Basic principles of protection

pickup types
There are several types of incentives that can act side by side.
The choice of the starting method is determined by the respective application, that is, network
design, star-point treatment of the network, short-circuit power and the applied technology of the
protective devices.
It is recommended to keep the pickup characteristics selected for a network as consistently as
possible. In the case of a mixed use of different excitation characteristics in a network, it must be
checked whether this results in undesirable overlapping of the characteristics for the operating or
fault situation.
In the following chapters, the most common start-up types are described. Starting from the simple
overcurrent excitation in chapter 8.1.1.1, the voltage-dependent excitations in chapter 8.1.1.2 to
8.1.1.5 have improved characteristics for detecting a network error. With excitation systems which
have a voltage-dependent and angle-dependent characteristic, more difficult stimulus conditions can
be fulfilled.

Overcurrent pickup
The occurrence of an overcurrent is sufficient as the simplest criterion for short-circuit detection
wherever high short-circuit currents, i. E. high short-circuit power and short lines are present. The
overcurrent excitation is the most common excitation type and is used in electromechanical as well
as analogue electronic and digital protection.
In meshed nets with low-impedance star point the criterion is often sufficient
Overcurrent alone is not sufficient for the conductor-selective detection of an error, since the
conductor short-circuit current not affected by the error also lead here. The voltage-dependent start-
up types described in the following chapters are available for the conductor-selective detection of
faults in networks with low-resistance starter spikes or in networks with difficult input conditions -
low short-circuit currents and high short-circuit voltages.

I > Level
As a rule, there is at least one starting measurement for the three outer conductors. The conductor
current excitation is set to a value which is clearly above the maximum operating current.
Detailed recommendations for the setting of the overcurrent excitation are explained in chapter
8.1.2.

I >> level
In the case of independent maximum current time (UMZ) protection, the staggering time of the I>
stage can be bypassed by means of an I >> stage (high-current stage) triggering in the fast-time.
However, the prerequisite is that the fault location selectivity can not be achieved by time delay, but
by the amount of the I >> setting. The set value I >> must be clearly above the short-circuit current of
the I> stage.

Ie > Level
The earth current excitation is preferably set below the conduction current excitation.
Common setting values for earth current excitation are (0.2 - 0.8). In deenergized networks with
large ground fault current and small transformer ratios, a higher setting may be required.
If voltage-dependent excitation systems are activated, the earth current excitation is usually set
equal to the base current (see chapter 8.1.1.2).
Underimpedance (electromechanical)
The subimpedance described here is only used in electromechanical design. It is in addition to
overcurrent pickup necessary if the minimum short-circuit current the excitation condition is not met
for the overcurrent starting or there is a network with impedance-grounded.
In the erased network no earth excitation may occur in the case of an earth fault, which is detected
by a separate ground fault detection. The voltage measuring circuits must always be at the phase-to-
phase voltage. Only in the case of a double earth connection, they are switched to earth by the earth
current excitation.
The base point current IF forms the excitation limit. The response value increases with increasing
voltage. A representation of the characteristic curve in the impedance diagram is not usual. Figure 13
shows the response sensitivity from the U-I diagram.

Function of angle

angle-independent, or
angle-dependent with

An even greater sensitivity is obtained with the angle-dependent subimpedance excitation (susceptor
excitation) in the case of a large short-circuit angle. This excitation principle is predominantly used in
the high-voltage network and is necessary if the short-circuit current can only be of the order of the
rated current. Figure 13 shows the excitation characteristics for the load range ( = 15o) and short
circuit range ( = 90o). For short-circuit angles between 15o and 90o, the characteristic curves run as
curves between the two curves. The upper push-through point Iu at rated voltage can possibly be
set to the nominal current.

pickup reliability
In accordance with the international standard IEC 448, the terms reliability (IEC 448-12-04), reliability
(IEC 448-12-06) and safety (IEC 448-12-05) are also applied to protection systems of protective
devices.
The reliability of the protective excitation describes both the property of reliably exciting (excitation
reliability) during short circuits on the selection sections to be protected, as well as safe against false
excitations in the case of interference-free operation. The setting values recommended in sections
8.1.2.1 and 8.1.2.2 always refer to the simple overcurrent excitation (see figure 17).
 Starting from the Permissible setting Pickup reliability of the
loading conditions the I> excitation short-circuit conditions

_: Max continuous load.

_: min operating current
_: max. operating current
_ (, ): min. Short circuit current