Transformer Protection

Protection of a Trans-
former with Tap Changer

n 1. Introduction
Transformers are among the most important and
cost-intensive equipment in electrical power sys-
tems, meaning that faults which occur in these
components not only entail an interruption in the
electrical power supply over wide areas but also
cause considerable losses in financial terms. A con-
tinuous fault-free power supply must therefore be
ensured, over the course of years if possible. Faults

LSP2171.eps
and signs of potential failures of the transformers
must therefore be detected in time in order to take
suitable measures for troubleshooting.
For this reason transformers are equipped with
various monitoring and protection relays depend-
ing on their type and size. The electrical protec- Fig. 1 SIPROTEC 7UT6 transformer protection
tion should be highlighted particularly in addition
to the mechanical protection. n 2. Protection concept
Fuses and definite-time overcurrent-time relays Depending on the type and size of the transform-
are sufficient in smaller distribution transformers ers, Buchholz protection, overload protection and
for both technical and economic reasons. Fuses overcurrent time protection are used as fast, selec-
and definite-time overcurrent-time relays repre- tive short-circuit protection in addition to the
sent time-delayed protection measures. Time-de- classic differential protection (as from approxi-
layed protection tripping relays are unacceptable mately 1 MVA and higher). These are only men-
for larger transformers in distribution, transmis- tioned briefly here because they are described in
sion and power generation applications and must detail in other application examples.
be disconnected immediately to avoid system in-
stability and cost-intensive shutdowns. 2.1 Differential protection as main protection
Differential protection represents the main pro-
Transformer faults can generally be divided into
tection function for the transformer and is fea-
five categories:
tured in the SIPROTEC relays 7UT6* (addr. 1201)
n Interturn and terminal fault and 7UM62* (addr. 2001). It also comprises a
n Winding fault number of additional functions (matching to
n Fault on the transformer tank and auxiliary transformation ratio and vector group, restraint
devices against inrush currents). Therefore false differen-
n Fault on the transformer tap changer tial currents caused by transformation errors of
the current transformers are to be expected in
n Abnormal operating conditions (temperature,
practice. In regulated transformers an additional
humidity, dirt)
error current is to be expected caused by adjust-
n External fault ment of the tap changer.
This application example gives an insight into the The additional functions integrated in the relays
protection of regulated power transformers with are influenced by the use of a transformer with tap
tap changer function. changer and the resulting correction values. This
is explained in chapter 4 by a calculation example.

Siemens PTD EA · Applications for SIPROTEC Protection Relays · 2005 1

 Transformer Protection

Relay characteristic

∆IGF = Total error current

∆IWF = CT error current

∆IAF = Matching error current

∆IWF = CT magnetization
current

Fig. 2 False differential current in the event of load and Fig. 4 Earth-fault differential protection
continuity faults and matched relay characteristic

Backup protection such as overcurrent time 2.3 Buchholz protection

protection are provided in separate relays (e.g. The Buchholz protection is coupled into the relay
7SJ602, 7SJ45/46). The overcurrent-time protec- (alarm, tank and trip message) as an external pro-
tion and/or overload protection contained in the tection (7UT6*, 7UM62* addr. 8601, 8701) and is
differential protection relays serve merely as used for liquid-cooled transformers and reactors
backup protection against external faults in the with expansion tank. The Buchholz relay responds
connected power system. to faults which cause the forming of gas in the
tank (winding fault, interturn fault, loss of insulat-
ing fluid, accumulation of air).
87T Transformer differential
protection
n 3. Integration of the transformer tap changer
51 Assigned to W2 as
protection for busbar in differential protection
faults and backup pro- 3.1 Purpose of a transformer tap changer
tection for feeders
Voltage regulation on transformers with load tap
50/51 Backup protection for
the transformer changers is an important topic for power supply
49 Overload protection companies. In accordance with DIN/IEC standards
Bu Buchholz protection it is necessary to keep the 230 V/400 V voltage in
the public low-voltage system constant, at least in
the range ± 10 %. To keep the voltage constant in
this bandwidth, a transformer tap changer is con-
trolled by a transformer voltage regulator (e.g.
Maschinenfabrik Rheinhausen TAPCON®
230/240). The voltage regulator constantly com-
pares the actual value Uact (output voltage at the
transformer) and a fixed or load-dependent
setpoint Usetp.
Fig. 3 Protection of a two-winding transformer
The voltage regulator supplies the setting variable
2.2 Earth-fault differential protection for the transformer’s load tap changer dependent
In transformer windings with star-point earthing on the deviation of the actual value from the
via an impedance (earth-current limiting), the setpoint. The load tap changer switches when the
earth-current differential protection (7UT6* addr. given bandwidth (Usetp +/- B%) is dropped below
1301) is an ideal supplement to the phase protec- or exceeded. The voltage at the transformer is thus
tion to enhance the response sensitivity in the kept constant. Fluctuations within the permissible
earth fault. bandwidth have no influence on the control be-
havior or the switching process.
In this method the measured star-point current
I0* in the transformer star-point is compared with
the calculated summation current I0** of the
phase currents.

