The protection system false operation

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    Protection System
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the malfunction of a protection system in an extra high voltage substation, specifically focusing on the failure of the system to operate correctly during a severe short circuit event. The scope includes technical explanations of protection relay operations, transient phenomena, and potential causes of false operations within tightly coordinated systems.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes a scenario where all circuit breakers connected to a double bus bar system trip due to a severe short circuit in an output line, despite the absence of bus bar protection activity.
  • Another participant questions whether the severe short circuit could generate a transient pulse that might trip the other breakers.
  • A further contribution discusses the possibility of CT (current transformer) secondary current existing without primary current during transient conditions, introducing the concept of subsidence current and its potential effects on breaker failure overcurrent relay operations.
  • The same participant notes that subsidence current can prolong the assertion of the breaker failure element, potentially leading to false operations in tightly coordinated protection systems.
  • It is mentioned that some modern digital protective relays can detect CT subsidence current, suggesting a possible advancement in addressing these issues.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express uncertainty regarding the mechanisms behind the protection system's false operation, with multiple competing views on the causes, particularly concerning transient effects and subsidence current. The discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations related to the understanding of transient phenomena and the specific operational characteristics of protective relays in high voltage systems. There may be assumptions about the behavior of current transformers and relay coordination that are not fully explored.

m.s.j
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In an extra high voltage substation, the output overhead lines protected by standard protection system.
That protection system contains high quality main and backup distance protection, sync/auto reclosing relays and separated static relay that specified to line circuit breaker which is named "CBF protection".
The CBF protective relay has connected in series to same current transformer core that connected to distance relay. Also because the extra high voltage power system stability requirements, the relays setting have done in tightly coordination systems. But the designed protection system sometimes couldn't operate correctly.
Sometimes all circuit breakers that connected to one of two substation bus bar (double bus bar system) are tripped due to one sever short circuit that occurred in one of output lines without any bus bar protection activity.
According to more investigation and data recording analyses, the line distance protection had operated correctly (less than 30 ms) and it had opened relevant circuit breaker in time. Also the CBF protective relay had operated too.

How can you explain the reason of that protection system mol operation?


REGARDS
MSJ

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Creative thinking is enjoyable,Then think about your surrounding things and other thought products. http://electrical-riddles.com
 
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"Sometimes all circuit breakers that connected to one of two substation bus bar (double bus bar system) are tripped due to one sever short circuit that occurred in one of output lines without any bus bar protection activity."
I am not sure I follow totally but couldn't this sever short cause a transit pulse to trip the other breakers?
 
dlgoff said:
I am not sure I follow totally but couldn't this sever short cause a transit pulse to trip the other breakers?

For drawing and CBF logic diagram refer to attached file.

BEST REGARDS
MSJ
 

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Is existence of CT secondary current possible without any its primary current?
Yes it is possible in transient duty. That current named decay or subsidence current.
The subsidence current is the current that flows through a CT burden after the line breaker opens.
As you know, the circuit breaker failure over current relay (50BF) should be fast pickup and dropout relay. The subsidence current may affect the dropout time of breaker failure over current element. If the 50BF element is picked up the breaker failure time delay, other breakers must trip to isolate the failed breaker.
CT subsidence current keep the 50BF element asserted longer than necessary and may contribute to a false breaker failure operation in tightly coordinated systems.
Nowadays some digital base protective relays are able to detect CT subsidence current.


BEST REGARDS
MSJ


-----------------------------------------------------
Creative thinking is enjoyable,Then think about your surrounding things and other thought products. http://electrical-riddles.com
 

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