This webinar brought to you by the Relion® product family

Advanced protection and control IEDs from ABB

Relion. Thinking beyond the box.

Designed to seamlessly consolidate functions, Relion relays are
smarter, more flexible and more adaptable. Easy to integrate and
with an extensive function library, the Relion family of protection
and control delivers advanced functionality and improved
performance.
ABB Protective Relay School Webinar Series
Disclaimer
ABB is pleased to provide you with technical information regarding
protective relays. The material included is not intended to be a complete
presentation of all potential problems and solutions related to this topic.
The content is generic and may not be applicable for circumstances or
equipment at any specific facility. By participating in ABB's web-based
Protective Relay School, you agree that ABB is providing this information
to you on an informational basis only and makes no warranties,
representations or guarantees as to the efficacy or commercial utility of
the information for any specific application or purpose, and ABB is not
responsible for any action taken in reliance on the information contained
herein. ABB consultants and service representatives are available to
study specific operations and make recommendations on improving
safety, efficiency and profitability. Contact an ABB sales representative
for further information.

l Slide 2
October 29, 2013
ABB Protective Relay School Webinar Series

Feeder Protection Fundamentals

Tim Erwin
October 29, 2013
Topics

 System Overview
 Why is feeder protection necessary
 The Protection team
 Fuses
 Breakers/reclosers
 Relays
 CT’s
 Characteristics of protective devices
● Fuses
● Circuit breakers, relays and reclosers
 Principles of feeder coordination
Distribution System Voltage Class

Trend to larger nominal voltage class

 Increasing load density
35 kV 5 kV
6%  Lower cost of higher voltage
12% equipment

25 kV
20%

15 kV
62%

Percent of Distribution Systems at

the Nominal voltage Class
WHY IS FEEDER PROTECTION
NECESSARY?
City Lights
 Lightning

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 8
Blackout

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 9
Chaos and Confusion
Transmission Line Tower Flashover
Transformer Failure
Generator Failure
Overhead Distribution Feeder Faults

Temporary (non-persistent) – 85%

● Lightning causing flashover
● Wind blowing tree branches into line(s)

Permanent (persistent) – 15%

● Broken insulator
● Fallen tree
● Automobile accident involving utility pole
Typical Distribution Substation Feeder Circuit

Fuse

B R
Recloser Sectionalizer

Relay Relay

Transformer Primary Feeder Circuit

 Rural – primary fuses  Breaker in protective zone
 Urban – breaker or circuit switch  Breakers controlled by protective relays

 Reclosers

 Sectionalizers

 Lateral Tapped Fuses

Fault Current Levels

 Function of
● Substation transformer
size (source impedance)
● Distribution voltage
● Fault location

End of  10kA - majority

Transformer Line  10-20kA - moderate
Secondary number
 20kA - few

Fault Current Vs. Distance to Fault on

the Feeder
Application

 Protection to be applied based on exposure

 Higher voltage feeders tend to be longer with more
exposure to faults
 Apply downline devices . . . reclosers, fuses, based
typically on 3 to 5 MVA of load per segment
The Protection Team

Feeder protection consists

of a team of coordinated devices:
 Fuses
 Breakers/Reclosers
• Relay(s)
• The sensors
– PTs
– CTs
– Etc.
 The interconnection
Distribution Protection

Required characteristics of protective devices are:

 Sensitivity – responsive to fault conditions
 Reliability - operate when required (dependability) and
no-operation when not required (security)
 Selectivity –isolate minimum amount of system and
interrupt service to fewest customers
 Speed – minimize system and apparatus damage
Reliability

DEPENDABILITY SECURITY

The certainty of The ability of the

correct operation system to avoid
in response to undesired
system trouble. operations with or
without faults.
Reliability

DEPENDABILITY SECURITY

Main1
Main 1 Main 2

Main2

The certainty of operation The ability of the system

in response to system to avoid misoperation
trouble with or without faults
General Relaying Philosophy

