Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

Generator Transformer Unit (GTU) Protection

With NR-RCS985A
1. What is RCS-985A
RCS-985A is a microprocessor based generator protection relay integrated with main and
backup protection. It provides complete-integrated electrical protection for large-sized
generators, including turbo-generator, hydro-generator, gas turbine generator and pumpedstorage generator. Figure 1 below shows its typical application.

Figure 1: Typical Application Scheme of RCS-985A

For a large generator-transformer unit, two sets of RCS-985As can be used and then main
protection, abnormal operation condition protection and backup protection can be duplicated.
Operating circuits and mechanical protection equipment (RCS-974 series) are installed on a
separated panel. Independent CT groups are used by these two RCS-985As while main and
backup protection elements in a RCS-985A share one CT group. Outputs of the protection
correspond to independent trip coils. Therefore, the following features can be achieved:
Clear design and arrangement of the secondary circuits;
Convenient, reliable and secure for operation of equipment and requirements of
accident prevention;

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

Convenient for configuration, testing and maintenance.

2. Kinds of Supported Protection
Actually, RCS-985A support kinds of protection, but in this article I only focus on 3 kinds
of protection.
2.1.
Loss of Excitation Protection
Loss of excitation is a condition that represent abnormal operation of generator due to
excitation failure. The source of excitation for a generator may be completely or partially
removed through such incidents, for example accidental tripping of a field breaker, field open
circuit, field short circuit, AVR system failure, rectifier failure, or loss of supply to the
excitation system. Whatever the cause, a loss of excitation may present serious operation
condition for both generator and the system.
Effects on generator due to loss of excitation:
Generator overspeeds and operates as an induction generator receiving its excitation

from the system.

Stator currents can exceed 2 p.u causing dangerous overheating of the stator winding

and core overheating of the stator winding and core.

High levels of slip-frequency currents can be induced in the rotor causing g over

heating of the rotor.

Effects on grid due to loss of excitation:
A loss of excitation causes devastating impact on grid system due to loss of reactive

power support from generator.

Create a substantial power drain from the system.
On a generator with large capacity can lead to trigger a wide grid system collapse.

There are for criterions used for loss of excitation protection. They are under voltage, stator
side impedance, rotor side under voltage/excitation voltage and power output reduction.
a. Under voltage criterion
Three phase voltages on bus generally and those at generator terminal sometimes are taken as
this criterion. Criterion of simultaneous three phases under voltage is:
Upp < Ulezd
Where:
Upp is phase-to-phase voltage of busbar or of generator terminal.
Ulezd is undervoltage setting [V_BusUV_LossExc_Gen].

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

When bus voltage is taken as the criterion, if bus VT circuit fails, the protection will be
locked. When generator terminal voltage is taken as the criterion, if one group of VT circuit
fails, the other group of VT will be switched over automatically.
b. Stator side impedance criterion
This criterion is impedance circle including asynchronous impedance circle and steady state
stabilization limit circle. The operation criterion is:
270 o Arg

Z jX B
90 o
jX A

Where:
XA can be set as the system impedance Xs for steady state stabilization limit circle and
XA

1 '
Xd
2

for asynchronous impedance circle.

XB

XB is taken as

1 '
Xd Xd
2

Xd Xq
2

X B
for round rotor generator and

Xd
2
for

salient pole generator.

The impedance criterion can be combined with reverse reactive power criterion, i.e.,
Q<[Q_RevQ_LossExc_Gen].
Figure 2 a) and b) show operation characteristics of steady state stabilization impedance relay
and asynchronous impedance relay, where the hatched area is operating area, and the dotted
line is operation limit of reverse reactive power.

Figure 2: Operation characteristics of stator side impedance relay.

c. Rotor side criterion

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

Rotor side criterion comprises:

U r U rlZD

Rotor under voltage criterion:

Variable exciter voltage criterion:

U r K r X dz S U f 0

Where:
Ur is exciting voltage
UrlZD is setting [V_RotUV_LossExc_Gen].
X dz X d X s

, Xd is synchronous reactance of generator (per unit value.

