Index

Types of protection:
1.
2.

Unit Type Protection

Non-unit schemes
1.
Overcurrent protection
2.
Earth fault protection
Various types of Line Faults
Overcurrent Relay Purpose and Ratings
Primary requirement of Overcurrent protection
Purpose of overcurrent Protection
Overcurrent Relay Ratings
Difference between Overcurrent and Overload protection
Types of Overcurrent Relay:
Instantaneous Overcurrent relay (Define Current)
Definite Time Overcurrent Relays
Inverse Time Overcurrent Relays (IDMT Relay)
1.
2.
3.

Normal Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay

Very Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay
Extremely Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay
Directional Overcurrent Relays
Application of Overcurrent Relay

Types of protection
Protection schemes can be divided into two major groupings:
1.
Unit schemes
2.
Non-unit schemes

1. Unit Type Protection

Unit type schemes protect a specific area of the system, i.e., a transformer,
transmission line, generator or bus bar.

The unit protection schemes is based on Kirchhoffs Current Law the sum of the
currents entering an area of the system must be zero.
Any deviation from this must indicate an abnormal current path. In these schemes,
the effects of any disturbance or operating condition outside the area of interest are
totally ignored and the protection must be designed to be stable above the maximum
possible fault current that could flow through the protected area.
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2. Non unit type protection

The non-unit schemes, while also intended to protect specific areas, have no fixed
boundaries. As well as protecting their own designated areas, the protective zones
can overlap into other areas. While this can be very beneficial for backup purposes,
there can be a tendency for too great an area to be isolated if a fault is detected by
different non unit schemes.
The most simple of these schemes measures current and incorporates an inverse time
characteristic into the protection operation to allow protection nearer to the fault to
operate first.
The non unit type protection system includes following schemes:
1.
Time graded overcurrent protection
2.
Current graded overcurrent protection
3.
Distance or Impedance Protection
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2.1 Overcurrent protection

This is the simplest of the ways to protect a line and therefore widely used.
It owes its application from the fact that in the event of fault the current would increase
to a value several times greater than maximum load current. It has a limitation that it
can be applied only to simple and non costly equipments.
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2.2 Earth fault protection

The general practice is to employ a set of two or three overcurrent relays and a
separate overcurrent relay for single line to ground fault. Separate earth fault relay
provided makes earth fault protection faster and more sensitive.
Earth fault current is always less than phase fault current in magnitude.
Therefore, relay connected for earth fault protection is different from those for phase to
phase fault protection.
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Various types of Line Faults

No

Type of Fault

Operation of Relay

Phase to Ground fault (Earth Fault)

Earth Fault Relay

Phase to Phase fault Not with Ground

Related Phase Overcurrent relays

Double phase to Ground fault

Related Phase Overcurrent relays and

Earth Fault relays

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Overcurrent Relay Purpose and Ratings

A relay that operates or picks up when its current exceeds a predetermined value
(setting value) is called Overcurrent Relay.
Overcurrent protection protects electrical power systems against excessive
currentswhich are caused by short circuits, ground faults, etc. Overcurrent relays can
be used to protect practically any power system elements, i.e. transmission lines,
transformers, generators, or motors.

For feeder protection, there would be more than one overcurrent relay to protect
different sections of the feeder. These overcurrent relays need to coordinate with each
other such that the relay nearest fault operates first.
Use time, current and a combination of both time and current are three ways to
discriminate adjacent overcurrent relays.
OverCurrent Relay gives protection against:
Overcurrent includes short-circuit protection, and short circuits can be:
1.
Phase faults
2.
Earth faults
3.
Winding faults
Short-circuit currents are generally several times (5 to 20) full load current. Hence
fast fault clearance is always desirable on short circuits.
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Primary requirement of Overcurrent protection

The protection should not operate for starting currents, permissible overcurrent,
current surges. To achieve this, the time delay is provided (in case of inverse relays).
The protection should be co-ordinate with neighboring overcurrent protection.
Overcurrent relay is a basic element of overcurrent protection.
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Purpose of overcurrent Protection

These are the most important purposes of overcurrent relay:

