GENERATOR PROTECTION

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

The core of an electrical power system is the generator. The conversion of the
fundamental energy into its electrical equivalent requires a ‘prime mover’ to
develop mechanical power as an intermediate stage. The nature of this machine
depends upon the source of energy and in turn this has some bearing on the design
of the generator. There are power units based on steam, gas, water power and
diesel engine drive.

Prime mover is a major influencing factor for the Generator protections, the other
important factors are:

Neutral earthing and its connections.

AVR excitation system.
Parallel or isolated mode of operations.

Faults of many kinds can occur within this system for which diverse protective
means are needed. The amount of protection applied will be governed by economic
considerations, taking into account the value of the machine and its importance to
the power system as a whole.

Internal faults that require protection are as follows:

a. Failure of insulation of the stator winding.

b. Failure of insulation of the rotor winding.

The following hazards require protection:

a) Unbalanced Loading
b) Field Failure
c) Pole Slipping
d) Prime Mover Failure
e) Under/Over Frequency Operation
f) Over fluxing (of GT)
g) Over Load.
h) Over Voltage
2.0 NEUTRAL EARTHING AND CONNECTIONS:

The neutral point of a generator is usually earthed, so as to facilitate protection of

the stator winding and associated system. Impedance is inserted in the earthing
lead to limit the magnitude of earth fault current.

The different type of earthing commonly adopted for industrial generators are as
follows:

2.1 Solid Earthing:

Solid earthing practice is followed in small size generator where voltage as well as
power level is low. In this type of connection, earth fault current is wholly limited
by winding impedance.
GEN

2.2 Resistance Earthing:

Resistance earthing is usually adopted in large and high voltage generator. In this
case, the earth fault current is limited to value less then the full load current. With
resistance earthing, it is impossible to protect 100% of the stator winding. The
percentage of winding protected depends upon the neutral earthing resistor and the
relay setting. The distributed capacitance of the stator to ground fixes a limit to the
value of resistance necessary in the neutral circuit of the generator to prevent
overvoltage due to resonance which might result into another winding fault. The
maximum value of resistance is given by

Rn = 106 Ohms
6fC

Where f is the system frequency, C is the capacitance of the stator circuit to earth
per phase in microfarad.

GEN
 NGR

2.3 Distribution transformer earthing:

In this case, neutral is earthed through primary winding of the distribution

transformer and the secondary winding is usually having very low impedance. The
protection applied is the over voltage relay across its secondary. The maximum
value of the resistance is equal to

Rn = 106 Ohms
6fN2C

where N is the turn ratio of the transformer,

3.0 STATOR EARTH FAULT PROTECTION:-

a. Generator neutral is directly grounded or is grounded through NGR.

Neutral CT (NCT) primary rating need not be equal to full load current.

An IDMT earth fault relay provided in the neutral circuit can be used for detecting
earth faults. This IDMT earth fault relay must be graded with feeder protection.
GEN
R
Y
B
NGR

IDMT Earth fault relay

51N

b. Generator is grounded through earthing transformer. Neutral

displacement relay is connected across the loading resistance LR which is
connected across secondary of earthing transformer.
 For an earth fault on any one terminal 11KV/3 voltage appears across the primary
winding of the earthing transformer and 240V/3 appears across the secondary.
i.e., across the relay.

GEN GT R

64N
ET LR Neutral Displacement
11KV 0.5ohm Relay
240V

c. Sensitive earth fault relay is connected in series with loading

resistance LR which is in series with the secondary winding of earthing
transformer.

GEN GT R

ET 300/1A LR
11KV 0.5 Ohm
240V
64N
Sensitive earth fault
Relay

The sensitive earth fault protection under (b) & (c) covers about 95% of the stator
winding.
3.1 Stator Winding Coverage

Typical Work Out:

A. Neutral Displacement Relay (64N) With Typical 5V Setting:

Voltage across E.T. secondary for terminal earth fault = 240 = 138V
3

Voltage Gradient

1p.u.
x p.u. (1-x) p.u.

5V 138V

Winding Coverage

1-X = 138 – 5 ~ 0.96 p.u.

1 138

B. Sensitive Current Relay (64 N) With Typical 5% Setting:

Current through loading resistor for terminal earth fault

= 240/ 3 = 276A (PRIM) = 276/ 300 = 0.92A (SEC)

0.5 1

Winding Coverage

1-X = 0.92 –0.05  0.94 pu

1 0.92

3.2 100% Stator Earth fault protection

The most effective way to cover 100% winding for earth fault protection, is to
make use of third harmonic (zero sequence) line to neutral voltage developed by
 most machines in normal conditions. The relaying scheme making use of this
principle is indicated in fig. 4.12, fig. 4.13 shows how the scheme operates.