Xs is equivalent reactance on system side connected with the generator (per unit value);
S is rated apparent power of generator (per unit value);
Uf0 is rated voltage of exciter during generator without load;
Kr is reliability coefficient.
If Ur drops to zero or minus value suddenly during loss of excitation, the rotor under voltage
criterion will be met quickly before steady state stability limit of the generator reaches. If U r
drops to zero or reduces to a value gradually during loss of excitation, the variable excitation
voltage criterion will be reached. Excitation under voltage or loss of excitation will cause outof-step, and then excitation voltage and output power of the generator will swing seriously. In
this case, the rotor under voltage criterion and the variable excitation voltage criterion will be
met and withdrawn periodically in general. So the excitation voltage element will revert with
delay during out-of-step condition while the impedance entering the steady state stability
limit circle.
d. Reduced Power Output
Active power criterion for power output reduction is P > Pzd.
When out-of-step occurs during loss of excitation, power output of generator will swing
within a certain range. P represents average power output within an oscillation period. Pzd is
the setting [P_LossExc_Gen].

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

e. Logic diagram of loss of excitation protection

Three stages are equipped with loss-of-excitation protection: stage 1 is used for reduction of
power output and alarm, stage 2 (with bus undervoltage criterion) is used for tripping and
stage 3 is used for tripping with long delay.

Figure 3
Figure 3 shows logic diagram of stage 1 of loss-of-excitation protection. If excitation is lost, this
stage will be used to reduce power output to a pre-set level and issue alarm.

Figure 4
Figure 4 shows logic diagram of stage 2 of loss of excitation protection. If excitation is lost and
voltage on HV side bus of main transformer (or voltage at terminal of generator) is lower than its
setting, this stage will trip with delay. In configuring this stage, considering of security, it is strongly
recommended that impedance criterion should be used as well as busbar criterion rather than the
model that only busbar undervoltage criterion and rotor undervoltage criterion are used.

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

Figure 5
Figure 5 shows logic diagram of stage 3 loss of excitation protection. It is used for tripping with long
delay.

2.2.

Out of Step Protection

Out of step represents asynchronous operation of generator due to out-of-step. Power

system fault, line switching, generator disconnection, and loss or application of large blocks
of load result in sudden changes of electrical power, whereas the mechanical power input to
generator remains relatively constant. The loss of equilibrium between the produced and the
consumed power causes the acceleration of the rotating masses of synchronous generator.
Depending on the severity of the disturbances and the action of power system control, the
system may or may not return to a new equilibrium state. The condition under which one or
more machines lose synchronism with other machines connected to the same grid is
known as Out of Step or Pole Slip.
Prolonged Out of Step condition can has the following effect:
- Torsional stress for the mechanical system.
- Electromagnetic stress on the generator circuit breaker.
- Cyclic fluctuation in voltage can dramatically affect the rotating machines.
- Several kinds of relay may operate improperly
- Shaft of the synchronous machine are subject are subjected to torsional stresses.
Generally, the rotating shaft is mainly composed by a prime mover and generator rotor.
During an out of step condition, the prime mover maintains almost constant torque applied to
its rotor, while the electrical torque varies. Thus the rotating shaft faces torsional stresses and
fatigue that can reach a critical condition like that shown in Figure 6.

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

Figure 6: Shaft crack caused by an Out of Step Condition

Figure 7 shows operation characteristic of the protection that comprises three parts: lens part,
boundary part and reactance line part.

Figure 7: Operation characteristic of Out of Step Protection

In Figure 3-37, lens divides impedance plane into inside part I and outside part O,
boundary divides the impedance plane into left part L and right part R, and reactance line
divides the impedance plane into upper part U and lower part D. Considering lens and
boundary comprehensively, the impedance plane is divided into four areas: OL, IL, IR and
OR. If trace of impedance is passing through these four areas in sequence from right to left or
vice versa, and staying in each area for a moment longer than the setting, this case is
considered as system swing. Times of the passing through are accumulated and the grand

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

total is considered as the times of pole sliding. When the grand total reaches its setting value,
out-of-step protection operates. As to reactance line , if the impedance trace passes through
the upper part U, the swing center is considered outside the generator; If the trace passes
through the lower part D, the swing center is considered within the generator. Settings of
times of pole sliding can be configured separately for these two cases. Out-of-step protection
can be used either for alarm only or for tripping. Minimum swing period which can be
identified by this protection is 120ms.
Figure 8 shows logic diagram of out-of-step protection.

