16

Bus Protection
When selecting relays for bus protection, a major concern is the ability of the protective relaying scheme to restrain from tripping for close-in line faults. Tripping for bus faults, the reason for installing bus differential relaying, is less of a concern. During fault testing conditions, line circuit breakers, rather than bus sectionalizing circuit breakers or bus tie circuit breakers, should be closed to test bus integrity. Bus differential, which is the most sensitive and reliable method for protecting a substation bus, is installed at transmission and distribution substations and switchyards. Overcurrent protection may be used for bus protection at lower voltage substations.

16.1 Overcurrent Bus Differential

During the initial development of power systems, substation buses were protected with overcurrent differential relays as illustrated in Figure 16.1. CTs are connected so that relays respond to the difference between incoming and outgoing current. But, since the possibility of CT saturation cannot be eliminated for close-in line faults, overcurrent differential relays are delayed to coordinate with transmission- or distribution-line protection. For a close-in fault on the 230-21 line, the assumption is that busside CTs (connected to line relays) operate as designed, but that the line-side CTs (connected to the bus differential relay) saturate and that overcurrent bus differential relays must be coordinated with the line relaying. The instantaneous overcurrent bus differential relays initiate timers and the time overcurrent bus differential relays are coordinated with line relays. (Overcurrent bus differential relays are unacceptable if instantaneous clearing of bus faults is required.) If overcurrent relays with the settings and characteristics shown below are used to protect the 230-21 line, overcurrent bus differential relay settings could be determined as follows:

275
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Protective Relay Principles

23022

23006

6,000 A

23016

23014

4,000 A

Bus 1

17,000 A

Bus 2 50/51

50/51 B2

23031

23032

32,000 A 23021

5,000 A 23012

Figure 16.1 One-line diagram showing Bus, circuit breakers, CTs, and secondary wiring to Bus differential relay.

230-21 Line TOC (51) Phase: 5 Relay Amps, 800 Line Amps #5 time dial, Inverse TOC (51G) Ground: 1 Relay Amp, 200 Line Amps #6 time dial, Extremely Inverse

IOC (50) Phase: IOC (50G) Ground: 20 Relay Amps, 4000 Line Amps 15 Relay Amps, 3000 Line Amps Bus Differential TOC (51) Phase: Extremely Inverse Definite TOC Phase, Quick Trip

16.2 Bus DifferentialQuick Trip Settings

A 200-millisecond delay should be sufficient to allow an instantaneous line protective relay to actuate (16 ms), a line circuit breaker to trip (50 ms), and the bus differential instantaneous relay to reset (16 ms), and to allow margin for uncertainty.

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The pickup setting of the quick trip relay should be 125% of the setting of the maximum instantaneous overcurrent relay pickup setting used for line protection. In this case, 4000 amps 125% = 5000 amps With 1000/5 CTs, the following setting would be appropriate: 25 Relay amps, 5000 Line amps, 200 ms delay

16.3 Bus DifferentialTime Overcurrent Settings

A 200-millisecond delay at maximum current should be allowed for an instantaneous line protective relay to actuate (16 ms) and a line circuit breaker to trip (50 ms), and to allow margin for uncertainty. The pickup setting of the time overcurrent relay should be 125% of the setting of the maximum time overcurrent relay pickup setting used for line protection. In this case, 800 amps 125% = 1000 amps With 2000/5 CTs, the following pickup would be appropriate: 2.5 Relay amps, 1000 Line amps The minimum time delay could be evaluated at the maximum interrupting rating of the circuit breakers or at 125% of the maximum calculated short-circuit current. (If the time delay is calculated at the maximum shortcircuit current, it may be necessary to reset the relay when the next power system modification is implemented.) In this example, the circuit breakers are capable of interrupting 40,000 amps and the minimum time delay will be evaluated for the maximum interrupting rating of the circuit breakers. 40,000 amps 1000 amps = 40 pu At 40 times pickup, an extremely inverse time overcurrent relay set on the #5 time dial will operate in 210 ms (refer to Figure 16.2). After a minimum time dial is selected, coordination with line relays needs to be checked.