“Zone Protection”
 Generator
 Transformer
 Bus
 Transmission Lines
 Motors
Zones of Protection

Station B
Station A

G
G
G

Station C

Station D
M
Zones of Protection
Station B
Station A

G
G
G

Station C

Generator
Station D Protection
M
Zones of Protection

Station B
Station A

G
G
G

Station C

Transformer
Station D Protection
M
Zones of Protection

Station B
Station A

G
G
G

Station C

Bus
Station D Protection
M
Zones of Protection

Station B
Station A

G
G
G

Station C

Line
Station D Protection
M
Zones of Protection

Station B
Station A

G
G
G

Station C

Motor/Feeder
Station D Protection
M
Distribution Fuses
Typical Distribution Substation Feeder Circuit:
Fuses

Fuse

B R
Recloser Sectionalizer

Relay Relay
Distribution Fuses

 Continuous current rating

 Interruption rating
 Curve characteristics
 Minimum melt
 Total clearing
Fuse Characteristic
1000

100
Total Clearing
(Interruption Time)
Time in Seconds

10
Minimum Melt
(Response Time)
1.0
Fuse melting time
(damage)

0.1

Arc Clearing

10 100 1000 10000

Amperes
Distribution Fuses - Expulsion

 K link
 T link (slower clearing
at high current)
 Common low current
clearing time based on
fuse rating
 300 sec <=100 A rating
 600 sec > 100 A
rating
Distribution Fuses – Current Limiting

General purpose
 Rated maximum interrupting
down to current that causes
melting in one hour
 Melting - 150% to 200%
Distribution Fuses – Current Limiting

Backup
 Rated maximum interrupting
down to rated minimum
interrupting
 Requires application with
expulsion fuse for low current
protection
Fuse Coordination - Rule of Thumb
1000
Minimum Melt Total Clearing
(Response Time) (Interruption Time)
100
Downstream
Upstream
Time in Seconds

10 Maximum clearing time of

downstream fuse should be
less than 75% of minimum
melt time of upstream fuse
1.0 (device)

0.1

10 100 1000 10000

Amperes
Fused Cutouts

Enclosed Fused Cutout Open Link

Line terminal Silicon/Polymer
Porcelain Line terminal
Housing Support
Line terminal Silicon/Polymer
Support
Mounting
Bracket

Mounting
Spring
Bracket Arc
Contacts
Arrester
Mounting Fuse
Bracket Holder Open Link
Fuse Link

Housing
Line terminal
Fuse Tube Door
Mounted Inside Line terminal
Housing Door
Distribution Circuit Breakers and
Reclosers
Typical Distribution Substation Feeder Circuit:
Breakers and Reclosers

Fuse

B R
Recloser Sectionalizer

Relay Relay
Distribution Circuit Breaker / Recloser

Interruption medium
 Oil
 Vacuum under oil
 Vacuum
Operating mechanism
 Electromechanical (spring charging)
 Magnetic actuator
Fault sensing and control
 Electromechanical
 Solid state
 Microprocessor
Operating Mechanisms: ESV (spring charge) vs. OVR

Spring charged mechanism Magnetic actuator

 Over 300 total parts  One moving part
 Many moving parts  No maintenance
 2000 Operation  10,000 Operation
 Three phase operation only  Single and three phase
Oil Reclosers vs. Solid Dielectric

Oil Magnetic Actuation, Solid

 Lower interrupting ratings Dielectric
 Clearing time / coordination can vary  High fault interrupting capability
depending on temperature and  High load current rating
condition of oil  One size fits all amp rating
 Reclosing must be delayed on older (interchangeability)
units without vacuum bottles to allow for  Low maintenance costs
out gassing
 Environmentally friendly
 2000 Operations or less
 Requires 5 – 7 year maintenance
schedule
Medium Voltage Vacuum Breakers

