LARSEN & TOUBRO LIMITED

TRANSFORMER PROTECTION
PRACTICES & CURRENT TRENDS

R.Seshadri Larsen & Toubro Limi ed! M"sore

Trans#ormer Pro e$ ion% E&is in' (ra$ i$es and ne) rends
1.0 *enera+, Transformers are the most important main equipment in any Power Transmission & Distribution network. The performance of the transformers depends upon how well they are maintained & protected against all possible fault conditions that can arise in the installation, in the network and the ambient en ironment. The following sections describe the role of Protecti e relays in assuring the satisfactory performance of transformers both from fault clearance and maintenance point of iews. !.0 T"(es o# Trans#ormers " Transformers in a power system can be di ided into three ma#or categories" (mall si)e transformers, less than 1 %*$ si)e. These are used mostly at the distribution end with 11k*+,1-* ratings.

%edium si)e transformers . 1 %*$ to 10 %*$/ " these are used in secondary sub&stations of state utilities and plant incomers. *oltage ratings on the primary side can ary from !!0 k* to 00 k*. The secondary side oltages can ary from 00 k* to 0.0 k*. 1arge si)e transformers .abo e 10%*$/" These $re used in primary substations of state utilities, incomers of large industries . like cement plants, fertili)er plants etc/. The primary oltages can be either ,00 k* or !!0 k*. (econdary oltages can ary from 110 k* to 00 k*. %any of these may ha e three windings. $part from the abo e one may come across special types of transformers like rectifier transformers, reactors etc. %anagement of sub&stations with large transformers, from a remote location is becoming a ma#or acti ity. This function is now being integrated into the protection system of transformers. ''''''!

&!& 0.0 Pro e$ ion (hi+oso(h" " The type and e2tent of protection for for transformers depends upon " a/ b/ the si)e and importance of duty performed the location of the transformer in the power system

Transformers are two winding machines& hence they will need two sets of protections 3 one on the primary side and the other on the secondary side. Transformers ha e to be protected both for e2ternal faults . faults occurring outside the terminals of the transformer/ as well as the 4nternal faults . faults occurring within the transformer/. 5ormal o er current 6 7arth fault relays are adequate for protection against e2ternal faults. (pecial relays like differential and 879 relays are required for protection against internal faults. (ections ,,- &: e2plain the types of faults, method of protections for each fault, recommended types of relays etc. $part from fault conditions, which are se ere abnormalities in electrical parameters, there are three ma#or killers of transformers in the present day transmission system. These are " a/ O-er +oad $ondi ions " These produce e2cessi e heat which causes rise in operation temperature. 7 ery 10 degree rise in temperature . beyond the withstand limit specified/ results in -0; reduction in life of transformer insulation. Sin'+e (hasin' $ondi ions " There are increasing incidences of single phasing in transformers . The main reasons are poor maintenance of transmission lines and circuit breakers. Unba+an$ed +oads " $ny unbalance in the three phase currents of a transformer will cause o er heating , e en if the currents are within rated alues. <ertain le el of unbalance can be tolerated by transformer design 3 howe er we ha e to worry about unbalances more than !0;. 1arge unbalances can cause neutral shift , which may be harmful to end users. 4f e2cessi e neutral shift takes place, there can be flasho er in sub&station.

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These three conditions are on the rise in many substations 3 including some of the industrial plants. 5ecessary care has to be incorporated in the protection systems to handle these situations. ''''..0

&0& ../ Pro e$ ion o# sma++ rans#ormers 0Less han 1M2A3 , The following figures show the (1D and the list of protections. =are minimum protections are en isaged 3 since economy of protections is the ma#or factor in deciding the e2tent of protection. a/ Lo) se O-er Curren Pro e$ ion 0413 " >sed to protect the transformer from o er currents in Py and (y side. Pick le els are normally around 1,0; to 1-0;. 5ormal 4n erse 4D%T characteristics are followed for trip time. 5i'hse O-er $urren Pro e$ ion 04/3 " >sed to protect from high le el fault currents of the order of 000; and abo e. $lways instantaneous trip.
Primar" Side , 4/ 4/N 41 41N 67 48 O-er Curren 0Ins an aneous3 Ear h Fau+ 0Ins an aneous3 O-er Curren 0 IDMT3 Ear h Fau+ 0IDMT3 Under 2o+ a'e O-er 2o+ a'e

