EV MS F / 5240.46 / M
Erlangen, 21. August 1997

HRC Fuses for Voltage Transformers? 1)

1. Whats it all about
Voltage transformer faults are - after cable termination faults - one of the most frequent sources of
failure and cause of arcing faults in switchboards. For this reason, VDE 0101 (para 5.3.3) prescribes protection:
Para. 5.3.3.1 For voltage transformers, which are connected to busbars in switchboards for ratings up to 30 kV, suitable protection shall be foreseen, e.g. partitioning, rapid acting protection.
Para. 5.3.3.2 It is recommended that the secondary side of voltage transformers shall be protected against the effects of short circuits and operation of this protection shall be indicated.
For voltage transformers in a branch circuit, the circuit breaker serves as protection unit; provided
that the fault lies within the protected area of the current transformers. For voltage transformers on
the busbars, HRC fuses are usually used for protection. Under the provison that: the equipment
must be so built into the switchboard - e.g. in separate enclosures - that any possible fault arc at
the transformers cannot adversely affect the protective devices.
2.

Voltage transformers in a branch (feeder) cubicle

When a fault occurs at a voltage transformer, a circuit breaker will always respond. Whether the
feeder breaker or an upstream incoming feeder breaker clears, depends on the duty of the branch
circuit and its partitioning.
Branch

Branch

Incomer
Busbar

Busbar
Energy
flow

Energy
flow

Circuit-breaker
Cable termination

Circuit-breaker
Overcurrent relay

Line differential
relay
Compartmented cubicle

Part comparmented cubicle

Overcurrent relay

Cable termination

Energy
flow

Partitioned (metalclad) branch cubicle

The branch circuit breaker clears, because the voltage transformer lies within the range of the
branch circuit protection. This is primarily also valid when an arc fault occurs, unless the arc
spreads so quickly to the "upper" terminals of the current transformer, that no time remains for
the branch circuit protection to recognise the fault. In that case, the upstream feeder breaker
must/will clear it.

Part partitioned branch cubicle

Here, a fault arc can spread unhindered upwards, so that the branch breaker is unable to
clear the fault. The upstream breaker will be tripped.

Incoming feeder cubicle

The fault will always be cleared by the upstream breaker (not shown), tripped by either the line
differential or overcurrent protection. This applies also in the case of an arc fault, because the
energy flows from "below". The quality of the cubicle partitioning determines the extent of damage in the cubicle.

1) This summary extends various texts by Messrs Dorsch, Jahn and the Ritz Company.
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Voltage transformers in a measurement cubicle

The operating primary currents of voltage transformers lie in the milliampere range, whereas the
smallest rated currents of HRC fuses start at a few full amperes. Current limiting, back up fuses,
which are mostly used, first operate at currents over 10 A.
Possible operating currents I1 for voltage transformers:
10 kV maximum 100 mA
20 kV maximum 50 mA

at rated power:

at secondary terminal short circuit: max. 1 A

HRC fuse
e.g.: IrHH = 6 A (Imin 25 A)

If a fault occurs within a voltage transformer, for example, a winding short circuit, that leads rapidly
to thermal overload. The transformer bursts and causes a fault arc which, for a single pole transformer first becomes evident as an earth fault or, for a two phase transformer, immediately as a
phase to phase short circuit. An earth fault developes within about 100 ms into a multi phase fault.
Possible faults on 1- and 2-pole voltage transformers and their effects are listed in the table on the
following page, together with the response of an HRC fuse and the effects on the switchboard.
Busbar
HRC Fuse
I1
Voltage transformer

Measuring cubicle

Measuring cubicle
with compartments

Measuring cubicle
non-compartmented

Measuring cubicle with part partitioning (or no partitions)

When voltage transformers and HRC fuses are built into the same compartment, there is no way
in which the fuse can prevent a fault arc. In all cases (1 to 8), an arc will occur either as a result of
the fault itself or as a result of the thermal overload and bursting of the transformer. In cases 7 and
8 an HRC fuse in the secondary circuit of the transformer can provide protection.
Measuring cubicle with partitions
If the transformer is in its own enclosure or is at least so installed that its destruction does not affect the fuses, then HRC fuses can very effectively limit the total damage, just because of their
current limiting characteristic. A partition must so separate transformer and fuses from each other
that no hot, ionising gases can reach the live line side contacts of the fuses and thus cause reestablishment of an arc. Phase to phase partitioning between the transformers is also sensible.
Conclusion
HRC fuses do not protect the voltage transformers - only the switchboard !
Secondary circuit fuses are sensible and are recommended by VDE. Attention must be given to
careful selection and installation so that their additional contact and internal resistance do not
lead to false measurement due to voltage drop.
Resistances and chokes fitted to e-n-windings to damp ferro-resonance (oscillations) shall not
be fitted with fuses !

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Possible faults on 1- and 2-pole voltage transformers and their effects
Nr.

Type of fault *

Current I1

HRC Fuse

Effect of fault, when HRC fuses and transformer are in

one common enclosure

separate enclosures

Terminal short circuit

I1 = Ik > Imin

operates

Fault: fuse interrupts current, but arc re-ignites

on line side live terminals

Fuse interrupts with current limiting in 10 ms and

limits the fault arc to the transformer enclosure.

2a

Earth fault, free star point

I1 = IE < Imin

can operate and will

burst, since I < Imin

Fault arc due to earth fault or overloaded fuse.

Fault arcs in both enclosures due to earth fault and

overloaded fuse.

I1 = IE > Imin

operates

Fault arc due to earth fault.

Fuse limits the fault arc to transformer enclosure.

I1 = IRest < Imin

can operate and will

burst, since I < Imin

Fault arc due to earth fault or overloaded fuse.

Fault arcs in both enclosures due to earth fault and

overloaded fuse.

I1 = IRest > Imin

operates

Fault arc due to earth fault.

Fuse limits the fault arc to transformer enclosure.

2b
3a

Earth fault, network with

earth fault compensation

3b
4

Earth fault, network with

effective star point earth

I1 = IE = Ik" > Imin

(like short-circuit)

operates

Fault arc: the fuse does interrupt but the arc reignites on line side live terminals.

Fuse interrupts with current limiting in 10 ms and

limits the fault arc to the transformer enclosure.

5a

Winding fault, (primary),

single pole transformer

I1 < IrHH

does not operate

After short time transformer thermally detroyed

- earth fault - faults as No. 2 to 4 - fault arc

First, fault arc in transformer enclosure due destruction of transfr., then fuse interrupts and limits
damage to transfr. Enclosure.

5b

Winding fault, (primary),

two pole transformer

I1 < IrHH

does not operate

First, fault arc in transformer enclosure due deAfter short time transformer thermally destroyed - phase to phase short circuit - fault as No. 1 struction of transfr., then fuse interrupts and limits
damage to transformer enclosure.
- fault arc

Winding fault, (secondary) I1 << IrHH

one and two phase
transformer

does not operate

After short time transformer thermally destroyed - fault arc

First, fault arc in transformer enclosure due detruction of transfr., then fuse interrupts and limits damage to transformer enclosure.

Secondary terminal short

circuit

I1 IrHH (<1 A)

does not operate

After short time transformer thermally destroyed - fault arc

First, fault arc in transformer enclosure due detruction of transfr., then fuse interrupts and limits damage to transfr. Enclosure.

Remote short circuit

I1 IrHH (<1 A)

does not operate

After short time transformer thermally destroyed - fault arc

First, fault arc in transformer enclosure due detruction of transfr., then fuse interrupts and limits damage to transfr. Enclosure.

* When not separately listed, there is no difference between 1 and 2-pole transformers.
I1 = Primary current

IrHH = Rated current of HRC fuse

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Imin = Minimum interrupt current; above this the fuse will certainly interrupt and clear.

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