS- DIELECTRIC
DISSIPATION FACTOR

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  Take care of the protection system

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