Introduction

These units ensure the protection of electrical installations. 30mA versions can provide
supplementary protection against direct connection. This range of electronic earth fault relays
provides monitoring of earth fault currents. When the fault current rises above the selected level, the
output contacts of the product operate. Depending on the relay selected, it can have either fixed or
adjustable sensitivity, a time delay is also available for selectivity purposes. The relays are linked
with detection torroids, different types are available, circular and rectangular in section.

Obtject

The function of earth fault relay is to to protect the

device from earth fault. there are 2 types of earth fault
fault relays

1.neutral ct conneted earth fault relay. it will sense the

current flowing through neutral while earth lerakage.

2.three phase ct's connected earth fault relay.in normal

condition the sum of three phase ct's current in zero.

when earth fault the sum of the 3 phase ct's curret are un
balanced that time relay acts.

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Over Current and Earth Fault Protection of

Transformer
Backup protection of electrical transformer is
simple Over Current and Earth Fault protection applied
against external short circuit and excessive over loads. These
over current and earth Fault relays may be of Inverse Definite
Minimum Time (IDMT) or Definite Time type relays. Generally
IDMT relays are connected to the in-feed side of the
transformer.
The over current relays can not distinguish between external
short circuit, over load and internal faults of the transformer.
For any of the above fault, backup protection i.e. over
current and earth fault protection connected to in-feed
side of the transformer will operate.
Backup protection is although generally installed at in feed side
of the transformer, but it should trip both the primary and
secondary circuit breakers of the transformer.

Over Current and Earth

Fault protection relays may be also provided in load side of the
transformer too, but it should not inter trip the primary side
circuit breaker like the case of backup protection at in-feed
side. The operation is governed primarily by current and time
settings and the characteristic curve of the relay. To permit use
of over load capacity of the transformer and co-ordination with
other similar relays at about 125 to 150 % of full load current
of the transformer but below the minimum short circuit
current.
Backup protection of transformer has four elements, three
over current relays connected each in each phase and one
earth fault relay connected to the common point of three over
current relays as shown in the figure. The normal range of
current settings available on IDMT over current relays is 50 %
to 200 % and on earth fault relay 20 to 80 %.

Another range of setting on earth fault relay is also available

and may be selected where the earth fault current is restricted
due to insertion of impedance in the neutral grounding. In the
case of transformer winding with neutral earthed, unrestricted
earth fault protection is obtained by connecting an ordinary
earth fault relay across a neutral current transformer.
The unrestricted over current and earth fault relays should
have proper time lag to co-ordinate with the protective relays
of other circuit to avoid indiscriminate tripping.

2. Earth-fault Relay connected in Neutral to Earth Circuit (Fig. 5).

Another method of connecting an earth-fault relay is illustrated in Fig 5. The
relay is connected to secondary of a CT whose primary is connected in
neutral to earth connection. Such protection can be provided at various
voltage levels by connecting earth-fault relay in the neutral-to-earth con-
nection of that voltage level. The fault current finds the return path through
the earth and then flows through the neutral-to-earth connected.
The magnitude of earth fault current is dependent on type of earthing
(resistance, reactance or solid) and location of fault. In this type of
protection,

The zone of protection cannot be accurately defined. The protected area

is not restricted to the transformer/generator winding alone. The relay
senses the earth faults
beyond the transformer/generator winding hence such protection is
called unrestricted earth-fault protection. The earth-fault protection by
relay in neutral to earth circuit depends upon the type of neutral
Earthing. In case of large generators, voltage transformer is connected
between neutral and earth

(Fig. 5) Earth-fault protection by earth-

fault-relay connected
in neutral-to-earth circuit.

Combined Earth-fault and Phase-fault Protection

It is convenient to incorporate phase-fault relays and earth-fault relay

in a combined phase-fault and earth-fault protection. (Fig. 4) The
increase in current of phase causes corresponding increase in
respective secondary currents. The secondary current flows through
respective relay-units Very often only two-phase relays are provided
instead of three, because in case of phase faults current in any at least
two phases must increase. Hence two relay-units are enough.