Figure 8: Logic Diagram of Out Of Step Protection

Notes:
[Flag_Blk_OOS_Gen] is the flag indicating whether or not there are blocking element to the
OOS protection operates.
[Flag_OOS_Gen] is the flag indicating whether or not the OOS element operates.
2.3.

Earth Fault Protection of Stator

This is to be noted that, the star point or neutral point of stator winding of an alternator is

grounded through an impedance to limit the ground fault current. Reduced ground fault
current causes less damage to the stator core and winding during ground fault. If the ground
impedance is made quite high, the ground fault current may become even less than normal
rated current of the generator. If so, the sensitivity of phase relays becomes low, even they
may fail to trip during fault. For example, a current lower than rated current makes it difficult
to operate differential relays for ground fault. In that case, a sensitive ground fault relay is
used in addition to the differential protection of alternator. What type of relaying arrangement
will be engaged in stator earth fault protection of alternator depends upon the methods of
stator neutral earthing. In the case of resistance neutral earthing the neutral point of stator
winding is connected to the ground through a resistor.

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

Here, one current transformer is connected across the neutral and earth connection of the
alternator. Now one protective relay is connected across the current transformer secondary. In
alternator can feed the power system in two ways, either it is directly connected to the
substation bus bar or it is connected to substation via one-star Delta transformer. If the
generator is connected directly to the substation bus bars, the relay connected across the CT
secondary, would be an inverse time relay because here, relay coordination is required with
other fault relays in the system. But when the stator of the alternator is connected to the
primary of a star Delta transformer, the fault is restricted in between stator winding and
transformer primary winding, therefore no coordination or discrimination is required with
other earth fault relays of the system. That is why; in this case instantaneous armature
attracted type relay is preferable to be connected across the CT secondary.

Figure 9: Typical Stator Earth Fault Detection

Secondary of the transformer is loaded by a suitable resistor and one over voltage relay is
also connected across the secondary of the transformer. The maximum allowable earth fault
current is determined by the size of the transformer and the value of loading register R. This
resistance is connected with the secondary, reflects to the primary of the transformer by the
square of the turns ratio, thereby adding resistance to the neutral to ground path of the stator
winding.
a. Fundamental zero sequence overvoltage earth fault protection
Single-phase earth fault within 85% - 95% range from terminal of stator winding can be
protected by fundamental zero-sequence overvoltage protection. Fundamental zero-sequence
overvoltage protection reacts to magnitude of zero sequence voltage of generator. Since it

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

adopts frequency tracing, digital filtering and full cycle Fourier algorithm, the third harmonic
can be reduced to 1/100 within the frequency tracing range and the protection can response
the basic wave component only.
This protection comprises two stages: sensitive stage and insensitive stage (high setting
stage).

Sensitive Stage of the Protection

Operation criterion for alarm of this stage is:

U n 0 U 0 zd
Where:
U n 0 K rel U nb. max

, U0zd is operation threshold setting of fundamental zero sequence voltage

[V_SensROV_Sta].
Unb.max is the maximum measured value of unbalance zero sequence voltage.
Krel is reliability coefficient, generally 1.2 ~ 1.3
To assure its security, user should check the setting by comparing it with the transferred zero
sequence voltage through coupling capacitance between HV side and LV side of transformer
when external earth fault occurs on the HV side of the transformer. Meanwhile, settings,
including time delay and operation setting, should be considered to cooperate with that of
earth fault protection of the system.

High Setting Stage of the Protection

Operation criterion for alarm is this zone is

U n 0 U 0 hzd
Where:
Uno is zero sequence voltage of neutral point of generator
U0hzd is the zero sequence voltage high setting [V_ROV_Sta], value between 20V to 25V is
generally recommended.

