IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 35, NO.

1, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1999

183

Negative-Sequence Relay Protection for Blown

High-Side Transformer Fuse Detection
Alan Hannah

AbstractSingle-phasing conditions caused by blown fuses on

the primary of a deltawye substation power transformer can
create problems for electric utilities and the customers they serve.
Sustained low voltages present during these conditions create
problems for three-phase and single-phase loads. This paper will
outline a method of detecting these single-phase conditions using
negative-sequence relay technology. The paper will also summarize a method of isolating customer loads from the substation bus
to prevent damage to customer appliances.

TABLE I
ANSI C57 TRANSFORMER CATEGORIES

Index Terms Negative sequence, substation single phasing,

substation transformer relay.

I. INTRODUCTION

HREE-PHASE substation power transformers listed in

ANSI Categories III and IV (Table I) normally employ three-phase protection. This can include circuit breakers,
circuit switchers, or other three-phase devices. Category II
substation power transformers, often used to serve rural loads,
are normally protected by fuses.
The method of fusing substation power transformers is more
economical, and fuses usually require little maintenance. Problems can often develop on fused substation transformer banks
connected deltawye when only one high-side fuse blows (see
Fig. 1). Three-phase loads connected to the distribution system
experience voltage imbalances and negative-sequence voltages
and currents if adequate phase imbalance or phase reversal
protective equipment is not installed on motor loads.
More serious problems can develop on single-phase customer loads due to sustained low-voltage conditions on the
three-phase bus leaving the substation. Distribution feeder
breakers and reclosers may not trip for single-phasing conditions unless phase currents are imbalanced enough to cause
ground relays to trip. Circuit reclosers are even less likely
to trip for circuit load imbalances, since many rural utilities
use single-phase circuit reclosers with the same trip values
for ground faults and phase faults. Utility response time to
isolate the distribution loads can become a serious issue due
to voltage imbalances on three-phase loads and low voltages
present on many single-phase loads. Since single-phasing
conditions generate negative-sequence voltages and currents,
Paper REPC 98C4, presented at the 1998 IEEE Rural Electric Power
Conference, St. Louis, MO, April 2628, and approved for publication in the
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS by the Rural Electric Power
Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society. Manuscript released
for publication August 17, 1998.
The author is with Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation,
Texarkana, AR 75504 USA.
Publisher Item Identifier S 0093-9994(99)00463-6.

Fig. 1. Fused protection on deltawye substation power transformer.

an inexpensive solution to this problem may be developed

using voltage imbalance (negative-sequence) overvoltage relays. This process uses the same technology employed to
protect large three-phase motors and synchronous machines
in industrial applications.
II. DELTAWYE TRANSFORMER CONNECTIONS
Most substation power transformers or transformer banks
are connected deltawye with the transmission supply voltage connected to the delta winding. The reasons for the
deltawye transformer connections are obvious. A solidly
grounded wye-connected secondary winding provides a path
for zero-sequence ground currents for a ground fault on the
distribution system. The deltawye windings do not pass
zero sequence currents and thus, the zero-sequence system
impedances emanate at the power transformer.
Two energized high-side phases connected to each leg of
the delta winding of a substation power transformer such as

in Fig. 1 produce voltages in only one lowwinding

, also shown in Fig. 1. The
side transformer winding

and

produce
other two-phase combinations

and

in a
voltages in secondary windings

00939994/99$10.00 1999 IEEE

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(a)

(b)

(c)

Fig. 2. (a) Equivalent circuit diagram of transformer windings. (b) Vector diagram of high-side delta voltages. (c) Vector diagram of low-side wye voltages.

similar manner. When two or more high-side fuses blow,

voltages cannot be developed across any of the high-side
windings or low-side
windings of the power transformer.
Problems develop when only one high-side fuse blows, such
in Fig. 1. Full
as the condition depicted with open fuse
secondary phase-to-ground voltage is developed on only one

in Fig. 1.
secondary winding
All
three
secondary
phase-to-phase
voltages

and

are lower than normal

due to the collapsed primary leg in the transformer.
Phase-to-ground voltages are also lower than normal on phase

and

due to the primary phasephase

legs

also appearing across the

voltage on winding

and

series connection of primary windings

An equivalent circuit diagram of the primary transformer
windings for a single-phasing condition is shown in Fig. 2(a).
of the power transFor a blown fuse condition on leg
former, the remaining voltages produce the vector diagram in
Fig. 2(b). The voltages and voltages are 1/2 of the
original magnitude due to the series connection of the primary

and

The voltage vectors and

windings
are also displaced by 60 from their original positions
shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2(b). Referring to Fig. 2(c),
the -phase vector voltage associated with the secondary wye

is exactly equal to its original 1.0 pertransformer leg

unit value. The gnd and gnd voltages are shifted by 60
from their original positions.
Under normal conditions, phase-to-phase voltages ,
and are 1.73 the phase-to-ground voltage. With blown

fuse
gnd is 100% of its original magnitude. The series

and

causes voltages
connection of windings
gnd and gnd to fall to 50% of their original values and
lie 180 out of phase with gnd. Phase-to-phase values of
phase-to-ground values are obtained by summing the
1.5
P.U.
vectors

