Czech Technical University in Prague

Faculty of Electrical Engineering

Department of Electroenergetics

Influences of Distributed Generation on protection

in radial system

Author:
Minh-Quan Dang

February 17, 2016

Prague

Contents
1 Theoretical background of Power system
1.1 Principle of protection of power system .
1.2 System protection components . . . . . .
1.3 Radial system protection . . . . . . . . .

protection
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 Coordinating overcurrent relays in a radial system

2.1 Given data and assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2 Short-circuit current calculations . . . . . . . . . . .
2.3 Setting for current tap of Overcurrent relays . . . . .
2.4 Setting of time-dial of relays . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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3 Influences of Distributed Generations on protection in a radial system 8

3.1 Given data and assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8
3.2 Short circuit analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8
3.3 Setting of time-dial of relays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
3.4 Simulation of influences of DG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4 Solutions and Conclusion

13

References

14

1 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND OF POWER SYSTEM PROTECTION

Theoretical background of Power system protection

1.1

Principle of protection of power system

Power system protection design have these following criteria [1]:

1. Reliability: Whenever fault happen the protection system must operate (protective relay system has reliability 99%)
2. Selectivity: Only the faulted section is isolated
3. Speed: Operate rapidly to minimize the affect of fault.
4. Economy: Maximum protection with minimum cost
5. Simplicity: Minimum protective equipment and circuitry to achieve the protection objectives.

1.2

System protection components

Protection systems consists of three basis elements [2], which are:

1. Instrument transformers: Current transformer (CT), voltage transformer (VT)
2. Relays: Overcurrent relays, Directional relays, Impedance relays, Differential
relays...
3. Circuit breakers
Current/Voltage transformers reproduce a current/voltage in its secondary
winding. These secondary current/voltage has much smaller magnitude compare to
primary. For CT, Isecondary (0; 5A) and for VT, Vsecondary 1V
The reasons for having small secondary output:
1. Safety: The personnel working with relays will work in a safer environment,
which is isolated from the power system.
2. Economy: lower-level relay input allow to be used smaller, simpler and less expensive.
3. Accuracy: accurately reproduce power current and voltages over wide operating
ranges.

1:1
60:1
1000:1

2:1
100:1
2000:1

Voltage Ratio
5:1
4:1
200:1
300:1
3000:1
4500:1

5:1
400:1

20:1
600:1

40:1
800:1

Table 1: Standar VT ratio [2]

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1 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND OF POWER SYSTEM PROTECTION

50:5
450:5
1500:5
4000:5

100:5
500:5
1600:5
5000:5

Current Ratio
150:5
200:5
250:5 300:5 400:5
600:5
800:5
900:5 1000:5 1200:5
2000:5
2400:5
2500:5 3000:5 3200:5
6000:5
Table 2: Standard CT ratios

Overcurrent Relays detect short-circuit current in power system, when the

If ault > Ipickup the relay will signal circuit breaker to trip. There are two basic type of
overcurrent relay: definite-time and inverse-time. The definite-time relay response to
the magnitude of input current. If the input current exceed the pickup current, then the
relay contacts close immediately to energize the circuit breaker trip coil. The inversetime relay has tripping time vary response to the magnitude of the input current. The
tripping time (TDS) of relay could be control by time-dial setting.

Figure 1: Definite and inverse-time characteristics

The overcurrent relay have two setting:
1. Current tap setting: The pickup current in amperes.
2. Time-dial setting: The adjustable amount of time delay.

1.3

Radial system protection

The radial system is usually protected by inverse-time overcurrent relay. The operating time of relay can be selected such that the breaker closest to the fault opens,
while other upstream breakers with larger time delays remain closed. The coordination
time interval is the interval between the primary and backup protective devices typical
from 0.2 to 0.5 seconds [2].
The process setting and coordinating inverse-time overcurrent relays in radial system will be present in the following chapter.

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2 COORDINATING OVERCURRENT RELAYS IN A RADIAL SYSTEM

2
2.1

Coordinating overcurrent relays in a radial system

Given data and assumptions

The 50-Hz radial system of Figure 2, data of this system are given in Table 2.1
and Table 4. Selection of current tap settings (TSs) and time-dial setting (TDSs) is
required to protect the system from faults. Along with the given data some assumption
are made to study the process of setting and coordinating overcurrent relays in a radial
system.
The first assumption is all OC relays for each circuit breaker (CB) is normal inversetime relay [3]. Each breaker has three relays for each phase, with a 0.2-second coordination time interval. The relays for each breaker are connected in the way, so that all
three phases of the breaker open when a fault is detected on any one phase.
Second assumption is a line-to-line 10-kV at all buses during normal operation. The
grid is considered as infinite bus. Future load growth is included in the Table 2.1, such
that maximum loads over the operating life of the radial system.

Figure 2: Single-line diagram of a 10-kV radial system

S
MVA
Grid
200
1
11
2
4
3
6
Bus

Lagging p.f
0.95
0.95
0.95

Table 3: Maximum loads

Type
OH-line: DINGO 19/.132

R [/km] X[/km] Inom [A]

0.218
0.311
525

Table 4: Over head line parameters of the radial system

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2 COORDINATING OVERCURRENT RELAYS IN A RADIAL SYSTEM

Breaker
B1
B2
B3

Breaker Operating Time

5 cycle
5 cycle
5 cycle

CT Ratio
1500:5
600:5
600:5

Relay
NI
NI
NI

Table 5: Breaker, CT and relay data

2.2

Short-circuit current calculations

The maximum faulted current is assumed as bolted three-phase (3) fault, which
occurs on buses [4]. The equivalent diagram of the network when fault occurs at bus
3 as following figure.

Figure 3: Equivalent circuit of network

The grid impedance is calculated as:
Zgrid =

2
Vgrid
= j0.5 []
Sgrid

The impedance of over-head transmission line is calculated as:

ZOHL = (rOHL + jxOHL ).length
Z1 = 0.218 + j0.311 []
Z2 = 0.872 + j1.244 []
Z3 = 0.654 + j0.933 []
If the fault occurs at bus 3 as the Figure 3, the total 3 short-circuit current is:
Ik3 =

Vgrid
3.(Zgrid + Z1 + Z2 + Z3)

Ik3 = 841.208 j1441.24 = 1668.786 59.73 [A]

With the same process, the Ik3 at the bus 1 and bus 2 will be found and results is
presented in the Table

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2 COORDINATING OVERCURRENT RELAYS IN A RADIAL SYSTEM

Maximum Fault Current
(Bolted Three-Phase)
Bus
A
1
6874.956 74.9543
2
2481.966 62.0579
3
1668.786 59.7293
Table 6: Symmetrical fault currents

2.3

Setting for current tap of Overcurrent relays

The current tap should be set, such the way the relays do not operate for maximum
load currents. Starting at bus 3, the primary and secondary CT currents for maximum
load L3 are:
SL3
6 106
IL3 =
=
= 346.41 [A]
3V3
3.(10 103 )
0
IL3
=

IL3
346.41
=
= 2.89 [A]
CT ratio
(600/5)

TS at B3 is selected as 3-A, which is the lowest TS above 2.89 A.

The primary and secondary CT currents for maximum load at B2 are:
IL2 =

(4 + 6) 106
SL2 + SL3

=
= 577.35 [A]
3V2
3.(10 103 )
0
IL2
=

577.35
= 4.81 [A]
(600/5)

TS at B2 is selected as 5-A, which is the lowest TS above 4.81 A.

The primary and secondary CT currents for maximum load at B1 are:
IL1 =

(11 + 4 + 6) 106
SL1 + SL2 + SL3

=
= 1212.44 [A]
3V1
3.(10 103 )
0
IL1
=

1212.44
= 4.04 [A]
(1500/5)

TS at B1 is selected as 5-A, which is the lowest TS above 4.04 A.