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

b. Third harmonic voltage ratio earth fault protection of stator

This protection is designed to cover only about 25% of earth fault of the stator. Third
harmonic voltage of generator terminal is got from its open-delta zero sequence voltage.
Third harmonic voltage of neutral point side is got from neutral point VT of the generator.
Operation criterion of this protection:

U 3T
K 3 wzd
U 3N
Where:
U3T is harmonic voltage of generator terminal and U3N is harmonic voltage of neutral point.
K3wzd is the third harmonic voltage percentage setting.

During incorporation of generator to power system, the ratio

U 3T
U 3N

changes considerably owing

to variation of equivalent capacitive reactance at generator terminal. So two different settings are
designed for protection before and after connection of generator with system, and these two setting
can be switched over with alternation of contacts position of terminal breaker.
In addition, Settings are provided for deciding whether the ratio protection of third harmonics voltage
is used for both alarm or tripping.

c. Third harmonic voltage differential ground protection

Operation criterion of this protection:

U 3T K t U 3 N K re U 3 N

Where:

U 3T

and

U 3N

are third harmonic vector voltage of generator terminal and neutral point,

Kt is automatic tracing regulation coefficient.

Kre is third harmonic differential percentage setting.

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

This protection is enabled automatically when the generator has been connected with the
system and load current is higher than 0.2Ie (generator rated current) and only issues alarms
if operates.
d. VT circuit failure blocking
Open-delta VT circuit failure alarm of terminal and neutral point of generator
Since open-delta voltages of VT at neutral point and generator terminal are taken for zero
sequence voltage protection of stator, failure of these VT circuits will make this protection
fail to operation. So alarm shall be issued during this case. Third harmonic voltage ratio
criterion and third harmonic voltage differential criterion shall be disabled during VT circuit
failure at generator neutral point.
Criterion of VT circuit failure:
Positive sequence voltage of secondary winding of generator terminal is higher than 0.9Un
and third harmonic of zero sequence voltage is lower than 0.1V.
VT circuit failure alarm will be issued by delay 10s and reverted automatically by delay 10s
when the failure vanishes.

Primary circuit failure of VT1 at generator terminal

Secondary circuit failure of VT1 of generator terminal will not influence ground protection of
stator. Primary circuit failure of VT1 of generator terminal will cause basic wave component
of zero sequence voltage of generator terminal increasing and third harmonic component
decreasing, and will not cause unwanted operation of basic wave zero sequence voltage
protection and third harmonic voltage ratio protection. However, it will cause unwanted
operation of third harmonic voltage differential protection, so this protection shall be blocked
during this failure. Operation criterion of this failure are:

Negative sequence voltage of VT2,

Negative sequence voltage of VT1,

3U 2' 3V

3U 2 8V

Calculated zero sequence voltage of VT1,

3U 0 8V

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

When these criterions are met, VT1 primary circuit failure alarm will be sent by short delay
and third harmonic voltage differential protection will be blocked.
e. Logic diagram of earth fault protection of stator
Figure 10 and Figure 11 show logic diagrams of fundamental zero sequence voltage earth
fault detection and third harmonic voltage earth fault protection respectively.

Figure 10: Logic Diagram of Fundamental zero sequence Overvoltage

Earth Fault Protection of Stator
Where:
[Flag_SensROV_Sta] is internally generated flag indicating fundamental zero-sequenes
overvoltage element operates, that is fundamental zero-sequence voltage is in excess of its
setting.
[EBI_ROC_Sta] is binary input of binary input of enabling earth fault protection. Logic 1
means enabled.

Figure 11: Logic Diagram of Third Harmonic Voltage

Earth Fault Protection of Stator
Where:
[Op_Alm_V3rdHRatio_Sta] is internally generated flag indicating alarm issued by ratio
element of 3rd harmonics voltage is available, that is, the ratio is in excess of its setting.

Name: Eikjun Faisal Siringoringo

Electrical Maintenance Dept.

[EBI_EN_V3rd_Sta] is state flag of binary input of enabling ratio protection of 3rd harmonics
voltage. Logic 1 means enabled.