Lecture 16: Distribution

Protection
Reclosers
Sectionalizers
Coordination
Secondary Network Systems

EE 751 Distribution Protection 1

 Reclosers
• Automatic circuit reclosers are common on
overhead utility distribution systems
– Overcurrent protection device including the
switchgear and the protective relay logic
• conventional oil recloser has switchgear and relay
logic in same package
• electronic reclosers may be packaged for use with
separate control and relay logic package

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 Reclosers
• Recloser trips on fault and recloses in a
sequence of operations
– Typical sequence: two fast (or instantaneous)
operations then two delayed operations
– Other sequences may be used, such as one fast,
two delayed
– Reclosing may be blocked for downstream hot
line work
– Recloser locks out after sequence is complete
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 Recloser Sequence:
permanent fault
CURRENT

FAST OPERATIONS DELAYED OPERATIONS

(CONTACTS ARE CLOSED) (CONTACTS ARE CLOSED)

TIME

FAULT INITIATED RECLOSING INTERVALS

(CONTACTS ARE OPEN)
RECLOSER LOCKS
OPEN (LOCKOUT)

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 Recloser Technology
• Available in single-phase or three-phase
packages
– pole mounting for line sectionalizing
– station mounting instead of line circuit breaker
• Three-phase devices may use single-pole
tripping with three-pole lockout or three-
pole tripping with three-pole lockout

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 Recloser Technology
• Interrupting medium may be oil, vacuum,
or compressed gas
– oil and vacuum are common
• Controls can be either hydraulic with series
trip coil or electronic with shunt trip coil
– Hydraulic controls use oil pumped through an
orifice to perform timing
– Electronic controls use programmable
electronics

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 Recloser Technology
• Insulation may be oil, air, compressed gas,
or solid dielectric
– Old technology example: oil insulation, oil
interrupting medium, hydraulic (oil) timing
– New technology example: solid dielectric
insulation, vacuum interrupter, programmable
electronic timing, data logging (etc.)
– Hydraulic controls with vacuum interruption
and other combinations are available
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 Reclosers

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 Hydraulic Recloser
• Usually oil interrupting medium, oil
insulation, series trip coil
– Series trip coil usually has minimum trip setting
of 2 times coil continuous current rating
• Example: 200 A frame size recloser could have
series trip coil rated at 140 A (continuous) giving a
minimum trip current of 2 x 140 A = 280 A
– Due to limitations of hydraulic logic:
• Limited number of different time-current curves
available
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 Electronically Controlled
Recloser
• Often a vacuum interrupting medium
• Usually a shunt trip coil fed from a bushing
CT with electronic timing
– Minimum trip setting is not fixed by coil
• Example: Recloser with 560 A continuous current
rating could be set for 100, 140, 200, 280, 400, 560,
800, or 1120 A trip
– Greater variety of time-current curves
• some can be programmed for any curve
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 Recloser Ratings
• All reclosers have
– voltage ratings (nominal RMS line
voltage)
– interrupting ratings (RMS symmetrical
short-circuit current)
– some method of changing trip setting
• change a series coil or change a setting

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 Recloser Application
• Primary advantage of recloser is realized
when most faults are temporary
– Overhead MV lines usually experience many
temporary faults
– Underground MV lines usually experience
relatively few temporary faults
• Recloser must coordinate with other
overcurrent protection, upstream and
downstream

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 Recloser Application
• Details of coordination covered later. Idea:
– Recloser is to clear all temporary faults
downstream of recloser
• without damage to downstream fuses
• coordinating with downstream reclosers and
sectionalizers
– Permanent faults downstream of recloser are
cleared by downstream device
• if it sees fault
• before recloser locks out
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 Recloser Application
• Electronic controls give much greater
choice of time-current curves than
hydraulic
– Example below shows recloser curves
matching IEC time-overcurrent relay
curves for circuit breakers
– May allow complete freedom to tailor
curves for specific application
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 IEC TOC Curves
100

10
Time [sec]

0.1
1 10 100
Current [per unit of trip]
Inverse
Very Inverse
Extremely Inverse

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 Sectionalizers
• Automatic circuit sectionalizer is similar to
a recloser, but:
– sectionalizer does not interrupt fault current
– sectionalizer does not have time-current curve
– sectionalizer counts the number of circuit
interruptions (presumed to be due to upstream
recloser or station breaker) and locks out after
preset number (while upstream device is open)

