APPLICATION GUIDE AG022

2013 Page 1 of 13
Issue A
29 March 2013
APPLICATION GUIDE

A GUIDE TO HIGH IMPEDANCE REF CALCULATIONS

Location: L:\UK Sales\5 APPLICATIONS\2 SECTION REPORTS\Application Guides\A Guide To High Impedance
REF Calculations.doc

SUMMARY

This document sets out to assist the user to implement high impedance restricted earth fault protection using the
Alstom MCAG14 relay by providing a practical example of the required calculations.

Title Name Signature Date

Applications Engineer D Johnson 27/03/13

T&D
Automation & Information Systems - St Leonards Avenue – Stafford – ST17 4LX – England
Tel: +44 (0)1785 223251 – Fax: +44 (0)1785 212232
Alstom Grid UK LTD. Registered Office: St Leonards Avenue – Stafford – ST17 4LX

Registered in England: 4955841

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Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 3

2. RESTRICTED EARTH FAULT EXAMPLE ................................................................... 4

2.1. CALCULATE TRANSFORMER LV FULL LOAD CURRENT ............................................................. 5
2.2. CALCULATE MAXIMUM SECONDARY FAULT CURRENT............................................................. 5
2.3. CALCULATE MAXIMUM VOLTAGE ACROSS RELAY CIRCUIT ....................................................... 6
2.4. CALCULATE VALUE OF STABILISING RESISTOR ....................................................................... 7
2.5. STABILISING RESISTOR DATA ............................................................................................... 8
2.6. EXTERNAL STABILISING RESISTOR ASSEMBLY WITH DIMENSIONS ........................................ 9
2.7. CALCULATE IF METROSIL REQUIRED.................................................................................... 10
2.8. METROSIL DATA................................................................................................................. 11
2.9. METROSIL ASSEMBLY WITH DIMENSIONS .......................................................................... 12
APPLICATION GUIDE AG022
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1. INTRODUCTION

The MCAG14 is a simple current calibrated attracted armature relay that is commonly used for high impedance
restricted or balanced earth fault protection on generators, motors and transformers. The relay is tuned to the
fundamental frequency (50Hz in the UK) in order to reject the harmonics produced when current transformers
saturate. If correctly applied the relay is fast operating (approximately 25ms at 5x current setting) and will
provide stability for heavy through faults even with a sensitive setting. To ensure this stability it is required to
select Class X CT’s with suitable knee point Voltages and to calculate an appropriate value of stabilising resistor.
It may also be necessary to fit a Metrosil to protect the relay from damage due to the extremely high Voltages
developed across it during an internal fault. Typical connections showing the relay, resistor and Metrosil are
shown below.

Fig1. Typical REF Connections

The following example gives a guide to the calculations required to ensure the correct selection of CT’s, stabilising
resistor and Metrosil.
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2. RESTRICTED EARTH FAULT EXAMPLE

The example we will use is shown below where REF protection is provided on the star winding of a 1000kVA,
11kV:400V transformer with percentage impedance of 4.59%. All of this information is usually available on a
plate fitted to the transformer. The example values of secondary CT resistance and secondary lead resistance
used were obtained from a CT manufacturer.

Fig. 2

VK = ?V - CT knee point voltage

RCT = 0.44Ω - Secondary CT resistance

RL = 0.0608Ω (1 way, relay to CT) - Secondary lead resistance

MCAG14 Relay - Setting is 10% of CT secondary (typical)

The following example gives a guide to correct selection of CT’s, stabilising resistor and Metrosil.
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2.1. CALCULATE TRANSFORMER LV FULL LOAD CURRENT

Transformer VA rating
IFL =
Transformer Voltage rating x √ 3
1000,000
IFL =
400 x √ 3

IFL = 1443.4A

CT primary values are usually selected in line with full load current as far as is practically possible. In this case a
ratio of 1600:5 has been chosen. Note that for high impedance REF all CT ratios must be the same.

2.2. CALCULATE MAXIMUM SECONDARY FAULT CURRENT

The maximum primary fault current is calculated by dividing the maximum transformer load current by the
transformer per unit impedance.
IFL
IF =
ZT (pu)
1443.9
IF =
0.0459 ⇐ 4.59% (10% = 0.1, 7% = 0.07 etc)

Primary IF = 31.556kA

Divide Primary IF by CT ratio to obtain CT Secondary Current.

31.446kA
IF = X5 = 98.3A
1600

Secondary IF = 98.3A
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2.3. CALCULATE MAXIMUM VOLTAGE ACROSS RELAY CIRCUIT

The worst theoretical case for relay operation due to instability for a through fault is when a single CT saturates.
This will cause the maximum Voltage to be developed across the relay/stabilising resistor circuit for a through
fault.

Need to calculate the voltage (Vs) that will appear

across the relay and stabilising resistor during
an external fault when one CT saturates

Vs is calculated by multiplying the previously calculated secondary fault current by the sum of the CT burden and
the maximum burden of the CT leads. In practice the relay will generally be housed in the switchgear along with
the line CT’s meaning that the significant lead burden is that presented by the leads to the earth CT. The CT
manufacturer will provide lead burden details in Ohms per kilometre enabling the user to calculate accurate
burden for their length of lead.

VS = IF( RCT + 2RL)

VS = 98.3(0.44 + (2 X 0.0608))

VS = 55.21V
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In order to ensure that the CT’s are adequately sized, you must have a CT knee point voltage (Vk) of at least
twice the required setting voltage. This ensures that even under maximum through fault conditions you are still
working in the linear portion of the CT magnetisation characteristic. Note that this is only applicable to MCAG14,
for numerical relays the Vk should be greater than 4Vs.

At this point the CT begins to saturate.

If you ensure that the CT is only ever required to

develop this voltage during a through fault then
it should never saturate.

2.4. CALCULATE VALUE OF STABILISING RESISTOR

The stabilising resistor (Rs) is fitted in order to limit the current through the relay during a through fault to a
value less than the relay current setting. This ensures that the relay does not operate during through fault
conditions.

VS RB VS = Calculated setting voltage

RS =
IS IS2 IS = Relay setting, say 10% or 0.5A for IN = 5A

RB = Relay burden which is always 1VA for an MCAG14 at setting

55.21 1
RS =
1 0.52

RS = 51.21Ω
Note that if we choose IS = 30% or 1.5A then
55.21 1
RS =
1.5 1.52

RS = 36.4 Ω
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2.5. STABILISING RESISTOR DATA

The stabilising resistors that Alstom provide are 180W adjustable wire wound resistors. To ensure sufficient heat
dissipation we recommend that not less than ⅔ of the total winding on the resistor is used so choose the resistor
value carefully. To facilitate this there may be occasions where two resistors have to be used, either in series or in
parallel.

Manufacturer Classification :180W Adjustable Wirewound Resistor

AREVA Classification: :145W (Body Hot Spot of 300°C at 20°C ambient)

AREVA Part Maximum

AREVA Max. Current Ratings
Number Ohmic Value
Cont. 3 seconds 1 second
ZB9016 720 47 1.76 7.70 10.00
ZB9016 732 100 1.20 5.30 6.90
ZB9016 738 150 0.98 4.30 5.60
ZB9016 744 220 0.81 3.60 4.60
ZB9016 747 270 0.73 3.20 4.20
ZB9016 756 470 0.56 2.40 3.20
ZB9016 765 820 0.42 1.80 2.40
ZB9016 768 1000 0.38 1.67 2.20
ZB9016 774 1500 0.31 1.36 1.80
ZB9016 783 2700 0.23 1.00 1.30
ZB9016 795 5600 0.16 0.71 0.92
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2.6. EXTERNAL STABILISING RESISTOR ASSEMBLY WITH DIMENSIONS

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2.7. CALCULATE IF METROSIL REQUIRED

During an internal fault very large voltages are developed across the relay that could result in damage to the
relays insulation. A Metrosil is required if the voltage across the relay circuit and the CT’s rises to a peak value
that is in excess of 3kV. The Metrosil is a Voltage dependent resistor and acts as a shunt to protect the relay.
Note that the current value used in the Metrosil calculations is the internal fault current level. If there is an
earthing resistor fitted to limit the fault current then the limited current value is the one to use.

From experimentation and extensive testing we know that the peak voltage is given by: -

VP = 2 2 VK (VF – VK)

Where VK = CT knee point voltage

VF = Maximum perspective voltage across relay circuit due to internal fault.

VF = IF x Vs
Is

Where IF = Secondary current due to internal fault

VS = Stability voltage calculated earlier
IS = Relay setting

VF = 98.3 x 55.21
1
VF = 10,854V

VP = 2 2 VK (VF – VK) VP = 2 2 x 110 (10’854 – 110)

Vp = 3074V

∴ A Metrosil is required in this case as Vp is greater than 3000 Volts.

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2.8. METROSIL DATA

Metrosils for relays using CT’s with a 1A secondary can be selected from the table below based on the relay
setting voltage Vs. At the relay setting Voltage the Metrosil current should be less than 30mA rms. At maximum
internal fault current the Metrosil should limit the voltage to 1500V rms where possible.

Metrosils for relays using CT’s with a 5A secondary can be selected from the table below based on the relay
setting Voltage Vs and the secondary internal fault current. At relay setting voltage the Metrosil current should be
less than 100mA rms (actual maximum current passed by the unit is shown below their type description. At
maximum internal fault current the Metrosil should limit the voltage to 1500V rms for 0.25 secs. This is not
always possible and higher voltages sometimes have to be tolerated (indicated by *, ** and ***.

• 2400 V peak. ** 2200V peak. *** 2600V peak

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2.9. METROSIL ASSEMBLY WITH DIMENSIONS

Outline external Metrosil units

APPLICATION GUIDE
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VERSION CONTROL
Issue Author(s) Reason for change Date
A D Johnson Original 27/3/2013