PAPER

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INRUSH CURRENTS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE

Title
TRANSFORMER DIFFERENTIAL RELAY
Registration Nº: (Abstract)

Inrush currents are caused by the saturation of a power transformer due to changes in the magnetizing
voltage. They can appear during transformer energization, external fault clearing and energization of a
parallel transformer (sympathetic inrush). Inrush currents can make transformer differential units trip
because they only flow in one winding.

This paper explains in detail the phenomena of the inrush: due to transformer energization (the protected
one or a parallel one) or external fault clearing. It describes the solutions applied to avoid tripping during
inrush conditions. Algorithms based on the second harmonic content are described, showing the
differences between harmonic restraint and harmonic blocking and the various logics used for cross-
blocking.

A dynamic harmonic blocking method is described. The dynamic implementation uses an external fault
detector based on the ratio between the restraint and the differential currents and also on the angle
between all the winding currents. The method maintains the dependability for internal faults with CT
saturation.

The described algorithm, implemented on a transformer differential relay, is tested with an RTDS during
very adverse conditions including: inrush with low second harmonic content in any of the phases, inrush
with internal faults, sympathetic inrush, external fault clearing. Oscillography from real events is also
considered.

Authors of the paper

Name Country e-mail
Roberto Cimadevilla SPAIN roberto.cimadevilla@cgglobal.com

Key words
Inrush, sympathetic inrush, harmonic blocking, harmonic restraint, cross-blocking, CT saturation

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1 REVIEW OF INRUSH CURRENTS depends on the hysteresis of the B-H curve and on the
point the magnetizing current is switched-off. The
Inrush currents occur because the magnetic circuit of the transient flux will be maximum for a maximum difference
power transformer saturates due to a DC offset in the flux. between the residual flux and the steady state flux. This
This DC offset is generated because of a change in the will happen when both fluxes have opposite polarity and
magnetizing voltage. The saturation of the power the steady state flux is maximum. This can be seen in
transformer core demands a high magnetizing current. figure 2. The source voltage is represented by Vs (red
Inrush currents can occur during the following situations: curve in dots) and the voltage applied to the transformer
energization of the power transformer; voltage recovery by V (straight blue curve). The breaker is closed at the
after the clearing of an external fault and energization of a zero-crossing of the source voltage (point A). At this
parallel power transformer (sympathetic inrush). point the steady state flux (pink dash-dot curve) will have
a negative maximum. As the residual flux is positive
1.1 MAGNETIC FLUX (green dash curve), the transient flux will also be positive.
If we apply a voltage to the primary winding of a The magnetizing current (light blue curve with crosses)
transformer and we neglect the leakage inductance and starts increasing with a very high rate when the flux
the winding resistance the following equation will be reaches the saturation density. The magnetizing current is
fulfilled: v = N1 ⋅
dφ
, where v is the instantaneous value extracted from the total flux by using the φ − i curve.
dt
If the breaker was closed at point B, when the steady-state
of the supply voltage connected to the primary winding;
flux is equal to the residual flux, the transient flux would
N1 is number of turns of the primary winding; Ф is the
be null and the transformer would not be saturated.
instantaneous value of the magnetic flux.
t=0
If v = Vm ⋅ sin( wt + θ ) , the flux will be
DC flux
t Vm
φ = ∫ v(t )dt = − ⋅ cos( wt + θ ) + k (1), where k is an
0 N1 ⋅ w
Vm
integration constant. The term − ⋅ cos( wt + θ )
N1 ⋅ w
represents the steady state flux and the integration
constant k represents a transient DC flux that is generated
2α
when there is a difference between the initial flux and the
steady state flux. As it can be seen in figure 1, the steady
state flux will be lagging the voltage by 90º.

Figure 2. Source voltage, transformer voltage, total flux, steady

state flux and magnetizing current for an energization at the
zero-crossing of the voltage
Figures 3.a, 3.b and 3.c show the voltage, the flux and the
Figure 1. Steady state flux and supply voltage current, respectively, during an inrush condition. As it can
Vm be seen there is a damping in both the current and the
For t=0 k = φ0 + ⋅ cos(θ ) (2), where φ0 is the initial flux. The transient flux, which is a DC component, will
N1 ⋅ w
total flux (flux at t=0) and θ is the angle of the voltage at be damped because of the voltage drop in the source
resistance and the winding resistance. The real formula
t=0. k will be called φDC
dφ
for the flux will be: v ' = N1 ⋅ , where
1.2 CONDITIONS THAT GENERATE INRUSH dt
CURRENTS di
v' = v − R ⋅i − L ⋅ ; R is sum of the source resistance and
1.2.1 Power transformer energization dt
the primary winding resistance; L is the sum of the source
When the power transformer is energized the initial flux inductance and the primary winding leakage reactance.
will be equal to the residual flux. The residual flux

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The flux will be calculated as:

t t tdi (t )
φ = ∫ v(t ) ⋅ dt − ∫ R ⋅ i(t ) ⋅ dt − ∫ L ⋅ ⋅ dt
0 0 0 dt
In order to see the damping of the flux we can see the
differences in the total flux between values at instants
with a difference of one period of time (T), as the
t
waveforms are periodic [1]: φt − φt −T −∫ R ⋅ i (t ) ⋅ dt .
t −T

As v(t), for time T, is a symmetrical

t
Figure 3.d. Derivative of the current during an inrush condition
waveform, ∫ v(t ) ⋅ dt , which represents the area under
t −T 1.2.2 Voltage recovery after an external fault
v(t) for one cycle, will be zero. The same happens
When an external fault is cleared there will be a change in
with ∫ L ⋅ di (t ) ⋅ dt , which is also equal to zero. Although
t
the voltage that can create a transient DC offset flux,
t −T dt similar to the one in the energization of the transformer.
i(t) is a totally asymmetrical waveform, making Figure 4 shows the voltage, the flux and the magnetizing
t
∫t −T
R ⋅ i (t ) ⋅ dt be different from zero, its derivative will be current of a transformer for an external fault. Due to the
change in the voltage caused by the fault (point A) there
almost symmetrical (see figure 3.d). is a DC offset in the flux. However the transformer does
not saturate because the flux value is much lower than the
rated one due to the low voltage. When the fault is cleared
(point B) there is another change in the voltage that
creates a new DC offset in the flux. As the flux magnitude
turns into the rated value the transformer gets saturated.

Figure 3.a. Voltage during an inrush condition

Figure 3.b. Flux during an inrush condition

Figure 4. Voltage, flux and magnetizing current for an during an
external fault and its clearing
1.2.3 Sympathetic inrush
Consider the two power transformers, T1 and T2, of
figure 5. Both transformers are connected in parallel to
the busbar B, which is fed by the voltage E. Rs represents
the source resistance, Xs the source reactance, R1 the
resistance of the primary winding for transformer T1 and
R2 the resistance of the primary winding for transformer
Figure 3.c. Current during an inrush condition T2. Transformer T1 is already energized and transformer
As the magnetizing current decreases the voltage drop in T2 will be energized by closing the breaker B2. In order
the source resistance also decreases. This makes the not to mix the inrush current with the load current we will
damping decrease. neglect the load current in transformer T1, so current i1,

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just before T2 is energized, will be zero. When the The voltage drop created by the current (i1+i2) in the
breaker B2 is closed the transformer T2 will experience source resistance (there is no voltage drop in the winding
an inrush. We will assume a negative DC offset for the resistance as i1 is considered zero at the beginning of this
flux in transformer T2 (see figure 6.a). This DC offset phenomena) will also modify the DC flux at transformer
will be damped because of the voltage drop caused by T1, which initially was zero, creating a positive DC flux,
(i1+i2) in Rs and by i2 in R2. The following formula which makes transformer T1 saturate:
defines the flux change in one cycle: t