Secondary vector phase values are 1.5 their original values

A ratio of 0.87 is obtained by dividing
for blown fuse
1.5/1.73. Therefore, phase-to-phase values for vectors

and of 87% of the original values are expected under

unloaded conditions following the loss of a primary fuse on
the delta-connected primary. Secondary voltage vectors
and are also shifted by 60 . Calculating the phase-tophase voltage vector in per unit reveals
per unit.
Summarizing the results for a blown primary fuse reveals
that one secondary line-to-ground voltage is 1.0 P.U., two secondary line-to-ground voltages are 0.5 per unit, two secondary
phase-to-phase voltages are 0.87 P.U., and one secondary
phase-to-phase voltage is 0 per unit.

III. SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS AND VOLTAGE VECTORS

Rotating vectors of equal magnitude 120 apart in sequence
would be present for a balanced positively rotating
system such as that shown in Fig. 3(a). Negative-sequence
voltage vectors rotating in reverse phase sequence ,
as shown in Fig. 3(b), form a balanced negatively rotating
system. Three-phase system voltage vectors are comprised

HANNAH: NEGATIVE-SEQUENCE RELAY PROTECTION

185

Fig. 4. Positive-, negative-, and zero-sequence components of voltage vector.

(a)

The vector representation of the positive-, negative-, and

zero-sequence voltage vectors for the example is shown in
Fig. 4.

(b)

IV. PARTIAL VOLTAGES ON SECONDARY WINDINGS

(c)
Fig. 3. (a) Positive-sequence voltage phasors. (b) Negative-sequence voltage
vectors. (c) Zero-sequence voltage vectors.

of positive-, negative-, and zero-sequence components, as

depicted in Fig. 3 and shown in (1) and (3)
(1)
(2)
(3)
Equations (1)(3) can be solved and rewritten to solve for
the positive-, negative-, and zero-sequence vectors as shown in
(4)
(5)
(6)
and
.
where complex operator
The following example is used to find the magnitude
and phase angle of positive-, negative-, and zero-sequence
voltages.
The following unbalanced voltages are present in a three
phase system. Calculate the positive-, negative-, and zerosequence voltages

Plugging the above values into (4)(6) yields

(7)
(8)
(9)

Under primary single-phasing conditions, the deltawye

transformer connection does not yield zero voltage on any
secondary phasegnd leg of the tranformer. Using the results of the example in Section III, the calculated ratio of
negative-sequence voltage vector magnitude to total voltage
magnitude of 1.3 will be used to calculate negative-sequence
relay settings. As mentioned previously, full phase voltage
is developed on only one transformer secondary phase leg.
The amount of voltage present on the remaining transformer
secondary phase legs depends upon system and transformer
impedances, transformer design, and the amount of remaining
load on the power transformer. Back EMF from connected
three-phase motor loads can also affect the voltages and
vector sequences on the secondary transformer windings. The
objective is to select the proper negative-sequence overvoltage
relay and provide settings to trip for a blown primary fuse,
while avoiding the use of relay settings too sensitive to avoid
nuisance tripping.
V. TEST PROJECT
The test project is a 6912.5-KV 5000-KVA rural distribution substation that employs high-side fuses for substation power transformer protection. The substation serves
approximately 1100 customers in a remote area of southwest
Arkansas. Various lightning strikes in the area and recloser
circuit board/battery failures have resulted in several instances
of a single blown high-side fuse on the primary of the 5000KVA substation power transformer.
The substation does not have Supervisory Control and
Data Acquisition (SCADA). Response time for local district
personnel to drive to the substation can take as long as 2 h. The
substation is an ideal test case for the proposed relay system
due to the frequency of single-phasing conditions described
above and the remote rural location of the substation. Since the
substation does not have a battery, a 24-V 1300-mAh nickel
cadmium battery and ac battery charger provide tripping power
to the proposed relay scheme.
The proper application of negative-sequence overvoltage
relays would open and lock out the feeder circuit breakers
for a single-phase condition in a much shorter time interval

