DIGITAL MODEL OF OVERCURRENT RELAY CHARACTERISTICS H.A.Darwish, M.A.Rahman, Fellow, IEEE Memorial University of Newfoundland, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, St. John's, Newfoundland. ‘CANADA, AIB-3XS. Abstrat-n this paper a novel model of the overcurrent relay standard curves is presented. This model facilitates the imple- ‘mentation of these curves using microprocessors and personal computer. The proposed model uniquely combines both direct data storage and curve fiting techniques. Tabulating one time- current curve corresponding to any time dial setting in addition ‘toa numberof coefficients are quite sufficient to get the tripping time values at any other time dial setting. The selection of the ‘most suitable time-current curve and the minimum length ofits corresponding table are determined. An alternative form of the ‘model is developed for computer applications, in particular by replacing the table by its equivalent fied equation. Both forms of the model are adapted to occupy the lowest possible storage memory. The validity of the analytical models is provited by the ‘est results. 1. INrRopucTiON ‘The standard time-current (4-D curves of the overcurrent relay (OCR) are evaluated based on the experimental test results of the electromechanical relay versions. These curves are substantially affected by the core saturation, inertia ofthe moving parts, friction, tc. These aspects make the curves not to follow a specific simplified mathematical mode! [1]. On the other hand, the recently developed digital or solid-state overcurrent relays are designed based on an ideal t-1 curve cequation(s) [2-5]. These conflicts create difficulties in co- cordinating. these relays with the already existed electro- mechanical types. ‘The accurate models for these curves have been developed. ‘mainly for the adjustment of the relay settings according to the co-ordination requirements. Most of these accurate models are developed by modelling one t-1 curve at a specific time dial setting (TDS) and the model is extrapolated tothe other t-Teurves in different ways [1,6,7]. However, its found that the extrapolation results are valid only over a limited range of current values or for specific relay types. Also, the personal computer (PC) is normally employed for incorporating this task. The usual restrictions of fraction exponent and/or ‘multiple division operations do not exist in the PC imple- mentation, However, fraction exponent or division operation is not included in the instruction set of the commonly used microprocessors. Therefore, direct programming of these models in the microprocessors involves difficulties. More: Over, implementation of separate subroutines incorporating these operations reduces the model accuracy; and a longer execution time is expected. The most convenient ways for ‘modelling the standard t-I curves for implementation pur- poses are the direct data storage or the model in reference [8 The direet data storage involves transforming each curve 0-7803-3008-0195 $4.00 © 1996 IEEE A.LTaalab, and H.Shaaban ‘Menoufiya University, Faculty of Engineering, ‘Shebin El-Kom, EGYPT, {nto an equivalent mumerical table. This is an accurate representation of the t,-I curves. However, it requires large capacity ofthe storage memory and itis limited in use to the stored curves only. The model in reference [8] employs a set of {TDS relations at a number of selected values of I in order to conform any desired tI curve. However, the required storage memory for its coefficients is stil relatively large. So, there exists a need to develop an efficient method to represent the (-I curves for the whole range of current for all relay types considering the minimum storage memory. The purpose of this paper is to represent the overcurrent relay standard tI curves using a novel technique, The proposed technique combines the direct data storage and the ‘curve fitting techniques. This combination reduces the mem- cory required for the model and offers the simplicity of its ‘implementation in the microprocessors. Furthermore, the model is slightly modified to increase its flexibility for personal computer applications. A comparison between the proposed model and the conventional models is given. The details of the proposed model is as given below. Il, PROPOSED MODEL FOR MICROPROCESSOR APPLICATIONS A. Standard Curves Selection The standard curves of Westinghouse overcurrent relay (CO11) is used as a test sample for the proposed model. The published ime-current curve. ofthis relay shows its extreme inverse characteristics. The relay tripping time varies from approximately 20 msec. near the maximum values of the rultple of tap value current and TDS is equal to 1/2 up 19 100 sec. near the relay