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 Sectionalizer Operation
• Sectionalizer operation
– sectionalizer senses overcurrent and arms
to count
– when current falls below the sectionalizer
setting, it counts
– when count sequence is complete,
sectionalizer locks open
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 Sectionalizers
• Replace fuse on close-to-station tap
– fuse coordination is difficult due to large
available short-circuit current
• Replace second recloser where recloser-to-
recloser coordination is difficult
– both reclosers may operate simultaneously if
close together

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 Sectionalizer Application
• Set sectionalizer count one fewer than
upstream recloser
– Example: Four-shot recloser followed by three-
shot sectionalizer
• Use three-phase (three-pole trip) recloser
with three-phase sectionalizer
– Otherwise, sectionalizer could attempt to
interrupt fault current causing failure
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 Sectionalizer Problems
• Recloser-sectionalizer-recloser combination
not recommended unless studied carefully
• Recloser-sectionalizer-fuse combination
may need study
– Sectionalizer can count downstream device
operations
– Considered in more detail later.

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 Sectionalizer Technology
• Hydraulic controls
– Series coil senses fault current and arms
counting mechanism
– After preset count sequence, contacts opened
• Electronic controls
– Shunt coil feeding programmable electronic
controls
– Set actuation level, memory time
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 Sectionalizer Settings
• Set minimum actuation current at 80% of
minimum trip current of upstream recloser
– Hydraulic controls: use same series coil rating
for both units
– Electronic controls: must be set for proper
value
• Electronic recloser feeding hydraulic sectionalizer:
Minimum actuating current of sectionalizer = 1.6 X series
coil rating. Compare to recloser minimum trip stetting.

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 Sectionalizer

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 Coordination
• Proper coordination ensures that
minimum equipment is taken out of
service to clear the fault
– Coordination minimizes number of
customers out of service
– Coordination speeds the troubleshooting,
so minimizes the duration of the outage
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 Typical System
FEEDER #1
HV SYSTEM

FEEDER #2

FUSE SECTIONALIZER RECLOSER

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 Fuse-to-fuse coordination
• The protected fuse is upstream; the
protecting fuse is downstream
– Fuse A is the protecting fuse; fuse B is
the protected fuse
– Protecting fuse A must clear the fault
before protected fuse B is damaged
PROTECTED
FUSE (B)
FEEDER

PROTECTING
FUSE (A)

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 Time-current curves for both fuses
TIME [SEC]

Proper coordination
FUSE B (PROTECTED)
requires maximum
FUSE A (PROTECTING) clearing time of
MINIMUM MELT CURVE protecting fuse less
than minimum melt
SHIFTED TO 75% TIME

MAX. CLEARING TIME

time of protected fuse

CURRENT [A]

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 Fuse Preheating
• Since fuse operation is thermal, fuse
preheating should be considered:
– Load currents
– High ambient temperatures
• Conservative rule of thumb to maintain
coordination:
– Shift minimum melt curve of protected fuse to
75% time (shown on previous slide)

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 3
1 10

100

10
Time [sec]

0.1

0.01
3 4
10 100 1  10 1 10
Current [A]
10K tot clear
10K min melt
15K tot clear
15K min melt
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 Recloser-Fuse Coordination
• Recloser feeding a fuse:
– Fast operations of recloser should protect entire
downstream line (as far as possible) from
temporary faults (fuse saving)
– Fuse link should not be damaged by fast
operation
– Permanent fault should cause fuse to blow on
first delayed operation

EE 751 Distribution Protection 30

 Recloser operation and fuse link
heating
V pu
1

0 t
Ipu
If
OPEN OPEN OPEN LOCKS OUT
0 t

FUSE LINK
CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED
TEMPERATURE

FUSE SHOULD NOT FUSE SHOULD BLOW DURING ONE

BE DAMAGED HERE OF THESE DELAYED OPERATIONS

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 Fuse link heating
• Fuse link heats during the recloser closed
periods and cools during the open periods
– If reclosing interval is longer than link thermal
time constant, link may cool completely
– If reclosing interval is shorter than link thermal
time constant, link may not cool at all
– If detailed calculations are not done, assume no
cooling to be conservative

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 Recloser-fuse coordination
• Assume no cooling of fuse link
• Assume recloser sequence is 2A2B
– two fast (A curve) followed by two delayed (B
curve) operations
• Plot 2 times recloser A curve to compare
with fuse minimum melt curve
• Plot 2A+B to compare with fuse maximum
clearing time
EE 751 Distribution Protection 33
 Fuse and recloser time-current
curves showing coordination
TIME
FUSE MIN
MELT TIME FUSE MAX CLEARING TIME

2XA+B

RECLOSER CURVES
2XA
A
CURRENT

COORDINATION RANGE

EE 751 Distribution Protection 34

 Recloser fuse coordination
• Less conservative calculations can be done
– compare 1.75 times A curve to fuse link min
melt time
– compare B to fuse link max clearing time
• Calculate the actual cooling based on
thermal time constant of fuse link in cutout
and ambient temperature

EE 751 Distribution Protection 35

 Fuse-Recloser Coordination
• Reclosers downstream of fuses are not
common
– Not recommended and not considered here
• Exception: power fuse protecting substation
transformer on HV side
– Must coordinate with MV circuit breaker and
any downstream reclosers
– Considered in section on substation protection
EE 751 Distribution Protection 36
 Recloser-Recloser
Coordination
• Use time-current curves to coordinate
– Hydraulically controlled units need about
12 cycles of margin between adjacent
unit to coordinate
– If margin is 2-12 cycles the units might
operate simultaneously
– If margin is less than 2 cycles, the units
will operate simultaneously
EE 751 Distribution Protection 37
 Recloser-Recloser
Coordination
• Electronically controlled units are
simply coordinated with
manufacturer’s time-current curves:
– Maximum clearing time of downstream
(protecting) recloser less than minimum
response time of upstream (protected)
recloser

EE 751 Distribution Protection 38

 Reclosing Interval
• Time from trip to reclose
– Fixed by design of hydraulic units: 1-2 sec
– Programmable in electronic units
• set from instantaneous to 60 sec
• instantaneous is usually too fast to allow temporary
faults to clear
• 2 seconds is a common setting
• longer settings, e.g. 5 sec, may aid coordination with
source-side circuit breakers or fuses
EE 751 Distribution Protection 39
 Coordination of recloser with station
circuit breaker
• Station circuit breaker may be used, with
overcurrent relay logic
• Overcurrent relays tend to integrate recloser
times
– Quick check is to compare relay time-current
curve to a cumulative recloser time current
curve (e.g., 2A+2B in time)
– If check shows miscoordination possible,
perform detailed calculation

EE 751 Distribution Protection 40

 Example relay-recloser
coordination
• Electromechanical time overcurrent relay:
0.60 second trip delay and 30 sec reset time
• Hydraulic recloser on 2A2B sequence
• At fault current: A curve gives 0.035 sec
and B curve gives 0.20 sec. Disk travel:
– Each A clearing: relay disk 0.035/0.60 or 5.8%
– Each B clearing: relay disk 0.20/0.60 or 33.3%
– Each 2 sec open time: relay disk 2/30 or -6.7%
EE 751 Distribution Protection 41
 Example (Continued)
• Relay completely resets after each fast
(A curve) operation
• Calculate total net travel until lockout:
33.3% - 6.7% + 33.3% = 59.9% < 100%
Relay contacts do not close
Coordination is correct

EE 751 Distribution Protection 42

 Example (Continued)
• Repeat for 1 sec reclosing interval
• Now relay does not completely reset
after fast operations
• Net total relay travel:
5.8-3.3+5.8-3.3+33.3-3.3+33.3 = 68.3%
<100%
Coordination is still achieved.
EE 751 Distribution Protection 43
 Electronic Devices
• Electronically controlled reclosers have
more choices of time-current curves and
reclosing intervals
• Electronic overcurrent relays have more
choices of time-current curves and no disk
to reset
– Consult relay manufacturer’s data to determine
reset time (may be a setting)
EE 751 Distribution Protection 44
 Sectionalizer Coordination
• Does not use time-current curves
• Sectionalizer will coordinate with upstream
recloser or circuit breaker if it is set for
fewer counts than the total number of
upstream device operations
• Example: four shot upstream recloser
coordinates with a three-shot downstream
sectionalizer

EE 751 Distribution Protection 45

 Sectionalizer Application
• Two sectionalizers may be used in series if
the downstream device is set to one fewer
count than the upstream device
• Recloser-sectionalizer-fuse coordination:
– sectionalizer counts downstream fuse blowing
– 2A2B recloser: fuse blows during first delayed
operation, sectionalizer arms for final count,
then locks out when fuse blows

EE 751 Distribution Protection 46

 Sectionalizer Application
• Use 1A3B recloser for 3 shot sectionalizer
with downstream fuse:
– Fuse clears on second recloser count,
sectionalizer does not lock out when fuse blows
• Recloser-sectionalizer-recloser is tricky:
– Sectionalizer may count either recloser
– Can work with sectionalizer voltage restraint to
prevent counting downstream operations

