College of Engineering

Electrical Engineering Department

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Course: Protection in Power Systems / EE 4440

Frequency Relay Simulation in Simulink

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Experiment#3
Abdulrahman Mahjoub
Hakem Al hamoud
Saad Alyahia
Amjad Aldosary
 1. Objective
❖ Construct a functional Simulink model of a power system including generation,
transmission, and tiered load centers (Essential and Non-Essential).

❖ Simulate a severe system disturbance (e.g., loss of generation) that leads to a rapid drop
in system frequency (under-frequency condition).

❖ Verify the frequency relay's ability to accurately measure system frequency and initiate a
selective load shedding action to isolate non-essential loads.

❖ Confirm that the shedding of non-essential load successfully halts the frequency decline
and contributes to the stabilization of the system frequency above a critical trip threshold.

2. Introduction

Frequency is a fundamental indicator of the power balance within an electrical system. The
ANSI 81 frequency relay is a critical element of protection designed to respond when the system
frequency deviates significantly from its nominal value (typically 50 or 60Hz).

A key operational constraint in power grids is the permitted frequency variation. While nominal
frequency is typically 50 Hz or 60 Hz, system operators mandate strict tolerances for continuous
operation. The typical international standard for steady-state frequency tolerance is 0.1 Hz
or approximately 0.17% (for a 60 Hz system).

However, to avoid large-scale power failures, protection systems are designed with wider
thresholds for transient disturbances. In severe events, grid codes often allow the frequency to
deviate by up to 3%(1.8 Hz on a 60 Hz system) for very short periods before automatic
protective actions like load shedding must be completed. This is why the 59.0 Hz setting in the
procedure (representing a 1.0 Hz or 1.67% deviation ) is often chosen as the first stage for load
shedding—it is outside the normal operating limits but allows time for the emergency
stabilization measure.

See the table below:

• Under-Frequency (UF): Occurs when system load exceeds total generation, causing
generators to slow down. Unchecked UF can lead to generator damage and eventual
system-wide collapse (blackout). UF relays are primarily used in load shedding schemes,
where large blocks of non-essential load are automatically disconnected in stages to
restore the generation-load balance.
• Over-Frequency (OF): Occurs when generation temporarily exceeds load. OF relays are
typically used for generator control or over-speed protection.

This simulation focuses on the under-frequency scenario. The frequency relay must operate
quickly and reliably to trip non-critical loads (e.g., the "Non-Essential Load" shown in the
model) based on a pre-set frequency threshold. The resulting immediate decrease in system
demand acts as a stabilizing force, preventing a cascade of outages and preserving supply to vital
"Essential Loads."

The relay measures factual and compares it to the trip setting ftrip and associated time delay to
ensure maximum reliability and prevent nuisance tripping during minor transients.
3. Simulation & Results
▪ Basic Frequency Relay

Figure 1 Frequency Relay set to 5%

Figure 2 Draw of voltage from three three phase source

Figure 4 subsystem with Factory Load, Essintial Load, and Non-Essential Load

This system has the following characteristics:

1. Frequency Relay1 trip the whole subsystem when frequency is over or under 7.5%.
2. Frequency Relay2 load shedding Non-Essential load when frequency is over or under
5%.
3. Transformer is 400/230V

➢ When frequency deviation is 5-7.5%:

Figure 5 Essential load Voltage draw

Observation:

We notice that when the frequency deviation is between 5 and 7.5% the system work on load
shedding to restable the system

➢ When frequency deviation is 7.5% and more:

Observation:

We notice that when the frequency is 7.5% or greater the relay trip the whole subsystem.

4. Conclusion

The experiment achieved its primary objectives by showcasing selectivity and system stability.

Specifically, the simulation confirmed the efficacy of the tiered approach:

1. Stage 1 - Load Shedding (5% Deviation): When the system frequency deviation was
moderate (between 5 and 7.5%the designated Frequency Relay operated selectively to
disconnect only the Non-Essential Load. This partial load shedding successfully reduced
the demand-generation imbalance, demonstrating its crucial role as a first-line defense to
halt frequency decay and protect core system integrity. The Essential Load remained
energized, confirming the high level of protection selectivity.
2. Stage 2 - System Isolation (7.5% Deviation and greater): When the system was
subjected to an extreme disturbance resulting in a frequency deviation of 7.5% or greater,
the second, more sensitive Frequency Relay correctly operated to trip the entire
substation, isolating the affected subsystem from the main supply. This confirmed the last
resort protection objective, preventing the catastrophic failure from propagating further
into the surrounding grid by sacrificing the local subsystem.