Module 2 Basics of Protection

Power System Protection
Module 2
Fundamentals of Protection
By: Eng.
Protection Basic concepts
• The Protection system is a set of devices within the power

system that mitigate the effect of the fault in the power
system upon its occurrence by detecting, locating and
isolating the faulty section of the network before spreading of
the fault, and so keeping the healthy section running
normally.
– According to IEC 60255-20: a complete arrangement of
protection equipment and other devices required to achieve a specified
function based on a protection principle.
• Protection not Prevention: the main function is to reduce the
effect of the fault not to inhibit it. Protection does not mean
prevention, but rather minimizing the duration of the trouble
and limiting the damage, outage time and related problems
that may otherwise result.
Protection Basic concepts
• The protection system has three main functions/duties:

1. Safeguard the entire system to maintain continuity of
supply
2. Minimize damage and repair costs where it senses fault
3. Ensure safety of personnel.
• Protection system elements (devices/equipment): a set of
elements that each of it is playing a specific role to achieve
protection function ( i.e. protection relays, current
transformers, circuit breakers, fuses, dc system( tripping
batteries…etc.)
• Protection Scheme: a clear presentation of the protection
system elements that shows how they are integrated to
achieve the intended protection function.
Simple protection scheme
Total Fault clearance time = trelay + taux relay + tCB + tarc
Protection Scheme Quality
• The Protection scheme quality is assessed on the basis of

the following :
 Selectivity :
when a fault occurs, the scheme should isolate only
the faulty section, by selecting the correct circuit breakers,
this is called Discrimination, which can be achieved by
different methods that include:
 Discrimination by time (Time grading).
 Unit Protection.
 Discrimination by logic.
 Discrimination by direction.
 Stability :
means that if the fault is located outside a the area of the
scheme interest, scheme should not trip this area (in Unit
protection). This is also linked to the system Security which
means that the scheme should not trip under normal
operation conditions, it should not mal-operate if the system
is healthy (no faults).
 Sensitivity : To
detect even the smallest fault, current or system
abnormalities and operate correctly at its setting before the
fault causes irreparable damage.
 Speed :
To operate rapidly when it is called upon to do so,
thereby minimizing damage to the surroundings, preventing
widespread loss of synchronism, system collapse and ensuring
safety to personnel.
• Generally ,protection must be reliable which means it must

be :
– Dependable : It must trip when called upon to do so.
– Secure : It must not trip when it is not supposed to.
Zones of Protection
Zones of Protection
• The general philosophy for the use of relays is to divide the

system into separate zones, which can be individually
protected and disconnected on the occurrence of a fault, in
order to permit the rest of the system to continue in service
wherever possible.
• The zone of protection defines the area of interest of each
protection relay/element within the scheme.
• Zones of protection shows also the expected protection
elements operation sequence if any fault occurs within a
specific section.
• Adjacent zones should always overlap so as to ensure that the
system is fully covered (protected). This is important to ensure
that there is no blind (not protected) zones within the system.
Zones of Protection
Primary and Backup Protection
• Each part of the power system should be properly protected
against any fault, hence; there should by always plan A and
plan B to protect each part.
• Primary protection for each part should operate every time it
detects a fault within this part (First defense line).
• In some philosophies, important components of the power
system may have more than one primary protection
( redundant protection), all should operate at the same time.
• Backup protection is the second line defense, that should
operate if the primary fails to clear the fault within a specific
time limit, backup protection has two forms:
– Local backup protection : additional protection relay/element with
more time delay.
– Remote backup protection : non unit protection of each zone are
considered as a backup for the next zone if properly graded.
Remote backup protection
Tripping scheme
• When a fault occurs, the protection relay is required to trip
the circuit breaker to clear the fault, either directly or through
tripping relay.
• To restore the service later, reset operation is required, and
according to the type and location of the fault this operation
could be:
– Self reset : automatically reset after fault condition is no longer valid.
– Elect reset : reset operation can be done locally or remotely from
control room.
– Hand reset : reset is possible only locally, suitable with series faults
that needs maintenance staff to visit and carry out more investigation
before giving clearance for restoration.
DC scheme / Tripping scheme
Trip circuit supervision
• Trip circuit supervision (TCS) is the function that ensures
dependability of the system.
• TCS continuously monitors the healthiness of the tripping
circuit.
• TCS should able do detect any electrical problem within the
tripping circuit (i.e. CB trip coil burned, open circuit, loss of DC
supply…etc.).
• if any problem observed it should initiate an alarm locally and
remotely to the control room, further it will not allow any
energizing of the corresponding feeder until alarm is cleared.
• Dedicated relay can be used for this function, sometimes if
numerical protection relay is used TCS function can be
implemented in the protection relay.
Trip circuit supervision
ANSI/IEC 60617 device number
Questions
Thanks.

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Power System Protection

• The Protection system is a set of devices within the power

• The protection system has three main functions/duties:

• The Protection scheme quality is assessed on the basis of

• Generally ,protection must be reliable which means it must

• The general philosophy for the use of relays is to divide the

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