EE 751 Distribution Protection 47

 Effect of Distribution
Automation / Remote Control
• Distribution automation and remote control
of switches is mostly outside of our scope
– Except as it interacts with overcurrent
protection system
– Consider a typical radial feeder arrangement
with normally open tie switches and normally
closed sectionalizing switches
– Look at feeder reconfiguration

EE 751 Distribution Protection 48

 F1 S11 S12 FEEDER #2

F2
T12 TIE Normal
FEEDER #1
S21 S22

Fault

F1 S11 S12 FEEDER #2 Faulted, F1 clears

F2 S21 S22
T12 TIE fault, S11 detects
FEEDER #1
fault

Operator opens
FEEDER #2
F1 S11 S12
T12 TIE
S12, closes T12
F2 S21 S22
FEEDER #1 opens S11, closes
F1
EE 751 Distribution Protection 49
 Recloser Loop Scheme
• Next, consider a recloser loop scheme:
– Each feeder uses a sectionalizing recloser
– Adjacent feeder backs up to normally open tie
recloser
– Fault trips recloser or station breaker
– If sectionalizing recloser loses voltage, it trips
after 60 second delay
– If tie recloser loses voltage, it closes after 70
second delay

EE 751 Distribution Protection 50

 F1 R11 FEEDER #2

F2
T12 TIE Normal
FEEDER #1
R21

F1 R11 FEEDER #2 Fault cleared by

F2
T12 TIE station breaker F1,
R21
FEEDER #1
R11 and T12 lose
voltage
FEEDER #2
F1
T12 TIE
Reclosers isolate
F2
FEEDER #1 fault (local control)
R21

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 Network Systems
• Full network distribution systems are
rare, except for secondary networks
(downtown areas of cities) and spot
networks (large buildings)
– MV feeder circuits are radially connected
to network transformers
– Transformer secondaries (LV) networked
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 MV Feeders
HV Bus
Substation

Network Transformers

Network Protectors

LV Network

Loads

SECONDARY NETWORK

EE 751 Distribution Protection 53

 MV Feeders

HV Bus
Substation

Network Transformers

Network Protectors and Fuses

SPOT NETWORK LV Network

Loads

EE 751 Distribution Protection 54

 Network Systems
• The secondary and spot network
systems are quite flexible in operation
– If one transformer is out of service, the
remaining units can supply the load
– If a fault occurs on a primary feeder, the
transformer will tend to feed it
• Network protector will operate

EE 751 Distribution Protection 55

 Network Protector
• Network protector will disconnect the
transformer if it back-feeds the MV system
• Network protector will prevent transformer
from being reconnected unless power will
flow in proper direction
• Fuses are often used on network systems
too

EE 751 Distribution Protection 56

 Low-Voltage System
Overcurrent Protection
• Devices used are fuses and air circuit
breakers, including:
– Molded-case circuit breakers
– Insulated-case circuit breakers
– LV power circuit breakers
• Time-current curves are used for
coordination in the same way as already
described.

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Insulated-case circuit breakers

EE 751 Distribution Protection 58

 LONG-TIME
PICKUP LONG-TIME
PICKUP

LONG-TIME
DELAY

TIME
SHORT-TIME
PICKUP
SHORT-TIME
DELAY
LONG-TIME
DELAY
INSTANTANEOUS (SHORT-TIME
DELAY SIMILAR)

SHORT-TIME CURRENT
PICKUP

Typical Low-Voltage
Circuit Breaker Time-
INSTANTANEOUS
Current (Electronic Trip)

EE 751 Distribution Protection 59

 Coordination
• As before, coordination is done with time-
current curves
– In all overcurrent protection the downstream
device should trip and clear the fault
• Before the fastest upstream device begins operation
• Before system damage becomes excessive
– Compromise is sometimes required
• Main purpose is to protect system from short-
circuits

EE 751 Distribution Protection 60

Where to go for more information
– Application and Coordination of Reclosers,
Sectionalizers, and Fuses, IEEE Tutorial
80EHO157-8-PWR
– Distribution System Protection Manual,
McGraw-Edison (now part of Cooper Power
Systems)
– Manufacturer’s web sites: www.abb.com,
www.cooperpower.com, www.ch.cutler-
hammer.com, www.ge.com, www.sandc.com,
www.siemenstd.com, www.squared.com

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