Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ap
pp
plliic
ca
attiio
onn N
No
otte
e
Current transformer selection for Allen-Bradley series
overcurrent and differential relays
Iron core current transformers (CT) are accurate in amplitude and phase when used
near their nominal values. At very low and at very high currents they are far from
ideal. For overcurrent and differential protection, the actual performance of CTs at
high currents must be checked to ensure correct function of the protection relay.
Composite error C
Iron core current transformers (CT) are accurate in amplitude and phase when used
near their nominal values. At very low and at very high currents they are far from
ideal. For overcurrent and differential protection, the actual performance of CTs at
high currents must be checked to ensure correct function of the protection relay.
T
C
T
KN
iS
iP
IP
1
( K N i S i P ) 2 dt
T 0
IP
=
=
=
=
=
100% (eq. 1)
Cycle time
Rated transformation ratio INPrimary/INsecondary
instantaneous secondary current
instantaneous primary current
Rms value of primary current
Application Note
Note:
All current based protection functions of Allen-Bradley relays, except arc protection,
thermal protection and 2nd harmonic blocking functions, are using the base frequency
component of the measured current. The IEC formulae include an RMS value of the
current. That is why the composite error defined by IEC 60044-1 is not ideal for Allen-Bradley
relays. However the difference is not big enough to prevent rough estimation.
Standard accuracy classes
At rated frequency and with rated burden connected, the amplitude error and phase
error and composite error of a CT shall not exceed the values given in the following table.
Accuracy
class
5P
10P
Amplitude error
at rated
primary current
(%)
1
3
Phase displacement
at rated primary
current
()
1
-
Composite error C
at rated accuracy limit
primary current
(%)
5
10
Marking: The accuracy class of a CT is written after the rated power. E.g. 10 VA 5P10,
15 VA 10P10, 30 VA 5P20
Accuracy limit current IAL
Current transformers for protection must retain a reasonable accuracy up to the largest
relevant fault current. Rated accuracy limit current is the value of primary current up to
which the CT will comply with the requirements for composite error C.
Accuracy limit factor kALF
The ratio of the accuracy limit current to the rated primary current.
kALF
IAL/IN.
(eq. 2)
The standard accuracy limit factors are 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30.
Marking: Accuracy limit factor is written after the accuracy class.
E.g. 10 VA 5P10, 15 VA 10P10, 30 VA 5P20.
k A k ALF
Si S N
Si S A
(eq. 3)
Figure 2 This figure of equation 3 shows that it is essential to know the winding resistance RCT of the
CT if the load is much less than the nominal. A 10 VA 5P10 CT with 25% load gives actual ALF values
from 15..30 when the winding resistance varies from 0.5 to 0.05 .
kALF
Si
SN
SA
=
=
=
=
The actual accuracy limit factor kA depends on the actual burden. (Figure 2)
Application Note
If the current is an asymmetric short circuit current like in Figure 3 the needed accuracy limit
factor should be multiplied by coefficient kDC:
k DC 1 (eq. 4)
=
=
Angle frequency 2f
Time constant of the short circuit current
Current (kA)
15
10
5
0
-5
-10
0.02
0.04
0.06
Time (s)
0.08
0.1
kA c Ik
c
Ik
INTra
INCT
kDC
I NTra
k DC (eq. 5)
I NCT
=
=
=
=
=
Application Note
Table 1 Safety factor c for accuracy limit factor. Using slightly smaller safety factor than
indicated in the table will increase the setting inaccuracy.
Protection application
Overcurrent
Transformer differential, -winding or unearthed Y-winding
Transformer differential, earthed Y-winding
Generator differential
Safety factor c
1.4
3
4
3
k A k ALF
RCT R N
(eq. 6)
RCT RW R L
RN
N
2
NCT sec
RCT
RW
RL
SN
INCTsec
(eq. 7)
=
=
=
=
=
ck I I
2
S N DC k NTra RCT RW R L RCT I NCT
sec
k ALF I NCT
(eq. 8)
Example 1
Transformer:
16 MVA YNd11 Zk = 10%
110 kV / 21 kV (84 A / 440 A)
CTs on HV side:
100/1 5P20 15 VA
Winding resistance RCT = 0.3 (RCT depends on the CT type, INCT and power rating. Let's
say that the selected CT type, 100 A and an initial guess of 15 VA, yields to 0.3 .)
