Electrical Network Protection Overview
Electrical Network Protection Overview
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The topological structure of an electric network is that which appears on a map; it is not sufficient for
characterize the network exploitation scheme.
Necessity of varied topologies
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Networks must ensure the transit of energy with the maximum safety despite various infringements.
they can be victims (lightning, pollution, mechanical shocks, etc.) and the damage that may result.
We can enhance security:
By improving the reliability of the equipment;
By ensuring adequate preventive maintenance;
By improving the construction provisions;
By increasing the number of circuits, transformers, ..., this is particularly costly.
It is therefore important to find a compromise between the cost of additional investments and that of the
potential failure, which can be drawn by the energy that may not be distributed. This compromise cannot be
the same depending on the functions provided by the networks, their voltage, the type of users connected to them.
This leads to different network topologies, including radial, looped networks, and those
meshed.
Each branch between two consecutive nodes i and j will be represented by its equivalent schematic and it is common
in the practice of knowing the load at node i by its power and its power factor.
1.4.1. Radial networks
Their configuration is that found in the operation of distribution networks whose voltage sources
are composed of one or more step-down transformer(s).
The voltage supplied by each of these sources can be variable, following the fluctuations of the high voltage network.
to which the transformer is connected, or adjustable if the transformation ratio can be modified.
Figure 1.1 below illustrates the diagram of a radial network. The calculation of such a network is particularly easy.
These are networks in which the links form loops, most of which have common sides, realizing
thus a structure similar to the mesh of a net.
In these networks, energy transits in the different branches can easily escape any control.
precise.
This structure is generally used for transport; figure 1.2 below shows the mesh structure of a
electric network.
A looped network is a simplified mesh network featuring a number of closed loops. Each of
loop contains a limited number of sources.
The voltage phasors ~ ~ ~) on the three phases in a node of a direct symmetrical three-phase system are defined
by the following phasors:
The voltage phasors ~ ~ ~ ) on the three phases at a node of an inverse symmetrical three-phase system are
defined by the following phase shifters:
Problems raised
Electricity cannot be stored.
The power plants are located based on certain constraints.
geographical
Consumers are spread across the entire territory.
Solution
Electricity must be produced in real time.
The transport and interconnection network (all high voltage lines are interconnected)
through transformation substations).
Before discussing the different faults in the electrical network, we will first start by giving
the general structure of the electrical network
The generators of power plants generally provide a voltage between 5 and 20 kV. This
the voltage is raised to a value of 400 kV in order to be transported to the distribution stations (dispatching) and then
towards the locations of use by the transport and distribution networks of electrical energy
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Electrical components in a substation (A: primary side B: secondary side 1. Primary power line 2. Cable
3. Guard 4. Electric line 5. Voltage transformer 6. Switch 7. Circuit breaker 8. Transformer
courant 8. Parafoudre 9. Transformateur (de puissance) 10. Bâtiment secondaire 11. Clôture 12. Ligne électrique
secondary)
Voltage dips are caused by short circuits occurring in the general network or in the installations.
from the clientele (figure I.7). Only voltage drops greater than 10% are considered here (the amplitudes
lower ones fall into the category of "voltage fluctuations". Their duration can range from 10 ms to several
seconds, depending on the location of the short circuit and the functioning of the protective devices (the faults
are normally eliminated in 0.1-0.2 seconds in HT, 0.2 seconds to a few seconds in MT.
They are characterized by their: amplitude and duration and can be single-phase or three-phase depending on the number of
concerned phases.
Voltage dips can trigger equipment when their depth and duration
exceed certain limits (depending on the particular sensitivity of the loads). The consequences can be
extremely costly (restart times amounting to hours or even days; data loss
informatiques ; dégâts aux produits, voire aux équipements de production...).
A short interruption is the complete loss or disappearance of the power supply voltage for a period of
time of 1/2 cycle up to 3 s. It occurs when the supply voltage or charging current decreases to
less than 0.1 p.u.