 15kV/27kVBreaker
● Single Bottle design
● 15kV & 27kV
● Stored Energy or magnetic
Mechanism
 38 KV Breaker
● 38kV
● Two bottle per phase design
● Stored Energy or Magnetic
Mechanism
 Vacuum Interruption
 Definite purpose rated – ANSI C37.06 – 2000
Table 2A
 MV Breaker Ratings

Type X R-MAG Type R R-MAG Type V

Voltage , kV 15 15 27 27 38

Continuous 600 / 1200 / 600 / 1200 /

1200 / 2000 1200 / 2000 1200 / 2000
Current, A 2000 / 3000 2000 / 3000

Interrupting, kA 12 - 25 12 - 25 12 - 20 12 - 25 25 - 40

BIL 110 110 125 - 150 125 - 150 150 - 200

BIL (Basic Impulse Level): Impulse withstand voltage

Type V two bottle design allows for back-to-back capacitor

switching up to 1200 A
Automatic Recloser

 Improve reliability of service

 Pole-top mounting - eliminates need to build
substation
 Three-phase unit can replace breaker in substation
for lower current ratings

Three Phase

Single Phase
  Breakers and Reclosers provide the physical interruption

 Both require a protective relay to signal when to operate

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 46
Distribution Circuit Protective Relays
 WHAT IS
RELAYING
Relays

Relays are electromechanical, solid-state (static) or

microprocessor-based (digital/numerical) devices that are
used throughout the power system to detect abnormal and
unsafe conditions and take corrective action

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 49
Classification of Relays - Defined in IEEE C37.90
Classification by Function
 Protective - Detects intolerable conditions and defective apparatus.
 Monitoring - Verify conditions in the protection and/or power
system.
 Reclosing - Establish closing sequences for a circuit breaker
following a protective relay trip.
 Regulating - Operates to maintain operating parameters within a
defined region.
 Auxiliary - Operates in response to other [relay] actions to provide
additional functionality
 Synchronizing - Assures that proper conditions exist for
interconnecting two sections of the power system.
Classification of Relays
Classification by Input
 Current (Generator, Motor, Transformer, Feeder)
 Voltage (Generator, Motor, Transformer, Feeder)
 Power (Generator, Motor, Transformer, Feeder)
 Frequency (Generator, Motor, Feeder)
 Temperature (Generator, Motor, Transformer)
 Pressure (Transformer)
 Flow (Generator, Motor, Transformer, Feeder)
 Vibration (Generator, Motor)
Classification of Relays

Classification by Performance Characteristics

 Overcurrent  Ground/phase
 Over/under voltage  High or slow speed
 Distance  Current differential
 Directional  Phase comparison
 Inverse time, definite time  Directional comparison
Classification of Relays

Classification by Technology
 Electromechanical
 Solid state (Static)
 Microprocessor-based (Digital/Numerical)
 Relay Input Sources

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 54
Typical Distribution Substation Feeder Circuit

Fuse

B R
Recloser Sectionalizer

Relay Relay
Purpose

 Provide input signal (replica of power system

voltage and current) to Relays
 Reduce level - suitable for relays (typically 120V and
69V depending on line-line or line to neutral
connection)
 Provide isolation
Types

 Voltage transformation
 Electromagnetic voltage transformer
 Coupling capacitance voltage transformer
 Optical voltage transformer
 Current transformation
 Electromagnetic current transformer
 Optical current transformer
 Rogowski coil
Voltage (potential) Transformer (VT/PT)

 Do not differ materially from constant-potential

power transformers except
 Power rating is small
 Designed for minimum ratio & phase angle error
Current Transformer Basics

 Current or series transformer primary connected in

series with the line
 Ratio of transformation is approximately inverse
ratio of turns. i.e 2000/5
 Differs from constant-potential transformer
 Primary current is determined entirely by the
load on the system and not by its own
secondary load
Current Transformer Basics
 Secondary winding should never be open-circuited

 Flux in the core, instead of being the difference of

the primary & secondary ampere-turns, will now be
due to the total primary ampere-turns acting alone
 This causes a large increase in flux, producing
excessive core loss & heating, as well as high
voltage across the secondary terminals

VCD= VS= IL(ZL+ Zlead + ZB)

VCD= VS= IL(ZL+ Zlead + ∞)
Where ZB is the load presented to
the CT by the relay.