2 Siemens PTD EA · Applications for SIPROTEC Protection Relays · 2005

 Transformer Protection

The parameters of the voltage regulator can be system data. Former relay generations required
adapted optimally to the behavior of the system separate matching transformers for (e.g.) vector
voltage so that a balanced control behavior is group adaptation.
achieved at a low number of cycles of the load tap
changer.

Fig. 5 Voltage regulation of a regulated transformer using a TAPCON® system

3.2 Correcting “false” differential currents If the winding is regulated, not the actual rated
Most calculations of differential and restraint cur- voltage is used as UN for the stabilized side, but the
rents are made without taking the tap changer po- voltage corresponding to the mean current of the
sition into account. In practice, however, most regulated range.
power transformers are equipped with a tap U max ⋅U min 2
changer. Two types are distinguished: UN = 2⋅ =
U max + U min 1
+
1
n Off-load tap changer
U max U min
n On-load tap changer

Whilst most transformers are equipped for with Umax, Umin as limits for the regulated range.
off-load tap changing, on-load tap changing is Example:
used for voltage regulation in power systems. The
protection parameterization must take the differ- Transformer Ynd5
ent tap changer positions into consideration to 35 MVA
avoid the possibility of false tripping (especially 110 kV/20 kV
with extreme positions). Y side regulated ± 20%

Correct operation of the differential protection re- For the regulated winding (110 kV) this results in
quires that the differential currents on the primary Maximum voltage Umax = 132 kV
and secondary side correspond to real conditions Minimum voltage Umin = 88 kV
under normal load and fault conditions. The pri-
mary and secondary side current transformers do Voltage to be set
not pick up the real transformer ratio. Today’s 2
protection relays such as those in the SIPROTEC U N -PRI SIDE 1 = = 105.6 kV
1 1
series compensate these faults with calculated cor- +
132 kV 88 kV
rection factors based on the parameterized power

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 Transformer Protection

Parameters in relevant SIPROTEC relays corresponds on the CT1 secondary side to

7UT612 addr. 240 I N1 402.3 A
IN 1 = = = 100575
. A ≅ I NObj
7UT613/63* addr. 311 CT1 400
7UM62 addr. 240
(referred to S1)
n 4. Calculation example Object rated current of the unregulated side
Influence of tap positions on differential (remains constant)
and restraint currents
A two-winding transformer with a tap change SN 72 MVA
I N2 = = = 1663 A
range of –15 % to + 5 % is used for the following 3 ⋅U N2 3 ⋅ 25 kV
example. The tap changer is integrated in the pri-
mary winding for voltage regulation. corresponds on the CT2 secondary side to
I N2 1663 A
I N2 = = = 0.8315 A ≅ I NObj
CT2 2000

(referred to S2)

4.2 Calculations of the differential/restraint

72 MVA 72 MVA
I N SIDE 1 = = 378 A I N SIDE 2 = = 1663 A currents in the tap changer extreme positions
3 ⋅ 110 kV 3 ⋅ 25 kV
4.2.1 Tap position +5 %
Object current in maximum tap position
Fig. 6
SN 72 MVA
I N 1 ( + 5 %) = = = 359.9 A
Transformer YNd5 3 ⋅U max 3 ⋅115.5 kV
(irrelevant for the calculation) corresponds on the CT1 secondary side to
72 MVA
110 kV/25 kV I N1 (+5 %)
359.9A
I N 1 ( + 5 %) = =
= 0.8997 A ≅ 0.8946 ⋅ I NObj
Y side regulated -15 %/+5 % CT1 400
CT1 = 400 (1 A) Differential current in maximum tap position
CT2 = 2000 (5 A)
I Diff = I N 1 ( +5%) − I NObj = 0.8946 ⋅ I NObj − I NObj = 01054
. ⋅ I NObj
4.1 Calculations of the voltage, object rated
currents and correction factors to be set Restraint current in maximum tap position
The voltage to be set is calculated using the for-
mula in chapter 3.2 and parameterized as I Restraint = I N1 ( +5%) + I NObj = 0.8946 ⋅ I NObj + I NObj = 18946
. ⋅ I NObj
UN WIND.S1 in the SIPROTEC relays 7UT6*,
7UM62*.
4.2.2 Tap position -15 %
For the regulated winding (110 kV) this gives a
Object current in minimum tap position
calculated
maximum voltage Umax = 115.5 kV SN 72 MVA
I N 1 (− 15 %) = = = 444.6 A
minimum voltage Umin = 93.5 kV 3 ⋅U min 3 ⋅ 935
. kV
Voltage to be set corresponds on the CT1 secondary side to
U ⋅U 2
U N 1 = 2 ⋅ max min = I N1 (-15 %)
444.6 A
U max + U min 1 1 I N 1 (− 15 %) = = = 11115
. A ≅ 11051
. ⋅ I NObj
+ CT1 400
U max U min
Differential current in maximum tap position
115.5 kV ⋅ 93.5 kV
= 2⋅ = 103.3 kV
115.5 kV + 935 . kV I Diff = I N 1 (−15%) − I N2 = 11051
. ⋅ I NObj − I NObj = 01051
. ⋅ I NObj
Restraint current in maximum tap position
Object rated current of the regulated side
SN 72 MVA I Restraint = I N 1 ( +5%) + I N2 = 1051
. ⋅ I NObj + I NObj = 21051
. ⋅ I NObj
IN 1 = = = 402.3 A
3 ⋅U N 1 3 ⋅103.3 kV

4 Siemens PTD EA · Applications for SIPROTEC Protection Relays · 2005

 Transformer Protection

At the voltage to be set according to chapter 3.2

the same differential current portion of the object
rated current is measured respectively in the ex-
treme positions ï The calculated voltage UN1 to
be set corresponds to the middle position of the
transformer tap changer.

4.3 Difference between operating current and

restraint current
I op = m ⋅ I Restraint
Presetting m = 0.25
Iop = 0.25 ⋅ IRestraint
At maximum tap position + 5 % it follows that
I op = 0.25 ⋅18496
. ⋅ I NObj = 0.4624 ⋅ I NObj
At minimum tap position - 15 % it follows that
I op = 0.25 ⋅ 21051
. ⋅ I NObj = 0.5263 ⋅ I NObj
From the calculations it can also be derived that, Fig. 8 Tripping characteristic of the differential protection in 7UT6* and 7UM62*
under rated conditions and at the tap changer ex-
treme positions, the operating currents are not in The matching is currently performed by correc-
the tripping area (due to the characteristic). tion of the primary voltage according to the
Therefore the slope (gradient) of the trip charac- formula in chapter 3.2 and parameterization by
teristic (7UT6* addr. 1241, 7UM62* addr. 2041) means of the appropriate addresses or DIGSI.
need not be adapted to conditions (presetting
m = 0.25). n 6. Integration of tap positions in DIGSI
Transformer taps can be indicated either by the
n 5. Parameterization notes DIGSI PC or the graphic display of the SIPROTEC
Direct coupling of the transformer tap changer relay. The transformer taps are signaled via binary
into the protection algorithm is available as from inputs on the relay. The binary inputs are assigned
V4.6 for 7UT63* relays (approx. available as of according to the coding type and number of trans-
mid-2005). By reading in the tap positions (with former taps (see Fig. 9).
the codings BCD, binary, 1 from n table), the
transformation ratio can be adapted depending on
the position, and the faulty differential currents
compensated as a result. This improves both the
sensitivity and the stability of the differential pro-
tection.
LSP2669.tif

Fig. 9 Schematic diagram – Reading in of tap position by DIGSI or

graphic display
Fig. 7 7UT613/63* parameterization in transformer
system data
In order to display the transformer taps, the trans-
former tap message type must first be entered in
the configuration matrix.

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 Transformer Protection

LSP2671.tif
Fig. 12 Object properties, transformer tap message

n 7. Summary
In most differential protection relays the influence
of the transformer tap changer is mainly taken
into account with the corrected input of the pri-
LSP2670.tif
mary voltage (determined in the middle position
of the tap changer).
Fig. 10 Activating the transformer tap message in the
information catalog Owing to the demand for stabilized voltages and
regulation by tap changers, the probabilities of
The transformer tap message is entered in the tripping faults in the extreme positions of the tap
configuration matrix and activated by configura- changer can be limited in future by matching of
tion of the binary inputs. the transformation ratio. This requirement is met
by inclusion of the tap position in the protection
LSP2575.tif

relay and consideration of the protection algo-

rithm in the SIPROTEC 7UT63* relays.
Fig. 11 Entry of the transformer tap message in the
DIGSI configuration matrix

Detailed settings must be made under the object

properties of the transformer tap message.
n Number of bits: necessary for coding; number
depends on the selected coding
n Display offset: the value by which the size of the
displayed value is to be shifted in positive or
negative direction in relation to the magnitude
of the actual value
n Moving contact: if the moving contact option is
activated, the tap position is not recognized as
valid and accepted until the moving contact sig-
nals that it has reached the taps (always the
highest ranking contact)

6 Siemens PTD EA · Applications for SIPROTEC Protection Relays · 2005