The release of voltage faults and brief interruptions are mainly caused by short circuits.
attributable to natural network incidents and maneuvers of protective devices eliminating these faults. They
are also the result of calling significant powers during the commissioning of certain loads of the
network.
The voltage swell is an increase in voltage above the nominal voltage of 1.1 p.u for a duration of
0.5 cycle at 60 s. It is characterized by its amplitude and duration. It can cause overheating and destruction.
components.
When the flow in an electrical line is significant, the current flow in the line causes
a drop in voltage (figure I.8). The voltage is then lower at the end of the line than at its origin, and the longer the line
is charged in power transit, the voltage drop will be greater.
Figure I.9: Case of high consumption supplied by a line from a power plant
A network in which consumption is distant from production will present a different voltage profile.
of that of a network in which production and consumption are evenly distributed (figure I.10). Each
The power plant imposes the voltage at its output, and the voltage evolves in the network according to the supplied consumption.
That is why in high voltage mesh networks, the voltage differs depending on where one is located. At the
At the consumption point, the tension is high at the nodes of the network where the power plants discharge, and relatively low.
at consumption points far from power plants.
Figures (I.8) (I.9) (I.10) are valid for a given moment, at a given level of consumption. When the
consumption varies over time, the voltage evolves, decreasing when consumption increases, rising again
when consumption decreases.
The fact that the voltage is not the same at every point in the network is normal. This difference is compensated by
voltage adjustments made in the substations. This ensures that the voltage remains within
the acceptable range at all delivery points.
Remark
An electric cable has its own resistance depending on its length and cross-section, so we need to
limiter the loss generated by this resistance of the cables electric.
A small part of the electricity carried by an electrical cable is transformed into heat, so there is a generation of heat.
a drop in voltage commonly referred to as Voltage Drop or Joule effect. If a drop occurs in
tension, meaning a decrease in the voltage flowing through the electric cable, then there will also be a decrease in
the intensity in Amperes.
If a low voltage LED bulb only receives 10.4v instead of 12v, then its luminous power will be
largement impactée à la baisse.
What the NF C 15-100 standard says about voltage drop in the domestic electrical installation:
The NF C 15-100 standard imposes a voltage drop of a maximum of 3% between the main circuit breaker and
the terminal circuits of the electrical installation: sockets, lighting, specialized circuits….
If the measurement of the voltage at the connection circuit breaker is 230V, the acceptable limit voltage at the level
The terminal circuits are therefore at 223V. (3% of 230V is approximately 7V).
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Example 1
Calculate the voltage drop
230
I 3.38A
24 20 20
U R * I 20*3.38 230 67.65 162.35V
Example 2
Calculate the voltage drop in an overhead line.
Voltage imbalances usually occur in the presence of a charge imbalance and their
current calls. Indeed, all three-phase loads must draw the same current on each phase. As for the
single-phase loads connected to a three-phase network must be distributed as evenly as possible among the
three phases. In addition, some voltage imbalances result from the operation and nature of the equipment
of the electrical network.
Non-linear loads result in a current from the network that is not purely sinusoidal.
Only the fundamental at 50 Hz of this distorted current contributes, along with the voltage, to
the contribution of the active power consumed by the equipment.
Non-linear loads generate harmonics
The current harmonics do not bring this power (because their frequencies
are different from 50 Hz) but unfortunately contribute to increasing
uselessly the effective intensity of the current carried by the power cables
( )= 0+ 1sin( ωt+ )
1+ ∑ sin( ωt + )
>2
( ) = 0 + V1 sin( + 1
) + ∑ V sin( + )
n>2
It is shown that
=√ 2 2
0+ 1+ ∑ 2
Likewise
= √ 2 2+
0+ ∑ 2
1
2
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What gives us 2
and 2
√∑ 2 √∑ 2
THDV= THDI=
V1 I1
Note 1: When the THD is equal to zero, we can conclude that there are no harmonics on the network.