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Protective Relay Principles

Extremely Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay Time Current Characteristic

100

10

Time - Seconds

TD 10 TD 8 TD 6 TD 5
0.1

TD 4 TD 3 TD 2 TD 1

0.01 1 10 100

Multiples of Pickup

Figure 16.2 Extremely inverse time overcurrent relay TCC.

At 4000 amps 125%, an inverse time overcurrent relay used for line protection that is set at 800 amps and on the #5 time dial operates in 1.8 seconds. At 4000 amps 125%, an extremely inverse time overcurrent relay used for bus protection that is set at 1000 amps and on the #5 time dial operates in 2.1 seconds (refer to Figure 16.3).
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Extremely Inverse Time Overcurrent Relay Time Current Characteristic

100

10

Time - Seconds

TD 10 TD 8

TD 6 TD 5

TD 4

TD 3 TD 2

TD 1 0.1 1 10 100

Multiples of Pickup

Figure 16.3 Inverse time overcurrent relay TCC.

16.4 High-Impedance Bus Differential

High-impedance bus differential relays are a preferred method for bus protection. As with overcurrent bus differential, the primary concern is
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Protective Relay Principles

23022

23006

6,000 A

23016

23014 4,000 A

Bus 1

17,000 A

Bus 2

87 BD

32,000 A 23031 23032 23021

5,000 A 23012

Figure 16.4 One-line diagram showing bus, circuit breakers, CTs, and secondary wiring to Bus differential relay.

security of the scheme for close-in line faults. Consider the configuration shown in Figure 16.4. For the bus differential relay to restrain from operating for close-in line fault conditions, the CT with 32,000 amps flowing through its primary winding must reproduce current in its secondary as accurately as the four CTs that have substantially less current flowing through their primary windings. Otherwise the bus differential will see a difference current and operate incorrectly. This concern has been minimized through the use of high-impedance bus differential relays that incorporate a voltage unit that operates for low-magnitude bus faults and an overcurrent unit that operates for highmagnitude bus faults. The overcurrent unit operates when CT secondary voltage is high enough to allow a varistor to conduct. This is roughly analogous to a surge arrestor that conducts when an overvoltage condition occurs on a transmission or distribution line. The design intent is to calculate the voltage that is impressed across the differential relays voltage unit if any CT saturates for an external fault and to set the voltage relay below the knee of the CT saturation curve and above the calculated voltage. A current unit provides high-speed operation for high-magnitude internal faults. When the bus differential voltage unit is set higher than the calculated voltage for a saturated CT, the voltage unit will be insensitive to

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close-in line faults but very responsive to low-magnitude bus faults when none of the CTs saturate. The voltage unit can usually be set between 100 and 300 volts and the CT secondary voltage capability should be at least 400 volts. The bus differential current unit should operate as soon as the varistor conducts. The varistor should not conduct for close-in, external faults. The current unit will operate when a few amps pass through its coil. The actual pickup current is the sum of the current through the relay coil plus the excitation current for each of the CTs in the current circuit. Settings will be developed for a high-impedance bus differential relay for a bus with five lines and a maximum fault current of 40,000 amps. The calculations will be developed for phase-to-ground faults because phaseto-ground faults require the consideration of the return path in the current circuit. The first consideration is the selection of bus differential current transformers. Usual practice is to place the following restraints on bus differential CTs: 1. One set of bus differential relays per CT. Explanation: When redundancy is desired, independent CTs are required. 2. Dedicated CTs for bus differential protection; that is, the CTs should not be used for metering or as inputs to other protective relays. Explanation: When additional components are added, the secondary circuit impedance increases and the number of locations where a short or open could occur (in the CT secondary) increases. 3. Impedance in CT secondary circuits should be held to a minimum. Explanation: A CT is most accurate when secondary voltage is very low. As CT secondary circuit impedance increases, CT secondary voltage increases. 4. The full CT secondary winding tap should be used. Explanation: CT secondary voltage capability is a function of CT turns. A 2000/5, C800 CT can produce 2 volts per turn. If this CT is connected on the 800/5 amp tap, it operates a C320 CT with higher secondary current and lower voltage capability. 5. All CTs must have the same excitation voltageexcitation current characteristics. Explanation: When CTs with different excitation characteristics are installed, CT and relay performance must be evaluated for close-in line faults near each circuit breaker and for low-current bus faults associated with bus testing conditions. 6. All CTs must be able to carry the maximum load current of the highest rated power circuit. Explanation: Secondary current must be matched; otherwise inadvertent relay operation will occur.