t
φ1t − φ1t −T ∫
t −T
[ Rs ⋅ (i1 + i 2) + R1 ⋅ i1] ⋅ dt
φ 2t − φ 2t −T ∫
t −T
[ Rs ⋅ (i1 + i 2) + R 2 ⋅ i 2] ⋅ dt
The steady state component of both fluxes, Ф1 and Ф2,
T2 can be considered equal, as both transformers will be
i2 B2 supplied from the same voltage. Flux Ф2 has a negative
E i1+i2 DC offset and flux Ф1 has a positive DC offset. This
Xs Rs
makes the saturation periods of T1 and T2 happen at
T1 opposite half-cycles. T2 is saturated during the negative
B1 half-cycles of the steady state flux and T1 is saturated
i1 during the positive half-cycles of the steady state flux.
The currents i1 and i2 will therefore have opposite
Figure 5. System considered for the sympathetic inrush polarity and their peaks will occur at alternate half-cycles.
phenomena The consequence is that the flux changes created by the
voltage drop in the source resistance (caused by the sum
current, i1+i2) changes its sign every half-cycle (until the
instant that T1 saturates the flux change was always
positive, for every half-cycle, as i1 was null): i1 tends to
create a negative flux change (tending to get T1 out of
saturation and, on the other hand, tending to maintain T2
saturated) while i2 tends to create a positive flux change
(tending to get T2 out of saturation and, at the same time,
tending to maintain T1 saturated). At the beginning of the
Figure 6.a Fluxes in transformers T1 and T2 during the first sympathetic inrush, as i2 is higher (in absolute value) than
cycles of a sympathetic inrush i1 its effect is bigger, so, due to the positive flux change,
it will make i2 decrease (in absolute value) and i1
increase, until its absolute value is equal. When both
currents are equal the flux change for a cycle in both
transformers due to the voltage drop in the source
resistance will be zero (the flux change in every half-
cycle will be equal and with opposite polarity). The only
flux change is created by the voltage drop of each current
in the winding resistance of the corresponding
transformer. This generates a very slow damping making
the inrush currents in both transformers be present for a
Figure 6.b. Currents in transformers T1 and T2 during the first long time. Figure 7 represents the currents i1 and i2
cycles of a sympathetic inrush during 2 seconds of the phenomena. Note that when both
currents get equal (in absolute value) the damping reduces
very much.
1.3 Inrush in three-phase transformers
When a three-phase transformer is energized there will be
a different inrush current in each phase. The voltage
switching point will vary from one phase to the other due
to the phase-shift between the phases (theoretically 120º)
and the breaker mechanism different times. On the other
hand the residual flux in each phase may be different,
depending on the point the magnetizing current was
Figure 7. Currents in transformers T1 and T2 during 2 seconds
of the sympathetic inrush
switched-off.
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1.4 Harmonic content of the inrush current which talked about a 17.1%. Modern transformers can
In order to analyze the harmonic content of the inrush have second harmonic contents as low as 7% [7]. The low
current the simplified waveform of figure 8 is considered. second harmonic content will only be present in the first
This waveform results from assuming a simplified B-H 4-5 cycles of the inrush [6]. This occurs because the
curve consisting of a vertical line in the non-saturated damping reduces the DC offset of the flux so it reduces
region and a straight line with a low slope in the saturated the time the flux is above the saturation density,
region. The transformer will be saturated during the decreasing the base angle of the magnetizing current.