As it has been stated above, the generators develop third harmonic voltage of 1%
to 3% even under healthy condition. Referring to fig. 4.13, relay 2 has a blocking
filter which makes it rather insensitive to fundamental frequency voltage. This
relay has a very sensitive third harmonic voltage setting. It is set to 0.3 to 0.6V
(neutral PT secondary voltage is 110V). Hence, under normal service, relay 2 is
picked-up and its contact is open. Relay 3 is sensitive to fundamental frequency
voltage and is set to operate for rated generator voltage. Hence under healthy
condition relay 3 remains energised and its contact is closed.

If a fault occurs near the generators neutral, the third harmonic voltage V becomes
very small (Vn = 0, for the fault at the neutral), hence relay 2 will deenergise, its
contact closes. The alarm of tripping, therefore, will be given as desired.

95% relay 1 with blocking filter (blocking the fundamental frequency voltage) is
set to a higher value of third harmonic voltage than that produced by a machine
running under normal conditions. Hence, under normal service conditions, relay 1
remains de-energized. Should the fault occur at any location within 95% winding
from the terminal, relay 1 operates, closes its contact and circuit breakers is
tripped. Interlocking contact of relay 3 is desired because it will open out while
stopping the machine manually and will avoid unwanted tripping of 100% stator
earth fault scheme as otherwise such a tripping would be established by closure of
contact of relay 2 while stopping the machine. When starting the machine under no
fault condition, relay 2 must always operate before relay 3.

This is how 100% stator earth fault protection is made effective. The protection is
class A protection. The relays used in the scheme are having adjustable time delay.
Time delay is desirable to provide selectivity with PT fuses for faults on the
secondary side of PT which is connected Wye-Wye.

4.0 STATOR DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION:

A. High Impedance Differential:
Longitudinal differential protection is provided for phase and earth fault protection
of the stator as shown in figure. The whole winding is protected against inter
phase faults, since no limiting impedance is included in the fault circuit. A
longitudinal differential system does not protect against inter turn faults.

E.g.: - High impedance, high speed attracted armature relay type CAG34 is used
for stator differential protection. The type CAG34 relay comprises a tuned
armature relay fed from tapped Autotransformers, a stabilizing resistor being
connected in series.
Setting range = 10% to 40%
N:1 N:1 R

B
IF

87G

R Y B
Current Distribution - External fault:
RL

IF/N
B B
(NCT) VS RCT (LCT)
ACTIVE R SATURATED

RL
VS = IF (RCT +2RL) Volts
n
If relay current setting = “IS” and VA burden = VA.

Stabilising Resistor ( R ) = VS - VA
IS IS2
B. Biased Differential Protection:
As an alternative to the simple high impedance relay, a biased system can be used.
Actually, a combination of bias and stabilizing resistance is most effective, giving a
system, which can be stable regardless of the through current magnitude. The value
of stabilizing resistance required is relatively low, so the minimum relay operating
voltage is also low. Since, relay settings are based on lead resistance the use of bias
is of most value if the loads are exceptionally long.
GENERATOR

C.B.
BUS
B B
D 87G
B

DIFFERENTIAL
TRIP
CURRENT

NON -TRIP

THROUGH CURRENT

Pick up settings:
 Minimum setting to obtain maximum sensitivity. This setting must be above
spurious differential current, which can be due to unequal CT errors.

Bias setting:

In earlier designs, only one setting of bias was available over the entire range. In
new designs, bias characteristics in 2 different slopes are available.

First stage – Moderate slope:

Operating range – 0.5xIn to 2 or 2.5xIn (setting adjustable). In this region, setting
is low.
Second stage- higher slope:
Operating range of above 2 or 2.5 x In. higher slope will provide stability to
differential protection during heavy through faults.
A typical bias characteristic is shown above. It will be noted that both the
minimum setting and the bias slope are low, thereby ensuring high fault sensitivity.
Generally, the practice is to have the percentage-differential relays trip a hand-reset
multicontact auxiliary relay. This auxiliary relay simultaneously initiates the
following:
1) Trip main breaker
2) Trip field breaker
3) Trip neutral breaker (if provided)
4) Shut down the prime mover
5) Turn on CO2 (if provided)
6) Operate an alarm and/or annunciator.
The auxiliary relay may also initiate the transfer of station auxiliaries from the
generator terminals to the reserve source, by tripping the auxiliary breaker.
C. Overall Biased Differential Protection of Generator Transformer:
Differential protection covering the generator and transformer requires a design
different from that of a generator only. The scheme will always have to be biased and
either harmonic bias or special attention to settings will also be needed.
GENERATOR G.T.

8 C.B. BUS
7

O/A
TO NEUTRAL
UAT 8
UA
7
UAT

5.0 GENERATOR BEHAVIOR ON CLOSE UP FAULTS:

a. For close up faults on generator, initially the short circuit current will shoot upto
about 5 times full load current. This produces severe armature reaction and since
the machine is fully reactive, power factor is low and hence the armature reaction
is purely demagnetizing and drastically reduces the main flux resulting in a
reduced induced e.m.f. within the machine and hence the short circuit current
reduces to about 50% of the full load current. This is the decremental phenomenon
of short circuit current observed in generator.
b. As voltage decreases and subsequently short circuit current reduces, the impedance
value remains same. But it is known that generator has different values of
impedance at machine voltage value. In order to keep machine voltage level at
steady value generator is defined at different values of impedance.
c. AVR may provide compensation to maintain fault infeed. But on close up faults,
this may not be adequate, resulting sustained short circuit current, less than full
load current.
d. Conventional IDMT overcurrent relays set above full load current may not
therefore be suitable for generator back up application.
e. Generally Voltage Controlled/ Restrained overcurrent relays or Impedance type
backup protection is used.
6.0 BACK UP PROTECTION FOR EXTERNAL FAULTS:-

Voltage controlled overcurrent relay:

2 1

Shading Coil

Due to the short circuited shading coil flux  is splitted into 1 & 2. Fluxes 1 & 2
induces eddy currents which produces flux and hence torque on the disc . This feature is
used in the voltage controlled over current relay.

.
V.T.
I V
C/C

U/V C.B.
ELEMT
GEN.
C.B.
SHADING R
COIL

a. Under healthy system conditions, u/v unit picks up and its contact across shading
coil resistor (R) opens. Relay thus, operates corresponding to its nominal pickup
setting.

b. On fault, u/v element drops off and shorts the shading coil resistor. This increases
the shading coil current, thereby, increasing the torque on the disc to 2.5 times.

c. Consequently, the effective setting is reduced to 40% of the nominal value.

d. The protection is required to be time graded with down stream backups.

Note:
1. CT is provided at neutral side in order to provide back up protection for internal
faults. For a fault shown, fault current is seen by neutral side CT, not the line side
CT.

2. Voltage controlled protection is recommended for generators directly connected to

the bus.

3. Voltage restraint protection is used for grid generators where voltage will not
reduce drastically for faults farther from the generator.

4. Negative sequence relay is also should be fed from the CTs at the neutral side of
generator.

Voltage controlled / Voltage Restrained characteristic - Comparison: -

1.0
Voltage
ISM 0.8 Controlled
ISnom Voltage
0.6 Restraint

0.4

0.2

0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

V/VN
V/VN - Fault Voltage (V) as PU of normal system voltage (VN)

ISM - Modified O/C setting (ISM) as PU of nominal O/C setting (ISNom)

ISNom
voltage Controlled: -

When the fault voltage reduces to 80%, the pick up current setting is 100%. When voltage
becomes 60% the pick up current setting reduces to 40% of nominal overcurrent setting.
The above voltage controlled characteristic is shown for an under voltage setting of 60%.
E.g. CDV22 of Alsthom make.

Voltage Restraint: -
 Fault voltage at 80% of nominal system voltage, the pick up current setting is 100% As
the voltage reduces, the pick up current setting also reduces proportionately. At 60% of
voltage current setting becomes 80% and at 40% of voltage current setting is 40% and at
20% of voltage it is 20% and below 20% of voltage current setting becomes constant, i.e.,
at 20%
E.g.: CDV21 of Alsthom make.

Impedance Back Up Protection:

GENERATOR G,T,

LINE
51N
P.T.

TO EARTH 21
IVT
DELTA/S
TAR

ZL
XG XT

21
FAULT
INFEEDS
 FROM N GENERATORS
 Relay Impedance setting ZR = XT + (N+I)ZL
to cover line faults.

 Time setting 1.5-2.0 secs.

Note:

1. The impedance relay (21) is normally set to cover the longest adjoining line, with
setting suitably inflated to compensate for infeeds from parallel generators. Upper
limit for setting is load impedance.
2. Delta/Star IVTS are used to compensate the phase shift produced by GT at line
voltage level.

3. While impedance relays are used as phase fault backup, E/F backup is provided by
stand by E/F relay (51N) operated off CTs on GT HV neutral.

