Relay Scheme Design

Using Microprocessor
Relays

A report to the
System Protection Subcommittee of the
Power System Relay Committee of
the IEEE Power & Energy Society
Prepared by working group C16
June 2014
Presented at PSRC Main Committee Meeting- January 2015
Members of the working group

Raaluca Lascu – chair Tony Seegers – vice-chair

Brian Boysen Alla Deronja

Kevin Donahoe Robert Frye
Gene Henneberg Rich Hunt
Don Lukach Bruce Mackie
Cristian Paduraru Don Sevcik
Jim O’Brien Adi Mulawarman
Michael Stojak Michael Thompson
Rich Young Don Sevcik

Past members:
Ken Birt Ken Behrendt
Angela Higdon Vajira Pathirana

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This paper is intended to supplement
to the existing 1999 relay trip circuit
design paper to address the use
microprocessor relays

Modern relays are changing the way
substations are engineered

They enable many functions to be carried
out through one piece of hardware

This flexibility and compactness is
sometimes the cause of increasing levels of
complexity

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Typical Trip circuit using
Electromechanical relays
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Considerations When Using
Microprocessor Relays
 Trip circuits

Typical breaker trip circuit using
microprocessor relay
(+)

IN1 01/T IN2 86/BF

TRIP/ TRIP*/ CLOSE/

Station OUT1 OUT2 OUT3
Battery 52a
Voltage TC-2 CC

52a
IN1 = Breaker status input
BFI*/ 79 I*/ IN2 = Trip circuit monitor input (optional)
IN3 IN4
OUT4 OUT5 TC-1 = Breaker trip coil 1
TC-1 TC-2 = Breaker trip coil 2
External External External External CC = Breaker close coil
(-) BFI 79 I BF Relay 79 Relay OUT1 = Protective relay trip contact
OUT2 = Protective relay trip contact (* if second trip coil present)
OUT3 = Protective relay close contact (manual or autoreclosing)
Integral to microprocessor OUT4 = Protective relay breaker fail initiate contact (*if external BF relay present)
based relay OUT5 = Protective relay reclose initiate output (*if external 79 relay present)
01/T = Manual control switch trip contact
52a = Breaker auxiliary form “a” contact
86/BF = Breaker failure lockout contact
BFI = Breaker Failure initiate
79 I = Auto reclose initiate

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General Scheme Design
 Trip Circuit

Microprocessor relays can simplify trip

circuit design

Multiple isolated outputs on a single relay
can be used to trip multiple breakers

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 Integration, Separation, and
Redundancy

Combining functions into one relay can
reduce size of equipment, reduce wiring, and
lower cost

However, it can lead to problems such as
measurement or programming errors
effecting multiple protection functions

Thought must be given to creating redundant
systems which can function despite total
failure of a relay
◦ Ex: Duplicate functions using relay from
different manufacturer
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Direct Tripping
(+)

01
PR-1
T
Microprocessor Relay

52a
Multiple protection
functions, auxiliary
timers, etc. included in
TC-1
microprocessor relay
logic.

(-)

52a Breaker auxiliary form “a” contact

52b Breaker auxiliary form “b” contact
TC-1 Trip Coil 1
01/T Breaker control handle Trip
PR Protective relay trip contact

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Dual Relay Tripping

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Dual Trip Coils with One Relay

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Dual Trip Coils with Two Relays

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Dual Trip Coils with Breaker Re-
trip
(+)
(+)

Microprocessor
01 Relay

T BFR
PR-1a PR-1b

52a 52a

BFR retrips TC-1 on

breaker failure initiate. TC-2
TC-1
PR-1b trips TC-2 on
backup trip

(-)
(-)

52a Breaker auxiliary form “a” contact

TC-1 Trip Coil 1
TC-2 Trip Coil 2
01/T Breaker control handle Trip
PR Protective relay trip contact
PR-1b Protective relay backup trip contact
BFR Breaker failure retrip contact

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Dual Trip Coils, Relay Cross-
Tripping

Probably most common today 15

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 Dual Breaker Scheme
(+) (+)

Microprocessor
Relay
01 01
PR-1a PR-1b
T T

52a 52a
Protection logic trips
both circuit breaker
coils simultaneously.
TC TC

(-) (-)

52a Breaker auxiliary form “a” contact

TC Trip Coil
01/T Breaker control handle Trip
PR Protective relay trip contact

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There are a few problems

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 Circuit Contacts

One leading cause of failure is burned and
failed output contacts due to inductive DC
current

Must ensure circuit contact being used is
properly rated for all possible signals

Often can assess by calculating L/R rating:
Load Inductance
L/R rating = Load Resistance + Cable Resistance to Load

Relay manufacturers are developing ways
to mitigate burnout
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Speed of relay contacts must be
considered

Typical closing time is 3 to 8 milliseconds

Choosing incorrect contacts can lead to

leakage or sneak currents

Extend Seal-in time and/or add arc
suppression

Circuit Contacts (cont.)