Bus

CT Ratio

1
2
3

1500/5
600/5
600/5

Iprimary
A
1212.44
577.35
346.41

Isecondary
A
4.04
4.81
2.89

TS
A
5
5
3

Table 7: Current tap setting of CT

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2 COORDINATING OVERCURRENT RELAYS IN A RADIAL SYSTEM

2.4

Setting of time-dial of relays

Characteristic of Normal-inverse relays are described by formula [3]:

ttripping = T DS

0.14
(I/Ip)0.02 1

Starting at B3, the largest fault current through B3 is 2481.96 A, which occurs for
the 3 fault at bus 2 (right side of B3). Neglecting CT saturation, the fault-to-pickup
current ratio at B3 for this fault is:
0
2481.96/(600/5)
I3F
ault
=
= 6.89
T S3
3

Since this bus is the most remote bus on the radial system, the fault should be clear
as rapid as possible. For that reason, the relay operating time is chosen T3 = 50 ms.
Then the relay TDS is:
T DS3 = 0.05 (

0.14
)1 = 0.0140604
0.02
6.89
1

Adding the breaker operating time (5 cycle = 0.1 s), primary protection clears this
fault in T 3 + Tbreaker = 0.05 + 0.1 = 0.15s
For the same fault, the fault-to-pickup current ratio at B2 is
0
2481.96/(600/5)
I2F
ault
=
= 4.14
T S2
5

Adding the B3 relay operating time (T 3 = 0.05s), breaker operating time (0.1s),
and 0.2s coordination time interval, we want a B2 relay operating time:
T 2 = T 3 + Tbreaker + Tcoordination = 0.05 + 0.1 + 0.2 = 0.35s
Then

0.14
)1 = 0.0720536
4.140.02 1
Next select the TDS at B1. The largest fault current though B2 is 6874.95 A, for
the 3 fault at bus 2 (right side of B2). Neglecting CT saturation, the fault-to-pickup
current ratio at B3 for this fault is:
T DS2 = 0.35 (

0
I2F
6874.95/(600/5)
ault
=
= 11.46
T S2
5

Then for this fault the operating time of B2 relay:

T 2 = 0.072

0.14
0.2 [s]
11.460.02 1

Fault-to-pickup ratio of B1 relay

0
I1F
6874.95/(1500/5)
ault
=
= 4.58
T S1
5

T 1 = T 2 + Tbreaker + Tcoordination = 0.2 + 0.1 + 0.2 = 0.5 [s]

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2 COORDINATING OVERCURRENT RELAYS IN A RADIAL SYSTEM

Then
T DS1 = 0.5 (

0.14
)1 = 0.110364
4.580.02 1

Bus
1
2
3

TDS
0.11
0.072
0.014

Table 8: Time-dial settings of relays

Figure 4: Setting of protection selectivity in classical system

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3 INFLUENCES OF DISTRIBUTED GENERATIONS ON PROTECTION IN A

RADIAL SYSTEM

Influences of Distributed Generations on protection in a radial system

3.1

Given data and assumptions

The distributed generator (DG) is connected to the radial system from the Chapter
2. The DG is connected at the distance d from Bus 1 and at the Bus 2 a three fault is
occurred [5]. The relative value are used for convenience:
l=

d
4

Figure 5: Radial system with Distributed generation connected

3.2

Short circuit analysis

The short-circuit current when fault occurs at bus 3 is smaller than when it occurs
at bus 2, then the maximum fault current flow through CB3 is short-circuit current
when fault at bus 2. For that reason only fault at bus 2 is considered. The short circuit
current when fault occurs at bus 1 has the same value as the previous analysis (Table
6).
When the fault occurs in at the bus 2 then the total fault current Iktot is the
combination of fault current from the grid Ikgrid and fault current from DG IkDG :
Iktot = Ikgrid + IkDG [A]
The system could be demonstrated by equivalent circuit as follow

Figure 6: Equivalent impedance diagram when fault at bus 2

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3 INFLUENCES OF DISTRIBUTED GENERATIONS ON PROTECTION IN A

RADIAL SYSTEM

In this case, the VDG is assumed equal to Vgrid then the Thevenin equivalent of the
system is

Figure 7: Thevenin equivalent of Figure 6

The Thevenin impedance is:
Zth =

(Zs + Z1 + l.Z2 ).Zg

+ (1 l).Z2 []
(Zs + Z1 + l.Z2 ) + Zg

Where: Zs Z1 and Z2 are calculated by given data (see Sec.2.2).

Zg is DGs impedance and could be found as:
Zg = j.xg .

