Application of Multi-function Motor Protection Relays to Variable

Frequency Drive Connected Motors

Abstract:
This paper reviews the application of Several different arrangements are
multi-function motor protection relays to considered in this paper, including
motors that are connected by variable protection requirements of the VFD
frequency drives (VFD). Typical VFD itself, the applicability of relays to the
internal motor protection functions are motor side of the VFD and the impact of
reviewed to understand the required bypass switches and shared VFDs.
roles of external motor protection relays. Figure 1 shows typical one-line
Applications discussed include diagrams for dedicated VFD (one for
protection requirements when the relay each motor) applications. Figure 1(b)
is located on the source side of the VFD includes a bypass switch. In some
and the motor side of the VFD. The applications, the motor can start and run
impact of using a bypass switch around through the bypass switch without using
the VFD on protection requirements is the VFD. In other cases the motor can
also discussed. run through the bypass switch but the
VFD is required for starting. This has
Introduction: impacts on protection selection and
This paper discusses options for control.
applying motor protection to
installations which include variable Figure 2 shows the one-line of a typical
frequency drives (VFD). In most cases, application where one VFD is shared by
the VFD provides basic motor protection multiple motors. The VFD is used to
as an integral part of the drive control start and run one motor at a time. If
system so a separate motor protection another motor is required to run, the
relay may not be required. However, the running motor is transferred from the
presence of bypass switches and owners’ VFD to its own breaker or starter using
standards may require the use of load the bypass/transfer switches and the
side motor protection. This often leads to VFD is then used to start and run the
questions and confusion about the next motor.
applicability of motor protection relays
to variable frequency systems.

978-1-4799-4739-3/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE 279 ProRelay 2014

Figure 2: Typical shared VFD arrangement

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VFD Internal Motor Protection set too sensitive for the incoming power
Functions: system.
VFDs typically include some basic
motor protection as an integral part of Source Side VFD Protection:
the drive control system. The inherent The VFD requires protection for short
nature of the inverter portion of the VFD circuits in the VFD and the supply leads.
limits the contribution of the VFD to For motor starter applications, this
short circuits in the motor. Typical short protection is typically provided by a set
circuit contributions are less than 1.5 of type “E” power fuses. A type “R”
times motor full load current on a steady fuse, typically used in starters for motor
state basis. As a result, additional short protection, will not provide acceptable
circuit over-current protection (50) is protection for a VFD. Proper sizing of
generally not applicable to the motor these fuses is critical, especially if a
although differential protection (87) may bypass switch is included. For breaker
reduce motor damage due to a winding applications this protection is typically
short circuit. provided by instantaneous phase (50P)
and zero-sequence (50N or 50G) over-
The motor stator is designed for a current elements (Figure 3). The 50P
maximum flux density without pick-up must be set higher than the
saturating the iron. Since the flux density maximum inrush of the drive and lower
is directly proportional to the applied than the available short circuit current.
voltage and inversely proportional to the The 50P pick-up must also be set higher
applied frequency, the motor has a than motor locked-rotor if a bypass
maximum design Volts per Hertz (V/Hz) switch is included and the motor is
operating ratio. The VFD uses this V/Hz subject to across line starting with the
ratio to determine the maximum voltage bypass closed. Fixed time delay can be
allowed at any particular operating added but is usually not required for this
frequency. This control effectively limits application. Alternately, inverse-time
iron damage due to excessive heating (51) over-current elements can be used
caused by over-excitation. for phase and ground with the time
multiplier set low for fast operation.
The VFD may include power quality
functions such as over/under voltage and The neutral over-current (50N) element,
over/under frequency to assure that the which is based on the zero-sequence
incoming power quality is high enough current calculated from the phase CTs, is
to allow proper drive operation. It may generally applicable when the source
also monitor total harmonic distortion power system is either solidly or low
(THD) of the voltage and/or current impedance grounded. The ground over-
waveforms to detect supply or VFD current (50G) element is based on
problems including waveform notching. separately measured zero-sequence
These power quality functions are current, usually using a low-ratio core-
fundamentally there to protect the VFD balance window CT around all three
but they can inadvertently cause phase cables and is applicable to high-
excessive process down-time if they are resistance grounded systems. For
shielded cable (typical on medium

