Protection Devices

EPE 307
 Lecture 9
Differential Protection
 Differential Protection
 A differential Relay responds to vector difference between
two or more similar electrical quantities . Therefor:
 The differential relay has at least two actuating quantities say
I1 and I2.
 The two quantities should be similar .
 The relay responds to the vector difference between the two
quantities which includes magnitude and phase angle
difference.
 Differential protection is generally unit protection . The
protection zone is exactly determined by location of the CT’s
or PT’s. The vector difference is achieved by suitable
connection of the CT’s or PT’s secondaries.
 Differential Protection
Differential protection is used to protect:
 Transformers
 Generators
 Feeders
 Bus zone Protection
Most differential protection relays are differential current
protection relays , which uses the current as the actuating
quantity.
The following figure illustrates the use of differential protection
used to protect generators and transformers.
 Differential Protection

X is the protected winding

Two current transformers are connected at the start and end of
each protected winding.
The two current transformers are of such ratio that during the
normal condition or for external faults the secondary currents
of CT’s are equal.
 Differential Protection

This figure illustrates the condition during internal faults.

When fault occurs in the protected zone the two currents I1 and
I2 are no longer equal, and hence the difference I1-I2 is no
longer equal to zero. The actuating quantity of this relay is I1-I2.
This principle of operation is called principle of circulating
current protection or (MERZ-PRIZE) Protection
 Differential Protection
Difficulties in differential Protection
 Difference in pilot wire lengths. This can be solved by
connecting a suitable resistance in the smaller wire.
 CT ratio errors during short circuits for external faults due
to: - Inherent difference in CT characteristics arising out
of difference in magnetic circuit ,saturation
conditions….etc.
- Unequal DC components during short circuits.
 Saturation of CT during short circuit conditions which makes
the CT’s losing linearity.
 Differential Protection
 Magnetizing inrush current while switching on. The
magnetizing inrush current can reach values (6 to 10) times
normal current. This current appears in the primary but not
the secondary of the transformer , hence it will cause false
operation of the relay.
 Tap changing, which will cause a difference in the
transformation ratio of the CT’s, hence causing unbalance
even during normal operation.
To solve the previously mentioned problems we use the Biased
or Per Cent Differential Protection Relay as follows.
 Differential Protection
Biased or Per Cent Protection

Per cent or biased deferential relay using an extra restraining

coil to overcome problems associated with external faults.
 Differential Protection
To overcome the trouble arising out of difference in Ct’s ratios
for high values of external fault currents, the differential relay is
equipped by an additional restraining coil connected in the
pilot wire.
The operating coil is connected to the mid-point of the
restraining coil. The total number of ampere turns in the
restraining coil is I1 N/2+I2N/2, where N is the number of the
turns of the restraining coil.
The average restraining current is (I1+I2)/2 flowing in N turns.
For external faults both I1 and I2 increase, hence the restraining
torque increases which prevents the mal-operation .
 Differential Protection
Setting of the Differential Relay
The relay has two basic settings as follows:

And the pick up value :

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Relay characteristics with slope 10%.

Differential Protection