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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 35, NO. 1, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1999

Fig. 5. One-line diagram of substation test project.

than the 2-h response time for utility personnel. This will
prevent customer equipment damage and relieve the 5000KVA power transformer of loading stresses due to singlephasing conditions under partial loads. A one-line diagram
of the substation depicting the negative-sequence overvoltage
relay scheme is shown in Fig. 5.
The potential inputs to the voltage sequence relay are
derived from instrument transformers used for statistical bus
metering. The potential instrument transformer connections
vary in individual substations from potential connections on
an unregulated bus (dark lines shown in Fig. 5) to connections on the regulated bus (dotted lines in Fig. 5). The
advantages of deriving voltage input from the unregulated
bus are more balanced voltage output under light singlephase loading conditions than those available on the load side
of the single-phase regulators. The disadvantages of voltage
inputs on an unregulated bus include wider voltage swings and
voltage differences between phases during heavy single-phase
unregulated load conditions.
Advantages of voltage inputs on regulated buses include
tighter voltage tolerances for the negative-sequence relay
input. Disadvantages of voltage inputs derived from the regulated bus include inherit voltage imbalances from single-phase
regulator travel due to imbalanced single-phase loads. The use
and
compensation values on single-phase regulators
of
with imbalanced loads may exaggerate the voltage imbalances
on a regulated bus.

of the primary reasons the 60Q relay was chosen was due
to its utility grade construction and an inherent characteristic
which prevents tripping for loss of voltage on all three
phases connected to the relay. This characteristic is desirable
to prevent nuisance trips resulting from loss of transformer
three-phase voltage to the substation high-voltage bus. Relay
instruction manual literature for the 60Q relay lists the most
common application of the device as protecting motors against
the effects of unbalanced voltage. The relay has a target
accessory, and pickup values are adjustable from 2 to 20 V
(negative sequence). Trip time delays are adjustable from 0.32
to 10 s.
A 24/32-Vdc control voltage relay was chosen, since the
selected substation has no battery. A separate 24-V charger
was also purchased to provide trickle current to the battery and
to supply losses to the amber trip circuit status light shown in
Fig. 6.
A 62T auxiliary time delay relay is also employed to provide
even longer time delays than through use of the 60Q negativesequence relay alone. The extra time-delay relay was chosen
to supplement the short 10-s maximum time delay available
in the 60Q voltage sequence relay. Although the time-delay
relay adds complexity to the circuit, longer time delays of
several minutes are desirable to avoid niusance tripping of
the feeder circuit breakers due to system disturbances. Fig. 7
is a simplified diagram of the trip circuit depicting the 60Q
overvoltage relay and 62T time-delay relay.

VI. NEGATIVE-SEQUENCE CONTROL

VII. LABORATORY TESTING

The relay chosen for the test project was a Type-60Q phase
unbalance relay (negative-sequence overvoltage relay). One

The proposed overvoltage negative-sequence relay scheme

is currently undergoing tests within a laboratory environment

HANNAH: NEGATIVE-SEQUENCE RELAY PROTECTION

187

Fig. 6. Negative-sequence control.

negative-sequence relay settings. Negative-sequence voltage

relay pickup values of approximately 1/3 of expected total voltage phase imbalances will be used. For example, a
negative-sequence relay pickup value of 20 V will be used for
a maximum expected secondary voltage imbalance of 60 V.
A wide range of various system conditions will be simulated
in the laboratory environment to reveal any problems with the
proposed relay scheme prior to implementing the negativesequence relay scheme on a substation bus.
Fig. 7. Simplified diagram of trip circuit with timer.

(see Fig. 8). A deltawye transformer bank consisting of three

instrument transformers are connected to provide 240-V threewire delta primary120/208-V four-wire secondary to conduct
tests on the proposed relay scheme. Various single-phasing
conditions are simulated on the primary of the transformer

on the primary of the

network by opening fuses
network under loaded conditions. Loaded single-phasing conditions simulated at 0.5 per unit were obtained by applying
various combinations of resistors connected phase to ground
and phase to phase on the secondary network to eliminate stray
voltages due to capacitive coupling. Fig. 9 lists the various
secondary voltages recorded on the wye-connected secondary
with one open fuse on the delta transformer primary. Measured
voltage values were very close to the P.U. values calculated
in Section II of this paper.
Negative-sequence relay pickup values will be selected
utilizing the voltages recorded on the wye secondary under
single-phase conditions created on the delta primary winding
as listed in Fig. 9.
The ratio of negative-sequence voltage magnitude/total voltage magnitude obtained in (8) will be used for calculating

