TRANSFORMER PROTECTION

G. Mohanan
Executive Engineer
Transmission Division.
Kazhakoottam
Phone 9446008139
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CLASSIFICATION

1. Protection against Electrical Faults

Unit Protection (against Internal Faults)
Differential Protection.

REF Protection.

Non-Unit Protection (against uncleared external faults)

IDMT O/C, E/F Relays.

Definite Time O/C, E/F Relays.

2.Protection against Abnormal Conditions

 Over Load protection

Over Fluxing Protection

3. Protective Devices (Non-electrical)

Buchholz (Main Tank / OLTC)

Oil / Winding Temperature Indicators / Relays

Pressure Release Valve

Oil Level Gauges / Indicators

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DIFFERENTIAL RELAY – OPERATING PRINCIPLE

Current Distribution (External Fault)

Battery Analogy (External Fault)

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DIFFERENTIAL RELAY – OPERATING PRINCIPLE.

Current Distribution ( Internal Fault)

Battery Analogy (Internal Fault)

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DIFFERENTIAL RELAY – NEED FOR

BIAS

 Transformer ratio = 100/50KV

 F.L. Current = 100A (on 100 KV side)
= 200A (on 50 KV side)
 Tap Range = (+/-) 10%
 % Impedance (Zt) = 10%
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DIFFERENTIAL RELAY – NEED FOR

BIAS.

Current Distribution on Load on Normal Tap

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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION – NEED FOR

BIAS

CURRENT DISTRIBUTION ON LOAD ON + 10% TAP

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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION – NEED FOR BIAS.

CURRENT DISTRIBUTION ON THROUGH FAULT ON + 10%TAP.

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DIFFERENTIAL RELAY – NEED FOR

BIAS.

 Diff. Pick-up = 15% (0.15A), Bias = 30% (Assumed)

 Modified Diff. Pick-up due to Restraining Effect of Bias
Id mod = 0.30 x (10+9)/2 + 0.15 = 2.85 + 0.15 = 3.0A.
 Actual Diff. Current = 1.0A
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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION – BIAS CHARACTERISTIC.

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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION – MAGNETISING

INRUSH.

STEADY STATE
 At zero volts, flux is “(-) ɸm” since flux in quadrature with voltage.
 Total flux change in half the voltage cycle is “2ɸm” (-ɸm to +ɸm).
SWITCHING AT VOLTAGE ZERO.
 Initial flux zero as against (-) ɸm corresponding to steady state.
 Total flux changes from zero to 2ɸm.
 Flux doubling causes extreme saturation of core.
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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION- MAGNETISING

INRUSH.

 Magnetising Impedance drastically reduces due to core

saturation causing heavy inrush current.
 Inrush appears on excited winding (primary) without any
balancing current on secondary and unstabilises differential
protection.
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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION – INRUSH

STABILITY

 Inrush current has predominant 2 nd harmonic content

(typical value, up to 60% max. of Fundamental depending
upon instant of switching).
 Dominant 2 nd harmonic component is used to restrain the
protection on inrush condition.
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BIASED DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION- INTERNAL CIRCUIT.

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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION- CT CONNECTIONS.

STAR / STAR TRANSFORMER
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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION – CT CONNECTIONS.

DELTA / STAR TRANSFORMER (Dy11)
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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION – STAR / STAR

TRANSFORMER

Instability With STAR CONNECTED CTs On Up-stream Earth Fault.

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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION – STAR / STAR

TRANSFORMER.

Delta / Delta CTs filter Zero Seq. Current & ensure Stability.
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REF
PROTECTION

Current Distribution on External Earth Fault.

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REF
PROTECTION

Current Distribution on Single Phase load.

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REF
PROTECTION

Current distribution on Internal Fault.

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REF
PROTECTION

Current distribution on Internal Fault.

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STABILISING RESISTOR
SETTING CRIETERIA

 If B-ɸ CT fully active while

NCT fully saturates, maximum
Voltage across Relay Branch
(Vs) = If/n (Rct + 2Rl).
 If Relay current setting is “Is”
and Ohmic burden is “Zr”,
Stab. Resistor Setting (Rs)
= Vs/Is – Zr Ohms.
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BACKUP PROTECTION

INFLUENCING FACTORS

 Vector Group

 Infeed conditions (Single or both end infeeds)

 Type of Neutral Earthing

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BACKUP
PROTECTION

 50 – High Set Inst. O/C Relay ( Delta side S.C. protection)

 64 – REF Protection (Delta side REF protection)
 51 – IDMT O/C Relay (time graded backup for down-stream S.C.)
 51N – IDMT E/F Relay (time graded backup for down-stream E/F)
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BACKUP PROTECTION
E/F PROTECTION ON DELTA
SIDE.

 Delta side E/F relay inherently immune to Star side earth

faults but can respond to Delta winding earth faults. Hence
sensitive, high speed E/F relay (64) in High Impedance mode
can be used on Delta side.
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BACKUP
PROTECTION

 50 – High Set Inst. O/C Relay (Primary Star side S.C.)

 51- IDMT O/C Relay (time graded backup for down-stream S.C.)
 67N – Directional IDMT E/F Relay (backup to TFR/down-stream E/F.)
 51N–IDMT E/F relay (time graded backup against down-stream E/F)
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BACKUP E/F PROTECTION- STAR / STAR

TRANSFORMER

 Directional IDMT E/F relay (67N) looking towards

transformer do not respond to up-stream E/F due to
current out-flow from TFR terminal into Grid, thus
requiring co-ordination with down-stream E/F
protections only.
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OVER LOAD
PROTECTION
1. Definite Time Over Load Relay

 Definite Time O/C relay used for Alarm.

 Set above permissible over load with small time

delay(say 5 seconds)

 Relay should have adjustable current setting, time delay

(built-in or external) and high reset ratio.

 Some times, extended tripping is provided with

additional time delay.
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OVER LOAD
PROTECTION
2. Thermal Over Load Relay
 Set to match over load withstand of transformer.
 Pre-trip Alarm with lower pick-up threshold.
 Operating time for trip (t)
t = T. ln {(I/K.In)² – (I pre/K.In)²} / (I/K.In)²- 1}
Where
I = Over Load current.
K.In = Max. Permissible Load Current.
I pre = Load current prior to Over Load.
T = Thermal Time Constant (minutes)
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OVER FLUXING
PROTECTION
INDEX OF OVER FLUXING
V α Φ.f, Hence Φα V/f
 Tandem variations in voltage & frequency most
likely to occur in case of Generator Transformer
during startup or coasting down (due to AVR
malfunction or manual control) requiring Over
Fluxing Protection.

 It is necessary for Grid TFRs as well, under certain

conditions (e.g. TFR fed by long transmission line
subjected to high voltage due to Ferranti Effect
when off-loaded).
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OVER FLUXING
PROTECTION
1. Definite Time Over fluxing relay.
 Adjustable V/f setting (typically 1 – 1.5 of 110V / 50Hz).
 Adjustable trip time delay (typically 10 – 120S)
 Pre-trip Alarm (fixed or variable delay)
2. IDMT Over Fluxing Relay
 Adjustable V/f setting.
 Inverse time characteristic to match with TFR with-stand
characteristic.
 Pre-trip Alarm and accelerated trip for severe over
fluxing condition.
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BACKUP EARTH
FAULT
PROTECTION
 NCT operated
Standby E/F
Relay responds to
internal earth
faults as well,
besides providing
backup against
external faults.
 Stand by E/F relay
offers better
sensitivity since
NCT ratio not tied
up with load and
lower ratio, based
on E/F infeeds, is
possible.