ECE456 – Power System Protection

Assignment : #5 (Solutions)

1. A phase b-c-g fault is experienced at F in the system shown in figure 1.

Calculate the impedances seen by the b-c, b-g and c-g units of the
distance relay installed at circuit breaker 2.

Figure 1
(10 marks)
Solution

The equivalent sequence diagram for the given system and its connection for
a B-C-G fault are shown below in figure 1a and 1b respectively. For a two
phase to ground fault all the three impedance networks are connected in
parallel at the fault point as shown in figure 1b. In addition since the
transformer configuration is YnD, there will not be any zero sequence current
at the relay location for ground faults on the star side of the transformer.

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 Figure 1a

Figure 1b

The three phase transformer ratio is considered to be “1”. Since we are only
interested in finding the impedance at location 2, we have not considered the
30° shift in the sequence currents introduced by the transformer (this shift
will affect the phase relationship between the currents and voltages across
the primary and secondary of the transformer and will not affect the phase
relationship between voltages and currents on any one side).

We can calculate the sequence currents and voltages at the relay point
looking at the figure 1b as follows (All values are given in per unit)

Total equivalent impedance;

Zeq = Zs1+ZL1+Zt1+Zt2+ZL2+Zs2
= 0.02 + j 1.14 pu.

Sequence currents at the relay location

iR1 = E1/Zeq = 1/(0.02 + j1.14) = 0.0154 – j 0.8769 pu

iR2 = -iR1 = -0.0154 + j 0.8769 pu
iR0 = 0

Sequence voltages at the relay location

vR1 = E1-iR1*Zs1 = 0.7808 – j 0.0038 pu

vR2 = -iR2*Zs2 = 0.1315 + j 0.0023 pu
vR0 = 0

The phase currents and voltages can then be calculated as,

iRA=iR0+iR1+iR2 = 0 pu
iRB = iR0 + a2 * iR1 + a * iR2 = -1.5189 – j 0.0266 pu = 1.5191<-179º
iRC = iR0 + a * iR1 + a2 * iR2 = 1.5189 + j 0.0266 pu m = 1.5191<1.005 º
iRN = iRA+iRB+iRC = 0

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vRA=vR0+vR1+vR2 = 0.9123 - 0.0015i pu = 0.91231<-0.09662 º
vRB = vR0 + a2 * vR1 + a * vR2 = -0.4615 – j 0.5615 pu = 0.72679<-129.4169 º
vRC = vR0 + a * vR1 + a2 * vR2 = -0.4508 + j 0.5630 pu = 0.72127<128.6852 º

The impedance measured by BC, B-G and C-G units are calculated as

ZBC = (vRB
(vRB-
RB-vRC)/(iRB-
vRC)/(iRB-iRC) = 0.0100 + j 0.37 pu

ZBG = vRB/(iRB+k*iRN) = 0.3102 + j 0.3642 pu

ZCG = vRC/(iRC+k*iRN)
vRC/(iRC+k*iRN) = -0.2902 +j
+j 0.3758 pu

Where ‘’k’’ is the earthfault compensation setting of the impedance relay

calculated as

k = (z0 - z1)/(3*z1)

2. A three-phase line is connected to sources A, B and C (figure 2). A three-

phase fault occurs at the half way point between T and C. Calculate the
impedance seen by the relays at circuit breaker 1 and 2 before any
circuit breaker open. Assume that the voltages of all the three sources
are 1.0 p.u.

Figure 2
(10 marks)
Solution

The equivalent circuit of the above system can be drawn as shown in the
figure 2a below;

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 j0.05
j0.05
j0.2

j0.25
j0.35
Figure 2a

Which can be re-drawn for reduction as shown in figure 2b;

A T B
j0.2 j0.15
j0.05

IT
j0.05
j0.2

j0.25
c
j0.35

E
1.0 pu

Figure 2b

From the above circuit we can find the fault current and current flowing in
different branches as;

Ic = E / j(0.35+0.05) = 1.0 / j(0.35+0.05) = -j 2.5 pu

E 1 .0
It = = = − j4
 0 .4 × 0 .4   0 .4 × 0 .4 
j + 0.05  j  + 0.05 
 0 .8   0 .8 

If = It + Ib = -j (2.5 + 4) = -j 6.5 pu

0 .4
Ia = − j × 4 = − j2
0 .8

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Ic = It-Ia = -j(4-2) = -j 2

We have been asked to calculate the impedance seen by the relays at circuit
breaker 1 (location A) and circuit breaker 3 (location C).