7.0 ROTOR FAULTS:-

_
Field C.B.
Exciter
Field winding
+

1. Field circuit of a generator comprises of the field winding, the armature of the exciter
with associated field circuit breaker. This is an isolated DC circuit and need not be
earthed.
2. For an earth fault, no fault current will flow and need for action will not be evident.
Machines have in fact been operated in this condition for considerable periods.
3. First rotor earth fault enhances possibility of 2nd earth fault, causing part of field
winding short circuited. Consequent field current diversion may cause burning of
conductor.
4. It may also cause flux distortion resulting unbalanced forces on the rotor, causing
vibrations and mechanical damage.
5. The second ground fault may not by-pass enough of the field winding to cause a bad
magnetic unbalance, but arcing at the fault may heat the rotor locally and slowly
distort it, thereby causing eccentricity and its accompanying vibration to develop
slowly in from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

7.1 Methods of Detecting First Rotor Earth Faults:

a) Potentiometer method
b) A.C. Injection method
c) D.C. Injection method

a) Potentiometer Method:

Field Exciter
winding
 Sensitive
Relay

This scheme comprises a center tapped resistor connected in parallel with the field
winding. Centre point of resistor is grounded through a voltage relay. Earth fault on the
field winding will produce a voltage across the relay.

Disadvantage: -

The center of the field winding is at potential equal to that of the tapping point of the
potentiometer. To avoid the fault at this location undetected, the tapping point of the
potentiometer is varied by a pushbutton.

Advantage:

This scheme is simple – no auxiliary supply is needed.

E.g. Type VMG relay with setting 5% of the exciter voltage is adequate
b) AC injection method: -

Field
winding Exciter

Auxiliary A.C. Supply

Sensitive
Relay

It consists of auxiliary supply transformer, the secondary of which is connected between

earth and one side of field circuit, through an interposed capacitor and a relay coil. The
field circuit is subjected to an alternating potential at the same level through out , so that
earth fault anywhere in the field system will give rise to a current which is detected by the
relay.

Capacitor limits the magnitude of the current and blocks the normal field voltage,
preventing the discharge of a large direct current through transformer.

Advantage:
This scheme has an advantage over the potentiometer method. In this scheme, Fault at the
center point of field system can be detected.
Disadvantage:
Small leakage current will flow to earth continuously through the capacitance of the field
winding. This current will flow through the machine bearings, causing erosion of the
bearing surface.
Common practice is to insulate the bearings and to provide an earthing brush for the shaft.
If this is done, capacitance current should be harmless.
c) DC Injection Method: -
Rotor earthfault relay is operated by injecting DC supply in the main field winding
through the voltage relay and series resistor. Positive of DC supply is grounded and
negative polarity is connected to voltage relay. Under normal conditions, the
injected DC voltage will get field winding at floating potential. Hence, voltage
operated relay will not be energized. In case of earthfault, path through voltage
relay will get completed through the earthfault field winding. Thus, 64R relay will
get energized during rotor earth fault.
This scheme offers all the advantages of the AC injection scheme without the
disadvantage of leakage current circulating through the rotor bearings.
_
Field
Exciter
Winding

Limiting Resistor

64 Voltage Relay
R

Bridge Rectifier

Auxiliary A.C. Supply

Aux. Transformer

The DC output of transformer rectifier power unit is arranged to bias the positive side
of the field circuit to a negative voltage relative to earth. The negative side of the field
system is at a greater negative voltage to earth, so an earthfault at any point in the field
winding will cause current to flow through the power circuit.

The current is limited by including a high resistance in the circuit and a sensitive relay
is used to detect the current.
Fault current varies with fault position, the relay can detect the minimum fault current
and withstand maximum fault.

Relay must have enough resistance to limit the fault current to a harmless value and be
sufficiently sensitive to respond to a fault which at the low injection voltage.

The relay must not be so sensitive to operate with the normal insulation leakage
current.

A C

Field winding E F Exister

B D

AC Supply

64
R1

1st E/F

Selector Switch BALANCE

TEST
2nd E/F

mA 64 R2

TRIP
This protection is brought in service, in steps, after the incidence of the first rotor ground,
using a 4-position selector switch. The relay includes a potentiometer “CD” and a
sensitive relay element / D.C milli ammeter connected between its variable point “F” and
ground. Occurrence of the first earth fault, produces an unbalance in the bridge formed by
the field system branch (AE/BE) and the potentiometer Branch (CF/DF). Null is obtained
in the “Balance” position using a d.c. milli Ammeter by adjusting the variable point “F”,
on the potentiometer. Subsequently the relay element “64 R2” is brought into circuit in
“Test” position while still keeping the tripping disconnected. Finally, after ensuring
stability of the 2nd rotor earth fault protection the protection is brought into service by
restoring its trip contact. The second rotor earth fault protection is in variably connected
to shut down the machine on operation.

8.0 ABNORMAL CONDITIONS REQUIRING PROTECTION:

8.1 Protection against Unbalanced loading: -

 3 phase balanced load produces a reaction field, which is constant and rotates
synchronously with the rotor field system.

 Any unbalanced load condition vectors can be resolved into Positive sequence,
Negative sequence and Zero sequence components.

 Positive sequence components are similar to normal balanced load.

 Negative sequence components are similar to positive sequence components but
rotates in reverse direction to positive sequence components.
 Co- phasal zero sequence components.

 Negative sequence components produce reaction field, which rotates in opposite

direction to DC field system. Hence it produces a flux, which cuts the rotor at twice
the rotational velocity, thereby inducing double frequency currents in the field system
and in the rotor body.

 Eddy currents are very large and cause severe heating of the rotor.

 Since the heating depends on the reaction field and on the load current, a machine can
be assigned a continuous negative sequence rating.
 Short time heating is of interest during system fault conditions, the heat dissipation
during such periods is negligible and heat generated can be considered to be entirely
retained within the thermal capacity of the motor.
 Applicable more to steam generator with cylindrical rotor motors
 Hydro generators are salient pole machines provided with damper winding which
provides path for double frequency currents.
 Generator heating characteristic with unbalanced stator current is defined by
manufacturers as follows:
 Continuous negative sequences withstand current. = X % of the rated current.
 Negative sequence withstand characteristic I22t = K, where K depends on type of
machine and methods adopted for cooling.
 Negative sequence relay type CTN or CTNM are provided with setting parameters to
match with the above generator withstand constants. Relay characteristic are set lower
compared with generator characteristic thereby protecting the generator against
negative sequence withstand current.

Typical NPS Filter:

A
B
C

Zc600 ZA00
R
Positive Sequence Current: Negative Sequence Current:
IA
IA VZA VZA+VZC
VZA
VZC

600
IC IB IB IC

VZC VZA + VZC = 0

Typical Withstand Values: -

I2 I22 t
 Salient Pole Machines 40% 60
(Hydro machines)
 Cylindrical Rotor 10-15% 7-20
 (Turbo Alternator)

Typical Setting Of NPS Relay: -

I2 - 7.5-30% IN
I22 - 1-160
Pretrip Alarm - 70 – 100% I2 setting

8.2 Field Failure Protection:

The direction and magnitude of the flow of reactive power in a synchronous

machine, connected to a power network, is defined by the excitation of the
machine. When the machine is overexcited, it feeds reactive power into the
network. When the machine is underexcited, it draws reactive power from the
network. If the machine looses its excitation due to faults in the excitation system,
it draws all its excitation power from the network.
When generator undergoes field failure, main flux decays. Magnetic coupling
between stator and rotor is loosened and becomes non-magnetic. Rotor gets
accelerated because of no field and runs above synchronous speed. It will then
operate as an induction generator, the main flux being produced by watt less stator
current drawn from the system. Excitation under these conditions requires a large
reactive component, which may even exceed the normal rating of the generator.
If the remaining generator in the system are fitted with fast response of AVR and
are capable of supplying additional reactive power to the defaulting machine,
system voltage will be maintained. But, if system can not supply required reactive
power to defaulting machines, it will be result into appreciable loss of voltage and
risk of instability to system.
The machine will continue to generate active power, the value being determined by
the load setting of the turbine governor. After a period of time, the KW output of
the machine also comes down and the terminal voltage reduces depending on the
load on the generators. Thus a field failure condition followed by a reduction in
terminal voltage of the machine is the worst condition which requires fast tripping
of the generator.
Operation as an induction generator results into the flow of slip frequency current
in the rotor. Salient pole generators invariably have damper windings, providing
path for slip frequency current, as a result they are not subjected to overheating.
Cylindrical rotor generators lack damper winding, hence they block slip frequency
current, resulting into overheating of rotor.
 e.g.: Suppose there are 4 generators of 200MW (4x200MW), Var requirement of
load is 400 MVAr. In Normal condition, each generator delivers a MVAr of 100.
During field failure condition, 100MVAr is absorbed by defaulting machine to
sustain excitation. Therefore total MVAr requirement becomes equal to 500 MVAr.
This 500 MVAr is delivered by 3 generators.
i.e. 500 = 166 MVAr by each generator. Hence, a extra of 66MVAr is
3
delivered by each generator.

