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Applications and Characteristics Of Overcurrent Relays (ANSI 50,

51)

Applications and Characteristics Of Overcurrent Relays (ANSI 50, 51)

50/51 and 50/51N relays

Overcurrent relays are the most commonly-used protective relay type. Time-overcurrent relays are available
with various timing characteristics to coordinate with other protective devices and to protect specific
equipment. Instantaneous overcurrent relays have no inherent time delay and are used for fast short-circuit
protection.
Figure 1 below shows the timing characteristics of several typical 51 time-overcurrent relay curve types, along
with the 50 instantaneous characteristic.

Figure 1 ANSI 50 and 51 overcurrent relay characteristics

The pickup level is set by the tap setting, which is usually set in CT secondary amperes but may be set in
primary amperes on some microprocessor-based relays.
Each relay curve has a time dial setting which allows the curve to be shifted up or down on the timecurrent characteristic curve.
In Figure 1, the time dial settings are different to give enough space between the curves to show their differences.
The above are IEEE-standard curves; others are available, depending upon the relay make and model. A solid state
electronic or microprocessor-based relay will have all of these curves available on one unit; electromechanical relays
must be ordered with a given characteristic that cannot be changed.
The 50 instantaneous function is only provided with a pickup setting. The 30ms delay shown in figure 1 for the 50
function is typical and takes into account both the relay logic operation and the output contact closing time.

Most microprocessor-based units will also have an adjustable delay for the 50 function; when an
intentional time delay is added the 50 is referred to as a definite-time overcurrent function. On solidstate electronic and microprocessor-based relays, the 50 function may be enabled or disabled.

On electromechanical relays, the 50 function can be added as an instantaneous attachment to a 51

time-overcurrent relay. If a relay has both 50 and 51 functions present and enabled is referred to as a
50/51 relay.

Typically, overcurrent relays are employed as one per phase. In solidly-grounded medium voltage systems, the most
common choice for ground fault protection is to add a fourth relay in the residual connection of the CTs to monitor the
sum of all three phase currents. This relay is referred to as a residual ground overcurrent or 51N (or 50/51N)
relay.
The CT arrangement for 50/51 and 50/51N relays for a solidly-grounded system is shown in Figure 2 below.
For a low-resistance-grounded system, the use of an
overcurrent relay connected to a CT in the
service transformer or generator neutral is usually the
best option. This CT should have a ratio smaller than
the phase CTs, and the relay pickup range in
conjunction with the neutral CT should allow a pickup
as low as 10% of the neutral resistor rating.
For a feeder circuit downstream from the service
transformer, a zero-sequence CT is recommended,
again with a ratio small enough to allow a pickup as low
as 10% of the neutral resistor rating.
When an overcurrent relay is utilized with a zerosequence CT it is referred to as a 50G, 51G or 50/51G
relay depending upon relay type used. Figure 3 shows
typical arrangements for both these applications.

Figure 2 Overcurrent relay arrangement with CTs, including 50/51N

For ungrounded systems, the ground detection

methods are recommended since little ground current will flow during a single phase-to-ground fault. Low voltage
solidly-grounded systems are discussed below.
The typical application of phase and residual neutral ground overcurrent relays in one-line diagram form is shown in
figure 4.
In Figure 4, the designation 52 is the IEEE Std. C37.2-1996 designation for a circuit breaker.
The phase relays are designated 51 and the residual ground overcurrent relay is designated 51N (both without
instantaneous function). The bracketed denotes that there are three phase overcurrent relays and three CTs. The
dotted line from the relays to the circuit breaker denotes that the relays are wired to trip the circuit breaker on
an overcurrent condition.
Another type of overcurrent relay is the voltage-restrained overcurrent relay 51 V and the voltage-controlled
relay 51C. Both are used in generator applications to allow the relay to be set below the generator full-load current
due to the fact that the fault contribution from a generator will decay to a value less than the full-load current of
the generator.
The 51C relay does not operate on overcurrent unless the voltage is below a preset value. The 51 V relay pickup
current shifts as the voltage changes, allowing it to only respond to overcurrents at reduced voltage. Both require
voltage inputs, and thus require voltage transformers for operation.

OverCurrent Protection and Coordination (VIDEO)

Cant see this video? Click here to watch it on Youtube.
Reference: System Protection - Bill Brown, P.E., Square D Engineering Services

About Author //
Edvard Csanyi
Edvard - Electrical engineer, programmer and founder of EEP. Highly specialized for design of LV high power busbar
trunking (<6300A) in power substations, buildings and industry fascilities. Designing of LV/MV switchgears.
Professional in AutoCAD programming and web-design. Present on Google+

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3 Comments
1.
Ataullah Ansari
Oct 19, 2014
Very good
(reply)
2.
abiola tajudeen
Oct 12, 2014
Analysing Relay indication after tripping has
occurred,to know if re closure is required
(reply)
3.
Arindam Gupta
Oct 11, 2014
Great man.
(reply)

Figure 3 Transformer neutral and zero-sequence ground relaying applications

for resistance-grounded systems

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one + 2 =

Figure 4 Typical application of

overcurrent relays