Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line 1

Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line

Differential protection:-
1. The basic method for busbar protection is the differential scheme in which currents
entering and leaving the bus are totalized, during normal load condition, the sum of these
currents is equal to zero.
2. When a fault occurs, the fault current upsets the balance and produces a differential
current to operate a relay.

3. Fig shows the single line diagram of current differential scheme for a station busbar. The
busbar is fed by a generator and supplies load to two lines.
4. The secondaries of current transformers in the generator lead, in line 1 and in line 2 are
all connected in parallel. The protective relay is connected across this parallel connection.
All CTs must be of the same ratio in the scheme regardless of the capacities of the
various circuits.
5. Under normal load conditions or external fault conditions, the sum of the currents
entering the bus is equal to those leaving it and no current flows through the relay.
6. If a fault occurs within the protected zone, the currents entering the bus will no longer be
equal to those leaving it. The difference of these currents will flow through the relay and
cause the opening of the generator, circuit breaker and each of the line circuit breakers.
 Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line 2

Fault Bus protection:-

1. It is possible to design a station so that the faults that develop are mostly earth-faults.
This can be achieved by providing earthed metal barrier (known as fault bus) surrounding
each conductor throughout its entire length in the bus structure.
2. With this arrangement, every fault that might occur must involve a connection between a
conductor and an earthed metal part.
3. By directing the flow of earth-fault current, it is possible to detect the faults and
determine their location. This type of protection is known as fault bus protection.

4. Fig shows the schematic arrangement of fault bus protection. The metal supporting
structure or fault bus is earthed through a current transformer.
5. A relay is connected across the secondary of this CT. Under normal operating conditions,
there is no current flow from fault bus to ground and the relay remains inoperative.
6. A fault involving a connection between conductors and earthed supporting structure will
result in current flow to ground through the fault bus, causing the relay to operate.
7. The operation of relay will trip all breakers connecting equipment to the bus.
 Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line 3

Transmission line protection:-

The common methods of line protection are:-
1. Time-graded overcurrent protection
2. Differential protection
3. Distance protection

Time-Graded Overcurrent Protection:-

1. Radial feeder:-
1. The main characteristic of a radial system is that power can flow only in one direction,
from generator or supply end to the load.
2. It has the disadvantage that continuity of supply cannot be maintained at the receiving
end in the event of fault. Time-graded protection of a radial feeder can be achieved by
using (i) definite time relays and (ii) inverse time relays.

Using definite time relays.

1. Fig. shows the overcurrent protection of a radial feeder by definite time relays. The time
of operation of each relay is fixed and is independent of the operating current.
2. Thus relay D has an operating time of 0·5 second while for other relays, time delay* is
successively increased by 0·5 second.
3. If a fault occurs in the section DE, it will be cleared in 0·5 second by the relay and circuit
breaker at D because all other relays have higher operating time. In this way only section
DE of the system will be isolated.
4. If the relay at D fails to trip, the relay at C will operate after a time delay of 0·5 second
i.e. after 1 second from the occurrence of fault.
 Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line 4

Using inverse time relays.

1. Fig shows overcurrent protection of a radial feeder using inverse time relays in which
operating time is inversely proportional to the operating current.
2. With this arrangement, the farther the circuit breaker from the generating station, the
shorter is its relay operating time.
3. The three relays at A, B and C are assumed to have inverse-time characteristics. A fault in
section BC will give relay times which will allow breaker at B to trip out before the
breaker at A.

Parallel feeders.
Where continuity of supply is particularly necessary, two parallel feeders may be installed. If a
fault occurs on one feeder, it can be disconnected from the system and continuity of supply can
be maintained from the other feeder.

1. Fig. shows the system where two feeders are connected in parallel between the generating
station and the sub-station. The protection of this system requires that
 each feeder has a non-directional overcurrent relay at the generator end. These
relays should have inverse-time characteristic.
 each feeder has a reverse power or directional relay at the sub-station end. These
relays should be instantaneous type and operate only when power flows in the
reverse direction i.e. in the direction of arrow at P and Q.
2. Suppose an earth fault occurs on feeder 1 as shown in Fig. It is desired that only circuit
breakers at A and P should open to clear the fault whereas feeder 2 should remain intact
 Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line 5

to maintain the continuity of supply. In fact, the above arrangement accomplishes this
job. The shown fault is fed via two routes, viz.
 directly from feeder 1–-- the relay A
 from feeder 2 via B ---Q---substation---P

Ring main system

1. In this system, various power stations or sub-stations are interconnected by alternate
routes, thus forming a closed ring.
2. In case of damage to any section of the ring, that section may be disconnected for repairs,
and power will be supplied from both ends of the ring, thereby maintaining continuity of
supply.

