Differential Protection of HV Essential Motor A need in Indian Context

A R Van C Warrington, a GEC (now Alstom) Engineer separates motors that serve power plant auxiliaries into Essential & Non-essential Classification [1]. Essential motorsThe essential classification includes the following motors:Boiler Feed Pumps (BFP) Motor Condensate Extraction Pumps (CEP) Motor Forced Draft Fans (FD Fans) Motor Induced Draft Fans (ID Fans) Motor Primary Air Fans (PA Fans) Motor Circulating Water Pumps (CWP) Motor Pulveriser Feeders (Coal Mill) Motor Excitation Drives Stokers Main Plant Compressor Motor The Plant will not operate without these auxiliary motors, at least not at full output or full load. In many cases, there are Multiple Fans (e.g., 2x100% ID Fans, 2x100% PA Fans, 2x100% FD Fans, etc), Multiple Pumps (2x100% BFP or 3x50% BFP, 2x100% CEPs, 2x100% or 3x50% CWP, etc), Multiple compressor like Service Air Compressor (2x100% or 3x50%), Instruments Air Compressor (2x100% or 3x50%) and other drives such that the Plant output is maintained, perhaps at reduced level, when one motor is tripped. In any case, it is desirable to keep all of the above motors in service unless there is serious trouble that requires prompt and decisive action by the protective system. Further it may be noted that Essential service motors are usually designed for full voltage starting and for fast restart after interruption. In some cases, essential service motors (like BFP) is backed up by Steam turbine motor (Turbo BFP used extensively in e.g., 210MW, 500MW, 660MW, 800MW units). Non-essential motorsMotors in non- essential service, may be out of service. However, it does not affect the output of the Power Plant. For the case of Generating station, typical nonessential motors are as follows:Coal Handling Equipment Conveyors Motor Vent Fans Motor Plant Compressor Motor in BOP DM Plant Drives Coal Crushers (Primary & Secondary) Clinker Grinder Service Pumps Ash handling drives

Clearly, the power plant can operate normally for a period of time without these motors, although not indefinitely.

Differential Protection of Large HT MotorPower Plant may have 11kV or 6.6kV Auxiliary Voltage. Motors connected with these voltage level are generally star connected which means that a normal over current relay, which has to have a setting higher than the short circuit current of the motor, will not detect faults over a large part of the stator winding. To effect an improvement, a more sensitive relay is needed. This can be provided by differential protection where settings as low as 5% can be obtained [5]. Differential protection on a phase to phase basis is eminently suitable and will detect faults on practically the whole of winding [5]. Therefore, differential protection may be considered as the first line of protection for internal phase to phase or phase to ground faults. In the event of such faults, the quick response of the differential element may limit the degree of severity of damage that may have otherwise occurred to the motor. As per P M Anderson [2], Phase fault seldom occurs in motors, however, almost all motor faults quickly develops into a ground faults and therefore, cleared by Ground Relays. It is a common practice to provide protection against Phase fault. This is often in the form of over-current Relay. On large motors (e.g., BFP, Intake River water Pump, etc), Phase fault is detected by Phase winding differential relays, which are much faster and more sensitive than over current relays. Moreover differential relays will not operate during starting, which could be a problem with over current relays. The pick up setting of phase over current relays should be about four times rated current, but with adequate time delay so that they do not operate during starting. Instantaneous Phase Over current relays must obviously set well above locked rotor current. Over current relays are often omitted for Essential service motors to ensure that the motor is tripped for short circuits and for no other reason. The adjacent figure shows a comparison of a typical fuse characteristic on the same time-current axes as starting current. These curves must be viewed with caution, since the characteristics are not the same types of plots. The starting current curve is sometimes called a Trace and it depicts a simulation of the transient value of RMS current versus time, with time plotted on the vertical axes. The fuse characteristic plot is not a Transient current trace. The fuse characteristic curve shows that the time to melt at various values of current, with time greater than that plotted indicating a trip condition. By the time the starting current trace reaches about 90% of locked rotor current, the fuse may be close to melting. A similar comparison would apply to over current relay. Hence the co-ordination is very tight. It is almost impossible to select a relay or fuse characteristic that closely matches the motor starting characteristic current trace. Obviously the fuse characteristic shown in the figure will not protect the motor due to overload.

