GENERATOR PROTECTION

By

Subhash Thakur PE-Elect

sthakur@ntpceoc.co.in

Generator Protection
Gen Stator Thermal Protection Field Thermal Protection Gen stator fault Protection Gen rotor field Protection Gen abnormal operating conditions System backup Protection Power transformer Protection

Generator Protection
Stator Thermal protection
Thermal protection for the generator stator core and windings Generator overload
Winding Temperature Over current RTDs Thermocouple Flow and pressure sensor

Failure of cooling systems

Localized hot spots caused by core lamination insulation failures or by localized or rapidly developing winding failures
Generator Core monitor

Generator Protection

Turbine-generator short time thermal capability for balanced three-phase loading

Generator Protection
Generator Field Thermal protection
Thermal Protection
Direct rotor Body temperature measurement not possible Core Monitor may detect overheating

Protection for field over excitation

IDMT/ Definite Time Excitation limiters

Generator Protection

Generator field short time thermal capability

Generator Protection Requirement

Generator faults are considered to be serious since they may cause severe and costly damage to insulation, windings, and the core may also produce severe mechanical torsional shock to shafts and couplings. Fault current may continue to flow for many seconds even after the generator is tripped, because of trapped flux within the machine, thereby increasing the amount of fault damage. As a consequence, for faults in or near the generator that produce high magnitudes of short-circuit currents, some form of high-speed protection is normally used to trip and shut down the machine as quickly as possible in order to minimize damage.

Stator fault Protection

High Speed Differential protection
Will detect Phase to Phase Faults, Double phase faults involving earth Single phase to Earth will not be detected due to limited earth fault current available.

Two types of high-speed differential relays are commonly used for stator phase fault detection:
High-impedance differential Biased differential

High Impedance Differential Relay

Use two sets of identical dedicated CTs. PS class CT with stringent parameters to be used This scheme has higher sensitivity than the percentage differential relay. Through fault stability achieved by using stabilising resistors in the relay circuit.

High Impedance Differential Relay

Stabilizing resistor calculation : Vs = If (Rct+2Rl) If - Maximum through fault current in the system (converted to sec side) Rct- Secondary resistance of the CT Rl lead resistance of the sec connection (typ 8.73 ohms per km for 2.5 sq mm cu cable) Rs = Vs/Is (VA/Is*Is) Typical setting 5- 10% of rated current.

Biased Type Diff Relay

Less stringent CT parameters. CTs can be shared with other protections. Through fault stability achieved through biasing. CT mismatch (typ of the order of 1:5 ) can be accommodated. More suitable for numerical integrated protection systems as the CTs can be shared for many functions.

Modern numerical relays have flexible settings for Id, b (point of slope change) and the slopes.

Biased Differential protection

Typical bias setting: 10% of rated current.

INTERTURN PROTECTION
Current based system For generators with split neutrals with all six terminals brought out on neutral side. Delayed low-set o/c relay which senses the current in the connection between the neutrals of the stator windings Voltage based system Relay compares the neutral NGT sec voltage and Genertaor terminal open delta voltage. Balance during external E/F or normal condition During inter turn fault open delta voltage will be developed and NGT sec voltage will be zero, resulting in a differential voltage which makes the relay operate. Typical setting Definite time type relays: minimum setting with 1 sec delay.

Inter turn protection

Split Phase Protection

Voltage Based V o l

Generator Grounding Practices

It is common practice to ground all types of generators through some form of external impedance
limit the mechanical stresses and fault damage in the machine, to limit transient voltages during faults, and to provide a means for detecting ground faults within the machine.

Typical Grounding practices

Ungrounded Solid Grounding High-impedance grounding Low-resistance grounding Reactance grounding Grounding-transformer grounding

Generator Grounding Practices

Ungrounded Phase to ground fault current limited Generators are not often operated ungrounded as it may produce high transient over-voltages during faults and makes the fault location difficult to determine. Solid Grounding Solid grounding of a generator neutral is not generally used since this practice may result in high mechanical stresses and excessive fault damage in the machine.