Field Failure Protection Using OFFSET – MHO Relay: -

(Type – YCGF11 of Alstom) X

SYSTEM FAULT
TYPICAL P.S. LOCUS
LOCUS ZLOAD
-R R
OFFSET
Terminal impedance locus
On field failure shifts from
DIA
1st Quadrant to 4th Quadrant

OFFSET MHO CHARACTERISTICS

-X
 OFFSET MHO relay is used for generator operating in parallel with the grid.
 Under normal operating conditions (when the machine is delivering KW and KVAr),
the terminal impedance locus of the machine will be in 1 st Quadrant of the R-X
diagram. Under field failure condition, the VAR reversal experienced by the
defaulting machine (since, now the machine is delivering KW power and drawing
KVAr from the system) shifts the terminal impedance locus to the 4 th Quadrant
(towards the –“X” axis). When the impedance locus enters into the relay
characteristics, the relay operates and thus the field failure is detected.
 An “OFFSET” is given to the relay characteristics so as to stabilize the protection
during transient swings in order to avoid any unwanted tripping.
Setting Criteria :
 For rotor angles upto 90 with no leading power factor operation contemplated,
OFFSET = 0.5 Xd’
DIA = Xd
 For rotor angles upto 120, with leading power factor operation contemplated,
OFFSET = 0.75 Xd’
DIA = 0.5 Xd
 Time setting = 2 sec (Typical)
For large machines, an under voltage relay (70% drop off setting) is provided to over
ride time delay if field failure is accompanied by a dip in machine terminal voltage
endangering stability.
Two schemes are available –
a) Loss of excitation without loss of system voltage. Trip command from this
protection is time delayed.
b) Loss of excitation with loss of system voltage. Trip command from this protection
is made faster by bypassing the timer.

Practical scheme connection / DC logic: -

GEN G.T.

VT

40 2
G 7

Timer 86 – TRIP RELAY

40G 40G – OFFSET MHO RELAY
2/40G 27 – UNDER VOLTAGE
RELAY (70% DROP OFF)
2/40G 2/40G – FOLLOWER TIMER
8 (0.5 – 5 sec)
6

27
8.3 Protection against Prime Mover Failure (Anti-Motoring Protection):-
This protection is mainly intended to protect the prime mover than the generator.
Effects of Prime Mover failure and Quantum of motoring power depends upon type
of Prime Mover: -
 When a generator operating in parallel with other generators and/or grid, and if it
looses its driving force, it remains in synchronism with the system .It continues to
run as a synchronous motor, drawing necessary power to drive the prime mover.
Details for different types of prime movers are as follows.
 Steam Turbines:

Cooling effect of the steam is lost which will result into over heating and
consequence softening and distortion of blades.
The motoring power is about 0.5 – 6 % of the machine rating. Sensitive reverse
power directional relay type WCD11 of Alstom with sensitivity less than 0.5% of
rated power is provided.
This reverse power relay type WCD11 does not incorporate a time delay and a
separate definite time delay relay type VTT11, with an adjustable setting range of
1-10 seconds should be used to prevent unnecessary tripping during power swings
and synchronising.

 Diesel Engines:
Any unburnt fuel in the midst of combustion may cause fire and possibly
explosion.
The Diesel generator will take about 15-25% of its rated power or more from the
system, which may constitute an undesirably high load on the system. Sensitive
reverse power relay type CCUM of Alstom with sensitivity less than 3% of rated
power is provided. This relay is provided with in-built timer unit.
 Gas turbines:
Gas turbines may have gear problems when driven by the Generator end. The
motoring power is also high (between 10- 15%)
The power required to motor a gas turbine vary from 10% to 50% of full load
rating, depending on turbine design or load turbine. Reverse power relays should
be provided to mitigate motoring load on the system. Sensitive reverse power
directional relay type CCUM of Alstom with sensitivity less than 3% of rated
power is provided.
8.4 Under /Over Frequency Protection:

8.4.1 Under frequency protection: -

Causes and Effects:

 Under frequency operation results due to overloading of generator beyond the

corrective limits of governor. Sustained under frequency operation causes turbine
blade fatigue.

 Load shedding is initiated as a corrective measure. Also multi-stage under frequency

protection is provided to disconnect machine on sustained under frequency operation.

8.4.2 Over frequency protection: -

 Primarily used as a back up to mechanical over speed protection.

8.5 Over Voltage Protection: -

The field excitation system and / or voltage regulating equipment of generator will
control the generator voltage so that over voltage condition does not occur. However,
over voltage can occur on gas turbine generator that is subject to over speed and
consequent over voltage on loss of load. It is not generally required with steam turbine
generator.

