Distance Protection Schemes

Basic Distance Scheme

Z3
Z2
Z1

Z1
Z2
Z3

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Basic Distance Scheme - Disadvantages

 Zone 1 set to 80% leaves 2 end zones

 Faults in end zone results in instantaneous tripping
at one end and time delayed at the other
 Time delay may lead to system stability problems
 Sequential clearance leaves no dead time for high
speed A/R cycle (transient fault becomes
permanent)
 Longer clearance times - More damage
Zone 1 Extension Scheme
Z3
Z2
Z1
Z1X

Z1X
Z1

Z2
Z3

A/R & & A/R

Z1X Z1X

1 1 1 1
Z1 Trip Trip Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Zone 1 Extension - Advantages

 No signalling channel required (may be used as temporary replacement for

carrier aided scheme when comms. channel out of service)

 Provides fast fault clearance at both ends for a transient fault anywhere
along the line length

 Allows the use of high speed A/R cycle

Zone 1 Extension Scheme - Disadvantages

 Tripping can occur for external faults (but will be

followed by an autoreclose)

 Basic distance scheme logic applies following

reclose (i.e. potential for time delayed clearance for
permanent faults)

 Only suitable to systems where autoreclose is used

(for example can not be used on cable circuits)
Loss of Load Accelerated Trip

Z3
Z2
Z1

Z1
Z2
Z3
T1 = 40ms (allows for slowest pickup of Zone 2)
T2 = 18ms (prevents LOL trip for external fault with
CB pole scatter)
LDA
LDB & .
LDC . . T2
0
& & Trip
T1 0 Z2
..
1 .
.
Loss of Load Scheme

 Fast fault clearance without the need for a signalling channel

 Only applicable where 3 phase tripping is used

 Only operates for unbalanced faults

 Load current (above the current detector settings) must exist

prior to the fault to ‘arm’ the scheme
 Can be used as back up to signal aided scheme
Channel Dependant Schemes
Unit Protection Schemes

 Provide high speed clearance for all faults on line (for

example current differential)

 Do not provide inherent back-up protection

SOLUTION IS TO PROVIDE DISTANCE PROTECTION FOR BACK-
UP PROTECTION OF ADJACENT LINES WITH AN AIDED TRIPPING
SCHEME FOR HIGH SPEED PROTECTION OF WHOLE LINE

 Requires the use of an ON/OFF signalling channel

between line ends (i.e. HF/VF/Fibre Optic/Radio)
Types of Aided Tripping Schemes

 Acceleration

 Transfer tripping
– Direct
– Permissive Underreach
– Permissive Overreach

 Blocking
Direct Transfer Trip

Z3
Z2
Z1
Send Logic : Z1
Z1
Trip Logic : Rx
Z2
Z3 Tx Tx
Rx Rx

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Direct Transfer Trip - Advantages

 All faults anywhere along the protected line can be

cleared instantaneously at both line ends

 Scheme can be advantageous for protecting 3 terminal

lines due to ease of application
Direct Transfer Trip - Disadvantages

 A very secure signalling channel is required :-

incorrect operation leads to false tripping

 Circuit breakers at both line ends must be closed and

contribute fault current to obtain high speed fault
clearance

 If the channel fails only the Basic scheme logic will

be provided
Acceleration Scheme (for Reach Stepped Relay)

Z3
Z2
Z1
Send Logic : Z1
Trip Logic : Rx + Z2
Z1
Z2
Z3 Tx Tx
Rx Rx

Z1/Z2 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1/Z2

Z3 T3 . . T3 Z3
1 Change 1
T2 Z1 T2
. reach .
Permissive Schemes
Permissive Underreach Scheme

Z3
Z2
Z1

Send Logic : Z1
Z1 Trip Logic : Rx + Z2
Z2
Z3 Tx Tx
0 Rx Rx 0
100 100

& &

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Permissive Underreach Scheme

 Race between relay at D

A B
picking up and signal send
from relay at C resetting,
C D
following opening of
breaker at C
Fault
21 21
Send Rx + Z2
 If signal send from C
A B
resets before relay D
operates then aided
tripping will not occur
C D
 To prevent this a 100ms
Fault
21 21 delay on drop off of the
Rx + Z2 signal send is used in the
scheme logic
Permissive Underreach Transfer Trip - Advantages

 Only a simplex signalling channel required

 Scheme is very secure as signalling channel only

keyed for internal fault (Zone 1 initiation)
Permissive Underreach Transfer Trip - Disadvantages

 If one terminal of the line is open then only Basic

scheme logic will apply

 If there is a weak infeed at one terminal then only

Basic scheme logic will apply

 If signalling channel fails then only Basic scheme

logic will apply

 Resistive coverage is governed by Zone 1 setting

(may be limited on short lines)
Permissive Overreach Scheme Internal Fault

Z3
Z2
Z1

Z1 Send Logic : Z2
Z2 Trip Logic : Rx + Z2
Z3

Rx Rx
Tx Tx

& &

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Permissive Overreach Scheme External Fault

Z3
Z2
Z1

Z1 Send Logic : Z2
Z2 Trip Logic : Rx + Z2
Z3

Rx Rx
Tx Tx

& &

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Permissive Overreach Scheme (CB Echo Logic)