Generator Grounding Practices

High Impedance Grounding High resistance grounding
The high-resistance grounding method utilizes a resistor connected across the secondary of the distribution transformer to limit the maximum ground fault current. For a single-phase-to-ground fault at the machine terminals, the primary fault current will be limited to a value in the range of about 3 A to 25 A.

Ground fault neutralizer grounding

Low resistance grounding

The ground fault neutralizer grounding method utilizes a secondary tunable reactor to limit the maximum ground fault current. In this method, a resistor is connected directly between the generator neutral and ground. For a single-phase-to-ground fault at its terminals the primary fault current will be limited to a value in the range of about 200 A up to 150% of rated full-load current. Resistor cost and size usually preclude the use of resistors.

Stator Earth Fault Protection

E/F current is typically limited to 5-10A to minimizes the

damage to laminations. First earth fault is less critical but needs clearance as
It may develop into a ph to ph fault .
Second fault will result in very high current.

Two types of coverage:

100 % winding 95 % winding

95 % Stator Earth Fault

Any fault involving earth results shift of Neutral voltage. This shift can be detected by measuring the Voltage across Grounding Resistor Or from the generator terminal Open Delta voltage. Typical coverage 95% Of Stator Winding. Typical Setting:

5% with 1 Sec TD

100 % Stator E/F Protection

Third Harmonic Principle Relay responds to the reduction of the 3rd Harmonic Component For a Stator Phase-to-ground fault at or near the Generator Neutral, there will be an increase in third Harmonic Voltage at The Generator Terminals, which Will Cause Relay Operation.

100% SEF based on third harmonics measurements

100% SEF based on third harmonics measurements

Disadvantages Due to design variations, certain generating units may not produce sufficient third harmonic voltages. This method does not protect the machine during stand still conditions.

100% stator earth fault protection (Low freq. injection principle)

Detects the ground faults by injecting a low frequency signal (say 20 hz) at the neutral earthing transformer and monitor the earth current in the winding.

m . ax 200 V

20 H z R E I

SEF USING INJECTION PRINCIPLE TYPICAL CONNECTION

Earthing transformer a
DC or AC

Low ohmic

Bandpass (8 at 20 Hz)

20-Hz-Generator (appr. 25 V)

R L b
400A 5A Blocking

Relay U a Neutral transformer b I

Typical settings for 500 MW unit

Trip : 1 KOhm / 1 sec Alarm : 10 Kohm /10 sec

Rotor Earth Fault Protection

Effects First rotor E/F does not cause immediate damage Second E/F results in short circuit of rotor winding. Causes magnetic unbalance/mechanical forces Measure

Low frequency injection method

Modern rotor earth fault protection relay operates on the principle of low frequency injection into the field winding via capacitors. Corresponding current or resistance during E/F is sensed

Typical setting for a 500 mw Generator Alarm 25 k ohm time = 10 sec Trip 5 k ohm time = 1 sec

Rotor E/F Using Low frequency injection method

Rotor E/F Using Low frequency injection method

Negative sequence protection

Causes of negative squence current one pole open in line Unbalanced loads Unbalanced system faults Induces double frequency rotor current in the rotor surface thereby leading to high and dangerous temperatures in a short span of time.

Negative sequence protection relays shall be set to the NPS withstand capability of the machine which is given by k = i22x t Typical for 500 mw Permissible neg seq current = 5 8 % of stator current permissive i22x t = 5 10 settings adopted for ntpc i2 = = 7.5 % i 2xt = 8

Negative sequence protection

Loss of field protection

Loss of field protection

Acts as an induction generator Induced eddy currents in the field winding, rotor body, wedges and retaining rings MW flow in to the system/ MVAR flows in to the machine. The apparent imp moves in to the forth quadrant of x-y plane Method of detection: Impedance measurement with Under Voltage Some relays are set in the admittance plane matching with the capability curve of the machine.