angular span of 2α (which is normally called base angle); 2 INRUSH EFFECT ON TRANSFORMER
during this angle the magnetizing current will be an offset
DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION
sine wave. The rest of the period the magnetizing current
As the magnetizing reactance is a shunt branch in the
will be zero [5].
equivalent circuit of the transformer, the inrush current
flowing through it will be a differential current.
2.1 Implemented solutions to avoid operation
during inrush conditions
The most common methods included in modern relays are
based either on the measurement of the harmonic content
of the differential current or on a wave shape recognition
of this current. This paper will focus on the first method
Figure 8. Simplified waveform for the inrush harmonic analysis and its implementation by means of the so-called
harmonic restraint / blocking.
The equation for the simplified waveform will be:
i (θ ) = Im⋅ (cos θ − cos α ), 0 ≤ θ ≤ α , (2π -α ) ≤ θ ≤ 2π The methods based on the harmonic measurement of the
0, α ≤ θ ≤ (2π − α ) waveform do not only use the second harmonic but also
The harmonic content of this waveform can be calculated other harmonics. The fourth harmonic is also present in
with a cosine Fourier Series. The harmonic content of this the inrush currents so it can also be used to restraint the
waveform for α values of 60º, 90º and 120º is given in operation. The third and fifth harmonics are normally
table 1 [5]. It can be observed that the higher the α angle used to detect an overexcitation condition of the power
is the lower the second harmonic content is. transformer. This situation occurs when the power
transformer saturates with a symmetrical flux (the flux
Harmonic an/a1 during an inrush condition was asymmetrical) because of
α=60º α=90º α=120º an overvoltage or / and an underfrequency condition. The
2 0.705 0.424 0.171 symmetrical flux originates a symmetrical magnetizing
3 0.352 0.000 0.086
current that does not contain even harmonics but odd
4 0.070 0.085 0.017
5 0.070 0.000 0.017 harmonics. The third harmonic is a good indicator for an
6 0.080 0.036 0.019 overexcitation condition but, as it is a zero-sequence
7 0.025 0.000 0.006 component (the three phase currents are equal), it is
8 0.025 0.029 0.006 filtered by the delta windings or by the zero-sequence
9 0.035 0.000 0.008 filters included in the differential relays so it will not be
10 0.013 0.013 0.003 reliable in many transformer configurations. The fifth
11 0.013 0.000 0.003 harmonic is normally used.
12 0.020 0.009 0.005
13 0.008 0.000 0.002 2.1.1 Harmonic restraint
Table 1. Harmonic content in the inrush current The harmonic restraint method uses the harmonic content
As explained in reference [3], the closer the residual flux of the differential current to increase the theoretical
fundamental differential current required to trip (obtained
is to the saturation density the larger the base angle 2α is.
from the restrained differential characteristic). The effect
In this reference a 90% residual flux and a 140%
is a rise in the differential characteristic.
saturation density was considered, resulting in a base
angle (2α) of 240º. Modern transformers can operate Based on the nth (n=2, 3, 4, 5) harmonic restraint
closer to the knee point allowing higher residual fluxes, percentage set (kn) and on the harmonic content of the
reducing the difference between the saturation density and differential current (Idiff_harm_n, n=2,…,5) a
the residual flux [6]. This results in lower second fundamental differential current is obtained (Idiff_fund_n,
harmonic contents than the ones obtained in reference [3]

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n=2,…,5) (see figure 9). Note that the slope of the  

characteristic will be the inverse of the setting, α=1/kn.    Idiff _ harm _ n 
 diff _ fund diff
I > I = I rest ⋅ f (α , β )  ⊗  < Kn 

 through I
  diff _ fund 
current
 restra int 
Reorganizing the terms:
 Idiff _ harm _ n  (2)
(I diff _ fund > Irest ⋅ f (α , β )) ⊗  Idiff _ fund >
Kn

 
From equations (1) and (2) we can see that harmonic
restraint is more secure than harmonic blocking.
2.1.3 Crossed harmonic blocking
Figure 9. Characteristic for the extraction of the fundamental As it was mentioned in point 1.2 the inrush current can
differential current based on the harmonic content have low values of second harmonic, being as low as 7%.
The four fundamental differential currents calculated The settings normally used both for the second harmonic
(Idiff_harm_n, n=2,…,5) are summed to obtain a total restraint and blocking were around 20%. Changing to a
fundamental differential current (Idiff_fund_total). The 7% will increase the security very much but, on the other
latter current will be added to the operating fundamental hand, it will decrease the dependability. A setting around
differential current calculated from the through current 15%-20% is normally used for both harmonic restraint
restrained differential characteristic (see figure 10). and blocking and crossed logics are enabled in order to
increase the security. These logics take advantage of the
fact that the low harmonic content will normally occur
only in one of the phases. The harmonic content of the
other phases will be used to increase the restraint. Crossed
logics are normally only applied in harmonic blocking but
not in harmonic restraint.
2.1.3.1 Crossed logics for harmonic blocking
“1 out of 3”: if one phase has a high second harmonic
content the blocking is activated in the other two phases,
Figure 10. Rise in the through current restrained differential no matter their harmonic content. This logic is very
characteristic due to the harmonic restraint secure but it can block the operation with internal faults
occurring during the transformer energization as the
The operating condition for the differential unit working
healthy phases can have a high second harmonic
with harmonic restraint will be:
5 I
percentage.
diff _ harm _ n (1),
Idiff _ fund > Idiff + Idiff = Irest ⋅ f (α , β ) + ∑
through harmonic n =2 Kn “2 out of 3”: if two phases have a high second harmonic
current restra int
restra int content the blocking is activated in the other phase, no
with n having values for the harmonics selected to matter its harmonic content. This logic provides a better
restrain; α and β are the first and the second slopes of the balance between security and dependability than the “1
differential characteristic. out of 3” logic as it will not operate for internal phase-
phase faults that occur during the transformer
2.1.2 Harmonic blocking energization. On the other hand, if the transformer is wye-
Harmonic blocking calculates the ratio between the delta and it is energized from the wye side, on a single-
harmonic content and the fundamental content of the phase to ground fault happening during the transformer
differential current. When this ratio is above the threshold energization, fault current will flow in the healthy phases
Idiff _ harm _ n due to the coupling with the delta winding. The same will
set the harmonic blocking operates: > Kn happen in a three-legged wye-wye transformer due to the
Idiff _ fund
phantom tertiary effect. If the zero-sequence filter is
(n=2,…,5), with n having values for the harmonics applied from the phase currents on the wye winding there
selected to block. will be an increase of the fundamental current in the
The operating condition for the differential unit working healthy phases making the “2 out of 3” logic more
with harmonic blocking will be: dependable. However, if the zero-sequence filter is
applied from the ground current, the currents in the