Over voltage relay shall have time delay unit with pickup of about 110% of rated voltage
and instantaneous unit of pickup of about 130% to 150% of rated voltage after comparing
with over voltage withstand of generator. The Over voltage relay should be energised
from PT other than the one use for automatic voltage regulator. Over voltage relay should
trip main generator breaker and field breaker.
9.0 Generator Tripping Mode:

Two types of tripping modes are normally used for steam turbine generator

9.1 Unit shutdown or tripping of turbine and generator simultaneously (Class A

trip)

Differential Protection, Stator Earth fault, Generator transformer, Differential,

Restricted Earth fault, Rotor earth fault, Voltage Restraint / Controlled Overcurrent
protection are included in Class A trip. This mode of tripping gives simultaneous
trip command to generator breaker, field breaker and turbine resulting into tripping
of complete unit.

9.2 Sequential tripping. (Class B trip)

Fault conditions which does not indicate fault inside the machine but abnormal
operating conditions such as field failure, emergency trip, negative phase sequence,
generator transformer winding temperature high, etc. are covered under mode of
tripping. Turbine is tripped immediately but tripping of generator breaker is
interlocked through low forward power relay to avoid over speeding of generator.

9.3 Electrical Isolation (Class C trip)

Only HV control breaker of generator transformer is tripped and machine is

allowed to run on no load. Protections which operates due to fault outside the
machine but can create abnormal condition on generator are covered under Class C
trip. For eg. Unbalance Negative Phase Sequence Overcurrent Protection, etc.
 SPECIAL FEATURE OF MICROPROCESSOR BASED MULTILIN MAKE
SR489 RELAY

1. HIGHSET PHASE OVERCURRENT PROTECTION

Setting Range: 0.15 – 20 x CT. This protection is intended to provide backup protection to
other protection elements. This protection is connected to neutral side CTs so as to provide
protection in ON LINE as well as OFF LINE conditions. If generator is connected in
parallel with other generators or grid, this element would be set above the maximum
current contribution from the generator on which it is installed. This setting criteria will
ensure that it will operate instantaneously for fault inside the generators when fed by other
generators connected in parallel. Hence, this protection will not operate indiscriminately
for system faults fed by this generator.

2. UNDER VOLTAGE PROTECTION

Separate stages for Alarm and Trip
Alarm – Definite time delay
Trip – Two stages – Two characteristics - Definite time or IDMT

This protection is active only when generator is on line.

This protection resets during PT fuse failure or when generator load current
reduces below 7.5% rated CT current.
PT Fuse Failure:
Fuse failure is detected when there are significant levels of negative sequence
voltage without correspondingly significant level of negative sequence current
measured at the outputs CTs. Also if the generator is ONLINE and there is not a
significant amount of positive sequence voltage it could indicate that all the PT
fuses have been pulled out. This function will block voltage restrain phase
overcurrent, undervoltage and all power elements protections.

3. OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION

Separate stages for Alarm and Trip
Alarm – Definite time delay
Trip – Two stages – Two characteristics - Definite time or IDMT

This protection is active in both on line as well as off line condition.

4. VOLTS / HZ OR OVER SPEED PROTECTION:
Setting Range: 0.50 – 1.99 Volts / Hz
Alarm – Definite time delay
Trip – Two stages – Two characteristics - Definite time or IDMT
This protection becomes active as soon as magnitude and frequency is measurable.
Once the voltage/ Hz measurement exceeds the pickup level, alarm or trip will
occur. The reset rate is a linear reset time from the threshold of trip and should be
set to match cooling characteristic of the generator.
5. PHASE REVERSE PROTECTION:
This protection can detect phase rotation of three phase voltage. Operating time –
200msec. This protection is switched in when the generator is OFF LINE, each of
the phase to phase voltages is greater than 50% of the generator rated phase to
phase voltage and the phase rotation is not the same as desired.
6. UNDER / OVER FREQUENCY PROTECTION:
Separate stages for Alarm and Trip
Alarm – Definite time delay
Trip – Two stages – Definite time
FEATURE TO BLOCK PROTECTION FOR CERTAIN TIME INTERVAL
DURING STARTUP.
Useful feature:
This protection can be blocked until the generator is ON LINE and the blocked
time expires. From that point forward the under frequency trip and alarm elements
will be active. The value of zero for the blocked time indicated that the under
frequency protection is active as soon as voltage exceed cutout level.
7. STATOR EARTH FAULT PROTECTION:
- Current operated IDMT earth fault protection for NGR earthed system.
- Neutral Overvoltage protection for Distribution Transformer earthed system
(unit scheme)
- Ground Directional Overcurrent Protection
First stage provides ground fault protection for approximately 95% of the stator
winding.
Second stage provides ground fault protection for approximately 100% of the
stator winding.

IN ADVERTENT ENERGISATION

This unit will give protection against improper synchronization, i.e. breaker is being
closed without synchronising check or before perfection of synchronising condition is
established. Relay will sense overcurrent (from generator neutral side CT) accompanied
by Undervoltage (sensed on generator PT mount towards generator side).