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Se$ondar" Side , 4/ O-er Curren 0Ins an aneous3 4/N Ear h Fau+ 0Ins an aneous3 41 O-er Curren 0 IDMT3 41N Ear h Fau+ 0IDMT3 67 Under 2o+ a'e 48 O-er 2o+ a'e 9. Res ri$ ed Ear h Fau+

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Under 2o+ a'e (ro e$ ion 0673 " This is a bus le el protection 3 pick up le els are normally ?-; and below. O-er -o+ a'e (ro e$ ion 0483 " This is a bus le el protection 3 pick up le els are around 110;. Res ri$ ed Ear h #au+ (ro e$ ion 09.3 " 5ormally pro ide on the star connected side 3 for protection transformer from internal faults. '''''',

&,& 4./ Pro e$ ion o# medium si:e rans#ormers 01 o 1/ M2A3, Please refer the (1D and the list of protections, shown below" (ince the transformer is handling a higher power and it is in a key location like the incomer of a substation or an industry, following additional protections are ad ised. a/ Thermal @ erload protection .,A/ " 1et us consider a case where a normal o er current relay with pick up le el of 1,0; is used. 4t should be noted that the transformer is in the o er load region between 10-; to 1,0;. 4f the load is around 10-;, the @+< relay will not protect 3 but the transformer will get hot and loose its life. Thermal o erload protection will help in this case. 4t is also beneficial to monitor the o erload conditions in the winding and the core separately. The copper portion will get hot faster 3 for a gi en o erload current, trip time will ha e to be faster than that for iron core. b/ <urrent >nbalance protection .,:/ " This will protect transformers against hea y unbalances. 4n case of unbalance currents, the negati e sequence component will increase 3 resulting in o er heating of transformers. 4t is ad isable to ha e two le els of unbalance protection 3 one for alarm and other for trip.
Primar" Side , 4/ O-er $urren 0Ins an aneous3 41 O-er Curren 0IDMT3 4/N Ear h Fau+ 0Ins an aneous3 41N Ear h Fau+ 0IDMT3 .8 Therma+ O-er Load .9 Curren Unba+an$e I6T Inrush ener'" 67 Under 2o+ a'e 48 O-er 2o+ a'e Se$ondar" Side, 4/ O-er $urren 0Ins an aneous3 41 O-er Curren 0IDMT3 4/N Ear h Fau+ 0Ins an aneous3 41N Ear h Fau+ 0IDMT3 9. Res ri$ ed Ear h Fau+

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&-& d/ 4!T Protection " This protection is ery useful for rectifier transformers 3 where the currents will be fluctuating . 4n this case the energy dissipated for gi en o er current condition is set as trip limit. 4f this energy le el is e2ceeded, the transformer is tripped earlier than the 4D%T o er current trip for the same alue.

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Pro e$ ion o# Lar'e si:e rans#ormers 0abo-e 1/ M2A3 " Bhat we are talking about here are ery large bulk power handling transformers where the criticalities are ery high. <onsequently more protections , than those listed in section - abo e, are en isaged. The e2tra protections are in the form of differential and o er flu2ing protections which are mainly internal faults.
Primar" Side , 4/ O-er $urren 0Ins an aneous3 41 O-er Curren 0IDMT3 4/N Ear h Fau+ 0Ins an aneous3 41N Ear h Fau+ 0IDMT3 .8 Therma+ O-er Load .9 Curren Unba+an$e 6 IT Inrush ener'" 67 Under 2o+ a'e 48 O-er 2o+ a'e 6. O-er F+u&in' .72 2o+ a'e unba+an$e Se$ondar" Side, 4/ O-er $urren 0Ins an aneous3 41 O-er Curren 0IDMT3 4/N Ear h Fau+ 0Ins an aneous3 41N Ear h Fau+ 0IDMT3 9. Res ri$ ed Ear h Fau+ Combined (ro e$ ion, ;7 Di##eren ia+ Pro e$ ion

