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An Example of the Effectiveness of Directional Overcurrent

Relays (ANSI 67, 67N)
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An Example of the Effectiveness of Directional Overcurrent Relays (ANSI 67, 67N) (photo credit: ashidaelectronics.com)

When fault currents can flow in more than one direction…

When fault currents can flow in more than one direction with respect to the load current it is often desirable to
determine which direction the fault current is flowing and trip the appropriate devices accordingly. This is usually
due to the need to de-energize only those parts of the power system that must be de-energized to contain a given
fault.

Standard overcurrent relays cannot distinguish the direction of the current flow. Directional relays (67, 67N)
are required to perform this function.

An important concept in the application of directional overcurrent relays is polarization. Polarization is the
method used by the relay to determine the direction of current flow. For phase directional overcurrent relays,
this is accomplished by the use of voltage transformers, which provide a voltage signal to the relay and allow it
to distinguish the current direction.

The details of polarization methods are not discussed here.

Because the voltage on a faulted phase can be unreliable, each phase is restrained via the voltage
from a different phase. Care must be used when defining CT polarities as each manufacturer
typically defines a preferred polarity to match the their standard connection diagrams.
Polarization for a 67N relay is more difficult. They must be polarized with zero-sequence current or zero-
sequence voltage. Electromechanical 67N relays must be polarized via either a CT in the source transformer
neutral (zero-sequence current polarization) or three VT’s connected with a wye-connected primaries and broken-
delta connected secondaries.

Solid-state 67N relays usually

must be polarized the same way
but do sometimes offer a choice
of either method.
Microprocessor-based relays
typically offer a choice of either
method and, in some cases, can
self-polarize by calculating the
zero-sequence voltage from the
measured three-phase line
voltage.

An Example

As an example of the
effectiveness of directional
overcurrent relays, consider the
primary-selective
BASLER overcurrent solid-state relay
system arrangement. The
primary main and tie circuit
breakers and an example of protective relaying for those circuit breakers are shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 – Example protective relaying arrangement for closed-transition primary-selective system

In Figure 1 the bus tie circuit breaker is normally-closed, paralleling the two utility feeds. Each main circuit breaker
and the bus tie circuit breaker are protected via 51 and 51N relays. The mains also have 67 and 67N relays. Note
that the 67 relays are polarized via the line voltage transformers, and auxiliary voltage transformers connected in
wye-broken delta are supplied for polarization of the 67N relays.

The polarization results in the indicated tripping directions for these relays.

The need for the 67 and 67N relays can be demonstrated by considering a fault on one of the utility feeds. Should
utility feed #2, for example, experience a fault, the fault current will be supplied both from the upstream system
feeding utility feed #2 and from utility feed #1 through circuit breakers 52-M1, 52-T, and 52-M2. Because the 51
and 51N relays for 52-M1 and 52-M2 are likely set identically, they will both respond to the fault at the same time,
tripping 52-M1 and 52-M2 and de-energizing the entire downstream system.

To avoid this, the 67 and 67N relays are set to coordinate with the 51 and 51N relays ,
respectively, so that the 67 and 67N relays trip first.

For a fault on utility feed #2, the 67 and 67N relays for 52-M1 will not trip due to the fact that the current is
flowing in the direction opposite to the tripping direction.

However, the 67 and 67N relays on 52-M2 will sense current in the tripping direction and trip 52-M2. The
downstream system is still energized by 52-M1 and 52-T after 52-M2 trips.

Reference: System Protection – Bill Brown, P.E., Square D Engineering Services