VOLTAGE RESTRAINT OVERCURRENT PROTECTION:

Voltage controlled/Voltage restraint overcurrent protection on generator is required to

operate when primary protection on downstream equipments fails to clear the fault.

In case of generators, initial fault current is controlled by sub-transient reactance, which

is lowest in value. Hence, initial fault current is high. This initial fault current is almost
reactive. Hence, armature reaction flux is in direct opposition to the field flux. This will
further reduce field flux and induced EMF. Reduction in inducted EMF will lower the
fault current. AVR will try to boost up the voltage by forcing the field during the system
fault. However, for close up faults, this may not be enough to boost the voltage and to
maintain the fault current. Hence, current after the time period controlled by sub-transient
reactance will reduce. And is followed by transient reactance, which is higher in value.
This transient reactance in next stage, will further increase to steady state reactance.
Value of steady state reactance is normally greater than 100% and hence fault current
value will be lower than generator rated current. Conventional overcurrent relays, set to
permit 100% loading on generator will not be able to sense the fault controlled by steady
state reactance. Hence, voltage controlled / restrained overcurrent relays are provided as
backup protection to generator.

In case of voltage restrained overcurrent relay, overcurrent settings reduces in direct

proportion to drop in system voltage. Limits for system voltage on higher side will be
90% and on lower side 10%. Thus current pick up reduces in direct proportion to fall in
system voltage. Relay has got facility to block voltage restraint feature in the event to VT
fuse failure, converting the voltage restrained over current relay to plain IDMT
overcurrent relay. Relay characteristics are indicated as follows.

When voltage controlled, timing characteristic is changed from a load to a fault

characteristic when the voltage drops below a set level.
It is mainly used for generators connected directly to the busbar.

When voltage restrained, the current pick-up level is proportionally lowered as the
voltage falls below a set valve, producing a continues variation of timing characteristics.
This is applicable to generators connected to the busbar, each via a step-up transformer
 GENERATOR PROTECION

Over fluxing Protection:-

Causes:
 Over voltage - AVR malfunction.
- Human error.
- Loss of load.
 Under Frequency - System conditions.
- Machine start up / shut down.
 Uncomfortable combination of over voltage & under frequency
 Emf V = 4.44  f T
 Flux  = V/f
Effect:-
 Large magnetizing current
 Core bolt heating.
 Heating of frame & support structure
 Increase in noise & vibrations.
Typical setting of over fluxing relay :-
V/f = 1-1.3 of 110V/50Hz
Trip time delay = 12-20 sec. Pre-trip alarm = 1 sec.

Protection Against Pole Slipping:-

Causes: -
System faults, weak field conditions.

Effects: -
 A system power shock may make a generator rotor oscillate with consequent (cycle)
variations of current, voltage and power factor. The oscillations may disappear in a
few seconds, in which case it is desirable that no tripping takes place.

If, however, the angular displacement of the rotor exceeds the stable limit, the rotor
will slip a pole pitch. If the disturbance has been sufficiently removed by the time this
 has occurred, the machine may regain synchronism, but it does not, it must be isolated
from the system.

 Alternatively, the field switch may be tripped reducing the condition to that of
asynchronous running and thereby removing the violent power oscillations from the
system and the corresponding severe mechanical torque oscillations from the machine.
The load should then be reduced to a low value, at which the set will probably
resynchronize, if this does not work, re-closing the field switch with the excitation
control set to the minimum position will cause the set to synchronize smoothly.

Detection of pole slipping using ‘OHM’ relays: -

X
OHM OHM
2 1
RELAY RELAY 1
Zone E Zone D Zone C EG > ES
C

B
EG = ES
900 XT

O R

XG EG < ES

A
Ohm relays have straight-line characteristics on the impedance diagram. Two such relays
are used. They’re respective characteristics being located on the left of and parallel to the
total system impedance Vector.

 These impedance relays have an operation area facing away from the direction of the
first swing. The characteristics divide the diagram into three zones C, D and E. As the
impedance changes during a power swing, the extremity of the impedance vector
moves along one of the power swing loci, traversing the three zones in turn, during
which the relays operate in sequence.
 System faults may cause the relays to operate simultaneously but not sequentially in
the absence of phase swinging. The sequential operation is observed by auxiliary
relays, tripping being initiated only when the swing locus enters the third zone.
 The relays can be set not to operate for swings up to + 90, corresponding to the
conditions from which synchronism may be recovered.
 Pole slipping protection should trip the field switch to remove the severe oscillations
of torque, power and current, a short time delay may however be interposed to allow
recovery if this is possible. After the load has been reduced, the field switch may be
reclosed at the minimum excitation setting.