TERTIARY-WINDING OVERCURRENT PROTECTION BASIC INFORMATION

The tertiary winding of an autotransformer, or three-winding transformer, is usually of much smaller kVA rating than the main windings. Therefore, fuses or overcurrent relays set to protect the main windings offer almost no protection to tertiaries.

During external system ground faults, tertiary windings may carry very heavy currents. Hence, to guard against failure of the primary protection for external ground faults, separate tertiary overcurrent protection may be desirable.

The method selected for protecting the tertiary generally depends on whether or not the tertiary is used to carry load. If the tertiary does not carry load, protection can be provided by a single overcurrent relay connected to a CT in series with one winding of the Δ.

This relay will sense system grounds as well as phase faults in the tertiary or in its leads. When tertiary windings are connected by cables, the overcurrent protection provided to the tertiary winding should account for the thermal withstand of the cables.

Alarming and tripping as a result of a prolonged unbalance condition or load tap changer malfunction should prevent damage to cables. If the tertiary is used to carry load, partial protection can be provided by a single overcurrent relay supplied by three CTs, one in each winding of the Δ and connected in parallel to the relay.

This connection provides only zero sequence overload protection and does not protect for positive and negative sequence overload current. In this case, the relay will operate for system ground but will not operate for phase faults in the tertiary or its leads.

Where deemed necessary, separate relaying such as differential type should be provided for protection for phase faults in the tertiary or its leads. The setting of the tertiary overcurrent relay can normally be based on considerations similar to those in line time overcurrent.

However, if the tertiary does not carry load, or if load is to be carried and the three CT, zero sequence connection is used, the associated overcurrent relay can be set below the rating of the tertiary winding. This relay should still be set to coordinate with other system relays.