Applying CTs in protection schemes for transformers,

generators, machines etc.

electrical-engineering-portal.com/cts-protection-schemes

September 5, 2018

Protection schemes and CTs

Various types of instrument transformers are currently in use on the basis of the varied applications of
these devices. The construction aspects and sizing play an important role in the selection of proper types
of both CTs and VTs.

Applying CTs in protection schemes for transformers, generators, machines etc.

The design principles of these transformers are different from those of power transformers because
accuracy is of prime importance and these transformers are lightly loaded in comparison to power
transformers.

This technical article explains seven applications of CTs in protection schemes for machines, generators,
generator-transformers, transformers, transmission lines, etc. as well as the most important design
considerations:

Contents:

1. Application of CTs in various protection schemes:

1. Differential Protection
2. Percentage or Biased Differential Protection
3. Restricted Earth Fault Protection (REF)
4. Interposing CT
5. Core Balance CT
6. Summation CT
7. Current Balance CT
2. Important design considerations:
1. Selection of Secondary Current Rating
 2. Selection of Primary Current Rating
3. Selection of Rated Burden
4. Selection of Class of Accuracy

Application of CTs in various protection schemes

1. Differential Protection
Differential protection is used for the protection of generators, generator-transformers, transformers,
transmission lines, large motors, bus zones, etc.

The principle of any differential relay is that it responds to vector difference between two or more
similar electrical quantities.
The protected zone is determined by the location of CTs or VTs secondary.

In Figure 1, X is the winding of the machine to be protected. During healthy condition, the current entering
in X is equal in phase and magnitude to the current leaving X. CT1 and CT2 are of such a ratio that during
the normal conditions or for external faults, the secondary current of a CT is equal.

The vector differential current I1 − I2 through the relay coil is therefore zero, i.e. I1 − I2 = 0 during normal
conditions or for external faults.

Figure 1 – Differential protection

When a fault occurs in the protected zone, the current entering the protected winding is no longer equal to
the current leaving the winding as some current flows to the fault.

The differential current I1 − I2 flows through the relay operating coil and the relay operates if the operating
torque is more than the re-straining torque.

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2. Percentage or Biased Differential Protection

In the above paragraph, we have discussed how differential protection of various machines is achieved. But
in actual conditions, the differential relay has to overcome the trouble arising out of the differences in CT
ratios for high values of external short-circuit currents.
The differential relay is provided with an additional coil, i.e. a re-straining coil.

Figure 2  – Percentage or biased differential protection

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3. Restricted Earth Fault Protection

When the earth fault occurs at, say, point ‘f’ of generator winding, voltage VAF will be available which will
drive fault current IF through neutral to ground connection. This voltage VAF will be relatively less when
the fault point is nearer to terminal ‘a’.

Hence IF will also be reduced but if the relay setting is kept too low, it may respond during through faults.

In practice, only 85% of the generator winding is protected against a phase-to-earth fault and 15% of the
portion is left unprotected.
 Figure 3 –  Restricted earth fault protection

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4. Interposing CT
An intermediate CT (or shorter ICT) is used for feeding protective or measuring devices which require
operating current that is different from the main CT secondary current.

For example, in case the main CT ratio is 50/5 A and the relay requires a 1 A rating, then an ICT of
ratio 5/1 shall be used. It may be noted that the ICT’s internal burden is to be fed by the output of the
main CT.
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5. Core Balance CT (CBCT)

A core balance CT (or CBCT) is used in sensitive earth fault protection schemes. The CBCT is a ring type
LTCT put around a three-core cable to detect zero sequence current (earth leakage current in the system).

For single-core cables, all three cables must pass through a CBCT. The CBCT secondary feeds a sensitive
earth fault relay.

This arrangement can detect a primary earth leakage current of the order of 500 mA. It may be noted
that the design of a CBCT is entirely different from that of a normal CT.
Since the magnetising current and primary current are of the same order, the ratio of a CBCT is very
significant, but one has to verify the operation of the relay at a specified current.

Figure 4 – Core balance scheme (Frame leakage arranged for detecting earth faults on line)

The termination of a three core cable into three separate lines or bus-bars is through cable terminal box.
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 need particular attention with
respect to the core balance protection. The sheath current (Ish) flow through the sheath to the cover 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 current is eliminated. The cable box should be insulated from earth.

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6. Summation CT
A summation CT seen in Figure 4 is used for the vector addition of several feeder currents. It may be
noted that the main CT ratio of feeder CTs 1 and 2 should be the same.
 Figure 4 – Summation CT

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7. Current Balance CT
A special use of CTs is in a current balance scheme. It comprises a set of two numbers. The CTs used in this
scheme per phase is known as a ‘current balance CT‘.

Figure 5 shows the two circuit breakers CB1 and CB2, each feeding half the total load current (I). This
arrangement is necessitated when a CB manufacturer does not have a CB of full impedance of paths A-
CB1-B and A-CB2-B.  Since the latter cannot be identical, the currents in the two paths will be:

I1 ≠ I2 ≠ I/2

In order to maintain the same I/2 in both branches, current balance CTs (CT1 and CT2) are used. Using
cross-connected secondary, the primary of CT1 ‘sees’ a reflected burden proportional to the impedance of
branch 2 (and vice versa).
This makes the apparent impedance of both branches equal and I1 becomes approximately equal to I2.
 Figure 5 – Current balance CT

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Important design considerations

1. Selection of Secondary Current Rating

For a given distance between the burden (relay or instrument) and the CT, the adoption of 1 A as the rated
secondary current reduces the lead burden to 1/ 25th of its value at 5 A secondary current.

For any particular rated primary current and select value of primary ampere-turns, the lower the rated
secondary current, the finer will be the adjustment to the ratio error by the use of turns correction.
The disadvantage in selecting 1 A rated secondary current is that a more expensive, finer gauge wire is
required.
Also, 1 A secondary current would, all other things being equal, develop five times the peak voltage that of
a 5 A secondary.

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2. Selection of Primary Current Rating

The ratio error and phase error of a measuring CT are influenced by the number of available primary
ampere-turns to a greater extent than by any other single factor, and this is equally true for the
performance of a protective CT.
Thus there is a minimum value of primary current for any particular application for which a ring type or
similar CT may be used without making it unduly large or expensive.

If the rated primary current is below this value, it is suggested that wound-primary construction be used
but again there is a minimum limit determined this time by the maximum dynamic and thermal stresses
for a given class of accuracy and burden. The lower the rated primary current, the larger would be the core
required.

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3. Selection of Rated Burden

The ratio error for any particular value of the flux density is lowest for an overall secondary power factor of
unity. The difference between the actual and test values of the ratio error depends upon factors such as:

1. The flux density,

2. The proportion of the total secondary circuit impedance supplied by the secondary winding, or
3. The core material and the type of core construction.

In any application that demands high accuracy, the errors of CTs must be measured wherever possible
with the working burden and not with the rated burden.

The rated burden should be kept as near to the actual burden as possible to obtain better accuracy.

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4. Selection of Class of Accuracy

The class of accuracy should be chosen carefully as it directly affects the size and cost of the CT. This effect
applies more to lower ratio CTs.

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Reference // Handbook of switchgears by BHEL – Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited