Power Systems

Protection
 Motor Protection
Introduction
Electric motors are the workhorses of industry and are extensively used to convert
electrical energy into rotational mechanical energy. Most electric motors work via the interaction
of the motor magnetic field and electrical current in a wound wire to produce force in the manner
of torque supplied on the motor shaft.
 Motor Protection
Potential Motor Hazards 4. Loss of excitation (loss of field)
1. Faults: phase or ground 5. Out-of-step operation (operation out of
2. Thermal damage from synchronism)
a. Overload (continuous or intermittent) 6. Synchronizing out of phase
b. Locked rotor (failure to start or jamming)
3. Abnormal conditions
a. Unbalanced operation
b. Undervoltage and overvoltage
c. Reversed phases
d. High-speed reclosing (reenergizing while still
running)
e. Unusual ambient or environmental conditions
(cold, hot, and damp)
f. Incomplete starting sequence
 Motor Protection
These can be reclassified relative to their C. Environment-induced
origins: 1. High ambient temperature
A. Motor-induced 2. High contaminant level: blocked
1. Insulation failure (within motor and ventilation
associated wiring) 3. Cold, damp ambient temperature
2. Bearing failure
3. Mechanical failures D. Source- or system-induced
4. Synchronous motors: loss of field 2. Phase failure (open phase or phases)
2. Overvoltage
B. Load-induced 3. Undervoltage
1. Overload (and underload) 4. Phase reversal
2. Jamming 5. Out-of-step condition resulting from
3. High inertia system disturbance
 Motor Damages

Motor Protection
 Motor Protection
Motor Characteristics
Involved in Protection
1. Starting-current curves
2. Thermal capability curve,
which should include the
permissible locked-rotor
thermal limit
3. The K constant (Rr2/Rr1)
 Motor Protection
General Motor Protection
-Protection for motors exists in many forms: a variety of designs and either packaged individually
or in different combinations. Each has its features, which will not be restated or evaluated in this
chapter. The fundamentals and basic aim should be to permit the motor to operate up to, but not to
exceed, its thermal and mechanical limits for overloads and abnormal operation conditions and, to
provide maximum sensitivity for faults.
 Motor Protection
Stator Protection
1. Short-Circuit Protection
2. Overload Protection
3. Earth-Fault Protection
4. Undervoltage Protection
5. Differential Protection
6. Phase-Failure and Unbalanced Protection
7. Out-of-Step Protection
Rotor Protection
1. Protection for long starting time and
repeated starting
2. Protection for locked rotor during
operation
3. Protection for locked rotor during starting
 Motor Protection
1. Short Circuit Protection – Short Circuit fault in motor happens due to stator winding failure,
or may be if iron core get damaged, this condition leads to flow of heavy current in one or more
phase of motor in this case an overcurrent protection is provided

Reasons of Short Circuit in Motor:

1. Insulation Failure
2. Motor Ageing
3. Mechanical Stress
4. Overheating
5. Low Supply Voltage
6. Repeated Starting of Motor
 Motor Protection
2. Overload Protection - A motor carrying an overload is exposed to abnormal stator winding
temperature rises. Large stator currents increase the temperature very fast and the thermal limits
of the stator winding limit is reaches within seconds.
- To prevent damage a protection of with a thermal overcurrent relay and
overload relay is used.
 Motor Protection
3.Ground-Fault Protection - As for phase protection is concerned, instantaneous overcurrent
relays are applied for ground-fault protection (50G, 50N, 51N). Where applicable, the preferred
method is to use a flux summation-type current transformer, with the three motor conductors
passing through the CT opening.
 Motor Protection
Phase Fault Protection
-Instantaneous nondirectional overcurrent relays (50,51) can be used to protect induction motors.
- The motor is the end device in the electrical system, so instantaneous relays can be used.
 Motor Protection
4. Under Voltage Protection (27): - Low voltage on a motor results in high current and either
failure to start, to reach the rated speed, or to lose speed, and perhaps pull out. Very often,
protection for undervoltage is included as part of the motor starter, but an inverse time
undervoltage relay (27) is recommended to trip when prolonged undervoltage exists and as
backup.
-Whenever moor supplied in low voltage condition, at that time suddenly torque on motor get
reduce about 20%, now if motor carries light load it might not get affected by it but if motor is on
loading condition, then it will try to maintain torque, so motor will take higher current from its
source, due to which winding will heat up and it can damage insulation and winding due to which
motors life goes reduce.
-This is what reason that motor should be protected from under voltage condition
 Motor Protection
5. Differential Protection- Differential protection (87) is preferred. However, for some motors
the two ends of the windings may not be available, and differential protection cannot be applied.
If both ends of the windings are available, the best differential, in terms of sensitivity, speed, and
security, is to pass the conductors of the windings through a flux summation (ring) CT
 Motor Protection
6.Unbalanced and Phase Rotation Protection
- The most common cause of unbalance for three-phase motors is the loss of phase resulting from
an open fuse, circuit breaker, connector, or damaged conductor. Unbalances in other connected
loads can also affect the motor. A voltage unbalance of 3.5% can produce a 25% or greater
increase in motor temperature. This results primarily from negative sequence produced by the
unbalance.
-The current balance type (46) and operates when one phase current is significantly different in
magnitude from either of the other two phase currents. This is very effective protection for
individual motor feeders to detect open phases or unbalances in that circuit.
 Motor Protection
7. Out-of-Phase Protection
- The invention provides an out-of-step protection method for a synchronous motor, which
comprises the following steps of: measuring the voltage, current and power factor of a stator of
the motor; calculating a power angle of the motor according to the measured parameter values;
judging whether the power angle is within the range of safe operation or not; and regulating
voltage-frequency ratio output by a frequency converter and controlling the power angle within
the range of the safe operation when the power angle exceeds the range of the safe operation.
- In the out-of-step protection method for the synchronous motor, the voltage-frequency ratio
output by the frequency converter is regulated according to the change of the calculated power
angle so as to effectively avoid out of step.
 Motor Protection
8. Overvoltage Protection (59):
-Over voltage in motor occurs whenever it is supplied beyond its rated voltage.
-This condition must need to identify immediately as overvoltage creates stress on insulation,
which affects on motor’s life.
-Due to over voltage magnetizing current in motor increases and this will increase iron loss of
motor, due to which winding will heat up. However load current will be reduce as voltage
increases also sleep will decrease, and motor efficiency will also increase slightly.
-Overvoltage in motor is protected through numerical relay.
 Motor Protection
9. Locked-Rotor Protection