Note 2: There is another definition of the distortion rate relating to the effective value of the signal as a whole.
√ ∑ >2 2 √ ∑ >2 2
eff valueicace ofsharmoniwhats
(THD = , that isTHDV= for the tension and THDI= for the current).
effective valueicage 2
√∑ 1 √ ∑ >1 2
The important thing is to remain consistent in your calculations...
Remarks:
• The harmonics of the current (order do not play any role concerning the active power
• The harmonics of the current (order do not play any role concerning reactive power
• The deforming power is directly related to the presence of current harmonics (rank 2).
cos φ1
PF =
√ 1+ THDI ²
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Remarks:
• When the total harmonic distortion of current (THDi) increases, the power factor decreases.
• The term cos 1is also called displacement factor (DPF: Displacement Power Factor).
On a: PF < DPF
6. Normative aspects
6.1. Main standards
Several standards exist to frame this subject, among the most important:
• IEC 61000-1-1 : To define the harmonics.
• CEI 61000-2-1 to 5 : For low-frequency networks and transmission.
• IEC 61000-3-2 to 6 : For the limits of harmonic current emissions.
• CEI 61000-4-1 to 15: For the testing and immunizations of the materials.
• EN 50160 : For the characteristics of voltage supply by public networks.
• The UTE C15-105 guide: For the sizing of cables in the presence of harmonics.
Tolerable levels for harmonic voltages on low voltage networks 50 Hz (according to IEC61000-2-2)
6.3. Consideration of harmonic currents by the NF C 15-105 standard (excerpts)
The sizing of cables based on the percentage of harmonics (TH%) is carried out according to the NF C 15-100 standard.
Edited by UTE C 15-105 (433.3 & 433.4) taking into account the calculation of the neutral section, depending on the harmonic rate.
We generally distinguish between voltage dips, short-duration interruptions, and long-duration interruptions.
Generally, all these phenomena are caused by the same incidents: short circuits. The location on
The electrical network in relation to the location of the short circuit determines the consequences on the power supply.
at the connection point. In the event of a short circuit, the part of the network in question is isolated by operation
of protections. A connection point will only be affected by a cut if it is part of the isolated section.
Typically, this occurs when a short circuit happens on the cable or power line of the point of
connection concerned or on a neighbor's installation.
We distinguish three categories of hollows based on the number of phases involved:
Type I: Mainly a drop from one of the phase-neutral voltages
Type II: Mainly due to a phase-phase voltage drop
Type III: The tensions on the three phases are affected equivalently.
Types I and II are typically caused by single-phase or two-phase short circuits.
Type III is the result of three-phase short circuits.
To protect against voltage dips:
1. Use low voltage relays E in the contactor group, they serve as a safety function when the
the power supply voltage is too low.
2. Use direct current power supplies rather than alternating current: because they inherently have a
energy reserve. They are typically less sensitive to dips (e.g. contactors with
excitation winding at cc).
3. Provide conditioned power supplies for control equipment: the installed power of equipment
The cost of the protection to be anticipated is therefore often justifiable.
To do this, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems are generally used.
It is important to note that the reliability of an UPS unit largely depends on the condition of the batteries. A
Good maintenance and the timely replacement of these batteries is therefore essential.
also true for programmable controllers: it is crucial to replace the backup battery on time.
in a way not to lose the program.
4. Use appropriate programming techniques: for processes based on sequential actions, it is
it is preferable not to use RAM for action variables. In this way, if the controller must
to be restarted, the step at which the process was before the dip is known and the process can be
restarted quickly.
2.1.2 surge protection
= Xc/ Xc-3* X0
with Xc = 1/j * Cp * ω, Xo = j * Lo * ω
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Reduce losses and voltage drop in an electrical cable. To maintain optimal efficiency, one
try in general to limit the loss to 3%, therefore there are several solutions to achieve this.
Limit the distance traveled by the current.
It is enough to minimize the distance between the energy source and the consumption of that energy.
In the context of battery use, the battery should be placed as close as possible to the components that will
consume the current.