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Protective Relay Principles

1,000

Secondary Excitation Volts

100

10

1 0.001 2000/5

0.01 1600/5

0.1 1200/5

1 800/5

10 500/5

100 300/5

Secondary Excitation Amps

Figure 16.5 2000/5, C800 MRBCT saturation curve.

The bus differential for the bus in Figure 16.4 will utilize 2000/5, C800 multiratio CTs with the excitation characteristics shown in Figure 16.5. CT lead resistance: 0.04 CT winding resistance: 0.00312 per turn Information required to determine the bus differential relay setpoint includes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Bus configuration Maximum three-phase fault current Maximum phase-to-ground fault current Minimum three-phase fault current, line-end fault on weakest incoming line Minimum phase-to-ground fault current, line-end fault on weakest incoming line CT location, ratio, accuracy class, saturation curves, winding resistance, and lead resistance Cable resistance for all wiring between the bus differential relays and the CTs Range of settings for the bus differential relay voltage unit Pickup current for the bus differential relay overcurrent unit

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Cabling between devices is as follows: 230-12 CB to Bus Diff Relay: 230-14 CB to Bus Diff Relay: 230-16 CB to Bus Diff Relay: 230-21 CB to Bus Diff Relay: Bus Sectionalizing CB to Bus Diff Relay: Cable resistance: 1.26 per 1000 feet 300 feet, #10 copper 325 feet, #10 copper 275 feet, #10 copper 200 feet, #10 copper 150 feet, #10 copper

During external faults, the voltage across the relay terminals will be low, essentially zero, if CT saturation does not occur. During bus faults, the voltage across the relay terminals will be high and operate the overvoltage unit. The instantaneous unit is intended to provide even faster operation for high-magnitude bus faults. The voltage unit is set by calculating the maximum possible voltage for an external fault as follows: VR = R S I S where VR = Pickup setting of the voltage unit, in volts RS = DC resistance of secondary circuit, including CT secondary winding, CT leads, cable from CT to bus differential, and jumpers in control and relay cabinets IS = Maximum fault current in the CT secondary circuit for a close-in fault external to the bus For three-phase faults, VR = (400 0.00312 + 0.04 + 375 1.26/1000) 40,000/400 A VR = (1.248 + 0.04 + 0.472) 100 A VR = 176 volts For single-phase faults, VR = (400 0.00312 + 2 0.04 + 2 375 1.26/1000) 40,000/400 A VR = (1.248 + 0.08 + 0.945) 100 A VR = 227 volts Based on this calculation, the voltage unit should be set at 240 volts in order to allow margin for unknowns. Before a voltage setting is selected,
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Protective Relay Principles

it is important to check the CT saturation curves. By observation, 240 volts is below the knee of the CT saturation curve and the desired setpoint is within the range of the voltage unit.

16.5 Sensitivity for Bus Faults

The minimum single phase-to-ground fault current condition occurs when the bus is tested from the 230-12 line with the generators at the remote end out of service. For this condition, the single phase-to-ground short-circuit current is 2200 amps. The sensitivity of the overcurrent unit for this relay is 3 amps. The excitation current in each of the CTs is approximately 0.025 amps at 240 volts. Therefore, the minimum sensitivity of the overcurrent unit of the bus differential relay is 2000/5 (CT ratio) ( 3.0 A pickup + 5 0.025A) = 1250 amps 2200 amps = 1.76 1250 amps The available fault current under bus testing conditions is 176% of the bus differential overcurrent unit pickup setting. If the available fault current was less than 150% of minimum bus differential relay pickup setting, additional reviews of the bus differential application would be warranted. Note that the sensitivity of the bus differential relay will decrease slightly if additional lines are connected to the bus.

2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC