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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 22, NO. 4, OCTOBER 2007

Differential Protection for

Special Industrial Transformers
Zoran Gajic, Member, IEEE

AbstractPower transformer differential protection has been

used for decades on standard three-phase power transformers.
However, special industrial transformers, such as 24-pulse converter transformers, could not typically be protected easily with
the standard power transformer differential relays. The main
reason is the nonstandard phase angle shift of 24-pulse converter
transformers. Such 24-pulse converter transformers are often used
in industrial and railway applications. This paper will show that it
is possible to provide differential protection for such special transformers by using standard numerical transformer differential
protection relays and external interposing current transformers
(CTs). However, the external interposing CTs can be designed
in a standardized way. This approach will significantly simplify
the application of differential protection for special industrial
transformers.
Index TermsConverter transformers, power transformers,
power transformer protection, protective relaying.

Fig. 1. Typical connections for the extended delta transformer design.

I. INTRODUCTION
HE standard three-phase power transformer [9] is an electrical device, which provides a voltage magnitude variation
and a constant phase angle shift across its terminals. The phase
, where n is an integer
angle shift can have a value of
between 0 and 11. The phase angle shift for a particular power
transformer depends on its winding connection details.
Special industrial power transformers [5] are defined as
power transformers having a phase angle shift other then 30
or a multiple of 30 [10]. A typical example is the 24-pulse
converter transformer with an additional phase angle shift of
. Such special transformers typically have three windings,
but sometimes even up to five windings [5]. They are used to
supply different types of power electronics and FACTS devices.
Such devices inject many harmonics into the utility power
system. By the use of a converter transformer with special
phase angle shift, the current harmonics injected in the utility
supply system can be substantially reduced [4]. Thus, due to
power quality reasons, the use of special converter transformers
has increased during the last years. Such transformers with a
rated power of up to 100 MVA have been installed [5]. The converter transformers additional phase angle shift is typically
obtained by the special connections of its primary (i.e., HV)

Manuscript received September 6, 2006; revised December 13, 2006. Paper

no. TPWRD-00528-2006.
The author is with ABB Power Technologies AB, Substation Automation,
Vasteras SE-721 59, Sweden (e-mail: [email protected]).
Color versions of one or more of the figures in this paper are available online
at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TPWRD.2007.905561

Fig. 2. Typical connections for the zigzag transformer design.

winding [7]. This HV winding is typically connected either

as extended-delta, as shown in Fig. 1 or as zigzag, as shown
in Fig. 2. Obviously the special HV winding extensions are
used in both designs in order to provide the required additional
phase angle shift . Other converter transformer windings (i.e.,
LV windings) are usually connected in the standard way (e.g.,
either star or delta). Note that the design in Fig. 1 is a variation
of a standard power transformer with the vector group Dy11d0
[9], and the design in Fig. 2 is a variation of a standard power
transformer with the vector group Yy0d1 [9].
II. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Regardless the nonstandard phase angle shift across the converter transformers, they still conform to the rules stated in [1]

0885-8977/$25.00 2007 IEEE

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on a per winding (i.e., per side) bases by multiplying the three

phase current set from a power transformer side by an appropriate 3-by-3 matrix as shown in (1.2)
(1.2)

Fig. 3. Positive sequence phasor diagram for the converter transformer shown
in Fig. 1(a).

and confirmed in [6] about phase angle relation between positive and negative sequence quantities for no-load voltages and
load currents from the different sides of the power transformer.
The phasor diagram for positive sequence quantities for the converter transformer shown in Fig. 1(a) is given in Fig. 3. Fig. 3(a)
shows the phasor diagram which directly corresponds to the
winding arrangements shown in Fig. 1(a). However, the power
transformer phasor diagram is typically shown with the HV
winding positive sequence quantity at position zero, as shown
in Fig. 3(b). In a similar way the phasor diagrams for the converter transformers shown in Figs. (1b), (2a) and (2b) can be
constructed.
Power transformer differential protection has been used for
decades. First differential relays were made by using electromechanical or static technology. They were used together with
external interposing CTs in order to provide differential protection for standard power transformers. Lately numerical differential relays have been used. With numerical transformer differential relays [2] external interposing CTs are not required because
by relay software it is possible to
1) compensate for standard power transformer phase angle
shift (i.e., multiple of 30 );
2) compensate for current magnitude differences on the different sides of the protected power transformer;
3) use all star connected primary CTs and still remove the zero
sequence current from any transformer side by a setting.
However, if such a numerical relay is directly applied on the
special converter transformer, the relay would typically not be
able to compensate for additional, nonstandard phase angle shift
caused by special HV winding connections. As a result a permanent false differential current would appear. The false differential current magnitude can be estimated by using the following
formula:

where C is 3-by-3 matrix providing phase angle shift compensation; IL1, IL2, and IL3 is the three-phase current set on the main
,
, and
is the three-phase curCT secondary side;
rent set used by differential relay from that power transformer
side; and is the symbol for matrix multiplication.
Reference [8] introduces a generalized normalization matrix
, which can be used to calculate the nutransformation
merical value for 3-by-3 matrix C on every power transformer
side and for any required phase shift compensation angle . According to [8], the compensation matrix C can be calculated by
using the following equation:
(1.3)
where is the required phase shift compensation angle, while U
and J are 3-by-3 matrices with fixed numerical elements as given
by (1.4). Note that in (1.3) positive values for angle are used
to cause a three-phase current set rotation in the anticlockwise
direction (i.e., positive rotation) by angle and that negative
values for angle are used to cause a three-phase current set
rotation in the clockwise direction (i.e., negative rotation) by
angle , as shown in [2], [6] and [8]

(1.4)
It is important to notice the following four properties of
matrix transformation.
1) Only three different numerical elements (i.e., x, y and z) are
present in any 3-by-3 matrix which are obtained by using
(1.3). Thus, the following equation can be written:
(1.5)
2) The sum of these three numerical elements is always zero
). Thus, this transformation always
(i.e.,
removes the zero sequence current component from the
power transformer side where it is applied.
has the following property:
3) Transformation

(1.1)
Thus, for the typical value of
a false differential
current of up to 13% of the through-load current will appear.
As a consequence the minimum pickup of the differential protection must be increased and then the differential relay will not
be sensitive for the low level internal faults like interturn faults.
Inside numerical power transformer differential relays matrix calculations are typically used to provide phase angle shift
compensation [2]. This phase angle shift compensation is done

(1.6)
4) For matrix transformation

it is valid that
(1.7)

where is the symbol for matrix multiplication.

practiThe fourth property of matrix transformation
cally means that the three-phase current set, which shall be ro, first can be rotated by phase
tated by overall angle

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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 22, NO. 4, OCTOBER 2007

Fig. 4. Auxiliary summation CT connections for anticlockwise rotation.

Fig. 5. Auxiliary summation CT connections for clockwise rotation.

angle
and then the result of first rotation can be rotated once
more by phase angle
. The final outcome will be the same as
has been performed at
if the rotation by overall angle
once.
The general power transformer feature described in [1] comtransformabined with the above described properties of
tion opens the possibility to use the standard numerical differential protection for special industrial transformers. Namely, if
one would be able to provide the rotation of a three phase current
set externally by angle in the appropriate direction, then the
net converter transformer connection as seen by the numerical
differential protection, would revert back to the standard power
transformer phase angle shift as if the converter transformer did
not have the special HV winding extension. Then, the numerical differential protection relay software features can be used
in the usual way to provide differential protection for a special
industrial transformer, as if it were a power transformer with a
standard vector group [e.g., with vector group Dy11d0 for the
converter transformer design shown in Fig. 1(a)].
III. EXTERNAL CURRENT ROTATION BY ANGLE