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healthy phases will be pure inrush currents making the “2 blocking less susceptible to operate during DC CT
out of 3” logic block the trip [4]. saturation than the second harmonic blocking / restraint.
Average: the second harmonic ratio used for blocking the An unrestrained differential unit set above the maximum
three phases is the average of the second harmonic ratio inrush current is normally used to increase the
for each phase: dependability. However, internal faults with CT
1  Idiff _ harm _ 2nd _ A Idiff _ harm _ 2 nd _ B Idiff _ harm _ 2 nd _ C  saturation could happen for current values lower than the
average _ 2nd _ harm _ ratio = ⋅ + + 
3  Idiff _ fund _ A Idiff _ fund _ B Idiff _ fund _ C  ones for the inrush currents.
This logic provides a good security due to the increase of An algorithm that inhibits the harmonic blocking /
the average ratio provided by the phases with a high restraint is therefore necessary. References [10], [11] and
second harmonic content. However it does not provide a [12] describe an external fault detector based on three
good dependability as for an internal fault the average units that discriminate between external and internal
ratio can still be high due to the high ratio of the healthy faults:
phase/s.
Differential unit with instantaneous values
Sum: this logic calculates a three-phase 2nd harmonic
ratio with the following formula: This unit is based on the ratio between the differential and
restraint currents. It detects an external fault condition
 Idiff _ harm _ 2nd _ A + Idiff _ harm _ 2nd _ B + Idiff _ harm _ 2nd _ C 
3 phase _ 2nd _ harm _ ratio =   when a fault detector, based on a current change, activates
 Idiff _ fund _ A + Idiff _ fund _ B + Idiff _ fund _ C
  and the mentioned ratio is below a threshold during a
This logic provides good security during energization number of consecutive samples. More detailed
because the phase/s with high second harmonic content information can be found in references [10] and [4].
increase the value of the ratio. On the other hand the logic
will normally provide a good dependability as during Directional comparison units
internal faults the faulted phases have a high fundamental Reference [11] describes a directional comparison unit
current that decreases the value of the ratio. that uses the angle between the currents measured at each
2.1.3.2 Time for the application of the crossed logics end of the protected element (a transformer, in this case)
in order to determine if the fault is internal or external.
As the low content of the harmonic current only lasts for When this angle is lower than 90º the fault is considered
4-5 cycles (see point 1.2) the cross-blocking will only be internal; on the contrary, if the angle is higher than 90º
necessary during this time. the fault is considered external. The angular comparison
requires that the currents are above a minimum threshold.
2.1.4 Dynamic harmonic blocking / restraint
Two directional comparison units are described, one that
Harmonic blocking / restraint tends to operate not only operates with phase currents and another one that operates
when the power transformer saturates (for an inrush or an with positive-sequence pure fault current. The removal of
overexcitation condition) but also for faults with CT the prefault current allows this unit compensate the load
saturation due to the harmonic content of the waveform flow effect. The prefault current is taken two cycles
during such conditions. When the fault with CT saturation before the activation a fault detector, based on current
is external the operation of the harmonic blocking / changes. The fault detector supervises the operation of the
restraint units will increase the security. However, if the two directional comparison units.
fault is internal the activation of these units will reduce
The external fault detector will be used to inhibit the
the dependability.
harmonic blocking / restraint.
DC CT saturation (with an asymmetrical current) is
2.1.4.1 Second and fourth harmonic restraint / blocking
characterized by odd and even harmonics, while AC CT
inhibit logic
saturation (with a symmetrical current) is characterized by
odd harmonics. Reference [8] recommends the use of Once the transformer has been energized a combination
second and fourth harmonic restraint and fifth harmonic of the three mentioned units, the external fault detector
blocking. The aim is not to add the odd harmonics will be used to inhibit the second and fourth harmonic
restraint to increase the dependability during internal restraint / blocking.
faults with CT saturation. A normal setting for the The inhibit logic for the second / fourth harmonic restraint
percentage of fifth harmonic blocking is 35% which is / blocking will be enabled after a settable time since the
larger than the 15%-20% used for second harmonic detection of the energization of the transformer. When all
blocking / restraint. This makes the fifth harmonic the currents in the transformer are below a threshold and
any of them changes above this threshold the energization
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is detected and a timer is started. Until this timer expires 2.1.4.2 Third and fifth harmonic restraint / blocking
the second / fourth harmonic restraint / blocking is always inhibit logic
