Other important protection methods

In previous article we described how overcurrent, restricted earth fault (REF) and
differential protection of a transformer can be applied and explained their schemes.
This part continues with other, also very important protection methods and schemes:
combined differential and REF, overfluxing, tank-earth and oil/gas protection.

Power transformer protection (combined differential / REF, overfluxing, tank-earth

and oil / gas)
If you didn’t already, it’s advisable first to read previous article.
Contents:
5. Combined differential and restricted earth fault schemes
1. Application when an earthing transformer is connected within the
protected zone
6. Overfluxing protection
7. Tank-earth protection
8. Oil and gas protection devices
1. Oil pressure relief devices
2. Sudden pressure rise relay
3. Buchholz protection

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5. Combined differential & restricted earth
fault schemes
The advantages to be obtained by the use of restricted earth fault protection,
discussed in previous article lead to the system being frequently used in conjunction
with an overall differential system.

The importance of this is shown in Figure 11 from which it will be seen that if the
neutral of a star-connected winding is earthed through a resistance of one per
unit, an overall differential system having an effective setting of 20% will detect
faults in only 42% of the winding from the line end.

Figure 11 – Amount of winding protected when transformer is resistance earthed and

ratings of transformer and resistor are equal

Implementation of a combined differential/REF protection scheme is made easy if a

numerical relay with software ratio/phase compensation is used. All compensation is
made internally in the relay.

Where software ratio/phase correction is not available, either a summation

transformer or auxiliary CTs can be used. The connections are shown in Figure 12 and
Figure 13 respectively.
Care must be taken in calculating the settings, but the only significant disadvantage of
the Combined Differential/REF scheme is that the REF element is likely to operate for

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heavy internal faults as well as the differential elements, thus making subsequent
fault analysis somewhat confusing.
However, the saving in CTs outweighs this disadvantage.

Fig
ure 12 – Combined differential and earth fault protection using summation current
transformer

Fig
ure 13 – Combined differential and restricted earth fault protection using auxiliary CTs
5.1 Application when an earthing transformer
is connected within the protected zone
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A delta-connected winding cannot deliver any zero sequence current to an earth fault
on the connected system, any current that does flow is in consequence of an earthed
neutral elsewhere on the system and will have a 2-1-1 pattern of current distribution
between phases.
When the transformer in question represents a major power feed, the system may
be earthed at that point by an earthing transformer or earthing reactor. They are
frequently connected to the system, close to the main supply transformer and within
the transformer protection zone.
Zero sequence current that flows through the earthing transformer during system
earth faults will flow through the line current transformers on this side, and, without
an equivalent current in the balancing current transformers, will cause unwanted
operation of the relays.

The problem can be overcome by subtracting the appropriate component of current

from the main CT output. The earthing transformer neutral current is used for this
purpose. As this represents three times the zero sequence current flowing,
ratio correction is required. This can take the form of interposing CT’s of ratio 1/0.333,
arranged to subtract their output from that of the line current transformers in each
phase, as shown in Figure 14.
The zero sequence component is canceled, restoring balance to the differential
system. Alternatively, numerical relays may use software to perform the subtraction,
having calculated the zero sequence component internally.

Figure 14 – Differential protection with in-zone earthing transformer, with restricted

earth fault relay

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A high impedance relay element can be connected in the neutral lead between current
transformers and differential relays to provide restricted earth fault protection to
the winding.

As an alternative to the above scheme, the circulating current system can be

completed via a three-phase group of interposing transformers that are provided
with tertiary windings connected in delta.
This winding effectively short-circuits the zero sequence component and thereby
removes it from the balancing quantities in the relay circuit.
See Figure 15.

Figure 15 – Differential protection with in-zone earthing transformer and no earth

fault relay

Provided restricted earth fault protection is not required, the scheme shown in Figure
15 has the advantage of not requiring a current transformer, with its associated
mounting and cabling requirements, in the neutral-earth conductor .
The scheme can also be connected as shown in Figure 16 when restricted earth fault
protection is needed.

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Figure 16 – Differential protection with in-zone earthing transformer, with alternative
arrangement of restricted earth fault relay

6. Overfluxing protection
Overfluxing arises principally from the following system conditions:

1. High system voltage

2. Low system frequency
3. Geomagnetic disturbances
The latter results in low frequency earth currents circulating through a transmission
system. Since momentary system disturbances can cause transient overfluxing that is
not dangerous, time delayed tripping is required.

The normal protection is an IDMT or definite time characteristic, initiated if a defined

V/f threshold is exceeded. Often separate alarm and trip elements are provided.
The alarm function would be definite time-delayed and the trip function would be an
IDMT characteristic.
A typical characteristic is shown in Figure 17.

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Geomagnetic disturbances may result in overfluxing without the V/f threshold being
exceeded. Some relays provide a 5th harmonic detection feature, which can be used
to detect such a condition, as levels of this harmonic rise under overfluxing conditions.