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 60
Steady State Performance of CT

 ANSI accuracy classes

 Class C indicates that the leakage flux is
negligible and the excitation characteristic can
be used directly to determine performance. The
Ct ratio error can thus be calculated. It is
assumed that the burden and excitation
currents are in phase and that the secondary
winding is distributed uniformly.

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 61
Steady State Performance of CT
 ANSI accuracy classes

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 62
D.C. Saturation of a CT

Saturation of a CT may occur as a result of any one

or combination of:
 Off-set fault currents (dc component)
 Residual flux in the core

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 63
D.C. Saturation Effect in Current

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 64
 Over Current Relay Characteristics

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 65
Recloser or Breaker Relay Characteristic
1000

100
Time in Seconds

10
Breaker / Recloser
Interruption Time
1.0 Response Time
Contact opening
and arc clearing

0.1

100 1000 10000

Amperes
Overcurrent Current Device Characteristics
100
ANSI Numbers
50 - Instantaneous Overcurrent (No
10 intended delay)
Recloser –Fast Curve
Time in Seconds

51
51 - Inverse-time Overcurrent
1 Recloser – Slow curve

0.1
50

0.001
0.1 PU 1 M1 10 100 1000
Current in Secondary Amperes
Time Overcurrent Curves
1.0
Very Extremely
Inverse Inverse
Inverse
0.8
Time in Seconds

0.6

Moderately
0.4
Inverse

Definite
Time
0.2

5 10 15 20
Current in Multiples of Pickup
Time Overcurrent Curve – Time Dial
Recloser Curves

Variety of recloser curves are offered to

match existing practices, fuses, conductor
annealing, etc.
Distribution Feeder Phase Protection

 Pickup tap setting typically is 2, but never less than 1.5, times the normal
maximum load interruption rating
 Or 1.25 times the short-time maximum load rating of the feeder
Distribution Feeder Ground Protection

Pickup commonly based on one of the following

 % Above estimated normal load unbalance
 % Above estimated load unbalance due to switching
 % Of the phase overcurrent pickup
 % Of the feeder emergency load rating
 % Of the feeder normal load rating

Permissible Unbalance
 Not above 25% of load current is typical rule-of-thumb, but some allow up to
50%
 Pickup setting of ground element to be 2 - 4 times the permissible unbalance
Principles of Feeder Coordination
Principles of Feeder Coordination

Fault Current Vs. Distance to

Fault on the Feeder
Principles of Feeder Coordination

If2 If1

T1
Time

T2

If1 If2 Current

51 – Inverse time-overcurrent characteristic
 Principles of Feeder Coordination
Breaker Recloser Fuse

If3 If2 If1

Relay

Relay
Recloser
CTI - Coordination Time Interval
Fuse (typical - 0.35 sec)
P3 Interrupt
Time
Time

Total CTI
Clearing Response
CTI Time
Minimum
Melt

P1 P2 If1 If2 If3 Current

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 76
Principles of Feeder Coordination

Coordination Terminology
B R
SOURCE LOAD

Upstream Downstream
Load-side
Source-side Protecting
Protected Down-line
Local
Backup (where you are)

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 77
Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

H R
1. Determine critical fault current
MAX locations and values of most
Time

MIN
down stream device, and plot
• Maximum – If1M
Min Zs, at device
• Minimum – If1m
Max Zs, end of segment

If1m If1M Current

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 78
Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IRpu H R
1. Determine critical fault current
locations and values, and plot.
Time

MIN MAX
2. Set the pickup of the most
downstream device as sensitive
as possible
(0.5*If1m > IRpu > 2*LOAD )

If1m If1M Current

Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IRpu H R
1. Determine critical fault current
locations and values, and plot.
Time

MIN MAX
2. Set most downstream device as
sensitive as possible.
3. Plot operating times of Relay R
T2 based on characteristic of device
selected.