Detect abnormal conditions

Isolate faulty part of the system

Speed Fast operation to minimize damage and danger

Discrimination Isolate only the faulty section

Dependability / reliability
Security / stability
Cost of protection / against cost of potential hazards

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Overcurrent Relay Ratings

In order for an overcurrent protective device to operate properly, overcurrent protective
device ratings must be properly selected. These ratings include voltage, ampere and
interrupting rating.
If the interrupting rating is not properly selected, a serious hazard for equipment and
personnel will exist.
Current limiting can be considered as another overcurrent protective device rating,
although not all overcurrent protective devices are required to have this characteristic
Voltage Rating: The voltage rating of the overcurrent protective device must be at
least equal to or greater than the circuit voltage. The overcurrent protective device
rating can be higher than the system voltage but never lower.
Ampere Rating: The ampere rating of a overcurrent protecting device normally should
not exceed the current carrying capacity of the conductors As a general rule, the
ampere rating of a overcurrent protecting device is selected at 125% of the
continuous load current.
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Difference between Overcurrent and

Overload protection
Overcurrent protection protects against excessive currents or currents beyond the
acceptable current ratings, which are resulting from short circuits, ground faults and
overload conditions.

While, the overload protection protects against the situation where overload current
causes overheating of the protected equipment.
The overcurrent protection is a bigger concept So that the overload protection can be
considered as a subset of overcurrent protection.
The overcurrent relay can be used as overload (thermal) protection when protects the
resistive loads, etc., however, for motor loads, the overcurrent relay cannot serve as
overload protection Overload relays usually have a longer time setting than the
overcurrent relays.
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Types of Overcurrent Relay

These are the types of overcurrent relay:
1.
Instantaneous Overcurrent (Define Current) Relay
2.
Define Time Overcurrent Relay
3.
Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay ( IDMT Relay)

Moderately Inverse

Very Inverse Time

Extremely Inverse
4.
Directional overcurrent Relay
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1. Instantaneous Overcurrent relay (Define

Current)
Definite current relay operate instantaneously when the current reaches a
predetermined value.

Instantaneous Overcurrent Relay Definite Current

Operates in a definite time when current exceeds its Pick-up value.

Its operation criterion is only current magnitude (without time delay).
Operating time is constant.
There is no intentional time delay.
Coordination of definite-current relays is based on the fact that the fault current

varies with the position of the fault because of the difference in the impedance
between the fault and the source
The relay located furthest from the source operate for a low current value
The operating currents are progressively increased for the other relays when

moving towards the source.

It operates in 0.1s or less

Application: This type is applied to the outgoing feeders.

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2. Definite Time Overcurrent Relays

In this type, two conditions must be satisfied for operation (tripping), current must
exceed the setting value and the fault must be continuous at least a time equal to time
setting of the relay.

Definite time of overcurrent relay

Modern relays may contain more than one stage of protection each stage includes
each own current and time setting.
1.
2.

For Operation of Definite Time Overcurrent Relay operating time is constant

Its operation is independent of the magnitude of current above the pick-up
value.
3.
It has pick-up and time dial settings, desired time delay can be set with the help
of an intentional time delay mechanism.
4.
Easy to coordinate.
5.
Constant tripping time independent of in feed variation and fault location.

Drawback of Relay:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The continuity in the supply cannot be maintained at the load end in the event
of fault.
Time lag is provided which is not desirable in on short circuits.
It is difficult to co-ordinate and requires changes with the addition of load.
It is not suitable for long distance transmission lines where rapid fault clearance
is necessary for stability.
Relay have difficulties in distinguishing between Fault currents at one point or
another when fault impedances between these points are small, thus poor
discrimination.

Application:
Definite time overcurrent relay is used as:
1.
Back up protection of distance relay of transmission line with time delay.
2.
Back up protection to differential relay of power transformer with time delay.
3.
Main protection to outgoing feeders and bus couplers with adjustable time delay
setting.
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3. Inverse Time Overcurrent Relays (IDMT Relay)

In this type of relays, operating time is inversely changed with current. So, high current
will operate overcurrent relay faster than lower ones. There are standard inverse, very
inverse and extremely inverse types.
Discrimination by both Time and Current. The relay operation time is
inversely proportional to the fault current.
Inverse Time relays are also referred to as Inverse Definite Minimum Time (IDMT)
relay.

Inverse Definite Minimum Time (IDMT)

The operating time of an overcurrent relay can be moved up (made slower) by
adjusting the time dial setting. The lowest time dial setting (fastest operating time) is
generally 0.5 and the slowest is 10.

Operates when current exceeds its pick-up value.

Operating time depends on the magnitude of current.

It gives inverse time current characteristics at lower values of fault current and

definite time characteristics at higher values

An inverse characteristic is obtained if the value of plug setting multiplier is

below 10, for values between 10 and 20 characteristics tend towards definite
time characteristics.
Widely used for the protection of distribution lines.

Based on the inverseness it has three different types:

Inverse types
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3.1. Normal Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay

The accuracy of the operating time may range from 5 to 7.5% of the nominal operating
time as specified in the relevant norms. The uncertainty of the operating time and the
necessary operating time may require a grading margin of 0.4 to 0.5 seconds.
Its used when Fault Current is dependent on generation of fault not fault location.
Normal inverse time Overcurrent Relay is relatively small change in time per unit of
change of current.
Application:
Most frequently used in utility and industrial circuits. especially applicable where the
fault magnitude is mainly dependent on the system generating capacity at the time of
fault.
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3.2. Very Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay

Gives more inverse characteristics than that of IDMT.

Used where there is a reduction in fault current, as the distance from source

increases.
Particularly effective with ground faults because of their steep characteristics.
Suitable if there is a substantial reduction of fault current as the fault distance

from the power source increases.

Very inverse overcurrent relays are particularly suitable if the short-circuit

current drops rapidly with the distance from the substation.

The grading margin may be reduced to a value in the range from 0.3 to 0.4

seconds when overcurrent relays with very inverse characteristics are used.
Used when Fault Current is dependent on fault location.
Used when Fault Current independent of normal changes in generating

capacity.
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3.3. Extremely Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay

It has more inverse characteristics than that of IDMT and very inverse

overcurrent relay.
Suitable for the protection of machines against overheating.
The operating time of a time overcurrent relay with an extremely inverse time-

current characteristic is approximately inversely proportional to the square of the

current
The use of extremely inverse overcurrent relays makes it possible to use a

short time delay in spite of high switching-in currents.

Used when Fault current is dependent on fault location
Used when Fault current independent of normal changes in generating

capacity.
Application:

Suitable for protection of distribution feeders with peak currents on switching in

(refrigerators, pumps, water heaters and so on).

Particular suitable for grading and coordinates with fuses and re closes
For the protection of alternators, transformers. Expensive cables, etc.

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3.4. Long Time Inverse Overcurrent Relay

The main application of long time overcurrent relays is as backup earth fault
protection.

4. Directional Overcurrent Relays

When the power system is not radial (source on one side of the line), an overcurrent
relay may not be able to provide adequate protection. This type of relay operates in on
direction of current flow and blocks in the opposite direction.
Three conditions must be satisfied for its operation: current magnitude, time delay and
directionality. The directionality of current flow can be identified using voltage as a
reference of direction.
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Application of Overcurrent Relay

Motor Protection:

Used against overloads and short-circuits in stator windings of motor.

Inverse time and instantaneous overcurrent phase and ground

Overcurrent relays used for motors above 1000 kW.

Transformer Protection:

Used only when the cost of overcurrent relays are not justified.

Extensively also at power-transformer locations for external-fault back-up

protection.

Line Protection:

On some sub transmission lines where the cost of distance relaying cannot be

justified.
primary ground-fault protection on most transmission lines where distance

relays are used for phase faults.

For ground back-up protection on most lines having pilot relaying for primary

protection.
Distribution Protection:
Overcurrent relaying is very well suited to distribution system protection for the
following reasons:

It is basically simple and inexpensive.

Very often the relays do not need to be directional and hence no PT supply is

required.
It is possible to use a set of two O/C relays for protection against inter-phase
faults and a separate Overcurrent relay for ground faults.