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Di##eren ia+ Pro e$ ion 0;73 " This is one of the ma#or protections for large transformers. This protects the transformers whene er there is an internal fault . $s shown in the (1D, this protection needs two additional sets of <Ts, which are perfectly matched and ha e adequate knee point oltage to dri e a relay measuring circuit. 4t should be noted that" & a differential relay should trip only for an internal fault & a differential relay should ne er trip for an e2ternal+through fault. '''''.:

&:& 9or this reason a percentage biased relay, with dual slope facility will be the best choice. This will ha e a ery good through fault stability. 4t may so happen that a differential relay can trip whene er the transformer is switched on. This is due to the magneti)ing inrush current flowing only in primary side of the transformer. To a oid this , the relay should ha e a second harmonic restraint facility. (imilarly a -th harmonic restraint facility in the relay will help a oiding a differential trip during temporary o er flu2ing conditions. b/ 2o+ a'e unba+an$e (ro e$ ion 0.723 " *oltage unbalance in large transformers are good indication of a grid disturbance. <an be used as an alarm . O-er #+u&in' (ro e$ ion 06.3 " This is to monitor the flu2 le els inside the large transformer. 4f the per unit ratio of *+C) goes beyond a alue 1.0-, the transformer will go into an o er flu2ing condition 3 this will cause o er heating e en when the currents are within limits. Cence the need to monitor separately. Moni orin' o# E<F in un'rounded rans#ormers " 4n case of transformers, predominantly medium si)e, there can be installations where the neutral is grounded through an impedance or high resistance. 4n this when an earth fault occurs, normal 7+9 relays will not work 3 since the required relay operating current will not flow in the ground path. <onsequently, a different method has to be adopted & monitoring the )ero sequence oltage . The )ero sequence oltage is a good indication of a neutral shift, which happens when there is an earth fault. There are two schemes for monitoring the neutral shift 3 a/ b/ ?.0 use an open delta transformer 6 a low cost oltage relay. 4n this case the open delta transformer may become e2pensi e. use normal star connected bus PT 3 but with a relay which calculates )ero sequence oltage by numerical methods.

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Po)er Mana'emen $on$e( , @ne of the main concerns of power transmission is the poor power factor conditions at the CT le el. %any substations are resorting to adding CT capacitor banks for impro ing the p9 3 particularly at 00k* and 11 k* le els. (pecial relays like <apacitor bank protection relays, 8eacti e power measuring relays, *oltage & P9 monitoring relays will be required here. '''''D

&D& A.0 *rid Is+andin' & Load sheddin' , This requirement is ery important to keep power transmission stable, within a specified area where there is a reasonable power generation a ailable, when there is a large scale grid disturbance. 4n this case the entire grid , under disturbed conditions, is islanded into small networks so that the smaller networks can continue with power a ailability with their own generation capacities. This way total collapse is a oided. The key parameters for detecting grid disturbances are" & rate of change of frequency .d9+dT/ & @ er + >nder oltage & @ er + >nder 9requency & Cea y fault current which flows from the substation to grid & re erse power flow from substation to grid & large unbalance in grid oltage & *ector shift in grid oltage 4t is ad isable to ha e a protection scheme to monitor all the abo e parameters 3 particularly for a transformer close to a generating station. 4t will help in islanding the power station from grid disturbances. 10.0 Ad-an a'es o# Numeri$a+ re+a"s in Trans#ormer Pro e$ ion , 4t has been a practice to use electro&mechanical + solid state relays relays for all abo e protections. The present trend is to use 5umerical relays which offer many ad antages as shown in the following table, o er the earlier technology.

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&?& The usual worry that 5umerical relays are ery e2pensi e is now remo ed& continuous production impro ement techniques ha e made numerical relay affordable 3 some times cheaper from the o er all protection perspecti e. $bo e all, with features listed as abo e, 5umerical relays are more user friendly and are gaining popularity e ery where. 11.0 Con$+usion " Transformer protection plays a ma#or role in ensuring consistent power transmission and distribution. This paper is a brief attempt to bring out the arious protections required for transformers. The protections are based on si)e and location. 5umerical relays offer better solutions for transformer protection. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&ooooE&Eoooo&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&