T1

If1m If1M Current

Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IRpu H R
MIN MAX 1. Determine critical fault current
locations and values, and plot.
Time

2. Set most downstream device

as sensitive as possible.
Plot operating times of Relay R.
T2 3. Add Coordination Time Interval
CTI (CTI).

T1

If1m If1M Current

Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IRpu H R
MIN MAX Coordination Time Interval
CTI is the minimum time interval added to the
Time

local device (relay/breaker, fuse) that permits

coordination with the next remote upstream
device. Coordination is achieved where the
remote device will not [normally] operate for
T2 faults downstream of the local device, but will
CTI operate for all faults between the two.

T1

If1m If1M Current

Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IRpu H R
MIN MAX Coordination Time Interval
Factors that influence CTI are:
Time

• Breaker fault interruption time of upstream

device
• Relay dropout (over-travel) time of
T2 upstream device [momentum]
• Safety margin to account for setting, tap,
CTI CT and operating time errors
T1 • 0.35 seconds typical

If1m If1M Current

Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IRpu H R

MIN MIN 4. Add CTI.

MAX 5. Determine critical fault current
Time

MAX
locations for device H, and plot
•Maximum – If2M
Min Zs, at device
T2 •Minimum – If2m
Max Zs, end of segment.
6. Plot operating times for H.
T1

If1m If1M Current

If2m If2M
Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IRpuIHpu H R

MIN MIN 4. Add CTI.

MAX 5. Determine critical fault current
Time

MAX
locations for device H, and plot.
6. Plot operating times of Relay H.
7. Select pickup settings for Relay H
T2 (IHpu ) to operate for minimum
fault and not operate on
maximum load.
T1 (0.5*If2m > IHpu > 2* Load or
compromise)
If1m If1M
If2m If2M
Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IHpu
IRpu H R

MIN MIN 4. Add CTI.

MAX 5. Determine critical fault current
Time

locations for device H.

MAX 6. Plot operating times of Relay H.
7. Select pickup settings for Relay H.
T2 8. Select time dial for Relay H so
curve passes through or above all
CTI points.
T1

If1m If1M Current

© ABB Group If2m If2M
October 29, 2013 | Slide 86
Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IHpu
IRpu H R

MIN MIN  Relay at H is comparatively slow

MAX in the defined region of I > If1M
Time

MAX

If1M Current
© ABB Group If2M
October 29, 2013 | Slide 87
Principles of Feeder Coordination

LOAD If1M LOAD

If2M If2M If2m If1M If1m

IHpu
IRpu H R

MIN MIN  Relay at H is comparatively slow

MAX
Time

in the defined region

MAX
 Apply Instantaneous at H at value
greater than 1.25*If1M
T2

T1

If1M I Current
H50pu
Fuse Coordination - Rule of Thumb
1000
Minimum Melt Total Clearing
(Response Time) (Interruption Time)
100

Downstream Upstream
Time in Seconds

10

Maximum1.0clearing time of
downstream fuse should be less than
75% of minimum melt time of
upstream0.1
fuse.

10 100 1000 10000

Amperes
Fuse Coordination - Rule of Thumb
1000
Minimum Melt Fuse - TC
(Response Time)

100

Downstream Upstream
Recloser
Time in Seconds

Fuse
10

Maximum clearing time of downstream

fuse should
1.0be 75% of the 51
characteristic of the upstream
recloser/relay for desirable
coordination. It may be necessary,
0.1to set the CTI down to as
however, to
low as 5 cycles to achieve complete
feeder coordination.

