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Voltage Imbalance Protection of Synchronous Generator (ANSI
Code 60)
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Voltage Imbalance Protection of Synchronous Generator (ANSI Code 60)
Synchronous Generator Protection
In an apparatus protection perspective, generators constitute a special class of power network equipment
because faults are very rare, but can be highly destructive and therefore very costly when they occur. If for
most utilities, generation integrity must be preserved by avoiding erroneous tripping, removing a generator in
case of a serious fault is also a primary if not an absolute requirement.
Furthermore, protection has to be provided for out-of-range operation normally not found in other types of
equipment such as overvoltage, overexcitation, limited frequency or speed range, etc.
Table below provides a list of protective relays and their functions most commonly found in generator protection
schemes. These relays are implemented as shown on the single-line diagram of Figure 0 above. .
As shown in the Relay Type column, most protective relays found in generator protection schemes are not
specific to this type of equipment but are more generic types.
ANSI Function Description Relay Type
87G Generator phase phase windings protection Differential protection
87T Step-up transformer differential protection Differential protection
87U Combined differential transformer and generator protection Differential protection
40 Protection against the loss of field voltage or current Offset mho relay
supply
46 Protection against current imbalance. Measurement of Time-overcurrent relay
phase negative sequence current
32 Anti-motoring protection Reverse-power relay
24 Overexcitation protection Volt/Hertz relay
59 Phase overvoltage protection Overvoltage relay
60 Detection of blown voltage transformer fuses Voltage balance relay
81 Under- and overfrequency protection Frequency relays
51V Backup protection against system faults Voltage controlled or voltage-restrained
time overcurrent relay
21 Backup protection against system faults Distance relay
78 Protection against loss of synchronization Combination of offset mho and blinders
Now, let’s have an overview of
specific protection ANSI 60 –
Detection of blown voltage
transformer fuses.
Loss of a voltage phase
signal
The loss of a voltage phase signal
can be due to a number of
causes. The primary cause for
this nuisance is a blown-out fuse
Figure 0 – Typical generator-transformer protection scheme
in the voltage transformer circuit.
Other causes can be a wiring
error, a voltage transformer failure, a contact opening, a misoperation during maintenance, etc.
Since the purpose of these VTs is to provide voltage signals to the protective relays and the voltage regulator, the
immediate effect of a loss of VT signal will be the possible misoperation of some protective relays and the cause
for generator overexcitation by the voltage regulator.
Among the protective relays to be impacted by the loss of VT signal are:
Function 21 – Distance relay. Backup for system and generator zone phase faults.
Function 32 – Reverse power relay. Anti-motoring function, sequential tripping and
inadvertent energization functions.
Function 40 – Loss-of-field protection.
Function 51V – Voltage-restrained time overcurrent relay.
Normally these functions should be blocked if a condition of fuse failure is detected.
It is common practice for large generators to use two sets of voltage transformers for protection, voltage
regulation, and measurement.
Therefore, the most common practice for loss of VT signals detection is to use a voltage balance relay as shown
in Figure 1 on each pair of secondary phase voltage. When a fuse blows, the voltage relationship becomes
imbalanced and the relay operates. Typically, the voltage imbalance will be set at around 15%.
The advent of digital relays has allowed the use of sophisticated
algorithms based on symmetrical components to detect the loss of
VT signal.
When a situation of loss of one or more of the VT signals
occurs, the following conditions develop:
There will be a drop in the positive sequence voltage
accompanied by an increase in the negative sequence voltage
magnitude. The magnitude of this drop will depend upon the
number of phases impacted by a fuse failure.
In case of a loss of VT signal and contrary to a fault condition,
there should not be any change in the current’s magnitudes and
phases. Therefore, the negative and zero sequence currents
should remain below a small tolerance value. A fault condition
Figure 1 – Example of voltage balance relay
can be distinguished from a loss of VT signal by monitoring the
changes in the positive and negative current levels. In case of a
loss of VT signals, these changes should remain below a small tolerance level.
All the above conditions can be incorporated into a complex logic scheme to determine if indeed a there has
been a condition of loss of VT signal or a fault.
Figure 2 – Symmetrical component implementation of fuse failure detection
Figure 2 represents the logic implementation of a voltage transformer single and double fuse failure based on
symmetrical components.
If the following conditions are met in the same time (and condition) during a time delay longer than T1:
The positive sequence voltage is below a voltage set-value SET_1,
The negative sequence voltage is above a voltage set-value SET_2,
There exists a small value of current such that the positive sequence current I1 is above a small set-value
SET_4 and the negative and zero sequence currents I2 and I2 do not exceed a small set- value SET_3,
then a fuse failure condition will pick up to one and remain in that state thanks to the latch effect. Fuse failure of a
specific phase can be detected by monitoring the level voltage of each phase and comparing it to a set-value
SET_5. As soon as the positive sequence voltage returns to a value greater than the set- value SET_1 and the
negative sequence voltage disappears, the fuse failure condition returns to a zero state.
Reference: The electric power engineering handbook – L.L. Grigsby (Purchase hardcover book from Amazon)