Earth-fault Protection with Core Balance Current

Transformers. (Zero Sequence CT)
In this type of protection (Fig. 6) a single ring shaped core of magnetic
material, encircles the conductors of all the three phases. A secondary
coil is connected to a relay unit. The cross-section of ring-core is

(Fig.6) Principle of core-

balance CT for earth fault
protection

Ample, so that saturation is not a problem. During no-earth-fault

condition, the components of fluxes due to the fields of three
conductors are balanced and the secondary current is negligible. During
earth faults, such a balance is disturbed and current is induced in the
secondary. Core-balance protection can be conveniently used for
protection of low-voltage and medium voltage systems. The burden of
relays and exciting current are deciding factors. Very large cross-section
of core is necessary for sensitivity less than 10 A. This form of
protection is likely to be more popular with static relays due to the fewer
burdens of the latter. Instantaneous relay unit is generally used with
core balance schemes.

Theory of Core Balance CT

. Let Ia, Ib and I c , be the three line currents and a, b and

c be corresponding components of magnetic flux in the
core. Assuming linearity, we get resultant flux as,

=k (Ia + Ib + I c )

where k is a constant = K * Ia. Referring to theory of symmetrical

components

(Ia + Ib + I c )= 3 I c= I n
Where, Io is zero sequence current and In, is current in neutral to ground
circuit. During normal condition, when earth fault is absent,

(Ia + Ib + Ic) = 0
Hence r = 0 and relay does not operate
During earth fault the earth fault current flows through return neutral
path.
For example for single line ground fault,

If = 3Iao = In

Hence the zero-sequence component of Io produces the resultant

flux r in the core. Hence core balance current transformer is also
called as zero sequence current transformers (ZSCT).

Application for Core Balance CT's with Cable Termination Joints

The termination of a three core cable into three separate lines or bus-
bars is through cable terminal box. Ref. (Fig. 7), the Core Balance
Protection is used along with the cable box and should be installed
before making the cable joint.

The induced current flowing through cable sheath of normal healthy

cable needs particular attention with respect to the core balance
protection.

The sheath currents (Ish) flow through the sheath to the cover of cable-
box and then to earth through the earthing connection between cable-
box. For eliminating the error due to sheath current (Ish) the earthing lead
between the cable-box and the earth should be taken through the core of
the core balance protection.
Thereby the error due to sheath currents is eliminated. The cable box
should be insulated from earth.
1. Cable terminal box
2. Sheath of 3 core cable connection to (1)
3. Insulator support for 1
4. Earthing connection passing through 5
5. Core balance CT

Fig (7) Mounting of Core

Balance CT with Cable
Terminal Box

Frame-leakage Protection

The metal-clad switchgear can be provided with frame leakage protection.

The switchgear is lightly y insulated from the earth. The metal-frame-work or
enclosure of the switchgear is earthed with a primary of a CT in between
(Fig. 8).

The concrete foundation of the switchgear and the cable-boxes and

other conduits are slightly insulated from earth, the resistance to earth
being about 12 ohms. In the event of an earth fault within the switchgear,
the earth-fault current finds the' path through the neutral connection.
While doing so, it is sensed by the earth fault relay.
(Fig. 8) Principle of frame-leakage
protection
of metal-clad-switchgear

Circulating current differential protection also responds to earth-faults

within its protected zone.

Earth-fault protection can be achieved by following

methods:

1. Residually connected relay.

2. Relay connected in neutral-to-ground circuit.

3. Core-balance-scheme.

4. Frame leakage method.

5. Distance relays arranged for detecting earth faults on lines.

6. Circulating current differential protection.

application
The earth-fault relay SPAJ 110 C is designed to be used for selective earth-
fault protection, either primary or back-up protection, in solidly earthed or
low-resistance earthed power systems. The relay has two protection stages: a
low-set overcurrent stage I0> and a high-set overcurrent stage I0>>. The
low-set stage operates with definite-time characteristic or with inverse-time
characteristic, while the high-set stage operates with definite time
characteristic only. The earth-fault relay is used both as primary and back-up
earth-fault protection relay for feeders, transformers, generators and motors.
The relay can be configured to cooperate with a residual voltage relay used
for blocking/deblocking the operation of the earth-fault relay.

Resources

https://www.allinterview.com/showanswers/60632/what-is-the-function-of-
earthfault-relay.html

http://www.hager.co.uk/product-catalogue/energy-distribution/protection-
devices/earth-fault-relays/38625.htm