TABLE I
AUXILIARY SUMMATION CT DESIGN DETAILS

where IL1_CT, IL2_CT, IL3_CT is the three-phase current set

on the main CT secondary side; IL1_DR, IL2_DR, IL3_DR is
the three-phase current set which shall be connected to the differential relay; N1, N2, N3, and N4 are the turn numbers of the
four windings within each auxiliary summation CT.
Obviously if one can choose the auxiliary summation CT turn
numbers in such way that (1.9) is fulfilled, the connection shown
in Fig. 4 will provide the necessary rotation of the three-phase
current set by angle in the anticlockwise direction

(1.9)

For busbar protection, the summation type design has been

used for decades [3]. The auxiliary CT used for this type of
design has three primary windings and one secondary winding.
Thus, a question was raised, whether some type of auxiliary
summation CT could be used to provide external three phase
current set rotation by angle ?
It was determined that by using a set of three identical auxiliary summation CTs one can provide current rotation by angle
without changing the main CT secondary current magnitude
(e.g., with overall ratio 1/1A or 5/5A). The necessary connections for the rotation of a three-phase current set in the anticlockwise direction are shown in Fig. 4.
By using the ampere-turn balance, the following equation can
be written for the auxiliary CT connections shown in Fig. 4:

Sometimes, within the same application, the rotation in the

is needed as well. By using
clockwise direction by angle
the third property of the matrix transformation
(1.6),
it can be shown that the same auxiliary summation CT set
can be used, but it shall be connected as shown in Fig. 5
instead. Thus, the connection shown in Fig. 5 will provide
the necessary rotation of the three-phase current set by angle
in the clockwise direction.
Table I gives an example of possible design solutions regarding the turn numbers within the auxiliary summation CTs
for the most typical, nonstandard phase angle shifts used in practice. Small auxiliary CT secondary current magnitude errors of
less than 1% and small phase angle error of 0.1 caused by imperfection of auxiliary summation CT design will not practically
(1.8) cause any significant false differential current in the actual installations.

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Fig. 6. First differential protection solution.

IV. DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION SOLUTIONS

Differential protection solution for the special converter
transformer shown in Fig. 1(a) will be presented. By looking
into this transformer phasor diagram, it is possible to arrange
two solutions. From Fig. 3(a), it is apparent that the first possible differential protection solution is to rotate the HV winding
three-phase current set by angle in the clockwise direction.
This can be achieved by using one set of three auxiliary summation CTs, as shown in Fig. 6. These auxiliary summation
CTs must be connected as shown in Fig. 5. From Fig. 3(b)
it is apparent that the second possible differential protection
solution is to rotate the two LV winding currents by angle
in the anticlockwise direction. This can be achieved by using
two sets of three auxiliary summation CTs as shown in Fig. 7.
These auxiliary summation CTs must be connected as shown
in Fig. 4.
Both solutions are done in order to put the converter transformer overall phase shift, as seen by the differential protection,
back to the standard vector group Dy11d0. No secondary CT
current magnitude is altered on any side in any of the two solutions. Thus, the numerical differential relay can now be used
in the normal way to protect this special converter transformer,
as if it were a standard three-winding transformer with a vector
group Dy11d0. All relevant application data like main CT ratios, converter transformer winding rated powers, rated currents
and rated no-load voltages as they are in the actual installation
shall be used to derive the differential protection settings. The
two described solutions are equivalent from the differential protection point of view. In both cases no false differential current
will appear during through load and external fault conditions.
However, some differences do exist between the two solutions.

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Fig. 7. Second differential protection solution.

1) In the second solution two sets of auxiliary CTs are used.

Hence, it is more expensive.
2) In the second solution the HV winding currents are not
altered at all. They are directly measured by the differential
protection relay.
The second difference can be very important in practice, because the HV side is typically the main source of power infeed
in case of a converter transformer internal fault. At the same
time this is the side from which the converter transformer will
be energized every time. Thus, by not mixing the three-phase
currents on the HV side the second harmonic current component in the inrush current will not be altered in any way. This
can be crucial for the differential relay in order to remain stable
during transformer energizing. Finally the zero sequence current component from the HV side is available within the differential relay. This might be important especially if some other
functionality like HV side over-current, earth-fault and breaker
failure protections are integrated within the same numerical differential protection relay. If, in a particular application it is necessary to remove the HV side zero sequence current component
from the differential current measurement, this can be typically
achieved by a parameter setting within the numerical differential protection. Thus, the second differential protection solution,
shown in Fig. 7, may be preferred one in practice.
Obviously, in the second differential protection solution, the
zero sequence current components from the two LV sides will
be removed by the interposing CTs. Thus, these zero sequence
current components will not be available within the differential
relay. However the LV sides of such converter transformers are
typically isolated or high impedance grounded. Hence, the zero
sequence current components on any LV side are quite limited
in case of an earth fault. Therefore, the absence of these LV side

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Fig. 8. Protection scheme for the 24-pulse converter transformer.

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 22, NO. 4, OCTOBER 2007

positive rotation). Thus, for such a transformer four sets of auxiliary summation CTs, which provide current rotation by 7.5 are
required. Two sets, connected for current rotation in the clockwise direction shall be applied on LV1-Y and LV1-D sides of the
first internal transformer. Two sets, connected for current rotation in the anticlockwise direction shall be applied on LV2-Y
and LV2-D sides of the second internal transformer. By using
these auxiliary CTs the 24-pulse converter transformer overall
phase angle shift, as seen by the numerical differential relay is
put back to the standard vector group Yy0d11y0d11. The main
CT secondary current magnitudes are not altered on any of the
four LV sides. Hence, the numerical differential relay software
features can now be used in the usual way to compensate for
this special converter transformer, as if it were a five-winding
transformer with a standard vector group Yy0d11y0d11. All
other relevant application data like main CT ratios, rated powers,
rated currents and rated no-load voltages of the 24-pulse converter transformer windings can be used as they are stated on
respective equipment nameplates to derive the numerical differential protection settings. The overall protection scheme for the
24-pulse converter transformer is shown in Fig. 8. Note that all
12 pieces of the auxiliary summation CTs used for this application are exactly the same.
V. CONCLUSION

Fig. 9. Positive sequence phasor diagram for the 24-pulse converter transformer. (a) Zy11 3/4 d10 3/4 and (b) Zy0 1/4 d11 1/4.

zero sequence current components will not significantly desensitize the numerical differential relay.
Finally, a differential protection solution for a 24-pulse
converter transformer is shown in Fig. 8. This 24-pulse converter transformer is quite special because within the same
transformer tank two three-phase transformers, of very similar
design, as shown in Fig. 2(a) and (b), are put together. The
first internal transformer has the vector group Zy11 3/4 d10
3/4. The second internal transformer has the vector group Zy0
1/4d11 1/4. Such arrangement gives an equivalent five-winding
power transformer with a 15 phase angle shift between LV
windings of the same connection type. The phasor diagram
for the positive sequence quantities for this 24-pulse converter
transformer is given in Fig. 9.
From the transformer phasor diagram it can be seen that in
order to put the 24-pulse converter transformer overall phase
shift, as seen by the differential relay, back to the standard vector
group Yy0d11y0d11, the currents from LV1-Y and LV1-D sides
shall be rotated by 7.5 in the clockwise direction (i.e., negative
rotation). At the same time the currents from LV2-Y and LV2-D
sides shall be rotated by 7.5 in the anticlockwise direction (i.e.,

Standard numerical power transformer differential relays can

be used to provide differential protection for special industrial
transformers with nonstandard, but fixed phase angle shift. The
only pre-request is that the external auxiliary CTs are used to
compensate for additional, nonstandard phase angle shift ,
typically caused by special arrangements of the industrial transformer HV winding. Once this compensation is done externally,
the numerical differential protection can be set and applied as if
the industrial transformer were designed with a standard vector
group connection.
With the presented solution, the numerical differential relay
will be ideally balanced during all through load conditions and
for all types of external faults. Hence, no false differential current will be measured by the differential relay. Due to that,
the end user is able to set the minimum differential protection
pickup to quite a sensitive level (e.g., 1520% of the industrial
power transformer rating). Such a setting will ensure sensitive
protection for low-level internal faults, such as interturn faults,
within the protected industrial power transformer windings.
With the presented approach the design of the external auxiliary CTs is standardized. The external auxiliary CTs are not at
all dependent on the converter transformer design details and the
converter transformer nameplate data like rated winding power,
no-load voltage and current. Instead, only the following parameters prescribe the auxiliary CT design.
1) Main CT rated current (i.e., 1 A or 5 A).
2) Additional phase angle shift introduced by the converter
transformer design.
3) CT requirements as stated in the numerical power transformer differential relay manual.
Thus, for a big industrial plant with many MV drives, where
all converter transformers have a construction with the same
additional phase angle shift , exactly the same auxiliary CTs

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can be used throughout the plant. This very much simplifies the
overall protection scheme design and provides a very cost effective differential protection solution. It also reduces the required
number of spare parts.
The presented method is not dependent on the particular industrial power transformer construction details. Hence, by using
this method, it is possible to provide differential protection for
any three-phase power transformer with nonstandard, but fixed
phase angle shift, which can not be directly covered by the setting facilities of the numerical transformer differential protection relays.
Finally, it seems feasible in the future to provide a fully numerical solution (i.e., without the external auxiliary CTs) for
the differential protection of any three-phase power transformer
with arbitrary, but fixed phase angle shift.
REFERENCES
[1] Electrical Transmission and Distribution Reference Book, 4th ed.
East Pittsburgh, PA: Westinghouse Electric Corp., 1950, pp. 4460.
[2] ABB Document 1MRK 504 051-UEN, Application Manual,
Transformer Protection IED RET 670 ABB Power Technologies
AB. Vsters, Sweden.
[3] ABB Document 1MRK 505 170-UEN, Application Manual, Busbar
Differential Protection IED REB 670 ABB Power Technologies AB.
Vsters, Sweden.
[4] ABB Guide, AC Drives Technical Guide Book ABB Oy, Drives [Online]. Available: http://www.abb.com/motors&drives.

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[5] ABB Leaflet 1LAB 000 019, Industrial Transformers ABB Transformers AG. Bad Honnef, Germany.
[6] Z. Gajic , I. Ivankovic , B. Filipovic -Grcic , and R. Rubesa, New method
for differential protection of phase shifting transformers, presented at
the 15th Int. Conf. Power System Protection, Bled, Slovenia, Sep. 2006.
[7] O. W. Andersen, Large transformers for power electronic loads,
IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 15321537, Oct. 1997.
[8] J. A. B. Elston, Methods and Apparatus for Differential Current Measurement in a Three-Phase Power System, U.S. Patent 6,507,184, Jan.
14, 2003.
[9] Power Transformers, Int. Std. IEC 60076, First edition 1997-10.
[10] Converter TransformersApplication Guide, Int. Std. IEC 61378-3.
Zoran Gajic (M95) was born in Serbia in 1965.
He received the D.Eng. degree (Hons.) in electrical
power engineering from the University of Belgrade,
Belgrade, Serbia, in 1990, the Graduate Diploma
in engineering from Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1995. and is currently
pursuing the Ph.D. degree at Lund University, Lund,
Sweden.
Since 1993, he has been working in the area of
power system protection and control within the ABB
group of companies, where he has held various engineering positions. Currently, he is a Application Senior Specialist with ABB
Power Technologies AB, Substation Automation, Vasteras, Sweden. He has
published many technical papers in the relay protection area. His main working
areas are practical applications of protection relays, computer applications for
protection and control of electrical power systems, development of advanced
protection algorithms for numerical relays, and power system simulations. He
has four patents.
Mr. Gajic is a member of CIGR and the IEEE Power Engineering Society.
He is the convener for CIGR, Study Committee B5, WG16 Modern Techniques for Protecting Busbars in HV Networks.