The setting for the instantaneous over current relay must be greater than the locked rotor current. This setting must be below the available Phase to phase fault current. The setting for Phase differential relays, however, can be to the left of starting current trace, say at about 0.1 per unit on the horizontal scale [Refer the above figure]. One source recommends that instantaneous phase relays be set at 1.6 times locked rotor current, but less than 1/3 of the three phase fault current available from the system [2]. Moreover the ratio of three phase fault current to locked rotor current should be greater than about 5.0 for Good Protection. Differential relay is recommended where Min.3-ph fault current<5xILR or Min.3-ph fault current<5xIstart [4]. Probably, this could be a reason that TCE / DCPL / Desein / all consultants writes BFP starting current to be limited to 4.5 inclusive of IEC/IS tolerance so as to achieve good protection for reason mentioned above. It is possible that adequate phase fault protection might be provided by using over current and instantaneous relays in two phases of the motor, with the option of using thermal overload relays in the third phase [2]. As per WA Elmore and JP Garitty, the Phase-fault current at the terminals of a motor usually is considerably larger than normal current, such as Starting current or the motor contribution to a fault. For this reason, a high-set instantaneous trip unit is recommended for fast, reliable, inexpensive, simple protection. When the starting current value approaches the fault current, however, some form of differential protection relaying becomes necessary. The sensitivity of differential relay is independent of Stating current, whereas Instantaneous-trip (IT) units, which

respond to phase current, must be set above the starting current ( including any dc offset due to asymmetrical transients that may be caused by voltage switching) [6]. To allow for fault resistance and different types of fault and to assure twice pickup on the unit for minimum fault, the instantaneous phase-relay pick up should be set at less than 1/3 of I3ph of 3-ph symmetrical fault current excluding the motor contribution. Also pick up should be set at 1.6 times I LR or more, where I LR is the actual symmetrical starting current, as limited by source impedance. The ratio of I3-ph / I LR should thus be greater than approximately 5.0. In general then, instantaneous trip (IT) units can be used for phase protection if motor kVA (or approximately the Horse Power) is less than the rating of supply transformer kVA. If Not, then differential protection is required for sensitive fault detection. As per C.R. Mason, GE Engineer, For Essential service motor, the Inverse time phase over-current relays are usually omitted, leaving the Instantaneous Phase Relays and the Inverse time Ground Relay and Instantaneous Ground Relay or the differential relays, if applicable. The reason for omission is to trip the motor breaker automatically only for Short circuits and Not to trip for any other reason. This is because the tripping of such a motor force a partial or complete shutdown of a generator or other service with which the motor is associated, and hence any unnecessary tripping must be avoided [3]. Percentage differential relaying is provided for large motors. It is the practice of the manufacturers to recommend such protection for motors of the following rating: (a) 2200V to 4999Volts, inclusive of 1500hp and higher; (b) 5000Volts and higher, 501 hp and higher. The advantage of percentage differential relaying is that it will provide faster and more sensitive protection than over current relaying, but at the same time it will not operate on starting or other transient over currents [3]. As per CEA Publication (April 1993) Standardization of Motors for Thermal Power Plant Auxiliaries in India, motors above 1500kW is required to be provided with Differential Protection. The above collection is simply a technical abstract unless implemented to control the nuisance unwanted tripping of essential motors during Pre-commissioning or Commissioning. Therefore, If we look at the above technical fact in the light of the current Indian Project Management business practices (Client Side), then the Project Management Mind set could be positively changed. However, System engineer has to play a role of incorporating the above in technical specification so that the Project management accepts them easily. Only in this way, the imbalance between technical & commercial requirement can be reduced. The above Project Management business practices are explained below:During pre-commissioning or commissioning, essential service motor like BFP, ID Fan, FD Fan, PA Fans, CWP, Air compressor, etc, - Tripping during Starting is practically considered & accepted as normal phenomena!!! This happens at the

