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Setting Directional Over Current Relays as the Local Backup of Distance Relays in
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 Fifteenth National Power Systems Conference (NPSC), IIT Bombay, December 2008
Setting Directional Over Current Relays as the Local Backup of
Distance Relays in Power Network
M.M.Ghanbarian, F.Kavehnia, A.Kazerooni
Islamic Azad University, Branch of Kazeroon
Abstract- In this paper a new algorithm based on
genetic algorithm and a new objective function are
used to increase the operating speed and the
selectivity of power system protection relays. In this
method the optimal operating time of second zone
of distance relays and also the optimal operating
characteristic, PSM and TSM of over current
relays are calculated simultaneously. Finding the
absolute optimum point of the optimization
problem and improvement in the speed and
coordination of power system protection relays are
the advantages of this method in comparison with
the ordinary methods like simplex or dual simplex.
Numerical results obtained with the proposed
method for a real power system are presented.
Keywords: Power system protection, Distance relay,
Over current relay, Optimal coordination
1) Introduction
Distance relays are used in power systems as the main
relays to protect lines because of their high speed in
clearing faults and also the easiness of their
coordination. Each distance relay has three zones
which second and third zones operate as the backup of
the forward lines. [1] shows different ways to set the
impedance and the operating time of each zones of
distance relays.
Despite modern distance relays, directional over
current (DOC) relays are the best choice for local
backup of distance relays from the economical and
technical point of view, But it is too complicate to
coordinate these relays together. Today optimization
methods have been used to coordinate directional over
current relays together. In this paper, a new method
based on genetic algorithm and a new objective
function are used to coordinate directional over current
relays together and also with distance relays.
In optimization methods, at first, the constraints for
coordination of each main and backup relay are
determined. [1] discusses the process of determining
such constraints. Then, these constraints are solved by
an optimization method in order to achieve minimum
time setting of each relay. Some of the optimization
methods that have been used for the above problem
are: simplex method [2, 3, 4], two phase simplex
329
method [5] and dual simplex [6]. In [7] a matrix
method is used to obtain the relay setting.
All of the above approaches consider a predefined
characteristic for each DOC relay and then current
settings and time settings are obtained. Since it is
possible to apply different characteristics on DOC
relays, so in this paper we will try to achieve the
optimum operating characteristic, the optimum time
setting and current setting of DOC relays and also the
optimum time setting of distance relays' second zone
by solving the optimization problem.
It will be shown that this idea will improve the speed
and coordination of protection system. In this paper, at
first, the process to obtain the constraints of the
problem is illustrated and then we will investigate the
proposed approach for solving these constraints.
Finally the proposed approach will be tested on a real
network and the results will be compared with other
approaches.
2) The constraints to coordinate distance and DOC
relays
In power systems, DOC relays are used as the local
backup of distance relays. Figure 1 shows this plan:
Breaker Trip Mechanism Trip
CT Distance DOC
Relay Relay
(Main) (Backup)
PT
Fig 1- DOC relay as the local backup of distance relay
Figure 2 shows a simple method for coordination of a
distance relay and a DOC relay.
t
tb
! CTI tz2
b m
F1
Fig 2- Coordination of a distance relay and a DOC relay
 Fifteenth National Power Systems Conference (NPSC), IIT Bombay, December 2008

As figure 2 shows, in order to coordinate one distance relay for fault F2. Ib,pickup and Im,pickup are pickup
relay with a DOC relay, the operating time of DOC currents of backup and main relay. TSMb and TSMm are
relay for fault F1 should be more than the second zone time setting multiplier of backup and main relay.
operating time of distance relay. This interval should For optimal coordination of power system relays, at
be more than CTI. CTI is the time interval for first, it is essential to form the coordination constraints
coordination of main and backup relay. So the of all main and backup relays. Then the parameters of
constraint for coordination of distance relay with DOC the relays should be set such that for the least
relay will be in the form of inequalities 1: operating time of relays, all the constraints be satisfied.
tb ( F1 )  t z 2 ! CTI (1)
3) Proposed approach for optimal coordination of
tb(F1) is the operating time of DOC relay for fault F1
distance and DOC relays
and tz2 is the operating time of distance relay second
According what expressed in the previous section, we
zone.
should determine four parameters in order to set and
Additionally, in order to coordinate two directional
coordinate distance and directional over current relays:
over current relay [8], one as main relay (m) and the
a) The operation characteristic of relays should be
other as back up relay (b), (it is shown in figure 3), the
determined. To achieve inequalities 4, 5 and 6, we
difference between the operating time of back up relay
assumed that the operation characteristic of DOC
and the operating time of main relay for faults F1 and
relays is normally inverse. Since we can apply several
F2 should be more than CTI. F1 and F2 are short
characteristic on a DOC relay, so in this paper we try
circuits at near bus and far bus of main relay
to achieve the optimal operation characteristic of
respectively.
relays which improve the selectivity and speed of
protection system.
For example for SPCS 2D26 relay, which is produced
t by A.B.B. Company we can apply six characteristics
! CTI as expressed in table 1.
tb
! CTI tm
Table 1- Characteristics of SPCS DOC relay
0.14
b m Normally t
I
* TSM
Inverse
: ( ) 0.02  1
I pickup
F1 F2
13.5
Very t * TSM
: I
Inverse ( )1  1
I pickup
Fig 3- Coordination of DOC relays 80
Extremely t * TSM
: I
Inverse ( )2  1
So the constraints for coordination of DOC relays b I pickup

and m will be in the form of inequalities 2 and 3: t

120
* TSM
Long Time I
tb ( F1 )  t m ( F1 ) ! CTI (2) Inverse
: ( )1  1
I pickup
tb ( F2 )  t m ( F2 ) ! CTI (3) 1
t * TSM
tb(F1) and tm(F1) are respectively the operation time of RI-type : I pickup
backup and main relay for a short circuit in F1, tb(F2) 0.339  0.236( )1
I
and tm(F2) are respectively the operation time of
I
backup and main relay for a short circuit in F2. RXIDG-type : t 5.8  1.35 * Ln( )1
TSM * I pickup
For instance if relays b and m set on normally inverse
characteristics [11], then inequities 1, 2 and 3 can be
expressed as 3, 4 and 5: In figure 4, these characteristics have been drawn for
0.14 TSM=1.
u TSM b  t z 2 ! CTI
I b,F 1 0.02 (4)
( ) 1
I b, pickup
0.14 0.14
u TSM b  u TSM m ! CTI
I b, F 1 0.02 I (5)
( ) 1 ( m, F 1 )0.02  1
I b, pickup I m, pickup
0.14 0.14
u TSM b  u TSM m ! CTI
I b , F 2 0.02 I m, F 2 0.02 (6)
( ) 1 ( ) 1
I b, pickup I m, pickup
Ib,F1 and Im,F1 are currents of backup and main relay for
fault F1. Ib,F2 and Im,F2 are currents of backup and main

330
 Fifteenth National Power Systems Conference (NPSC), IIT Bombay, December 2008

Where:
Chari : Characteristic of i' th DOC relay
LTI PSMi : Current setting multiplier of i' th DOC relay
TSMi Time setting multiplier of i' th DOC relay
EI :
tz2 i : Second zone operatin time of i' th distance
VI relay
t n is the total number of DOC relays and m is the total
NI number of distance relays. The objective function
which is used in this paper for grading the
RXIDG
chromosomes is:
RI

ObjectiveFunction
N
(7)
Min{¦ K1 * MC  K 2 * CTINM  K 3 * Sum(tOC )}
I / I pickup n 1

Fig 4- Different characteristics

of SPCS DOC relay MC is the numbers of times that the backup relay
operate earlier than main relay, CTINM is the number
Figure 4 shows that for some short circuit currents, a of times that time interval of main relay and backup
special characteristic can provide a less operation time. relay is less than CTI and Sum(toc) is the summation of
In this paper we try to achieve the most suitable the operating times of over current relays and distance
operation characteristic using genetic algorithm. relays. K1, K2 and K3 are arbitrary coefficients.
b) Current setting multiplier (PSM) is the other This objective function optimizes the operating speed
parameter that should be set on DOC relays. This and the selectivity of protection system
parameter that is determined according to Ipickup, should simultaneously. So we can be sure that relays will
be set such that the relay do not operate for the operate rapidly and coordinately to clear faults.
maximum load current but operate for the minimum
short circuit current. 4) Results of the proposed approach on a case study
c) Time setting multiplier (TSM) is the other The proposed approach has been tested on a network
parameter for OC relays coordination. This parameter shown in figure 6. This network consists of: 26
should be set such that for the minimum TSM value, busbars, 5 generators, 43 lines, 7 transformers, 52
sufficient time interval between main and backup relay DOC and distance relays.
is provided.
d) The operating time of distance relays' second zone
should be determined.
In this paper, all four parameters are determined using
genetic algorithm. Genetic algorithm uses random
number (gene) for each of variables. A chromosome is
a set of random numbers produced for all of variables.
Therefore each chromosome is a solution of the
problem. In genetic algorithm, a set of chromosomes is
provided and then they are graded regarding objective
function. Then a number of them are selected which
are called the first generation. After producing the first
generation, we can use operators such as crossover and
mutation to produce the next generation and finally
finding the optimal solution.
In this paper, each chromosome contains
characteristic, PSM and TSM of over current relays
and also the second zone operating time of distance Figure 6- Case study
relays as figure 5.
The programmed software can get all of the six
Char1 ... Charn PSM1 ... PSMn TSM1 ... characteristics, expressed in table 1. But, we ignore
using extremely inverse (E.I.) characteristic since E.I.
... TSMn tz2,1 ... tz2,m is often used in the industrial networks to coordinate
relays with fuses. CTI value has considered 0.3
Fig 5- Genetic algorithm chromosome seconds. We assume that TSM varies discretely from
0.05 to 1 in 0.05 steps, PSM varies discretely from

331
 Fifteenth National Power Systems Conference (NPSC), IIT Bombay, December 2008

50% to 200% in 25% steps and tz2 varies continuously

from 0.3 Sec. to 0.35Sec. Table 3 compares total operation time and the
Table 2 shows optimal calculated values for PSM, percentage of coordination constraints which are
TSM, characteristics of DOC relays and tz2 of distance satisfied in three cases:
relays. Case 1: Dual simplex method with the assumption of
Table 2- DOC and distance relays Settings normally inverse characteristic for all relays.
DOC Dis. Case 2: Genetic Algorithm method with the
Relay Char. PSM TSM Relay
tz2
(Sec) assumption of normally inverse characteristic for all
No. No.
DOC relays.
1 N.I 50 0.84 1 0.3
Case 3: Genetic algorithm method, which determines
2 V.I 50 0.34 2 0.3
optimal operation characteristic of DOC relays
3 V.I 50 0.96 3 0.3
4 N.I 75 0.08 4 0.31 (proposed method).
5 V.I 75 0.83 5 0.3
Table 3. Comparison of results for the case
6 N.I 75 0.06 6 0.3
network
7 RXIDG 75 0.60 7 0.3
8 V.I 50 0.74 8 0.33 Case 1 Case 2 Case 3
9 V.I 50 0.27 9 0.3
10 V.I 50 0.73 10 0.3 Total
11 V.I 50 0.69 11 0.3 operation
12 N.I 75 0.05 12 0.3 time of DOC 56.92 47.80 31.43
13 V.I 125 0.18 13 0.31 relays
14 N.I 75 0.05 14 0.31 (Sec)
15 N.I 125 0.05 15 0.3 satisfied
16 V.I 50 0.64 16 0.3 constraints 86.2 90.8 96.3
17 V.I 50 0.91 17 0.3 (%)
18 V.I 50 0.80 18 0.3
19 V.I 100 0.86 19 0.32 Table 3 illustrates the advantages of proposed
20 V.I 50 0.97 20 0.3 approach. Using Genetic algorithm and determination
21 V.I 50 0.64 21 0.33 of optimal Characteristic, PSM and TSM of relays
22 R.I 75 0.59 22 0.3 simultaneously, results in:
23 V.I 50 0.93 23 0.3 a) More constraints are satisfied which means
24 N.I 50 0.08 24 0.3 increasing of relays coordination and selectivity of
25 V.I 50 0.80 25 0.3 protection system.
26 V.I 100 0.66 26 0.3 b) Considerable decrease in the operation time of
27 R.I 50 0.41 27 0.32 relays, which means faster operation of protection
28 V.I 50 0.90 28 0.3 system.
29 V.I 75 0.33 29 0.31
30 V.I 100 0.67 30 0.31
31 V.I 125 0.55 31 0.3
5) Conclusion
32 N.I 75 0.15 32 0.3
33 V.I 75 0.40 33 0.3
In this paper, a new method is proposed in order to
34 V.I 75 0.33 34 0.3 optimize coordination of distance and directional over
35 V.I 125 0.92 35 0.3 current relays based on genetic algorithm. This method
36 R.I 75 0.45 36 0.31 can determine optimal operation characteristic, current
37 N.I 75 0.09 37 0.3 setting multiplier (PSM), time setting multiplier (TSM)
38 V.I 75 0.33 38 0.3 of DOC relays and the operating time of distance
39 V.I 75 0.13 39 0.3 relays' second zone simultaneously. Improvement in
40 V.I 50 0.39 40 0.3 the coordination and the speed of relays, finding the
41 V.I 50 0.28 41 0.32 absolute optimal point, not being trapped in a local
42 N.I 50 0.05 42 0.3 optimal point, the ability to be applied to large
43 N.I 50 0.10 43 0.3 networks, the ability to consider both linear and non-
44 V.I 125 0.30 44 0.32 linear characteristics of relays are some of advantages
45 N.I 75 0.07 45 0.3 of the proposed method.
46 N.I 75 0.05 46 0.3
47 V.I 75 0.18 47 0.3 6) References
48 V.I 75 0.60 48 0.3 [1] Seung Jae Lee, Chen-Ching Liu, “Intelligent Approach
49 RXIDG 75 0.44 49 0.3 to Coordination Identification in Distance Relaying ", IEEE
50 V.I 50 0.09 50 0.3 Transaction on Power Delivery, Vol. 16, No. 3, July 1996,
51 N.I 75 0.09 51 0.31 PP. 62-67
52 V.I 50 0.5 52 0.31

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 Fifteenth National Power Systems Conference (NPSC), IIT Bombay, December 2008

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