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voltage) care must be taken to properly available single-line-ground short circuit
wire the cable shield ground wires current. A short fixed time delay should
relative to the zero-sequence CT (see be added to prevent false tripping due to
Figure 4). The pick-up of the 50N or transient signals generated by CT errors
50G element must be set less than the or stray flux.

Figure 3: Typical short circuit protection for a VFD

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Figure 4: Zero-Sequence Core Balance CT Installation

The nature of the VFD control circuitry assure proper operation. Since the load
is such that VFD over-load is usually not side of the VFD operates at variable
a concern. However, inverse-time over- frequency it is critical that the relay
current elements (51P and 51N/G) can selected has robust frequency tracking
be used for short circuit protection of the with a frequency range at least as large
drive. If a motor relay thermal over-load as the VFD operating range. Typical
(49) element is used for the 51P to specification for frequency tracking is 20
protect the VFD, care must be taken to – 65 Hz.
fully understand the current-only
behavior of the 49 element. 49 elements The voltage on the load side of the VFD
are thermal modeling functions that is unrelated to the voltage on the source
calculate the estimated motor stator side of the VFD so VTs on the load side
winding temperature based on past and must be provided. The CTs and VTs on
present motor loading. As a result, the the load side must be capable of
time to trip for a particular amount of operating satisfactorily over the full
current will vary depending on the frequency range. Relaying class CTs are
currently calculated motor temperature. typically adequate for this application
For this reason, the use a 49 element as a although the CT manufacturer should be
51P element is not recommended. consulted. The published saturation
curves for the CTs are typically based on
Load Side Motor Protection: 60 Hz excitation voltage. Since the CTs
It is sometimes desirable to include are iron core devices, the saturation
additional motor protection functions in voltage drops proportional to the drop in
addition to or redundant to the motor frequency so the curves can be scaled for
protection functions that are internal to any operating frequency.
the VFD control. In these cases a motor
protection relay can be installed on the The motor relay’s thermal over-load
load side of the VFD (Figure 5). Careful element (49) can be applied on the load
selection of the relay is required to side to protect the motor’s stator winding

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insulation from thermal damage. The 49 element’s performance since sequence
element calculates the temperature of the component calculations are inherently
stator (hottest spot) based on the applied based on fundamental frequency. The
voltage and the loading current. In pick-up of the 46 element is usually a
addition to the stator current heating percentage of the positive-sequence
(I2R), the applied V/Hz ratio is used to current. There may also be a
estimate flux density heating and compensation factor which increases the
negative-sequence unbalance in the pick-up during low-load times. The
phase currents is used to estimate rotor negative sequence element should be
heating. Some 49 elements also include blocked during the first 30 seconds of
the core heating caused by the presence start-up due to frequency tracking errors
of voltage harmonics (especially on low frequencies and should include a
important when operating at or above the trip delay of at least 10 seconds to
motor’s nameplate frequency). provide proper coordination with the
drive functions.
Even though the short circuit current is
limited by the VFD, it may be desirable On certain applications (pumping and
to apply a differential (87) element to conveyors for example) the motor may
limit winding damage and to provide actually be spun backwards by the load
faulted phase identification (targeting). for a brief period following a motor stop.
Figure 5 shows 87 protection using two The motor or the driven load may be
sets of CTs. For this application CT mechanically damaged if the motor is
performance is especially critical and started during this back-spin condition.
both sets of CTs should have the same To prevent this, back-spin detection
ratio and accuracy class. (BSP) may be applied to block motor
starting. The BSP element uses VTs on
Figure 6 shows 87 protection using just the motor side of the VFD to sense the
one set of phase CTs. In this application back-EMF generated by the motor
the CTs are window type core-balance residual field during back-spin. It is
CTs and the neutral-end power leads of important to confirm with the VFD
the motor are routed through the manufacturer that the required VTs will
individual phase CT windows such that be acceptable as some VFDs cannot
the normal net flux is zero. In this handle the additional load inductance of
application, CT accuracy class is not as the VTs. BSP is designed for
important since the only time there is net applications where the back-spin will
flux is during an internal fault. last for a relatively short period of time
while the discharge pipe drains back
While the rotor heating caused by through the pump or the conveyor rolls
negative-sequence unbalance in the backwards until the brakes apply. BSP
phase currents is included in the 49 may not operate properly if the back-
element, it may be desirable to set a spin condition lasts more than a couple
discrete negative-sequence over-current of seconds because the residual field in
(46) element to protect the motor against the stator will collapse.
an open phase on the VFD. The relay
frequency tracking is critical for this