2
Vgrid
[]
SDG

From the equation above, the Zth is function of location l of the DG as well as
power rating of DG (SDG ).
The total 3 short-circuit current is calculated by:
Iktot =

Vth
[A]
3.Zth

The grid contributes to short circuit current:

Ikgrid =

3.3

Zg
.Iktot [A]
(Zs + Z1 + l.Z2 ) + Zg

Setting of time-dial of relays

The Tap Setting ratio of CT at every relay unchanged (see Sec.2.3 and Table 7).
The normal-inverse relay has characteristic, which described at Sec.2.4.
With the same process for setting TDS as in the case without DG, the TDS for
relay of each CB are coordinated.
Starting with CB3 relay, the maximum fault current flow though this relay is Iktot .
From this data the fault-to-pickup current is found.
0
Iktot
T S3

The desired tripping time for CB3 relay is T 3 = 0.05s, then by applying the relays
characteristic formula (see Sec.2.4), the TDS3 is found.
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3 INFLUENCES OF DISTRIBUTED GENERATIONS ON PROTECTION IN A

RADIAL SYSTEM

We want a CB2 relay operating time:

T 2 = T 3 + Tbreaker + Tcoordination = 0.05 + 0.1 + 0.2 = 0.35s
However, the fault current flows though CB2 relay is only Ikgrid . The fault-to-pickup
current ratio of CB2 relay:
0
Ikgrid
T S2
From that ratio and relay operating time, the TDS2 could be found.
Next select the TDS for CB1 relay. The largest fault current though CB2 is
6874.95A as calculated before. Then the operating time for CB2 relay T2 with this
fault current could be found from the relays characteristic. Operating time of CB1
relay is T 1 = T 2 + Tbreaker + Tcoordination . From that the TDS1 is determined.

3.4

Simulation of influences of DG

To demonstrate the influences of DG on the protection system two parameters of

DG are modified, which is generator size and its location in the system. The location
l will varies from 0 to 1, which represents for DGs location is connected to bus 1
to bus 2. The generator size is increased from 1 MW to 10 MW. The program on
c
software Wolfram Mathematica 10
- Student Version [6] is used to execute iterative
calculations.

Figure 8: Result of TDS setting

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3 INFLUENCES OF DISTRIBUTED GENERATIONS ON PROTECTION IN A

RADIAL SYSTEM

Figure 9: Changing of TDS1 with different location and size of DG

Figure 10: Changing of TDS2 with different location and size of DG

Figure 11: Changing of TDS3 with different location and size of DG

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3 INFLUENCES OF DISTRIBUTED GENERATIONS ON PROTECTION IN A

RADIAL SYSTEM

From Figure.8, the DG has the same effect on CB1 and CB2 relays. Maximum
influence of DG on the system when location of DG l = 0.24, and larger the DG size
the influence is stronger. DG will cause the TDS value smaller than normal case up
until location l larger than 0.8. Then TDS value become larger than normal case. In
the case of CB3 relay the TDS value increase in all circumstances as Figure.11.

Figure 12: Coordinated time characteristic of relays in the case l = 0.24 and SDS =
0 MW

Figure 13: Coordinated time characteristic of relays in the case l = 0.24 and SDS =
10 M W

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4 SOLUTIONS AND CONCLUSION

Solutions and Conclusion

The paper deals with coordinating inverse-time overcurrent relay in radial system.
The process coordination is demonstrated in Chapter.2.
With the same process, Chapter.3 demonstrate the influence of Distributed Generator when it is connected to the system.
From the simulations results, existence of DG will require changing in relay setting.
The problem could appear when the DG is connected in the system, but the relay
setting is unchanged.
There are two solutions for this problem. First, the DG must be disconnected from
the system as soon as possible when fault occurs. Second, the relay setting should
adapt to the status the DG (location and size) on the system.

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REFERENCES

References
[1] J Lewis Blackburn and Thomas J Domin. Protective relaying: principles and applications. CRC press, 2006.
[2] J Duncan Glover, Mulukutla Sarma, and Thomas Overbye. Power System Analysis
& Design, SI Version. Cengage Learning, 2011.
[3] AG SIEMENS. Applications for siprotec protective relays, 2005.
[4] Paul M Anderson. Faulted power systems, 1995.
[5] Edward Jeroen Coster. Distribution grid operation including distributed generation. Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, 2010.
[6] Wolfram language & system: Documentation center, 2016.

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