Protective Device Coordination Course Topics

System Analysis
Fault current and load flow calculations using computer software
Effects of faults to areas remote from the fault
Overview of hand calculation methods such as per-unit and symmetrical component analysis
Important symmetrical component relationships to systems and equipment

Protective Device Coordination Principles

Graphical tools and time/current curve interpretation
Load flow and unbalanced fault effects
Cold load pickup
Grounding system constraints
Coordination economics
Asymmetrical current impacts
Coordination time intervals
Transformer effects on coordination
Software and graphical tool limitations
Current transformer selection

Arc Flash Studies

Arc flash computations
Personal protective equipment
NFPA 70E vs. IEEE 1584 computations
Arc flash vs. Device coordination
Arc flash study rules-of-thumb to minimize study costs

Equipment And Device Characteristics

Fuses - low voltage and medium voltage
Molded case and insulated case breakers
Solid-state trip low voltage breakers

Equipment damage characteristics

Proper protective device selection
High voltage breakers
Low voltage cable protection
Shielded cable protection
Overhead conductor protection
Motor protection
Generator protection
Transformer protection
Panelboard and switchgear protection
Inverse time/overcurrent protective relays and instantaneous trip devices
Series rated breakers
Differential and voltage constrained relays
Reclosing relays, reclosers, and sectionalizers
Electromechanical and digital relay performance
Current transformer characteristics, selection, and calculations

Ground Fault Protection

Arcing ground fault magnitudes
Ground fault protection schemes
Interaction of ground fault relays and phase overcurrent devices

Emergency Power System Design

Weak Source Systems

Generator fault characteristics
Uninterruptible power supply fault characteristics
Transfer and static switch limitations
Improving emergency circuit design

Common Coordination Problems, Errors, And Misconceptions

Preliminary System One-Line Development For A Coordinated System

Designing Systems For Minimizing Arc Flash Hazards

Lessons Learned And Rules Of Thumb To Spot Uncoordinated Systems

And Methods To Develop A Coordinated System Design

Criteria Impacting Coordination

NESC, I.E.E.E. Std C2,
NFPA 70-National Electrical Code
NFPA 70E - (Arc Flash Protection Of Employees)
Military UFC and FAA criteria (this material is only added for those students who are government
employees or consultants to the government)

Switchgear And Relay Commissioning

Hands-On Lab Exercises

Student calibration of a relay (student will actually run the test set and compare performance
against relay curves)
Transformer testing by students to determine transformer impedances and compare actual results
to per-unit computations with various tap configurations

8 classroom hours will be used to work example design problems with

student involvement in the following system types. Students are encouraged
to bring their own system problems for class analysis.
Low voltage system with critical systems fed from normal and emergency power sources
Medium voltage system from a 15 kv class substation primary to the low voltage secondary
Note: no software will be used or required of the student. The instructor will use software during
presentation to analyze the systems and devices selected by the students.

Specification Writing for a Coordinated System