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Figure 5: Typical load side motor protection

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Figure 6: Typical load side motor protection using core-balance CTs for differential

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Impacts of Bypass Switches: could suffer a mechanical failure and
Bypass switches on VFDs pose cause a short circuit. Tripping might be
interesting protection challenges. delayed if the relay is in the process of
Fundamentally, different protection is changing setting groups at the time of
required on the breaker or starter when the short circuit. For this reason setting
the bypass switch is open than is group changes should only be used when
required when it is closed. With the a given setting needs to be different from
switch open, only short circuit protection one operating condition to another and
is required. However, when the bypass is should not be used to enable new
closed full motor protection is required. functions. Since the motor protection
The simplest application may be to use a functions are only required when the
feeder relay with over-current protection bypass is closed it makes more sense to
and a separate motor relay (Figure 7). use the position of the bypass switch to
Over-current protection is required all block the motor protection functions
the time so, assuming that the 50P pick- when the bypass is open (Figure 8). This
up is set higher than locked-rotor current assures that the 50P and 50N/G
if the motor is subject to across line functions are continuously available
starting while the VFD is bypassed, the while the switches are being operated.
feeder relay can remain in service The motor relay 49 element will not
regardless of the bypass switch position. produce accurate temperature model
The motor relay is only required when calculations when the bypass switch is
the bypass switch is closed so an first closed since the 49 element was
interlock contact can be provided in the blocked before the bypass was closed.
trip circuit. The motor relay 49 element
may not produce accurate temperature Another alternative for motor protection
model calculations when the bypass on a VFD with a bypass switch is to use
switch is first closed since the 49 load side motor protection (Figure 9). In
element was looking at the VFD current this case, both the short circuit and
before the bypass was closed rather than motor protection remain in service at all
the motor current. times and the position of the bypass
switch has no effect on the protection.
Depending on the capabilities of the The motor relay 49 element will produce
relay used, it may be possible to use one accurate temperature model calculations
relay and change setting groups when regardless of the position of the bypass
the bypass is closed. However, caution switch since it is always looking at the
should be exercised any time setting motor applied current and voltage.
group changes are made to assure that
protection is available for any issue Shared VFDs are really just special cases
caused by the setting change initiator. In of a VFD with a bypass switch and any
this case, if the drive is used to start the of the options listed above can be
motor and then the bypass is closed with adapted to work.
the motor running, one of the switches

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Figure 7: VFD with bypass switch and separate feeder and motor relays

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Figure 8: VFD with bypass switch and one motor protection relay

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Figure 9: VFD with bypass switch and load side motor protection

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Conclusions:
Motor protection relays can be
successfully applied to systems with
VFDs. Special consideration for device
performance under varying frequencies
is required for devices installed on the
load side of the VFD. VFDs with bypass
switches offer a unique set of challenges
and require careful analysis of protection
performance during switching.

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