Topic:

Technology and Solutions

Protection and Substation Automation

BREAKER
FAILURE
PROTECTION
APPLICATION

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 1

BASICS

ABB

Topic Objectives
Objectives
r Fault condition in a power grid
r Protection zones
r System behavior in case of breaker failure situation
r BFP solutions

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 2

r BFP application

ABB

Line

Busbar
Transformer

Generator Transformer

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 3

Busbar

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

Protection zones

G
BB

ABB

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 4

Busbar

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

Busbar Fault

ABB

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 5

Busbar Fault - cleared

ABB

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

Busbar Fault - Breaker Failure - solution

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 6

a tripping command via

the intertripping system

trip command to all

surrounding CBs by
a remote tripping
command

ABB

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 7

Line

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

Line Fault

ABB

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 8

Line Fault - cleared

ABB

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

Line Fault - Breaker Failure - solution

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 9

a tripping command via

the intertripping system

trip command to all

surrounding CBs by
a remote tripping
command

ABB

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

Transformer

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 10

Transformer or Generator - Transformer Fault

ABB

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 11

Transformer or Generator - Transformer Fault - cleared

ABB

Fault Condition in a Power Grid

Transformer or Generator - Transformer Fault
- Breaker Failure - solution

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 12

a tripping command via

the intertripping system

trip command to all

surrounding CBs by

G
a remote tripping
command

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 13

How is it possible to
detect a non operating
circuit breaker (= Circuit
Breaker Failure)
???
ABB

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 14

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

1.

supervision of the feeder current (with

an overcurrent criteria) after a tripping
command
OR

2.

supervision of the CB auxiliary contacts

after a tripping command
OR

3.

supervision of the feeder current (with

the BBP measurement algorithm) after a
tripping command (only applicable if
the BFP is installed in the BBP system)
- BBP unbalancing

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

solution 1:

t ~ higher than the highest possible CB

opening time + arc extinguish time

the trip from the protection

device is called Starting BFP

trip to CB from
protection device

!!!

CB opening
coil

BFP

&

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 15

feeder
current

I>

t1

t2

~120 ms

~120 ms

re-trip to

trip to the
surrounding
CBs by

faulty CB

intertripping &

(coil 1 & 2)

remote tripping

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

t ~ higher than the highest possible CB
opening time + arc extinguish time

solution 2:

the trip from the protection

device is called Starting BFP

trip to CB from
protection device

!!!

CB opening
coil

BFP

&
CB closed

t1

t2

~120 ms

~120 ms

faulty CB
BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 16

re-trip to

(coil 1 & 2)

trip to the
surrounding
CBs by
intertripping &
remote tripping

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

solution 3:
trip to CB from
protection device x

trip to CB from
protection device y

CB opening
coil

~120 ms

feeder
current
BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 17

IF

DI = 0
BFP logic

~120 ms

BBP

&

CB y

DI = IF

CB x

t1

t2

BFP logic
re-trip to faulty CB
(coil 1 & 2) &

BFP

inter-

remote trip

CB x

tripping

BFP
CB y

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 18

An advanced BFP (& BBP)

system offers all 3 solutions
!!!
Which solution must be used
for which application
???

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

Application & features of solution 1:
standard BFP application (most common used)
for line, transformer, generator, generator- transformer, reactors and
coupler CBs
for all voltage levels and switchgear configurations
overcurrent settable independently for all feeders (depending on the
minimum feeder short current)
operation independent on the CB auxiliary contacts (aux. contacts are
a week part of the protection chain)
for single, double and three phase auto- reclosure (tripping), (phase
segregated starting inputs)

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 19

for detection of evolving faults (phase segregated timers for t1)

remote tripping signal settable after timer 1 or timer 2
advanced trip- redirection functionality in case of CB SF6
underpressure condition
not applicable for very low fault currents (e.g. generator
reverse power function) -> solution 2

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

solution 1:
Start R S T
Start R
IR

Start S
IS

Start T

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 20

IT

1
&

t1

I>
1
&

t1
1

I>
1
&
I>

t1

t2

remote
tripping
re-trip to
faulty CB

Trip
Redirection

set t1 & t2
to 10ms

(coil 1 & 2)

trip to the
surrounding
CBs by
intertripping

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

solution 1:

phase segregated timers for the

detection of evolving faults

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 21

phase segregated starting

inputs for single and double
pole auto reclosure

Start R S T
Start R
IR

Start S
IS

Start T
IT

1
&

t1

remote tripping
settable after t1
or t2

I>
1
&

t1
1

I>
1
&

t1

I>

t2

remote
tripping
re-trip to
faulty CB

Trip
Redirection

set t1 & t2
to 10ms

advanced trip redirection functionality

(coil 1 & 2)

trip to the
surrounding
CBs by
intertripping

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

Application & features of solution 2:
applicable for very low fault currents (e.g. generator reverse power
function)
remote tripping signal settable after timer 1 or timer 2
advanced trip- redirection functionality in case of CB SF6
underpressure condition
very good addition to solution 1
no overcurrent (fault current) supervision
the starting signal must be switch off by the CB OFF aux. contact to
prevent an unwanted trip

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 22

operation dependent on the CB auxiliary contacts (aux. contacts are a

week part of the protection chain)
not applicable for single and double phase auto- reclosure (tripping)
not applicable for detection of evolving faults

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

solution 2 in addition to solution 1:
Start R S T
Start R
IR

Start S
IS

Start T

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 23

IT

1
&
I>
1
&

t1
1

I>
1
&

t1

I>

External
Start BFP
Trip
Redirection

t1

t1

t2

remote
tripping
re-trip to
faulty CB
(coil 1 & 2)

set t1 & t2
to 10ms

trip to the
surrounding
CBs by
intertripping

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

solution 2 in addition to solution 1:
current independent starting input

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 24

Start R S T
Start R
IR

Start S
IS

Start T
IT

1
&
I>
1
&

t1
1

I>
1
&

t1

I>

External
Start BFP
Trip
Redirection

t1

t1

t2

remote
tripping
re-trip to
faulty CB
(coil 1 & 2)

set t1 & t2
to 10ms

trip to the
surrounding
CBs by
intertripping

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

Application & features of solution 3:
applicable as basic BBP coupler functionality for the detection of faults
between coupler CB and CT (coupler function - CB reclaim time)
not applicable for line, transformer, generator, generator- transformer,
reactors feeders in HV systems
overcurrent (fault current) supervision depending on the BBP
differential current setting (high short current required)
functionality depending on the BBP
not applicable for single and double phase auto- reclosure (tripping)
not applicable for detection of evolving faults

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 25

the starting signal must be switch off by the CB OFF aux. contact to
prevent an unwanted trip to the CB after timer 1
operation dependent on the CB auxiliary contacts (aux. contacts are a
week part of the protection chain)
no trip- redirection functionality in case of CB SF6 underpressure
condition
remote tripping signal fixed to timer 1

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Solutions

Coupler function:

Zone 2

Zone 1
Input
Current
signal

CB opening
coil

trip BBP
Zone 1

intertripping
Zone 2

CB open

DI = 0

CB reclaim
time ~120 ms

DI = IF

Zone 2

BBP

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 26

CT bypass

t
1
&

IF

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Application

Transformer, Transformer- Generator, Reactor feeder and coupler:
Start R S T

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 27

3 Phase trip

Start R
IR

&

IS

&

IT

&

t1

I>

External

t1

I>
1

Start T

t1

I>
1

Start S
Reverse Power (32)

D I T & D I G (87T & 87G)

CBx

t1

CB closed Start BFP

aux. contacts
G/T
Prot.

Trip
Redirection

set t1 & t2
to 10ms

BFP
CBx

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Application

Line feeder with single phase auto reclosure:
3 Phase trip

CBx

Start R S T

single
Phase trip
Z< & DEF (21 & 67N)

OC (51)

Start R
IR

IS

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 28

Syn

Line
Prot.

&

t1
1

I>
1

Start T

t1

I>
1

Start S

IT

AR

&

&

t1

I>

External

t1

Start BFP
Trip
Redirection

set t1 & t2
to 10ms

BFP
CBx

ABB

Breaker Failure Protection Application

Trip Redirection in case of CB SF6 Underpressure :
3 Phase trip

CBx

single
Phase trip
Z< & DEF (21 & 67N)

OC (51)

Start R
IR

AR
Syn

Line
Prot.

&

IS

&

t1
1

I>
1

Start T

t1

I>
1

Start S

IT

arc is to low

pressure to extinguish the

CB is blocked since SF6 gas

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 29

Start R S T

&

t1

I>

External

t1

Start BFP

Trip
Redirection

set t1 & t2
to 10ms

BFP
CBx

ABB

BFP_basics / 2002-03-15 / RW

ABB Switzerland Ltd. - 30

ABB