2. Increase the section of the electrical cables.
The huge advantage of this solution is that it is possible to significantly reduce current loss as soon as
that we increase the section of the electrical cables, however, the cost can prove to be significant if the consumed intensity
is high or if the distance is important. To be reserved for average distances of 10m maximum according to our
calculations.
3. Reduce the intensity in electrical cables.
There are 2 very simple solutions.
The first is to connect your devices in parallel from the power source as much as possible because instead of
Having a consumption of 100w on an electric cable, you can for example switch to 4 x 25 watts on 4.
different cables. This leads to an additional cost in terms of the length of the cables since you will need 4 times more
length, it is therefore necessary to make a cost calculation between upper section or upper length.
The second solution is to increase the voltage upstream, meaning that instead of starting with
12v for example we will start at 48v and you just have to connect your devices in series to reach this
Tension is 4 devices 12v in series on a 48v output. The downside is that via a solar system +
battery it is quite difficult to find panels and batteries operating at 48v and you still need to ensure that your
Devices accept series connection. Reserved for those who have knowledge in electricity...
4. Limit the heat in the cables.
This solution will not bring a significant improvement, however a gain is a gain and nothing should be overlooked.
Place your cable close to the floor rather than running it along the ceiling where heat accumulates, for example.
bury an outdoor cable rather than leaving it exposed if it is already 30°C outside.
They are caused by short circuits and unbalanced loads. Their existence alters the balance of
electrical quantities present.
Voltage imbalances affect all three-phase equipment, especially motors, as they
They then experience an unwanted braking couple that results in overheating. Any imbalance of voltage
greater than 2% leads to overheating of the equipment, which requires over-sizing them to compensate
this overheating and prevent premature degradation. There is no standard for the acceptable threshold of
voltage imbalance on electrical networks,
HOW TO PROTECT EQUIPMENT AGAINST VOLTAGE IMBALANCES?
1. It is necessary to ensure that the internal loads are well balanced and that the equipment is equipped with
adequate protections.
2. Use phase unbalance protection relays, they serve the function of monitoring
the phase wave L1, L2, L3.
Given the risks that harmonic pollution poses to electrical installations, it is advisable
to eliminate the harmonic currents generated, using filters. Passive filters: Passive filters are tuned to
the frequency to be eliminated or that can attenuate a range of harmonic frequencies: Active filters (figure II.2),
active harmonic compensators cancel harmonics by injecting harmonic currents
exactly equal where they occur. This type of filter reacts in real time to existing harmonics to
eliminate them. They are more flexible and efficient than passive filters. In figure II.3, the current is shown
source, the nonlinear current filled with harmonics and active filter.
The parallel active filter is used for the depollution of low voltage (BT) and medium voltage (MT) networks. Its total impedance with respect to the
the source and the load give it good self-adaptability with appreciable performance.
Every network needs to be protected (overvoltage, overcurrent, short circuit, grounding, etc...)
the function is ensured by a set of equipment, located in the stations:
1) The measuring transformers (voltage and current) providing the voltages (phase-neutral) and current of
each phase as well as the current in the neutral if necessary. They bring back the current and voltage values
nominal values (several tens or hundreds of kV and amperes) to conventional values
(110 V p.e. and 5 A) which can directly power the relay. This treatment could change in the future.
with the advent of 'optical' transformers that would provide information directly digitized.
2) The protection relays
3) Circuit breakers A protection relay detects the presence of abnormal conditions through monitoring.
continue, determine which circuit breakers to open and energize the triggering circuits.
2.3 The protection plan for the electric power transmission network
An electrical energy transport network brings together production facilities and connects power plants to the areas.
of consumption
["Selectivity","Sensitivity","Securing"]
["Line protections","Bus protections","Backup plan","Defense plan"]
Presentation
A relay is a device in which an electrical phenomenon (current or voltage) controls the On/Off switching.