time, when cushion available in the project schedule has exhausted and therefore each onwards activities become important & critical. Hence there are natural efforts to arrest any further slippage of subsequent activities till successful synchronization & commissioning. The entire Project Management team comes under tremendous pressure. On tripping of essential motor during starting, the Project / Commissioning engineer in haste retrieves the data from the Motor protection numerical relay and alters I start and t start setting, etc. This is a hit and trial method, which is not a good practice; however it is followed religiously in the current Indian Power station during commissioning. In India, a Private Power developer hires a Project Management experienced professional (Project Manager, say) for putting up a Power Project. The Project Manager is of the opinion and strong conviction that he will complete a successful commissioning in time within the budgeted cost. The Project Manager forms a team deriving experienced people from different companies with different Culture and Mind-set. They put their best efforts working for stretched hours, however, fails in handling most of the technical situation due to lack of synergies, hiring and firing management style coupled with commercial mind set. Ultimately, the project delays and thus there are overruns in terms of cost & time both. Similarly during Plant Stabilization for first few years of plant operation, there are series of problems which ultimately culminates into innumerable tripping. This tripping always escalates the carefully planned budget!!! Usually, the Project Management looks at the Power System studies and Relay co-ordination, as a Project cost element, which is unnecessarily increasing the Project Cost. This is due to the ignorance and their conviction that such study does not pay any dividend. This is a wrong belief as the cost of such study is a fraction of the project cost, which pays a lot to a successful commissioning. Due to this mind set, the Indian System Engineer although understands the importance but could not develop enough to take up challenges to carry out such study. The System Engineer, in the absence of project specific data, does a very formal study based on very preliminary and assumed data; decide the equipment rating with margin based on their data bank and experience, selecting the next higher rating as well. With this approach, the project cost increases ultimately, however it is easily honored by the Project Manager. Secondly, To begin with, the Project Manager hires a System Engineer based on L1 cost. With this short sight approach, the Project Manager saves penny and ready to loose many at the end of the project. The cumulative loss in post commissioning period of plant tripping is a substantial figure in more than 8 digits, which can be reduced if system studies and relay coordination is given due place by the Project Management who leads and develops a power project. Unfortunately, there is a clash between technical requirement vs. commercial dictate, a clash between Physics of the system and Project Cost Economics. Thus India is loosing hundred of million of INR, which is ultimately being borne & shared by the electricity consumers.

Conclusion (In Indian context) 1. With the advent of digital era, the cost of differential relaying has become cheaper. Today multiple protective functions combined in one relay is available in the market which can be procured at a competitive price. 2. From the discussion above, it is now clear that the tripping of such an essential motor is forcing a partial or complete shutdown of a Power station with which the essential motor is associated, and therefore it is to be ensured that essential service motors is tripped for short circuit condition and Not for any other reason. 3. Looking at the above, If tripping cost is analyzed, then it recommended technically and commercially to the System Design Engineer preparing specification to consider differential protection of motor above 1000kW or even less. References: 1. A.R. Van C. Warrington Protective Relays: Their Theory and Practice, Vol.1, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, New York. 1962 2. Westinghouse Relay-Instrument Division, Applied Protective Relaying, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Newark, NJ,1976 3. The Art of Protective Relaying: By C.R. Mason, Pg no 202 4. Protective System Protection: P.M.Anderson, IEEE Press & McGraw Hill, Pg no 780-800 5. Protection of Industrial Power System By T. Devies, Newnes, Oxford, Pg no 178-180 6. ABB Protection Relay Theory and Applications : Motor Protection, Walter A Elmore JP Garitty, Pg no 130-131
Pankaj Kumar General Manager (Elect) Lahmeyer International (India) Pvt Ltd pankajkumar666@gmail.com pankaj_kumar97@rediffmail.com