GE Power

Power Services

Course Reference: Generator Electrical Maintenance

Generator & Transformer

Protection
Training Lesson
 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

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For training purposes only.

This is a training lesson. It provides overall information about the specific system only.
To understand the operation concept in detail the project specific documents as
defined in the document reference section have to be included together with this
lesson.
All mentioned /attached values and settings are for information only. Typical values
are used to clarify particular subjects. Settings furthermore are subject to change site
specifically during commissioning.
For actual values please refer to the final plant specific Operation & Maintenance
Documentation.

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Table of Contents

Lesson Objectives .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4

Overview..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Fault Conditions ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Abnormal Operating Conditions ................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Basic Requirements.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Protection Function/Relay............................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Protection Zones and Selectivity................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Backup Protection ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Hardware ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Operation & Maintenance............................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Summary ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Figure 1: Possible Kinds of Faults on a Generator Stator Winding ............................................................................................. 11
Figure 2: Generator Protection Arrangement ....................................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 3: Protection Functions used in Generator Protection ....................................................................................................... 13
Figure 4: Protection Single-line acc. to ANSI Standard ..................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 5: Protection Single-line acc. to IEC Standard ........................................................................................................................ 15
Figure 6: Generator and Transformer Protection Functions .......................................................................................................... 16
Figure 7: Application of Generator Protection Functions ................................................................................................................ 17
Figure 8: Application of Transformer Protection Functions ............................................................................................................ 18
Figure 9: Various Fault Point .......................................................................................................................................................................... 19

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Lesson Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, the trainee is able to:

• List reasons for implementation of a Protection System.

• State the two kinds of faults/disturbances, which are detected by the Generator
and Transformer Protection.

• List 5 examples of protection functions of each of the two above groups and
• their purpose
• possibly with ANSI-number or IEC symbol

• Explain the terms

• Selectivity, time grading
• Stability
• Protection Zones

• List measures to increase the reliability of a Protection System.

• Identify Protection Functions in a Protection Single Line just by following the

measuring circuits (VT's and CT's).

• Follow one of the protection functions (e.g. Generator Differential Function):

• In your Hardware drawing
(from primary current/voltage up to terminals of protection device)
• Explain setting/configuration

• Draw by heart:
Your arrangement of Protection Functions with ANSI numbers or IEC symbols into
an Electrical Single Line. Compare it afterwards with actual plant configuration.

• State possibility to judge status/functioning of the protection device/function

during standstill and operation. (as far it is possible for you).

• Give a procedure to check (e.g. during an outage):

• Trip channels
• Alarm/fault indications.
• External signal
• If applicable: protection functions

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Overview

The purpose of the Generator and Transformer Protection is:

• to protect man and material against injuries and damages
• minimize the effects of disturbances

The Generator and Transformer protection detects:

• faults
• abnormal service conditions
during operation of generator and transformer.

Fault Conditions

Figure 1 On electrical machines the following kinds of faults can occur and cause damage:
• Short-circuits
• Interturn faults
• Ground faults

Most of the fault currents are of a higher level; the damage is therefore great and
continuing operation may not be possible. Because the damage rises with time, it is
necessary to interrupt operation as soon as possible by a trip of:
• Circuit breaker(s)
• Excitation circuit breaker
• Turbine shutdown

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Abnormal Operating Conditions

Under abnormal operating conditions the normal electrical, mechanical, and thermal
stress of protected machines is increased by:
• Overcurrent
• Unbalanced load
• Overtemperature
• Overvoltage
• Over- and under-excitation
• Over- and under-frequency
• asynchronous running
• Generator motoring

The protected machines are still sound, but their lifetime can be influenced.
The abnormal operating conditions could cause a fault later if they are not detected by
a protection system in time.

The abnormal operating conditions can be caused by:

• Switching, failures and faults on the connected power system
(they influence current, voltage, frequency).
• Failures on protected machines (e.g. on the cooling system).
• Failures on the control system (current, temperature, voltage, excitation, speed,
inadvertent non-synchronized connection).

Basic Requirements

The basic requirements on the protection system are:

• Reliable operation during
• Internal faults
• Abnormal operating conditions
• Stability: No operation during
• External faults
• Normal operating conditions

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Protection Function/Relay

A Protection Function initiates disconnection of a part of an electrical installation and/

or gives a warning signal in case of fault or other abnormal conditions. It analyses the
power system quantities (voltage and current) by voltage transformers (VT) or current
transformers (CT). Some protection devices, mostly located at the protected system
(e.g. transformer), react on pressure or temperature.
Remark: The term 'Protection Function' is commonly used with modern numerical
protection systems where the actual 'Protection Function' is implemented in the
Software (chosen from a Function Library and its setting adapted to the plant
configuration).
Instead of 'Protection Function' other terms are used as:
• Protection Device or
• Protection Relay

Following are a list of Protection Functions detecting Fault Conditions:

• Overcurrent Protection
• Differential Protection
• Minimum-Impedance Protection
• Interturn Fault Protection (optional)
• Buchholz Relay or Sudden-Pressure Relay (SPR)
• Stator Ground Fault Protection
• Rotor Ground Fault Protection
• Transformer Ground Fault Protection
• Breaker Failure Protection

Protection Functions for Abnormal Operating Conditions:

• Overload Protection (e.g. monitoring winding temperature, oil temp.)
• Unbalanced Load Protection (Negative Sequence Current Protection)
• Voltage Protection (overvoltage, optional: undervoltage)
• Overexcitation Protection
• Frequency Protection
• Loss-of-Excitation Protection
• Pole Slipping Protection (optional)
• Reverse Power Protection
• Inadvertent Energization Protection (optional)
• Voltage Unbalance Protection
(Continued next page)

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Protection Function/Relay (continued)

Figure 2 & 3 Figure 2 shows a protection arrangement of a generator.

Figure 3 lists the protected part of the generator against kind of danger, Protection
Function, and measured value.

Figure 4, 5 & 6 Figure 4 - 6 show the various Protections Functions and their location within the
system by means of an Electrical Single Line. The Protection Functions are either
identified by the ANSI numbers of the IEC standard symbols.

Figure 7, 8 Figure 7 and 8 show the relationship between generator/transformer rating and
normally implemented Protection Functions in each case.

Protection Zones and Selectivity

Selectivity is the ability of the protection to switch off the faulty part of the electrical
system only.
The generator and transformer protection is arranged in zones, which should cover the
protected system completely, leaving no part unprotected. When a fault occurs, the
protection is required to trip only the nearest circuit breakers.

Every zone is monitored by one or several Protection Functions. Functions in

successive zones are graded in time. So, upon the occurrence of a fault, although a
number of protective equipments respond, only those relevant to the faulty zone
complete the tripping function.

Selectivity highly depends on the correct co-ordination of the Protection Functions

with a suitable choice of the function settings. The Generator and Transformer
Protection is also coordinated with Protection Systems beyond the protected
generator/ transformers (e.g. Busbar Protection or Line Protection).

Figure 9 Figure 9 shows some examples of possible fault points in a generator – transformer
system.

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Backup Protection

In order to reinforce the protection during dangerous faults,

• additional devices may be used to increase the protection reliability.
• E.g. an overcurrent device used in addition to the differential device.
At the same time the application of two devices for the same purpose must not
considerably increase the danger of maloperation.
• Therefore, two devices are used usually using different measuring methods and
having a different sensitivity. They are called main and back-up protection devices.

An ideal back-up protection would be completely independent of the main protection,

which is often only partially realized in practice. A typical configuration is:
• Division into two protection system (e.g. System A & B)
• With to independent supplies (for control voltage & binary input signals)
• Protection functions of one system have backup functions within the other
system and vice versa.
• If one system fails (e.g. loss of control voltage) the other can temporarily protect
the electrical system sufficiently.
• Two independent trip channels.
• Different measuring circuits (see paragraph above).

Back-up protection is also achieved by time graded scheme as discussed above. If one
Protection Function/Device fails or the circuit breaker fails to trip, the next Protection
Function in the grading will complete its operation. One more section is isolated than
desirable.

Hardware

Plant Specific There are some extracts from your electrical drawings of your Protection System. Refer
Attachments to the various exercises during training and the attachments (mainly extracts from O
&M Documentation) within this section. A complete description is to be found in the
Maintenance and Operation Manuals.

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Operation & Maintenance

Plant Specific For the aspects concerning operation and maintenance refer to the various exercises
Attachments during training and the attachments (mainly extracts from O &M Documentation)
within this section. A complete description is to be found in the Maintenance and
Operation Manuals.

Summary

This section with the attachments and exercises reviewed the purpose of the
Generator and Transformer Protection. An overview was given of the Protection
Functions. A Protection Function war followed up within the plant specific drawings;
from the measuring circuits up to its settings.

Aspects concerning the operation, troubleshooting and regular maintenance work

were discussed on the basis of the Operation and Maintenance Documentation.

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Power Services Protection

Figure 1: Possible Kinds of Faults on a Generator Stator Winding

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Power Services Protection

Figure 2: Generator Protection Arrangement

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Power Services Protection

Figure 3: Protection Functions used in Generator Protection

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Power Services Protection

Figure 4: Protection Single-line acc. to ANSI Standard

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Power Services Protection

Figure 5: Protection Single-line acc. to IEC Standard

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Figure 6: Generator and Transformer Protection Functions

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Figure 7: Application of Generator Protection Functions

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 GE Power Training Lesson Generator & Transformer
Power Services Protection

Figure 8: Application of Transformer Protection Functions

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Power Services Protection

Figure 9: Various Fault Point

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Power Services Protection

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