10 100 1000 10000

Amperes
Principles of Feeder Coordination

 Most utilities require complete coordination between phase time-overcurrent

elements down through customer owned protective devices

 Those who allow miscoordination only permit it at high current levels where the
result is likely to be simultaneous fuse blowing and feeder tripping
Typical Feeder Coordination

I3Ph = 7850
I1Ph = 7950 I3Ph = 2300
I1Ph = 950
X
X 100T Fuse
125E
B R
Recloser
100T 65T
Relay
115 kV - 13.2/7.62 X
kV Grd Y I3Ph = 6300
X
I3Ph = 1100
15/20/25 MVA I1Ph = 6000 I1Ph = 950
Z = 8% @ 15 MVA

Feeder Coordination Example

Typical Feeder Coordination

 Time-Current Curves drawn based on the 13.2kv system currents

Assumptions
 Maximum load through recloser = 230A
 Maximum load at feeder breaker = 330A
 65T and 100T fuses used at lateral taps
Typical Feeder Coordination

 With 230A maximum load, select 560A phase pickup setting for the recloser
(240%)
 for both phase time and instantaneous units
 Select 280A pickup for ground overcurrent element (50% of phase pickup)
 for both ground time and instantaneous units
 Select ground time-curve of recloser to coordinate with the 100T fuse
Typical Feeder Coordination

 Assuming 400:5 ct ratio for the substation relays, 330A max load = 4.125A
secondary

 Select 9A tap for phase relays = 720A pickup

 Select 4A tap for ground relay = 320A pickup

 Select ground relay time-dial to coordinate with recloser ground curve. Select
phase relay time dial to coordinate with recloser phase curve
Typical Feeder Coordination

 Phase overcurrent relay curve must also coordinate with transformer primary
side fuses and transformer frequent-fault capability

 Primary side fuse must protect transformer per transformer infrequent-fault

capability curve
Typical Feeder Coordination

I3Ph = 7850
I1Ph = 7950 I3Ph = 2300
I1Ph = 950
X
X 100T Fuse
125E
B R
Recloser
100T 65T
Relay
115 kV - 13.2/7.62 X
kV Grd Y I3Ph = 6300
X
I3Ph = 1100
15/20/25 MVA I1Ph = 6000 I1Ph = 950
Z = 8% @ 15 MVA

Feeder Coordination Example

Typical Feeder Coordination

 Transformer fuse is the

slowest (C&D)

 OC Relay and Recloser

slow curves faster than
65T and 100T Fuses
(3,4,5 & 6)
 Typical Feeder Coordination
•Recloser fast curves faster than 65T and 100T Fuses

•Recloser is operating in a “fuse save” mode:

•Fast curve (1&2) will open recloser before down
stream fuses open

•This will allow a transient fault on a fused tap to

be cleared before blowing the fuse

•After a pre-determined number of operations,

usually one or two, the fast curves are blocked
and the recloser allows the fuse to blow if the
fault is in the fuse’s zone of protection.

•If the fault is on the feeder the recloser will

operate again, typically going to lockout after
one or two more operations.

•Each recloser operation will have a longer open

time to allow the fault to clear

•This reduces the outage time on the taps for

transient faults, saving the fuse and not having
to dispatch a crew to replace the fuse.
© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 99
Typical Feeder Coordination

The breaker is operating in a fuse blowing mode:

• If the fault is on the tap above the recloser

the 100T fuse will open before the breaker

•This reduces the number of customers

affected by the outage to only those on the
tap.
This webinar brought to you by the Relion® product family
Advanced protection and control IEDs from ABB

Relion. Thinking beyond the box.

Designed to seamlessly consolidate functions, Relion relays are
smarter, more flexible and more adaptable. Easy to integrate and
with an extensive function library, the Relion family of protection
and control delivers advanced functionality and improved
performance.
 Thank you for your participation
Shortly, you will receive a link to an archive of this presentation.
To view a schedule of remaining webinars in this series, or for more
information on ABB’s protection and control solutions, visit:
www.abb.com/relion

© ABB Group
October 29, 2013 | Slide 102