Figure 17 – Typical IDMT characteristic for overfluxing protection

7. Tank-earth protection
This is also known as Howard protection. If the transformer tank is nominally
insulated from earth (an insulation resistance of 10 ohms being sufficient) earth fault
protection can be provided by connecting a relay to the secondary of a
current transformer the primary of which is connected between the tank and earth.
This scheme is similar to the frame-earth fault busbar protection described in this
technical article.

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Figure 18 – Howard protection scheme applied to tank-earth protection

8. Oil and gas protection devices

All faults below oil in an oil-immersed transformer result in localized heating and
breakdown of the oil. Some degree of arcing will always take place in a winding fault
and the resulting decomposition of the oil will release gases.
When the fault is of a very minor type, such as a hot joint, gas is released slowly, but a
major fault involving severe arcing causes a very rapid release of large volumes of gas
as well as oil vapour.

The action is so violent that the gas and vapour do not have time to escape but instead
build up pressure and bodily displace the oil. When such faults occur in transformers
having oil conservators, the fault causes a blast of oil to pass up the relief pipe to the
conservator.
A Buchholz relay is used to protect against such conditions. Devices responding to
abnormally high oil pressure or rate-of-rise of oil pressure are also available and may
be used in conjunction with a Buchholz relay.

8.1 Oil pressure relief devices

The simplest form of pressure relief device is the widely used ‘frangible disc’ that is
normally located at the end of an oil relief pipe protruding from the top of the
transformer tank.

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The surge of oil caused by a serious fault bursts the disc, so allowing the oil to
discharge rapidly. Relieving and limiting the pressure rise avoids explosive rupture of
the tank and consequent fire risk.
Outdoor oil-immersed transformers are usually mounted in a catchment pit to collect
and contain spilt oil (from whatever cause), thereby minimizing the possibility
of pollution. A drawback of the frangible disc is that the oil remaining in the tank is left
exposed to the atmosphere after rupture.

This is avoided in a more effective device, the sudden pressure relief valve, which
opens to allow discharge of oil if the pressure exceeds a set level, but closes
automatically as soon as the internal pressure falls below this level. If
the abnormal pressure is relatively high , the valve can operate within a
few milliseconds, and provide fast tripping when suitable contacts are fitted.
The device is commonly fitted to power transformers rated at 2MVA or higher, but
may be applied to distribution transformers rated as low as 200kVA, particularly those
in hazardous areas.

Figure 19 – Oil pressure relief device

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8.2 Sudden pressure rise relay
This device detects rapid rise of pressure rather than absolute pressure and thereby
can respond even quicker than the pressure relief valve to sudden abnormally high
pressures.

Sensitivities as low as 0.07bar/s are attainable, but when fitted to forced-cooled

transformers the operating speed of the device may have to be slowed deliberately to
avoid spurious tripping during circulation pump starts.
Alternatively, sudden pressure rise relays may have their output supervised
by instantaneous high-set overcurrent elements.

Figure 20 – Sudden pressure relief valve

8.3 Buchholz protection

Buchholz protection is normally provided on all transformers fitted with a conservator.
The Buchholz relay is contained in a cast housing which is connected in the pipe to the
conservator, as in Figure 21.

A typical Buchholz relay will have two sets of contacts. One is arranged to operate for
slow accumulations of gas, the other for bulk displacement of oil in the event of a
heavy internal fault.
An alarm is generated for the former, but the latter is usually direct-wired to the CB
trip relay.

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Figure 21 – Buchholz relay mounting arrangement

The device will therefore give an alarm for the following fault conditions, all of which
are of a low order of urgency.

 Hot spots on the core due to short circuit of lamination insulation

 Core bolt insulation failure
 Faulty joints
 Interturn faults or other winding faults involving only lower power
infeeds
 Loss of oil due to leakage
When a major winding fault occurs, this causes a surge of oil, which displaces the
lower float and thus causes isolation of the transformer.
This action will take place for:
 All severe winding faults, either to earth or inter-phase
 Loss of oil if alose to continue to a dangerous degree
An inspection window is usually provided on either side of the gas collection space.
Visible white or yellow gas indicates that insulation has been burnt, while black or grey
gas indicates the presence of, dissociated oil. In these cases the gas will probably be
inflammable, whereas released air will not.
A vent valve is provided on the top of the housing for the gas to be released or
collected for analysis. Transformers with forced oil circulation may experience oil flow
to/from the conservator on starting/stopping of the pumps.

The Buchholz relay must not operate in this circumstance.

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Cleaning operations may cause aeration of the oil. Under such conditions, tripping of
the transformer due to Buchholz operation should be inhibited for a suitable period.

Because of its universal response to faults within the transformer, some of which are

difficult to detect by other means, the Buchholz relay is invaluable, whether regarded

as a main protection or as a supplement to other protection schemes.

Tests carried out by striking a high voltage arc in a transformer tank filled with oil,
have shown that operation times of 0.05s-0.1s are possible. Electrical protection
is generally used as well, either to obtain faster operation for heavy faults, or because
Buchholz relays have to be prevented from tripping during oil maintenance periods.
Conservators are fitted to oil-cooled transformers above 1000kVA rating, except those
to North American design practice that use a different technique.

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Source // Network protection and automation guide by (ex) Alstom Grid, now General Electric

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