enabled. When the timer expires the following logic will The inhibit logic for odd harmonic restraint / blocking
be applied: will be based on an “underexcitation” unit that measures
If a fault detector activates, based on current changes, the ratio V/f and compares it against a rated ratio
during a window time of three cycles, the second / fourth Vrated/frated. When V/f<Vrated/frated the
harmonic restraint / blocking will be inhibited if “two out underexcitation unit operates. There will be three
of the three” units comprising the external fault detector underexcitation units, one per phase. If any of them
indicates an internal fault condition. After the three activates the odd harmonic restraint / blocking will be
cycles, the application of the even harmonic restraint / inhibited.
blocking will be latched during a settable time, no matter 3 Simulations and real cases experienced
if the fault detector activates again.
3.1 Transformer energizations
The three cycle window allows accelerating the trip
during an internal fault. If the fault is external any of the Some cases are included to evaluate the operation of the
units will activate the external fault condition. In this case differential protection during energizations both faulted
the application of the second / fourth harmonic restraint / and unfaulted. During this evaluation the inhibit logic for
blocking is latched at this moment, without waiting for the harmonic restraint / blocking will not operate.
the three cycles. The units comprising the external fault 3.1.1 Energization with low second harmonic (real
detector operate very fast indicating the internal fault case)
condition in less than a cycle. A false trip of a transformer differential protection was
When a transformer is already energized the only inrush caused by the energization of a YND 115 kV / 30 kV
condition can occur during an external fault clearing or transformer. Figure 11.a shows the inrush secondary
during the energization of a parallel transformer currents.
(sympathetic inrush).
External fault clearing
When there is an external fault, during the three cycle
window, the internal fault conditions will not be fulfilled.
As an external fault condition will be activated, the
second and fourth harmonic restraint / blocking will be
applied and latched during the settable time. This latching
assures that during the inrush condition generated by the
clearing of the external fault the harmonic restraint / Figure 11.a. Inrush currents during the energization from the
blocking will be enabled. primary side of a YNynd transformer
Sympathetic inrush
When a parallel transformer is energized there will be a
change in the current in the already energized transformer
that makes the fault detector activate. During these
conditions and before the loaded transformer gets
saturated any of the units comprising the external fault
detector will activate the external fault condition. In this
case the harmonic restraint / blocking will be latched
during the settable time.
If the current change due to the inrush of the parallel
transformer is not enough to activate the fault detector,
when the inrush in the loaded transformer starts, the
Figure 11.b. Per phase and three-phase sum second harmonic
current change in one of the windings (in the one not ratios during the energization from the primary side of a YNynd
energizing the transformer) will also be very small, transformer
preventing the activation of the two directional
comparison units, so the “2 out of 3” logic will never be Figure 13.b shows the per-phase and three-phase sum
fulfilled. second harmonic ratios. In this application harmonic
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blocking without crossed logics was used and a 20% 3.1.3 A close onto a BC fault (real case)
harmonic ratio was set. As it can be seen, phase B ratio is
A 220 kV / 132 kV autotransformer with a 30 kV tertiary
below this value during two and a half cycles
was energized from the 220 kV side with a BC fault in the
(energization time registered). This was enough for the
tertiary. The differential tripped in 1.5 seconds.
phase B differential unit trip. In this case a cross-blocking
based on a “2 out of 3” logic will correctly block phase B, Figure 13.a shows the recorded currents in the primary
as phases A and C have a high second harmonic content. winding. Figure 13.b shows the per-phase and three-phase
On the other hand, the “sum” crossed logic will also sum second harmonic ratios. As it can be seen the ratio
block the differential unit operation as the three-phase for phase A is above the 20%. As a “one out of three”
sum second harmonic ratio is above the 20% value set. cross-blocking logic was applied, the result was a loss of
dependability. The differential unit tripped when the
3.1.2 Close onto a single-phase to ground fault
inrush currents where enough damped. The “2 out of 3”
(simulated case)
cross-blocking logic would have allowed the trip. On the
A YNynd 400 kV / 220 kV / 33 kV transformer was other hand, the three-phase sum ratio is below the 20%
simulated with an RTDS. Figure 12.a shows the currents also allowing the trip.
for a close onto an internal AG fault in the simulated
transformer. As it can be seen, there is a fault current in
the healthy phases, apart from the inrush current, due to
the coupling with the delta winding.