Z3
Z2
Z1
Send Logic : Z2
Trip Logic : Rx + Z2
Z1 Open terminal echo : CB Open + Rx
Z2
Z3

CB open & & CB open

Rx Rx
Tx Tx
1 1

& &

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Permissive Overreach Scheme (WI Echo Logic)

Z4
Z2
Z1
Send Logic : Z2
Z1 Trip Logic : Rx + Z2
Z2 Open terminal echo : CB Open + Rx
Weak Infeed echo : Z4 + Rx
Z4

CB open & & CB open

Rx Rx
Z4 & Tx Tx & Z4
1 1

& &

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Permissive Overreach Weak Infeed Trip Scheme

Z4
Z2
Z1 Send Logic : Z2
Trip Logic : Rx + Z2
Open terminal echo : CB Open + Rx
Z1
Weak Infeed echo : Z4 + Rx
Z2
Weak Infeed trip : Z4 + LDOV reset + Rx
Z4

CB open & & CB open

Rx Rx
Z4 & Tx Tx & Z4
1 1

LDOV & & LDOV

& &

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Permissive Overreach Transfer Trip - Advantages

 Provides better resistive coverage, especially on short

lines, where MHO measuring elements are used

 For cases where one line terminal is open, open

breaker echo logic can be used

 For cases of weak or zero infeed at one line terminal

weak infeed logic can be used (reverse looking zone
required)
Permissive Overreach Transfer Trip - Disadvantages

 Duplex signalling channel required

 Scheme is theoretically less secure then PUR as

signalling channel is keyed for external faults

 If signalling channel fails then only Basic scheme

logic will apply
Blocking Schemes
Blocking Scheme - Internal Fault

Z3
Z2
Z1
Send Logic : Z3 + Z2
Z1 Trip Logic : Rx + Z2
Z2
Z3

& &
Rx Rx
Tx Tx

& &

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Blocking Scheme - External Fault

Z3
Z2
Z1
Send Logic : Z3 + Z2
Z1 Trip Logic : Rx + Z2
Z2
Z3

& &
Rx Rx
Tx Tx

& &

Z1 1 Trip Trip 1 Z1

Z2 T2 . . T2 Z2

Z3 T3 T3 Z3
Blocking Scheme - Advantages

 Only simplex signalling channel required

 Provides better resistive coverage than PUR on short

lines where MHO elements are used

 Fast tripping will still be possible at closed end of line

for all fault positions with remote breaker open

 Fast tripping will still be possible at strong infeed

terminal for all fault positions where remote terminal
has no or weak infeed
Blocking Scheme - Disadvantages

 Only 2 forward zones of protection available (unless

relay has >3 Zones)

 If signalling channel fails then only Basic scheme

logic will apply

 Current sensitivity is lower as tripping elements (Z2)

are controlled by high set current level detectors (to
ensure blocking elements (Z3/Z4) are more sensitive
than tripping elements)
Permissive Schemes vs Blocking Schemes

 Permissive less reliable - require a signal from remote

relay plus local operation to trip

 Blocking less secure - require a signal from remote

relay to prevent a trip

 Permissive schemes are marginally faster and more

sensitive (timer plus high set current elements on
Blocking scheme)
Teed Feeders
Teed Feeders - No Zone 1 Coverage

A C
B' A' C'

B'

A'

A-A’ - Zone 1 reach of relay at A

B-B’ - Zone 1 reach of relay at B
C-C’ - Zone 1 reach of relay at C

A’B’C’ Zone not covered by Zone 1 from any terminal. Hence

schemes reliant on Zone 1 operation would not work (Z1 ext,
PUR)
Teed Feeders - Underreaching

A C
Za Zc

Ia Zb Ic

 Actual impedance to fault from terminal A = Za + Zb

 Measured voltage at terminal A V = Ia.Za + (Ia + Ic).Zb
 Measured current at terminal A I = Ia
 Impedance measured by relay A V/I = Za + Zb + (Ic/Ia).Zb

 Relay therefore measures a greater impedance than the actual impedance and
underreaches. Must allow for this underreach when setting Zone 2 elements to ensure
correct scheme operation
Teed Feeders - No/Weak Infeed at One Terminal

A C

No infeed from terminal B.

Fault therefore not covered by Zone 1 from any
terminal. Hence schemes reliant on Zone 1 operation
would not work (Z1 ext, PUR)
Teed Feeders - Problems (1)

A C

Relay at terminal B sees a reverse fault. No scheme

will operate at this terminal. Fault clearance will be
sequential following opening of breaker A from relay
A Zone 1 element.
Directional Earth Fault (DEF)
Directional Earth Fault Schemes

 DEF schemes are identical to Distance schemes

 DEF Forward replaces Zone 2, DEF Reverse replaces
Zone 3/4 Reverse
 No equivalent to Zone 1 as the DEF elements can not
have a defined reach, hence no schemes using Zone 1
can be replicated (Z1 ext, PUR)
Directional Earth Fault Schemes

Ea E
RF
b

21 Independent 21
signalling channel
67N 67N

Independent signalling channels allows the use of

different schemes for the distance and DEF elements, for
example PUR distance with POR DEF
Directional Earth Fault Schemes

Ea Eb
RF

21 21
Shared Channel

67N 67N

Shared signalling channels limits the use of

schemes for the distance and DEF elements. Both
use the same scheme logic.