VIII. FIELD TESTING

THE

DESIGN

Once laboratory tests and final calibration of the 60Q and

62T timer relays are satisfactorily completed, the relay project
will be implemented in the field. Final field tests prior to
placing the relay in service will include operating the relay
system on an unloaded power transformer after transferring
load to adjacent substations. The scheme will be tested by
dropping each high-side substation power transformer fuse
one at a time to ensure the negative-sequence relay scheme
performs as designed. Field tests will include connecting the
negative-sequence relay to both the regulated bus and unregulated substation bus. Long-term reliability tests performed in
an actual substation environment should yield sufficient data
to warrant further use of the negative-sequence overvoltage
relay technology.
IX. CONCLUSIONS
1) Voltage relays have demonstrated reliable results when
applied in power plants and industrial plants to detect the
presence of damaging reverse phase rotation connections
of motors, generators, transformers, and interconnecting
circuits.

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Fig. 8. Laboratory test model.

4)
5)

6)

7)

single-phasing and low-voltage conditions on secondary

connections of deltawye substation transformers.
Recent generations of smart solid-state relays offer
selective features that are well suited for this application.
Carefully controlled and monitored laboratory and field
conditions utilizing the technology will determine its
feasibility and suitability to provide additional protection
for rural substations.
Recent power quality issues may require the distribution
engineer to investigate technologies of this nature to
offer the highest degree of protection for rural loads.
Negative-sequence overvoltage relay technology represents an inexpensive tool for the distribution engineer to
investigate to provide enhanced service quality to rural
customers.
REFERENCES

Fig. 9. Observed laboratory test voltages on deltawye network.

2) Negative-sequence voltage relays offer a special application of voltage relays to detect single-phasing conditions,
damaging voltage imbalance, and phase rotation reversal
for rotating machines.
3) The theory and operation of the voltage sequence relay
may lend itself to utility applications such as preventing

[1] IEEE Standard General Requirements for Liquid-Immersed Distribution,

Power and Regulating Transformers, ANSI/IEEE C57.1200-1987, p. 28.
[2] IEEE Guide for Protective Relay Applications to Power Transformers,
ANSI/IEEE C37.91-1985, pp. 1314.
[3] M. El-Hawary, Electrical Power Systems Design and Analysis. Piscataway, NJ: IEEE Press, 1995, pp. 474481.
[4] Applied Protective Relaying, Relay-Instrument Division, Westinghouse
Electric, Newark, NJ, 1964, pp. 1-91-10.
[5] ASEA Brown Boveri phase unbalance relay instruction bulletin IB
7.4.1.7-3, Issue C, Protective Relay Division, ABB Power Transmission
Inc., Allentown, PA, 1989.

HANNAH: NEGATIVE-SEQUENCE RELAY PROTECTION

[6] ASEA Brown Boveri Type 62T time delay relay instruction bulletin
41-529S, Relay Division, ABB Power T&D Company, Inc., Coral
Springs, FL, 1995.
[7] Power Systems Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society,
IEEE Standards Board, Electric Power Distribution for Industrial Plants,
6th ed. New York: IEEE Press, 1991, pp. 189190.
[8] The Electricity Council, Power System Protection 1, vol. 1, 2nd ed.
Stevenage, U.K.: Peregrinus, 1981, pp. 126134.
[9] E. Schweitzer and J. Kumm, Blown high side fuse detection,
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Pullman, WA, SEL-351 distribution and transmission transformer application relay technical support
materials for SEL-351 distribution and transmission relay, 1997.

189

Alan Hannah received the B.S.E.E. degree from the

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and the M.S.
and M.B.A. degrees from Texas A&M University,
Texarkana.
He manages the engineering and operations for
Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation, Texarkana, AR, a rural electric utility. He is
Past Chair of the Planning Committee for the University of Arkansas Electric Meter School, Fayetteville, AR. He also serves on the NRECA Policy,
Planning, and Communications Committee coordinating rural electric research work for the Cooperative Research Network.
Mr. Hannah currently serves as Chair of the Power Engineering Society
Chapter of the IEEE Shreveport Section. He also served as past Chair of the
IEEE Shreveport Section, Cochairman of the 1999 IEEE Region V Conference
Committee, and currently serves as Secretary of the 1999 Rural Electric Power
Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) and chairs the
Power Quality and Efficient Electric Use Subcommittee of the IEEE IAS
Rural Electric Power Committee.