VA40.
EN003
Capacitor bank- protection and control
The new VAMP 40 relay has many features making it
ideal for capacitor bank protection applications
The new VAMP 40 feeder and
motor protection relay has many
applications in the electrical
distribution and industrial
markets. One of the applications is
for capacitor, filter and reactor
bank protection. The use and
applications are described in this
article.
Unbalance protection
The VAMP 40 relay has 5 current
inputs as well as a single voltage
input. Normally two of these
inputs can be used for earth or
residual current inputs. In double
star unearthed capacitor bank
applications, these inputs can be
used for unbalanced current
detection. The unbalance
protection is measured with a
dedicated current transformer
between the star points of the
banks as shown in the figure
below. The unbalance current is
not affected by system unbalance.
However, due to capacitor
manufacturing tolerances, some
amount of natural unbalance
current exists between the star
points.
In the VAMP 40, this unbalance
current is compensated so that the
net current measured becomes
zero. This compensation is
triggered manually at
commissioning. The phasors of the
unbalance current and one phase
current are recorded (the latter for
a polarising to zero measurement).
As the initially existing unbalance
current is compensated to zero in
the VAMP 40 relay, the unbalance
setting can be very sensitive.
Should the unbalance current
change due to failure in the bank,
this functionality can be used to
also located the branch of the
faulty element which would
typically be a blown fuse.
Two current stages can be set for
unbalance alarm and trip
respectively. Following a blown
fuse, a time setting would
determine how long the unbalance
condition has to prevail before it is
determined to be a faulty fuse.
After a fuse failure has been
detected, new compensation is
added automatically so that the
unbalance current “seen” by the
relay yet again becomes zero. A
faulty element counter is also
increased simultaneously. The
user can set the number of
tolerable faulty elements before a
trip is initiated.
1/3
 L1

L2

L3
used for phase to phase voltage or
1 - phase to earth voltage. The latter
X2 :15
VAMP 40 - 0
is typically used for directional
earth fault protection. In capacitor
X1
X2 :16
Protection functions
50 / 51 67N 50N/51N
X4
I0> Remote
3I> I0>
I0>>
3I>> I0>>

bank applications, the

X6 :1
X6 :2
3I>>>
50BF T1 X2:14
CBFP X2:13
X6 :3
T2
+
50AR 37 X2:12
X6 :4 ArcI>
3I< X2:11
X6 :5 +
T3

measurement of phase to phase

49 X2:10
X6 :6 T>
X2:9
X6 :7 46
I2>
T4 X2:8
X6 :8
X6 :9 X2:7

voltage enables overvoltage or

X6 :10
A1 X2:4
X6 :11
X6 :12
X2:6
X2:5
X6 :13

X6 :14

undervoltage protection as well as

IF X2:1
X2:3
X2:2
Blocking and
VAMP 255 VAMP 255 output matrix

control of shunt capacitor banks.

Similarly the measurement of
Application4,6,8

phase to earth voltage can be used

for unbalance voltage detection.
Figure 1. Capacitor bank- overcurrent , The (Figure 2) diagram
earthfault, overload and unbalance demonstrates the use of the VAMP
protection for an automatic bank(2 steps) 260 for controlling capacitor
switching. In such an application
the VAMP 260 could be used to
Five unbalance inputs control reactive power
The shown application (Figure 1) compensation depending on the
also measures phase currents into time of the day or to other
the capacitor banks. However, the measured criteria. Of course this
three phase inputs can also be control could be used in isolation
used for unbalance detection, or combined with voltage control to
making it possible to have up to provide a very flexible shunt bank
five unbalance inputs into a single controller, be it a reactor or
VAMP 40 relay. capacitor. With the aid of an RTD
This is achieved with another input, temperature measurements
novel feature of the VAMP 40 could also be used for protection
which contains up to eight and/or control applications.
programmable stages or virtual
protection elements. This makes it L1
L2
L3
VAMP 260
Programmable clock (Since sw v5.60)

possible to define additional VT

X1
Timer 1

Time
Monday
0

01:39:00
Block Matrix

Timer 1
alrm1 alrm3 alrm5
alrm2 alrm4

protection elements of any 11

12
13
U12

UL2
On
Off
Mode
05:58:00
23:58:00
Daily
Timer 2
Timer 3
Timer 4

available type within the relay,

14
15 Alarm stage 1
UL3 Status -
X3-12
T2
16
Coupling tanϕ

hence making it possible to have 1

2
3
IL1 Cmp
Limit
Delay
>
0.426
120 s
IL2

five unbalance current inputs 4

5

6
IL3
Hysteresis
Alarm stage 2
15% X3-13 Capacitor
bank 1 ON

rather than phase currents. Of

Status - X2-13
Coupling tanϕ A2
Cmp >
Limit

course, without a phase current

0.426
Delay 240 s
Hysteresis 10% X2-15 Capacitor
bank 2 ON

input there would not be any

Alarm stage 3
Status -
Coupling X3-14
tanϕ T1

current polarisation.
Cmp <
Limit -0.426
Delay 120 s
Hysteresis 15 % X3-15 Capacitor
Low block -32770
bank 1 OFF
Alarm stage 4
Status -
Coupling X2-10
tanϕ A3

Voltage protection and Cmp

Limit
Delay
Hysteresis
<
-0.426
240 s

control
10 %
Low block -32770
X2-12 Capacitor
bank 2 OFF
NOTE! Values in bold are user configurable.

The VAMP 40 relay also has a Figure 2. P.F controller application/ two-
single voltage input that could be stage clock controlled power factor
controller

2/3
 Summary functionalities are extremely easy
The VAMP 40 relay has many to apply. It can be concluded that
more measured quantities and the VAMP 40 can be used on its
functionalities than the few own or in combination with the
described in this article. As VAMP VAMP 260 to provide
places the highest priority on user- comprehensive capacitor bank
friendliness, all these protection and/or control.
functionalities are extremely easy
to apply. It can be concluded that
the VAMP 40 can be used on its
own or in combination with the
VAMP 260 to provide
comprehensive capacitor bank
protection and/or control.

VAMP Ltd Visiting Address: Tel: +358 20 753 3200 ISO 9001:2000
P.O.Box 810 Vaasa Airport Park Fax: +358 20 753 3205 certified company
FI-65101 VAASA Yrittäjänkatu 15 Email: vamp@vamp.fi
Finland Vaasa, Finland http://www.vamp.fi

We reserve the rights to product alterations without prior notice.

Copyright © Vamp Ltd. All trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

3/3