Off of a mechanical element (we then have an electromechanical relay present) or an element
electronics (this is a solid-state relay). It is somewhat like a switch that can be operated at
distance, and where the cutoff function is dissociated from the control function. The voltage and current of
the command (part 'Command'), as well as the switching power (part 'Power') depend on the relay, it
it is necessary to choose these parameters according to the desired application. Thus, different relays must be chosen depending on whether it
It is necessary to switch audio signals or significant voltages or currents. As the control can be carried out
under low power (low voltage, low current), and that the Cutoff part can switch power
important on can dire what this component est a amplifier of current.
The first truly 'practical' relay was created in 1837, thanks to American inventor Samuel F.B. Morse (yes,
the one who invented the famous alphabet of the same name), who himself relied on the work of the physicist
British Charles Wheatstone (yes, the one to whom we owe the famous measuring bridge that bears his name).
• Ability to switch both continuous and alternating signals over a wide range of frequencies.
• Operation with a considerable dynamic of the switched signal.
• No addition of noise or distortion.
• Very low closed contact resistance (it is less easy to find such low values with)
electronic components).
• Very high open contact resistance (it is less easy to find such high values with)
electronic components).
• Very high isolation between the control circuit (coil) and the switched circuit (contacts).
• Possibility of solving automation problems sometimes more simply than with a circuit.
electronics.
Disadvantages of the electromechanical relay
• Control element having a significant inductive component (after all, it's a coil),
causing a significant surge when the current flowing through the coil is interrupted (law of
Lenz). This necessitates the use of at least one protective component (a diode for example) to
protect the control circuit if it is of the electronic type.
• Presence of rebounds during switching, the transition from the ON state to the OFF state (or vice versa) is not
"net" (same mechanical bounce phenomenon observed in switches). It is interesting
to know that the number of bounces, and therefore the speed of the straightforward contact, depends on the current of
current flows in the coil. The number of bounces is indeed greater when this current
the command is much lower or much higher than the nominal current value specified by the manufacturer
Applying a control voltage of 8 V to a relay with a nominal voltage of 12 V can do it.
glue, but in a less direct way and with more rebounds.
• Compatibility not always guaranteed with digital circuits, especially for heavy relays.
power, which may require a specific interface circuit.
• Capacitive coupling between contacts for multipolar models (with multiple poles).
• Reduction of insulation in the open state due to capacitive coupling (even more troublesome since the
switched signals rise high in frequency.
• Short lifespan 'low' if a significant number of switches (contact and return spring fatigue, which
may "soften" or even break).
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• Mechanical clutter is more significant for medium and high-power relays, which must however
compared to transistors or triacs equipped with their (sometimes large) heatsink.
• Broaching not really standardized, despite some efforts made for certain categories of relays.
in DIL package and relay "European standard".
3.1.2 Power relay
Most relays, such as those presented above, are capable of switching a few amps (usually 1 A)
At 4 A). For higher breaking capacities, such as 10 A, 25 A or more, one must turn to relays of
power. If the relay has several contacts and only one switching is needed, the different contacts
can be mounted in parallel to increase the breaking capacity. It should be noted that some relays of
Power requires a minimal current flow to maintain good reliability. For example, a relay
planned to switch a current of 25 A, may very well not be properly utilized if the current actually
The switched current is "only" 1 A. This type of information is generally communicated by the manufacturer, but this is
not always the case. Choose a relay whose cutoff power is slightly higher than the current value at
The relay can switch a current of 40 A, it is a very common model in the
automotive sector. To such an extent that it is called auto relay.
The role of electrical protection relays for alternators and motors is to detect, among the
various possible defects, those of electrical origin, and to develop the necessary actions of
signaling and opening of the cutoff device connecting the equipment to the network.
— between the three phases, often through the evolution of a two-phase short circuit (arc extension); A short-
A short circuit can also occur between two turns or two bars of the same phase.
The insulation of the rotor winding conductors can also be faulty, most often due to
of the causes:
-mechanical, due to wear of insulators or failure;
—thermal, due to lack of general or localized cooling;
—electric, through piercing the insulation or, most often, by bypassing due to pollution
An asynchronous machine can also experience a loss of electrical power of
the inductor.
[Link] Engines
The damage affecting the stator winding of motors is of the same nature as that related to
alternators. However, it is likely that a short circuit between two phases will develop more quickly in
short-circuit with the mass, due to the relatively more compact dimensions of the casing and the circuit
magnetic. The insulation defects of the rotor winding only concern motors
asynchronous wound rotor or synchronous motors, the rotor bars of asynchronous motors
cages not being isolated from the mass. The causes of these defects are of the same nature as the alternators,
although the degradation kinetics may be faster due to the smaller dimensions of these
machines. The rotor bars of squirrel-cage induction motors can break under the effect of
excessive constraints due to too many or too close start-ups.
External origin defects
[Link] Alternators
Groups consisting of a turbine or a thermal engine and a generator can be either
directly connected to a distribution system (factory network, self-producer), or connected to the
general system of electricity production-transport-distribution, or network through a
step-up transformer, called main transformer (MT) (figure III.1).
In the event of external defects, rotating machines are required to provide their service to the fullest.
as long as possible, to allow the necessary time for the protection relays, external to the installation,
to eliminate these defects.
The operation of external fault protection relays must therefore ensure the selectivity of actions.
without interfering with the network protection relays.
In the case of alternators, two types of actions are controlled by the protection relays.
If the cause of the abnormal regime is unambiguous (for example, imbalanced regimes, frequency variations,
...or, most likely, external to the alternator, it is disconnected from the network, either immediately or after
a delay intended to allow the network protections to take effect by opening the line circuit breaker (figure
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III.1). The alternator then only provides the electrical energy necessary for the unit's auxiliaries. This action
is called islanding.
If the origin, internal or external, of the defect cannot be distinguished by variations in electrical quantities
(for example, voltage drop, loss of synchronization...), the elimination of the fault is done in two stages:
first of all, grouping isolation,
If the defect persists, after a certain delay, triggering of the group. Other abnormal regimes, including
The effects on the alternators are not immediate (for example, overload) only trigger an alarm.
In the case of motors, power supply disturbances must be eliminated, while respecting the
principle of selectivity, through actions on the cutting devices as close as possible to the equipment in
default. The protection relays against these types of conditions (for example, unbalanced voltages, voltage drops),
installés dans la cellule de départ agissent en 2e stade, par déclenchement de chaque auxiliaire, après temporisation.
The disturbances caused by the driven organ (for example, long starting time, overload) are obviously
eliminated by the opening of the corresponding contactor or circuit breaker, after a delay.
A defect on a busbar system is, most of the time, very restrictive for the network (short-circuit current)
high and large number of works to be decommissioned to eliminate the defect). Therefore, it must be eliminated.
quickly. Without specific protection, such a fault is eliminated by the distance protections of the stations
adjacent in a second zone time (250 to 600 ms) in the most favorable case.
The role of bar protections is to improve the situation by eliminating as quickly and selectively as possible.
any type of defect occurring in the area of the bars.
The choice of neutral earthing for MV and HV networks has long been a subject of controversy.
passionate, given the impossibility of finding a single compromise for the different types of networks.
The experience gained today allows for a relevant choice based on specific constraints.
each network. This chapter compares the different types of grounding connections for the neutral, which are distinguished
by their neutral point connection method and their operating technique.
Figure III.4 Delivery, distribution, and transformation HTA/BT posts C13-100 and C13-200
Indeed [reference]
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Remark
The protections can be used either as coupling protection or as line protection. In this
in the last case, a bar is assigned to a single line, whose circuit breaker is bridged or locked closed, and the
protections out of service. It is then said that the coupling is used in transfer.
Important posts can have four sets of bars
C1 and C2 are couplings treated as above T1 and T2 are truncations. They cannot be
used in transfer.
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Conclusion
Reference