51N Relays: Ground Fault Protection Guide
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ScribdTranslations51N Relays: Ground Fault Protection Guide
Translated by
ScribdTranslationsRelays 51N - Ground Fault
¾In solidly grounded systems,
the earth is common to all
elements and a ground fault occur
determine by the current that flows
for her.
¾ The above does not always hold true. In
large industrial systems or in
distribution networks, this is common.
51N Relays - Ground Fault
¾The main reason is the high cost.
what this implies.
¾Why it is convenient to ground
the neutral of the systems?
Limit the maximum fault current to
values that are not harmful to
the generators, transformers and
other system teams.
Relays 51N – Ground Fault
¾Main Reasons to Reduce the
Earth Fault Currents.
Reduce the risk of equipment fire
electrical (cables, transformers,
rotary machines).
Reduce the risk of electric shock by
personal caused by the currents
circulating in the return path
by land.
Allow the control of overvoltages
transitory.
Relays 51N - Ground Fault
Reduce the risk
of explosion or
flame for arc
to the staff who
could be
exposed to the
Current of
Fail.
Relays 51N – Ground Fault
The grounding of the neutral must
allow a fault current flow
sufficient for the alarms or
protection relays operate.
There are two types of resistance for the
grounding of the neutral.
Low Resistance, limits the current to the level
minimum (> 50 A) that allows them to operate
protection relays.
Relays 51N - Ground Fault
–High Resistance, this is sized from
way that allows a current of
maximum failure greater than current of
ground capacitive load of the system
(usually 5A for smaller systems
of 1kV).
Relays 51N - Ground Fault
¾About Grounding for Low Voltage
Resistance.
Standard IEEE 142-1991 Practices
Recommended for Grounding of
Industrial Power Systems and
Commercials.
This method has the advantage of freeing up
selective and immediate circuit
grounded. Requires that the minimum
fault current is sufficient to operate
the ground fault relay.
Relays 51N - Ground Fault
IEEE Standard 242-1986 Practices
Recommended for the Coordination and
Power System Protection
Industrial and Commercial.
The magnitude of the grounding resistance
land must be such that it allows for circulation
sufficient current for the relays
they detect it and release it to the ground
failed circuit.
Relays 51N – Ground Fault
¾In cases where the System is not
solidly landed, the failure to
land is determined by the imbalance
in the charge current. This is the
operating principle of the
relays 51N.
Relays 51N - Ground Fault
¾Under normal operating conditions
these must not act out of imbalance,
since from the point of view
this must not be greater than
30% of the nominal value of the load.
¾In cases like the restoration
of "dark zones" in systems of
distribution, the imbalance usually
"verse" as a ground fault.
Relays 51N - Ground Fault
¾In industrial systems it is presented
similar cases, in starts of
mainly cargo plant
single-phase.
¾ When operations are performed with
single-pole disconnectors
It is recommended to block 51N for
prevent it from acting due to imbalance.
Relays 51N - Ground Fault
¾Neutral Point to 'Solid Ground'
Land through Baja
Resistance.
The solidly grounded systems
they are an improvement over the 'floaters'
and speed up the localization of faults.
They do not allow limiting the fault current
as in the systems in which the implementation of
neutral ground is achieved through
low resistance.
51N Relays - Ground Fault
The nature of the arc due to ground fault
in solidly grounded systems it is
known for the amount of energy
dissipated during the failure.
An approximate measure of energy
dissipated can be obtained by calculating
the KWC (Kilowatt Cycle) dissipated in the
arch using the following expression;
KWC=Ifg*Tiempo/10
Relays 51N - Ground Fault
The following table presents a relationship
between the magnitude of the energy dissipated and
its evidence in the system.
Relays 51N – Ground Fault
Comparative example.
• Consider a system with the following
characteristics, 480 V, 2000 kVA and a
available single-phase fault current of
30,000 A
If the system is solidly grounded and
considering that the switch opens at 10
cycles, KWC = 30000*10/10= 30,000
If the system lands with low resistance
and the fault current is limited to 400A
It has to be KWC = 400*60/10 = 2,400
Relays 51N - Ground Fault
¾Unlanded Systems
Advantages
Fault current magnitudes to ground
low.
No risks of electric arc in failures to
earth.
Continuous operation after the first
earth fault.
Relays 51N - Earth Fault
- Disadvantages
It becomes difficult to locate the faults in
land, therefore the costs involved in the
permanent elimination of the failure
In general, they are tall.
Risk of severe transient overvoltages
during a failure to
A second ground fault results in
a fault between the lines.
Reles 51N – Falla a Tierra
¾Use of Zig-Zag Transformers
They are used in DELTA-type systems and their
the goal is to create an 'artificial' earth in
this type of systems.
Allows to detect and release in form
selective earth faults in this type of
systems.
Detection is performed by connecting a
relay 51N between the ground point and the
transformer neutral.
Relays 51N – Ground Fault
Selective admission can be achieved from the
next way;
Normally in the failed circuits, there are
or failure protections may exist to
ground (Almost all electronic relays
multifunction have this function) in the case
from the configuration in Delta this function
it is usually inhibited.
• Having a trajectory for the
ground fault currents created
artificially by the TR Zig-Zag is activated the
function and coordinates with the 51N connected
between ground and the neutral of the transformer.
Fall to Earth
¾ Solidly grounded systems.
480VWyeSource
3ØLoad
AØ BØ
CØ
In I cc I cb I ca
TotaC
l apacvtieCurrent
I ca + Icb + ccI = 0
Fall to Earth
¾ Fault current distribution.
480V Wye Source
3Ø Load
AØ BØ
CØ
In I cc I cb I ca If
~60kA
Estimated Total Fault Current Example (2500kVA, 480V, Z = 5%)
~0A (3A)
1 1
If = I fla + (I cb I cc ) = ~I n I n= If = * 3000A = ~60,000A
Z pu 0.05
Fall to Earth
¾ A large value of the fault current
will cause severe damage.
– If the overload protection devices
current will be adequately coordinated will release the
fails properly and the damage is considered
acceptable.
Current
de Falla
Voltages
Transitory
Fall to Earth
¾ Grounded system, 'high impedance fault'
480V Wye Source
3Ø Load
AØ BØ
CØ
In I cc I cb I ca
If
~23kA
Estimated Total Fault Current Example (2500kVA, 480V, Z = 5%)
~0A (3A)
1 1
If = I fla .38 + (I cb + I cc ) = ~I n I n= If = 3000A * .38 = ~23kA
Z pu 0.05
Fall to Earth
¾ Low fault current, the devices of
protection does not operate and can cause
serious damage to the equipment.