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An Example Of Transformer Overload and Short-Circuit

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An Example Of Transformer Overload and Short-Circuit Protection (photo credit: ABB; Mariano Berrogain)

NEC Article 450 // Transformers Vaults

Transformer protection consists of both overload protection and short-circuit protection. Overload protection
is usually accomplished via proper selection of the secondary overcurrent protective device.
NEC Article 450 gives specific primary and secondary overcurrent device ratings that may not be exceeded.
These vary depending upon the accessibility of the transformer to unqualified persons and the impedance of the
transformer. The smallest protective device that allows the rated full-load current of the transformer gives the best
practical overcurrent protection.
Increasing the secondary overcurrent device size beyond this may be necessary for short-term overloads or for
coordination with downstream devices, but in any case the requirements of NEC Article 450 must be met!
Short-circuit protection involves comparison of the transformer damage curve per IEEE Std. C57.109-1993 with
the primary overcurrent device time-current characteristic. In general, the damage curve must be to the right and
above the primary overcurrent device characteristic.
Another constraint on the primary overcurrent device is that it must be capable of withstanding the inrush of the
transformer without tripping (and without damage for currentlimiting fuses).

Example //
An example time-current characteristic showing protection for a 1000 kVA 13.2 kV Delta:
480 Y/277 V, 5.75%Z dry-type transformer is shown in Figure 1. The transformer is protected with a 65E currentlimiting primary fuses and a 1200 A electronic-trip secondary circuit breaker. As can be seen from the figure, the
fuses do withstand the inrush without damage since the inrush point is to the left and below the fuse minimum melt
curve.

Figure 1 Example protection for a 1000 kVA, 13.2 kV Delta: 480 Y/277V, 5.75%Z dry-type transformer

The transformer is protected from short-circuits by the primary fuses. The secondary circuit breaker
provides overload protection at the full-load current of the transformer. Note that the primary fuse and secondary
circuit-breaker characteristics overlap for high fault currents; this is unavoidable and is considered acceptable.
Note also that the fuse curve and the transformer damage curve overlap; this is unavoidable but these should
overlap at the lowest current possible.
For currents below the fuse/transformer damage curve overlap the secondary circuit breaker must protect the
transformer.

The lower the point of overlap, the more likely the fault is an external fault on the load side of the

secondary circuit breaker and therefore greater chance the secondary circuit breaker will effectively
protect the transformer for faults in this region.

Also note that the transformer damage characteristic is shown twice. Because transformer is a delta-wye
transformer, a ground-fault on the secondary side of the transformer will result in only 57.7% of the maximum
three-phase primary fault current while one secondary winding experiences the full fault current.
This is illustrated in Figure 2, as well as the corollary for delta-delta transformers.

Figure 2 Fault-current flow for delta-wye transformer L-N faults and delta-delta transformer L-L faults

The damage characteristic has therefore been shifted to 57.7% of its published value to account for secondary
line-to-ground faults. Also, the shifted curve has another, more conservative curve shown; this is the frequent-fault
curve and is applicable only to the secondary overcurrent device since faults between the transformer secondary
and the secondary overcurrent protective device should not be frequent.
Additional devices, such as thermal overload alarms/relays and sudden-pressure relays, are also available for
protection of transformers. These are typically specified with the transformer itself and can provide very good
protection. However, even if these devices are installed the primary and secondary overcurrent devices must be
coordinated with the transformer as described above.
Differential protection for transformers is very effective for transformer internal faults.
If differential protection is supplied it is the primary protection for internal faults and will operate before the primary
overcurrent device. The primary overcurrent device serves as a backup protective device for internal faults in this
case.
Reference: System Protection Bill Brown, P.E., Square D Engineering Services

About Author //
Edvard Csanyi

Edvard - Electrical engineer, programmer and founder of EEP. Highly specialized for design of LV high power
busbar trunking (<6300A) in power substations, buildings and industry fascilities.
Designing of LV/MV switchgears. Professional in AutoCAD programming and webdesign. Present on