Safety factor c = 4. (Table1. Transformer differential, earthed Y.)
CTs on LV side:
500/1 5P20 15 VA
Winding resistance RCT = 0.4 (RCT depends on the CT type, INCT and power rating. Let's
say that the selected CT type, 500 A and an initial guess of 15 VA, yields to 0.4 .)
Safety factor c = 3. (Table 1. Transformer differential, .)
Maximum through fault short circuit current Ik =10 x IN
Application Note
RL
0.05
RWHV
0.138
RWLV
0.086
=
=
50 Hz
50 ms
Equation 4 gives:
kDC
=
1 + 250 x 0.05 = 16.7
The needed CT power on HV side will be (eq. 8)
4 16.7 10 84
SN
0.3 0.138 0.05 0.3 12 13.4 VA
20 100
3 16.7 10 440
SN
0.4 0.086 0.05 0.4 12 11.4 VA
20 500
I CTpri
ICTpri
Ik
Ik
(eq. 9)
100
=
=
The needed minimum value for the actual accuracy limit factor kA (equation 3.) depends
on the highest setting value, the applied delay type definite/inverse and the needed fault
current grading for selectivity. A reasonable actual accuracy limit factor for most cases
should be according equation 9.
=
=
=
Application Note
ck I
2
S N DC SET RCT RW R L RCT I NCT
sec (eq. 11)
k ALF
Example 2
Network:
Ik
RL
=
=
30 kA
0.008
RW
0.09
CT:
1000/5 10P10 30 VA (10P10 10% error @ 10x1000 A)
RCT
=
0.4
Secondary winding resistance
Settings of the most coarse overcurrent stage:
=
10 x IN = 10000 A
Iset
Delay type
=
definite time
f
=
50 Hz
Frequency
=
50 ms
DC time constant
According equation 9 the CT primary value is ok (30k/1000 = 30 and 30 is well under 100).
Equation 4 gives:
kDC
=
1 + 250 x 0.05 = 16.7
Next we check if the power rating is adequate (equation 11).
1.4 16.7 10
SN
0.4 0.09 0.008 0.4 5 2 281 VA
10
This is an impractical big CT. We must either use a CT with 1 A nominal secondary or ignore
the DC-component. The latter choice may increase trip time at heavy faults.
Let's ignore the DC effect.
1.4 10
SN
0.4 0.09 0.008 0.4 5 2 7.4 VA
10
Application Note
S
RW max 2 N RCT
I NCT sec
k ALF
RCT RL (eq. 12)
cI SET
Lmax
Lmax
R
A
RA
The corresponding distance will be half of the wire length, because there are two wires
from the CT to the relay.
Max. distance = Lmax/2 (eq. 14)
Example 3
Let us calculate the maximum possible distance between CT and protection relay with in
the following case.
CT
kAFL
=
=
500/5 10P10
10
INCTsec
SN
RL
RCT
c
ISET
Wire
Cu
kDC
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
5A
15 VA
0.008
0.6
1.4
8xIN
2.5 mm2 Cu
17.2 nm
1
10
15
RW max 2 0.6
0.6 0.008 0.46
5
1.4 8
and from equation 13 we get the corresponding wire length
Lmax
0.46 2.5 10 6
669m
1.72 10 9
669/2 = 330 m
Application Note
Keywords : Current transformer, Current selection, Current requirements, Current accuracy class, Current
accuracy limit, Current power rating, Current wiring
Medium Voltage Products, 135 Dundas Street, Cambridge, ON, N1R 5X1 Canada, Tel: (1) 519.740.4100, Fax: (1) 519.623.8930, www.ab.com/mvb
Publication 857-AP019A-EN-P June 2011
Copyright 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada.