Finding the Direction in Directional Overcurrent Relays

A reader recently asked a question about the forward and reverse directions described in the Directional
Overcurrent Relay section of

The Relay Testing Handbook series. I used electro-mechanical directional relay s as an example, which
may have been a mistake. Lets take another look at the Directional Overcurrent (67) element from a
system perspective.

We will start with a simple transmission line with the source on the left and a load on the right. The
current flows into the polarity mark of the CT on Breaker 3, and into the Directional Overcurrent (67)
Relay using the same direction. Any current flowing into the polarity mark is considered to be the
forward direction.

The phasor diagram for this situation might look like the following. Every load is a combination of
resistance and inductance, so the normal operating range for this line is the green shaded region when
the current flows into Circuit Breaker 3.

Lets look at what the Directional Overcurrent (67) relay connected to Circuit Breaker 4 sees under the
same conditions. This relay is designed to protect the same transmission line from the other direction.
The current enters the non-polarity mark of the CT, and the relay determines that current is leaving the
transmission line; or the reverse direction.

The phasor diagram of a meter test on the Directional Overcurrent (67) relay connected to Circuit
Breaker 4 would look like the following. The current is flowing in the reverse direction and the
orange/red shaded area displays the normal region when the current flows into a load behind the relay .

If we reversed the source and load, you could swap the phasor diagra ms above for each relay . Lets
shake things up by closing Circuit Breaker 8 and applying a Phase A-to-Ground fault 50% down the line.
This is a fault, so:

Both fault currents flow into the transmission line, so the directional overcurrent relay s connected to
Circuit Breakers 3 and 4 will see the current in the forward direction because the current flows into both
CT polarity marks.

If we pretend that the fault is exactly 50% down the line, both sources are identical, and the impedance
between the sources and the fault are also identical, we can use the same phasor diagram for both relay
s. Obviously this wont be true in the real world and the current magnitudes would be different. The
typical region for a fault in the forward direction occurs in the green shaded area for both relay s.

Now lets look at a fault that is not on the transmission line.

The fault current flows into the polarity mark of the CT connected to Circuit Breaker 3, so the Directional
Overcurrent (67) relay sees the fault in the forward direction. If the fault current is larger than the
overcurrent setting, the relay will trip.
Directional overcurrent protection schemes were replaced with line impedance relay s (21) to prevent a
situation like this from occurring. This relay s primary purpose is to trip for faults on the transmission
line, not for faults somewhere else on the system, as would happen here. A line impedance relay would
recognize that the fault was not on the transmission line and ignore this fault unless it was programmed
to also provide backup protection with a significant time delay.

The fault current flows into the non-polarity mark of the CT connected to Circuit Breaker 4, so the
Directional Overcurrent (67) relay sees the fault in the reverse direction. The orange/red shaded region
indicates the typical region for a fault behind a relay .

Overcurrent directional relay s can be set to trip for faults in the forward direction, which will protect the
equipment in front of the

relay . Or they can also be set to trip for faults behind the relay in the reverse direction. Forward and
reverse are typically determined by the normal flow of current into the relay , so be sure to confirm the
CT connections before you make any assumptions.

Incorrectly determining forward and reverse is an easy mistake to make. If I ever have doubts about
some relay settings or directional overcurrent tests, I usually ask the design engineer, Did you mean to
trip if the fault is on the transmission line, or on the buss? (You can use whatever easy-to-define
characteristic for your situation.) Once they answer that question, I will review the CT connections and
build a test on the transmission line and see if it trips. I then apply the fault in the reverse direction to
make sure it doesnt trip. Always ask the engineer what they intended if there is any doubt.

You could also perform a test in either direction first and see what direction the

relay is set to trip. If it doesnt make sense to you, you can ask the engineer, Did you mean for the relay
to trip if there is a fault on the buss?

I hope this helps clear up the definitions of forward and reverse for Directional Overcurrent (67) relay s.
Our next post will hopefully help clarify the characteristic angle.