Impedance seen by relay at A, Za = Va/Ia

Where Va, is the voltage at the point A with respect to ground. This voltage
can be found as

Va = E – Ia * j 0.20 = 1.0 – (-j 2) * (j 0.20) = 0.6 pu

Therefore,

Za = Va/Ia = 0.6 / (-
(-j 2) = j 0.3
0.3 p.u

But from the system diagram we know that the relay at A should have
measured only 0.2+.05=0.25 p.u, but in actual case the relay measures higher
impedance and thus will make it to underreach. This under reaching is due to
the infeed at point “T” from the source B.

Similarly the impedance seen by the relay at B, Zb = Vb/Ib

Where Vb, is the voltage at the point B with respect to ground. This voltage
can be calculated as

Vb = E – Ib * j 0.25 = 1.0 – (-j 2) * (j 0.25) = 0.5 pu

Therefore,

Zc = Vb/Ib = 0.5
0.5 / (-
(-j 2)
2) = j 0.25
0.25 p.u.

Again we know that the relay at C should have measured only 0.15+.05=0.2
p.u, but due to the infeed at T from the source A, the relay measures the fault
impedance as 0.25 p.u., thus causing it to underreach.

3. Determine the three zone settings for the relay Rab in the system shown
in figure 3. The system nominal voltage is 138 kV and the positive
sequence impedances for the various elements are given in the figure3.
Assume that the maximum load at the relay site is 120MVA, and select a
CT ratio accordingly. The available distance relay has zone 1 and zone 2

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 settings from 0.2 to 10 ohms and zone 3 settings from 0.5 to 40 ohms in
increments of 0.1 ohm. The angle of maximum torque can be adjusted to
75° or 90°.

Figure 3
(10 marks)
Solution

First we have to select an appropriate CT. The primary of the CT should be

close to the maximum load current. In our case the maximum load current is
given as 120MVA, therefore the load current can be calculated as

120 × 10 3
IL = = 502 A
3 × 138

Thus we can select a CT ratio of 600:5

Since the system voltage is given as 138KV, the VT ratio would be

138KV/120V

Thus the impedance transformation ratio (for transforming the impedance

from system primary to relay secondary values) will be

Tr = CTR / VTR = (600/5) / (138000/120) = 0.1043

Zone 1 of the relay has to be set to protect 80% of the line, thus

Z1 = 0.8 * (3+j40) * 0.1043 = 3.347 ∠85.71° Ω

Since the setting range available in the relay for impedance is in steps of
0.1Ω, we will set the zone 1 as 3.3Ω.

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The angle setting available in the relay is either 75° or 90° only. So select the
angle setting as 90°

Zone 2 of the relay has to be set to protect atleast 120% of the protected line.
At the same time this setting should not reach beyond the zone 1 setting of
the shortest downstream line relay, which is the relay on line BD.

So we can write that the Z2 setting should be more than

Z2min = |1.2 * (3+j40) * 0.1043| = 5.021 Ω

And less than

Z2max = |[(3+j40)+0.8*(1.5+j25)] * 0.1043 |=6.2733 Ω

So we will set the Z2 to 5.5 Ω, which would cover 100% of the protected line
and 50% of the shortest adjacent line

Zone 3 element of the relay should provide back-up protection to the longest
line from the remote bus, which in this problem is the line BE, with 5+j100 Ω
impedance. Normally it’s a practice to set the Z3 as 110% of the sum of the
protected line plus the longest adjacent line. So we get;

Z3 = |1.1*(3+j40 + 5+j100) * 0.1043 | = 14.63 Ω

Select a Z3 setting of 14.6 Ω, which would be a value settable in the given

realy.

So the settings for the relay Rab would be

Zone 1 – 3.3 Ω
Zone 2 – 5.5 Ω
Zone 3 – 14.6 Ω
Relay characteristic angle – 90°

4 Consider the system shown in figure 4, assume that F in that figure is a

AG fault at the end of the line. Considering no load condition, calculate
the impedance seen by AG unit of the relay at circuit breaker 2 for the
two following cases:
a. the current in the parallel circuit is available to the relay at
breaker 2

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 b. the current in the parallel circuit is not available to the relay at
breaker 2

Figure 4
(10 marks)

(10 marks)
Solution

In order to calculate the seen impedance, fault calculation should be

performed to determine the fault currents and voltages at the relay 2 and 3
locations. Since there is AG fault, three sequence network are in series as
shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5

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In order to calculate the fault current simplified sequence network shown in right hand
side of figure 5 is used to drive equivalent sequence impedances as follow:

Zeqpos=ZL1pos*ZL2pos/(ZL1pos+ZL2pos)+Zs1=2.6776 +j 30.4557
Zeqneg=Zeqpos= 2.6776 +j 30.4557
Zeqzero=(ZL1zero*ZL2zero-ZLm0^2)/( ZL1zero+ZL2zero-2*ZLm0)+Zs0=
7.9993 +j 80.0055

Fault current is calculated as below

Ifzero=230/sqrt(3)/(Zeqpos+Zeqneg+Zeqzero)= 0.0885 – j 0.9339

Ifpos=Ifzero=0.0885 – j 0.9339
Ifneg=Ifzero=0.0885 – j 0.9339

Fault current seen by relay 2

IR2pos=Ifpos*ZL2pos/(ZL1pos+ZL2pos)= 0.0533 – j 0.5950
IR2neg=Ifneg*ZL2neg/(ZL1neg+ZL2neg)= 0.0533 – j 0.5950
IR2zero=Ifzero*(ZL2zero-ZLm0)/(ZL1zero+ZL2zero-2*ZLm0)= 0.0540 – j
0.6238

IR2a=1.8208<-84.9404
IR2b=0.02885<-88.6731
IR2c=0.02885<-88.6731

Fault current seen by relay 3

IR3pos=Ifpos*ZL1pos/(ZL1pos+ZL2pos)= 0.0352 – j 0.3390

IR3neg=Ifneg*ZL1neg/(ZL1neg+ZL2neg)= 0.0352 – j 0.3390
IR3zero=Ifzero-IR2zero = 0.0345 – j 0.3102

Voltage at relay point is calculated:

VRpos=230/sqrt(3)-Zs1*Ifpos = 128.12 –j 0.44254

VRneg=-Zs2*Ifneg = -4.6697 – j 0.4425
VRzero=-Zs0*Ifzero = -9.3394 – j 0.8851

VRa= 114.1254<-0.88873
VRb= 135.5626<-121.6159
VRc= 134.8097<121.8131

k0=(ZL1zero - ZL1pos)/(ZL1pos)= 1.2525 – j 0.0248

k0m=(ZLm0)/(ZL1pos) = 0.7500

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a)

For double circuit line having access to second line current, seen impedance is
calculated from following equation:
ZR2seen=VRa/(IR2a+k0*IR2zero+k0m*IR3zero)=4+j40 Ω

b)
if there is no access to second line current, IR3zero should be considered as
zero in above equation. Hence we have:
ZR2seen=VRa/(IR2a+k0*IR2zero) = 4.2545 +j 43.6028 Ω

As you see, relay2 under-reaches in this case.

5 A zone of a distance relay with mho characteristic is set at 10 ohms

secondary. The CT ratio is 500:5 and the VT ratio is 20,000: 69.3. What
is the fault resistance, which this relay tolerates for a fault at a distance
of 80% of the zone boundary? You may assume that the remote terminal
of the line is out of service. The line impedance angle is equal to 80°
while the relay maximum torque angle is equal to 70°.
(10 marks)

Solution

We have to calculate the available fault resistance coverage at 80% of the

relay impedance setting for mho characteristics. For this we have to find the
distance of the zone boundary from the relay characteristics line at 80%
parallel to the R axis (0°). We can either do this by constructing the
characteristics on a graph paper and measuring the distance or by analytical
geometry as follows;

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 Relay
Characteristic
Line

8sin(80)=7.88

80
70
x

Figure 5a

Referring to figure 5a, we can write

We have to find the point on the circle which has the same longitude as the
80 percent of the transmission line characteristic as below:
(x-5cos(70))2 + (8*sin(80)-5sin(70))2 = 52
By solving above equation:

X=5.5685 & -2.1483

According to the figure 5a, 5.5685 is acceptable.

Fault resistance of relay characteristics at 80% of setting can be faind as

R = 5.5685-8cos(80) = 4.18 Ω

Impedance transformation ratio = (500/5)/(20000/69.3) = 0.347

The relay will operate for a fault resistance upto 4.18/0.347 = 12.04 Ω
(primary) at 80% of its setting

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