Trip characteristics of loss of field protection

Trip characteristics of loss of field protection

Trip characteristics of loss of field protection

Generator Capability Curve

RELAY LINE

Out of step protection

Machine runs out of synchronism with the network Cyclic variation of rotor angle Current increases. Results in the winding stress It may also damage the auxiliaries of the affected unit

Method of detection Variations in impedance measured at Gen Terminal Distinguish between the recoverable swing and the irrecoverable swing blinders and a supervisory mho element, Trips the machine when imp is inside the mho and cross the blinders with the specified time. Minimum impedance (multiple zone) + counting no of swings

Out of step protection settings

Typical Over Fluxing Withstand Capability

Accidental back energisation

Cause Flash over of the generator breaker Incorrect closing of the generator breaker

Effects Cause operation as an induction motor Damage machine and turbine The rapid heating iron paths near the rotor surface due to stator induced current. Over current + CB auxiliary contacts checks for the current when the gen breaker contacts are open set below the rated current(90%) o/c and u/v measurements

Setting - o/c 1.2 times & u/v 70%

Accidental Back Energisation

Reverse /Low forward power Protection

Low forward and reverse power inter lock

To allow entrapped steam in the turbine to be utilized to avoid damage of the turbine blade. To protect the machine from motoring action Trip under class B after a short time delay in case the turbine is already tripped ( typ set at 2 sec) Trip under class A, after a long time delay if turbine is not tripped (typically set at 10 -30 sec) Power setting typ 0.5 % of rated power

O/V & U/F protection

Typical settings of a 3 stage o/v relay is as follows Alarm 110 % 2 sec Trip 120 % 1 sec 140 % instantaneous Abnormal Frequency protection Typical setting: U/F Alarm - 48.5hz 5 sec Trip - 47.4 hz 2 sec

51 hz

O/F 1 sec

Backup impedance protection

For uncleared system fault The backup protection is time delayed to coordinate with the zone 3 setting of lines Detected by over current impedance Impedance type preferred as the line is provided with distance relays Setting should be made to cover the GT imp and the longest line impedance. Setting should take care of the infeed from other generators connected to the same bus also. Time setting 1.5 2 sec

FAULT/ ABNML

Over view of type of fault Vs protection

EFFECT PROTECTION Thermo couples/ Over current relays Over load/negative phase sequence relay, Backup Impedance/ Earth Fault

Thermal over Over heating of stator wdg / loading insulation failure External fault Unbalanced loading stress

Stator faults Winding burn out Differential protection Shorting of of core lamination 100% E/F prot/95% E/F Inter turn protection Rotor fault Motoring Damage to shaft/bearing Damage to turbine blades Two stage rotor E/F protection LFPR/Rev power Inter lock O/V relay Volt/Hz relay U/F relay Loss of field

O/V,O/F,U.F Insulation failure,Heating of core failure of blades Loss of field Induction gen operation Absorb MVAR from system/damage to rotor wdg

PROTECTION ALSTOM/AREVA HIGH IMP DIFF CAG 34 MICOM P343

COMMONLY USED GEN/GEN TRFR RELAYS

ABB SIEMENS REMARK RADHA REG 216 RADSB RET 316 PPX 7UM SERIES 7 UT In case of duplicated diff, one low imp & one high imp preferred For trfr biased relay preferred Directional power relays

BIASED DIFF MBCH MICOM P 633 POWER RELAYS LOSS OF FIELD RXPE

7 UM SERIES

YCGF

RAGPC(DIR 7UM SERIES O/C+U/V)

Impedance /
admittance

100% E/F

PVMM MICOM P343 PG871 VDG YCG15 MICOM SERIES

GIX REG 216

7UE22 7UM SERIES

7UM SERIES

Low frequency injection type preferred over 3 rd harmonic principle

Open delta of gen sec VT Minimum impedance

95% E/F BACK UP IMP

RAKZB REG

7UM 516

PROTECTIO ALSTOM N OVER FLUXING POLE SLIPPING GTTM

ABB RATUB RALK

SIEMENS 7RW 7UM 516

Remarks IDMT IMPEDANCE IMP+ DIR O/C IMP+NO OF POWER SWINGS O/C +CB AUX CONTACT CURRENT ELEMENT+U/V comp of open delta 0n gen term+ngt sec voltage MEASUREMENT OF I2 HIGH IMP PREFFERED

ZTO+YTGM1 RXZF+RXPE 5

ACC. BACK CTIG ENERG

RAGUA

7UM SERIES

INTER TURN NEG PH SEQ REF

VDG MICOM CTN CAG/FAG

REG

7UM SERIES

RARIB RADHD REG SERIES

7UM SERIES 7UM SERIES 7UR 22 7 UM SERIES

ROTOR E/F VDG MICOM SERIES

Type of fault Short circuit

Protection 87 G1 87G2 87 GT 64G1 64G2 95G 46G 51G 40G1 40G2 98G 32 G1/2 / 37 G1/G2 59/99 81G1/81G1 21G 50GDM 64F

Channel 1 2 1 OR 2 1 2 1 OR 2 1 OR 2 Alarm 1 2 1 OR 2 1/2 1 /2 1/2 1&2 1 &2 1 OR 2

Recommendatio n

Stator Earth Fault Inter turn unbalance Over load Loss of excitation Out of step Motoring O/V,O/F U/F System back up Accidental energisation Rotor E/F

>100 MW

Generator Transformer Protection

Differential biased differential

20 % bias setting (to cover tap range and ct mismatch if any) time: instantaneous
Back up earth fault Definite time or IDMT relay 30 % with 2 sec time delay To be coordinated with distance prot zone 3

UT PROTECTION
Differential Biased differential used biased setting 20% Back up over current 2-3 times the full load current Delay of 1 sec to take care of any large motor starting case Restricted E/F High impedance Set to 5%-10% in high impedance earthing Backup E/F Set to 30% rated current with delay of 1 sec

Other Protections
Overall Differential Protection (87GT) - Covers generator, GT & UT GT overhang differential Protection (87HV) - Protects GT HV wdg & overhang portion between GT bushing and switchyard.

Typical Gen Prot SLD

Typical Generator protection scheme

NON GCB SCHEME

GCB SCHEME

TRIP LOGIC OF GENERATOR PROTECTION

Two independent channels with independent CT/VT inputs/ DC supply/ Trip relays Class A Trip (Urgent Trips) All electrical trip Issues instantaneous Trip to Turbine , Excitation, Generator EHV CBs,UT LV CBs In GCB Scheme Class A1 and A2 Class A1 Issues instantaneous Trip to Turbine , Excitation, Generator EHV CBs,GCB, UT LV CBs Class A2 Issues instantaneous Trip to Turbine , Excitation, GCB Class-B Trip (Non-urgent Trips) Turbine Trips, GT and UT OTI/WTI trips Issues delayed Trip to (After Low Forward Power timer) In Non-GCB scheme-Excitation, Generator CBs,UT LV CBs In GCB scheme, only GCB and field are tripped, UT remains charged through GT. Class C Trip Trips HV CB only.

CLASS OF TRIP

Class A

BREAKERS TO BE TRIPPED UNDER VARIOUS CLASSES OF TRIPPING GCB SCHEME NON GCB SCHEME (additional LV CB between Gen and GT) A1: GCB,HVCB,UT LV CB, HVCB,UT LV CB, FIELD, FIELD, TURBINE TURBINE (All the system tripped) (All the system tripped) A2 : GCB, FIELD, TURBINE (Generator circuit tripped & Auxiliaries charged from the grid through GT&UT) GCB,FIELD BREAKER Initiated by Turbine trip & Low Forward /reverse power, to release the trapped steam. Generator circuit breaker tripped & Auxiliaries charged from the grid through GT&UT) HVCB (Generator under House load )

Class B

HVCB,UT LV BREAKER.

CB,

FIELD

Class C

HVCB (Generator load )

under

House

RELAY GROUPING
SL NO 1. PROTECTION FUNCTION Generator Differential Protection, (87 G) (DUPLICATED IN CASE OF GCB SCHEME) Overall Di fferential Protection (87GT). Generator Transformer Differential protection (87 T) Over hang differential protection(87 HV) Stator Earth Fault Protection covering 100% of winding based on low frequency injection principle.(64G1). Stator Standby Earth Fault Protection covering 95% of winding (64 G2) Inter -turn Fault Protection (95G1), Duplicated Loss of field protection (40G1/2 ). Back up Impedance Protection, 3 pole (21G) Backup Earth Fault Protection on Generator Transformer HV neutral (51NGT) Negative Sequence Current Protection, (46G) CLASS OF TRIP NON GCB GCB A A2 Preferred grouping of protection 87 G and 87 GT shall be on two different channels of protection.