Fig. shows the single line diagram of a typical ring main system consisting of one generator G
supplying four sub-stations S1, S2, S3 and S4. In this arrangement, power can flow in both
directions under fault conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to grade in both directions round the
ring and also to use directional relays. In order that only faulty section of the ring is isolated
under fault conditions, the types of relays and their time settings should be as follows :
 The two lines leaving the generating station should be equipped with non-directional
overcurrent relays (relays at A and J in this case).
 At each sub-station, reverse power or directional relays should be placed in both
incoming and outgoing lines (relays at B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I in this case).
 There should be proper relative time-setting of the relays. As an example, going round
the loop GS1 S2 S3 S4G ; the outgoing relays (viz at A, C, E, G and I) are set with
decreasing time limits
e.g. A = 2·5 sec, C = 2 sec, E = 1·5 sec G = 1 sec and I = 0·5 sec
 Similarly, going round the loop in the opposite direction (i.e. along G S4 S3 S2 S1 G), the
outgoing relays (J, H, F, D and B) are also set with a decreasing time limit
e.g. J = 2· 5 sec, H = 2 sec, F = 1·5 sec, D = 1 sec, B = 0·5 sec.
 Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line 6

Distance Protection:-
1. Both time-graded and pilot-wire systems are not suitable for the protection of very long
high voltage transmission lines.
2. It (time graded )required long time delay in fault clearance at the generating station end
when there are more than four or five sections and the pilot-wire system becomes too
expensive owing to the greater length of pilot wires required.
3. This has led to the development of distance protection in which the action of relay
depends upon the distance (or impedance) between the point where the relay is installed
and the point of fault. This system provides discrimination protection without employing
pilot wires.
4. Fig. 1 shows a simple system consisting of lines in series such that power can flow only
from left to right. The relays at A, B and C are set to operate for impedance less than Z1,
Z2 and Z3 respectively.
5. Suppose a fault occurs between sub-stations B and C, the fault impedance at power
station and sub-station A and B will be Z1 + Z and Z respectively .
6. It is clear that for the portion shown; only relay at B will operate. Similarly, if a fault
occurs within section AB, then only relay at A will operate. In this manner, instantaneous
protection can be obtained for all conditions of operation.

7. In actual practice, it is not possible to obtain instantaneous protection for complete length
of the line due to inaccuracies in the relay elements and instrument transformers.
8. Thus the relay at A Fig.1 would not be very reliable in distinguishing between a fault at
99% of the distance AB and the one at 101% of distance AB.
9. This difficulty is overcome by using ‘three-zone’ distance protection shown in Fig.2
 Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line 7

Differential Pilot-Wire Protection:-

1. The differential pilot-wire protection is based on the principle that under normal
conditions, the current entering one end of a line is equal to that leaving the other end.
2. As soon as a fault occurs between the two ends, this condition no longer holds and the
difference of incoming and outgoing currents is arranged to flow through a relay which
operates the circuit breaker to isolate the faulty line.

 Merz-Price voltage balance system:-

1. Fig.shows the single line diagram of Merz- Price voltage balance system for the
protection of a 3-phase line. Identical current transformers are placed in each phase at
both ends of the line.
2. The pair of CTs in each line is connected in series with a relay in such a way that under
normal conditions, their secondary voltages are equal and in opposition i.e. they balance
each other. Under healthy conditions, current entering the line at one-end is equal to that
leaving it at the other end.
3. Therefore, equal and opposite voltages are induced in the secondaries of the CTs at the
two ends of the line. The result is that no current flows through the relays.
4. Suppose a fault occurs at point F on the line as shown in Fig. This will cause a greater
current to flow through CT1 than through CT2. Consequently, their secondary voltages
become unequal and circulating current flows through the pilot wires and relays.
5. The circuit breakers at both ends of the line will trip out and the faulty line will be
isolated.

Advantages:-
1. This system can be used for ring mains as well as parallel feeders.
2. This system provides instantaneous protection for ground faults. This decreases the
possibility of these faults involving other phases.
3. This system provides instantaneous relaying which reduces the amount of damage to
overhead conductors resulting from arcing faults.
 Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line 8

Disadvantages
1. Accurate matching of current transformers is very essential.
2. If there is a break in the pilot-wire circuit, the system will not operate.
3. This system is very expensive owing to the greater length of pilot wires required.
4. In case of long lines, charging current due to pilot-wire capacitance* effects may be
sufficient to cause relay operation even under normal conditions.
5. This system cannot be used for line voltages beyond 33 kV because of constructional
difficulties in matching the current transformers.

Translay scheme:-

Schematic arrangement:-

1. The Translay scheme for the protection of a 3-phase line is shown in Fig. The relays
used in the scheme are essentially overcurrent induction type relays.
2. Each relay has two electromagnetic elements. The upper element carries a winding (11
or 11 a) which is energised as a summation transformer from the secondaries of the line
CTs connected in the phases of the line to be protected.
3. The upper element also carries a secondary winding (12 or 12 a) which is connected is
series with the operating winding (13 or 13 a) on the lower magnet. The secondary
windings 12, 12 a and operating windings 13, 13 a are connected in series in such a way
that voltages induced in them oppose each other. Note that relay discs and tripping
circuits have been omitted in the diagram for clarity.

Operation:-
1. When the feeder is sound, the currents at its two ends are equal so that the secondary
currents in both sets of CTs are equal.
 Protection of Bus Bar and Transmission Line 9

2. Consequently, the currents flowing in the relay primary winding 11 and 11 a will be
equal and they will induce equal voltages in the secondary windings 12 and 12a. Since
these windings are connected in opposition, no current flows in them or in the operating
windings 13 and 13a.
3. In the event of a fault on the protected line, the line current at one end must carry a
greater current than that at the other end.
4. The result is that voltages induced in the secondary windings 12 and 12 a will be
different and the current will flow through the operating coils 13, 13a and the pilot
circuit.
5. Under these conditions, both upper and lower elements of each relay are energised and a
forward torque acts on the each relay disc. The operation of the relays will open the
circuit breakers at both ends of the line