Figure 13.a. Currents in winding 1 for a close onto a BC fault in

a YNynd transformer

Figure 12.a. Currents in winding 1 for a close onto an AG fault

in a YNynd transformer

Figure 13.b. Per phase and three-phase sum second harmonic

ratios
3.2 Transformer disturbances once it has been
energized
Figure 12.b. Per phase and three-phase sum second harmonic
ratios 3.2.1 External and internal faults
Figure 12.b shows the per-phase and three-phase sum The operation of the inhibit logic for harmonic restraint /
second harmonic ratios. As it can be observed the three blocking for internal and external faults totally depends
per-phase ratios are below the 20% threshold so the “2 on the behavior of the three units comprising the external
out of 3” cross-blocking logic will not be fulfilled. On the fault detector. The combination of the three units provides
other hand, the three-phase sum ratio is also below the a very good security and dependability for any type of
20% threshold allowing the differential unit trip. fault: faults with CT saturation, outfeed faults, etc. The
operation of these units for internal and external faults
was already evaluated in references [10] and [11].
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3.2.2 Sympathetic inrush As it can be seen there is a change in the winding currents
and so in the restraint currents. This current change makes
A model was created in the RTDS with two 400 kV – 220
the fault detector activate. As the saturation of the
kV - 33 kV YNynd transformers connected in parallel and
transformer occurs six cycles after the saturation of the
a sympathetic inrush was generated. Figures 14.a and 14.b
parallel transformer, the external fault detector has
show the currents in the primary and secondary windings
enough time to latch the application of the second / fourth
during the sympathetic inrush of the loaded transformer
harmonic blocking. It has to be noted that until the loaded
(the inrush currents are mixed with the load currents). The
transformer does not saturate, the conditions are
saturation of this transformer occurs at point A.
completely for an external fault (differential current /
restraint current ratio very low, angles for the phase
currents and for the positive-sequence pure fault currents
around 180º).
4 CONCLUSIONS
Inrush current phenomena has been explained in detail for
three different conditions: energization, external fault
recovery and sympathetic inrush.
Harmonic restraint is more secure than harmonic blocking
however it does not normally allow the application of
crossed logics, which are needed due to the low second
harmonic content of modern transformers. For
transformers with a delta winding energized from the wye
winding/s the two out of three logic provides good
balance between security and dependability. For other
type of transformer connection group or in a wye-delta
transformer if the energization is done from the delta side
the harmonic three-phase “sum” logic is considered the
best one.
Figure 16.a. Currents in primary and secondary windings for a The logic that inhibits the harmonic restraint / blocking
sympathetic inrush allows accelerating the trip for an internal fault that
occurs once the transformer is energized. It is based on an
external fault detector consisting of three units:
differential unit with instantaneous values, the phase
directional comparison unit and the positive-sequence
directional unit.
5 REFERENCES
[1] L.F. Blume, G. Camilli, S. B. Farnham, H. A.
Peterson, “Transformer Magnetizing Inrush Current and
Influence on System Operation” AIEE Trans. Vol. 63, pp.
366-375, 1944.
[2] H.S. Bronzeado, P.B. Brogan, R. Yacamini,
“Harmonic Analysis of Transient Currents during
Sympathetic Interaction” IEEE Trans. on Power Systems,
Vol. 11, No. 4, November 1996.
[3] W. K. Sonnemann, C. L. Wagner, and G. D.
Rockefeller, “Magnetizing Inrush Phenomena in
Transformer Banks,” AIEE Transactions, Vol. 77, Part
Figure 16.b. Restraint and differential currents for a sympathetic III, October 1958, pp. 884–892.
inrush

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[4] R.Cimadevilla, “Application of Zero-Sequence Filter

on Transformer Differential Protection” SEAPAC March
2013.
[5] S. H. Horowitz, A. G. Phadke, “Power System
Relaying, 2nd edition”, Research Studies Press Ltd.,
Somerset, England,1995, pp. 211-213.
[6] F. Sui, A. Nassif, A. Cooperberg and M. Kostic,
“Improving the Performance of Transformer Current
Differential Protection during Energization”, WPRC
October 2010.
[7] J. L. Blackburn, T. J. Domin, “Protective Relaying:
Principles and Applications”, 3rd Edition, CRC Press,
2007 pp. 293.
[8] A. Guzman, H. Altuve, D. Tziouvaras, “Power
Transformer Protection Improvements with Numerical
Relays”
[10] R. Cimadevilla, S. López, “New Requirements for
High Voltage Transformer Protection”, SEAPAC, March
2009
[11] R.Cimadevilla, R.Quintanilla, “New protection units
included in differential relays”, PAC Conference, June
2011
[12] Instruction Manual. ZIV Transformer Protection
Model IDV, Zamudio (Spain), Reference LIDV1112Av05
6 BIOGRAPHY
Roberto Cimadevilla graduated in Electrical Engineering
from the Superior Engineering College of Gijón, Spain in
2001. He later obtained a master´s degree in “Analysis,
simulation and management of electrical power systems”
from the University of País Vasco, Spain. He previously
worked for Red Eléctrica de España (REE – Spanish
TSO) as a Protection Relay Engineer. Roberto joined ZIV
in 2003 as an Application Engineer, being responsible in
this area for the development of several protection relays,
including distance, transformer differential and line
differential. From 2011 to 2013 Roberto worked as the
Manager of the Application Engineering Department. He
is now the Technical Manager of the Grid Automation
Division. Roberto has written more than 20 technical
papers, he is an IEEE member and has participated in
several CIGRE B5 working groups. He is currently a
regular member of the B5.48 working group.

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