2. 3. 4. 5.

A A A A

A1 A1 A1 A2 87 T shall be in a different channel than 87 GT 87 HV shall be in a different channel than 87T 64 G1 and 64 G2 shall be on two different channels of protection.

6. 7. 8.

A A A

A2 A2 40G1 and 40G2 shall be on two different channels of protection. 21 G and 51 NGT be in different channels

A2 A1 A1

9. 10.

A A

11.

A2

1.

Duplicated Low-Forward Power / reverse power Interlock for steam turbine generator (37 /32G1 & 37/32 G2), each having two stages, a) short time interlocked with trip b) long time independent of trip. delayed turbine delayed turbine B A B A2

37/32 G1 and 37/32 G2 shall be in two different channels of protection

2. 3. 4.

5.

6.

Two Stage Rotor Earth Fault Protection based on injection principle.(64F). Definite Time Delayed Over-Voltage Protection (59G) Generator Under Frequency Protection (81G) with df/dt elements. i) Over Fluxing Protection (99 T) for Generator Transformer ii) Over fluxing protection for Generator (99 G)( only incase of GCB scheme) Accidental Back Energisation protection (50GDM) on two principles a) based on U/V and O/C b) based on CB status and O/C Instantaneous and time delayed Over Current protection to be used on HV side of excitation transformer. Generator Pole protection(98G) slipping

A A C

A2 A2 C Over Flux function (99) shall be in a different channel than O/V and U/F functions

A -----

A1 A2

A1

50 GDM based on the two principle shall be on two different channels.

7.

A2

8.

A2

1.

Unit Transformer Differential Protection, 3 pole (87UT) Unit Transformer LV back-up earth fault protection . ( 51NUT). Unit Transformer LV REF (64 UT LV) Unit transformer back-up over current protection (51UT). Gen Transformer OTI/WTI trip

A1 87 UT & 51 NUT can be in one channel and 64 UT LV & 51UT shall be in another channel.

2.

A1

3. 4. 5.

A A Turbine Trip

A1 A1 Turbine Trip

After turbine trip other breakers are tripped through class B

6.

Gen Transformer Buchholtz, PRD /other mechanical Protections Unit Transformer OTI/WTI trip

A1

7.

8.

Unit Transformer Buchholtz, PRD /other mechanical Protections 9. 64 GT (For GT LV wdg & UT HV wdg) 10. EHV CB/GCB LBB 11. EHV BB PROTN

UT LV CB Trip & signal for change over of unit board. A

UT LV CB Trip & signal for change over of unit board. A1 A1

A A

A1 A1

ADDITIONAL control/protection interlocks realized through GRP

SL.NO INITIATION 1 2 3 GT PROTECTION UT PROTECTION

ACTION FIRE TRIP CLASS A AND DISCONNECT POWER SUPPLY TO GT MB FIRE TRIP CLASS A AND DISCONNECT POWER SUPPLY TO UT MB

GT TAP CHANGER TRIP CLASS A OPERATED & HVCB CLOSED HV CB /FCB CLOSED START GT COOLER GT COOLER SUPPLY TRIP CLASS A AFTER TIME DELAY TOTAL FAILURE AVR TROUBLE SERIOUS TRIP CLASS A

4 5 6

Numerical integrated generator protection systems

Many functions in the same relay Takes multiple CT/VT inputs. Minimum of 2 nos to be used. All the prot functions are to be divided in to 2 groups . Built in DR(fast scan)/SOE functions Self supervision Communicable Has programmable logic gates which simplifies the auxiliary circuits. COMMON RELAYS ARE REG series OF ABB 7UM SERIES OF SIEMENS MICOM SERIES OF AREVA.

GENERATOR DISTURBANCE RECORDER

Record the graphic form of instantaneous values of power system variables Fast scan (1-5 khz) and slow scan (5/10 hz) features Sufficient analogue/digital inputs. Triggering from digital inputs and threshold/rate of change of analogue values. Adequate memory Good frequency response Individual acquisition units and commom evaluation unit for a station

Thank You For Your Time