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 PRO

Low CT burden

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 CON
Battery Creep

Upgrading stations typically leads to

increased continuous DC system loads

Once adequate DC supply systems may
need to be revisited

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 Sneak Currents

Sneak currents are unintended design flaws that

can result in serious consequences

With increased complexity, sneak currents are
more likely

With Microprocessors, the sneak circuits have
often moved inside

Systematic testing and inspection is most
common way to prevent

Many sneak conditions are located through trial
and error over time in the field

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 Battery System Grounding

IN 4
130 Vdc

IN 3

Can use spare input contacts on relay to
monitor grounding conditions of DC system

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 It’s Not All Bad
there are a few new perks

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 Trip Circuit Monitoring

Typical breaker trip circuit using
microprocessor relay
(+)

IN1 01/T IN2 86/BF

TRIP/ TRIP*/ CLOSE/

Station OUT1 OUT2 OUT3
Battery 52a
Voltage TC-2 CC

52a
IN1 = Breaker status input
BFI*/ 79 I*/ IN2 = Trip circuit monitor input (optional)
IN3 IN4
OUT4 OUT5 TC-1 = Breaker trip coil 1
TC-1 TC-2 = Breaker trip coil 2
External External External External CC = Breaker close coil
(-) BFI 79 I BF Relay 79 Relay OUT1 = Protective relay trip contact
OUT2 = Protective relay trip contact (* if second trip coil present)
OUT3 = Protective relay close contact (manual or autoreclosing)
Integral to microprocessor OUT4 = Protective relay breaker fail initiate contact (*if external BF relay present)
based relay OUT5 = Protective relay reclose initiate output (*if external 79 relay present)
01/T = Manual control switch trip contact
52a = Breaker auxiliary form “a” contact
86/BF = Breaker failure lockout contact
BFI = Breaker Failure initiate
79 I = Auto reclose initiate

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Lockout Function

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 Breaker Control Switch
(+) (+) (+)

Microprocessor
Relay 01
01
PR-1a PR-1b C
T

Digital
Input
52a 52b Microprocessor Relay
PR-1b closes circuit
breaker. Relay logic
includes control
TC CC (-)
handle supervision.

(-) (-)

52a Breaker auxiliary form “a” contact

TC Trip Coil
CC Close Coil
01/T Breaker control handle Trip
01/C Breaker control handle Close
PR Protective relay trip contact

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SCADA Functions
 SCADA Control

An RTU or other gateway is used to issue

open/close commands to circuit breakers,
motor-operated switches, and other
devices remotely

Microprocessor relays can act as I/O
hardware to implement commands

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SCADA Circuit Breaker Control

CB control implemented using “select-

before-operate” concept

This is intended to prevent any other
device from issuing untimely commands
to the breaker with unintended results

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 SCADA Metering and Monitoring

Microprocessors can greatly simplify

monitoring and metering of stations
through digital communication through
the gateway

SCADA data collection can be distributed
to the microprocessor relays

These functions used to require an
independent electromechanical unit for
each
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Maintainability and Testing
 Multifunction Relay Testing
Considerations

Testing occurs at many stages: acceptance,

commission, and as scheduled

Desire method to conduct tests without
changing any relay settings since this could
introduce unintended errors

Some designs may allow for spare contacts
which can be used for testing

Built-in recording functions can be used to
determine if appropriate response to test
occurred

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A couple of additional issues
 Test Switches

Approach on test switches can vary widely

Test switches may become more rare with

microprocessor units since removing all
the functions of a single relay at once may
be unacceptable

Test switches enable a relay to be isolated

for hot change out

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 Test Switches part 2

Testing relays has become more

complicated since each relay may be
programmed completely differently

Test switches enable more isolation for
testing to prevent inadvertant trips (ie
breaker fail outputs)

Consistent design methods are needed to
decrease complexity

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Logic Performance Considerations

Loss of power or network connection can

dramatically effect output from relay logic

Consideration must be given for the
default state given either condition

Volatile memory will reset whereas non-
volatile memory will maintain the previous
value

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Questions?