pick up value and TDS is equal 11 ‘This wide difference between the tripping times is a good test for the model accuracy. The curves are digitized, converted into numerical tables, using an electronic device t0 get a better accuracy B. The Proposed Modet ‘The proposed model consists of two parts, a stored table corresponding to one of the tT overcurrent relay curves in addition to a number of coefficients. The t,-1 curve corre- sponding to the stored table is called a base curve and its time-current is denoted by tI. In order to find the coeffi- cients, all the tripping times of the twelve overcurrent relay ‘curves are calculated as atime percentage (T,) of t, as given below, vera 5 Fig. 1 shows the Tf relations for different TDS values considering the curve of TDS=3 and TDS=6 as the base ‘curves. The undulation that appears in the curves given by Fig. 1 at some values of I, is referred as the manual error ‘during the digitizing stage. It can be observed in the cases that the possibility of approximating each T,;T relation by @ few number of straight lines. Also, the twelve relations have ‘consistent changes with respect t0 each other. This offers terminating the linear portions by fixed values of I for the twelve Trl relations. “However, itis not convenient to store all the coefficients of | the linear portions because their number will be relatively high. In addition the representation will include the twelve curves only. Therefore, a polynomial equation of mk degree is proposed to relate the T,, and TDS at each current value terminating the linear portions. The form of the proposed *¢(1DS) e,(1DS}+..re,(TD8" where co... Gy afe constants determined from the curve fitting for values of Ty against TDS at a value of the terminat- ing current. Therefore, for m linear portions per relation, there is m-+1 numberof polynomial functions. Also the total ‘numberof the polynomial coefficients will be (n+ 1)*«m+1). Itis to be mentioned here that there exists a difficulty to find out a single equation applicable at any value of current, 16.7], and it represents the T,-TDS relation within an acceptable errors. In order to use this mode, the operator should select the value of the TDS corresponding to the desired curve at frst. ‘This leads to geting the tripping time directly ifthe required carve isthe base one. If not, m-+1 values of Tare calculated using the polynomial equations. Hence, the values ofthe base carve in the table are multiplied direcly by the T, value if current value is one of the m+1 terminating values. If not, Tinear interpolation is required at first to get the T, value . Selection of the Model Parameters In order fo reduce the number of trials to get the most suitable set of values, the following three main steps were considered during this stage of model development. Step (1) Consider each curve ofthe original twelve curves as the base curve ata time. Step 2) Determine the lowest suitable number of both the straight portion and the degree ofthe polynomial for the selected base curve. ‘Step (3) Compare the resultant twelve sets and select the set of the lowest percentage of errors. ‘A.computer program is developed using Matlab software to simplify the computation of step (2). This algorithm is adapted to get the minimum suitable number ofthe linear por- tions according to the following steps, ‘G) Select the base curve by defining its TDS value. This will store its tp values in the ty table (@) Selecta relatively high value of n, say 6 or 7. muiTipre oF top atve Current C1) a ruiipte oF cap earue serrent C1) Fig. 1. Ty rebtions considering diferent base curves (ajcarve of TDS~2 ie he tae curve (bjcurve of TDs: (@) Calculate the twelve relations of T,- and then store them. (@) Start with high numberof the linear portions m, say 20, and identify their corresponding terminating’ current values. (6) Calculate the n+1 polynomial coefficients at each of the m1 current values using the curve fing function, (© Calculate twelve valves of T by substituting in the pre- calculated polynomial equations with the corresponding TDS taking into consideration thatthe value of T, of the ‘ase curve is equal to 1. This is repeated at each of the ‘m+ of the terminating current values, © Calculate the tripping times (,.) forall the twelve curves by manipulating both t, values and the calculated T, from step 6 in (2) and using linear interpolation, i required (8) Caleulate the mean value of the absolute error between te and t,. (9) Reduce the number m and repeat from steps 5 to 8 Fig. 2 shows the effect of varying number of linear portions from 0 to 19 on the mean value of the absolute error ‘considering is equal to 6 and the base Curve is the curve of 1188runwer of Lineer pertians! Fig. 2. Effect of varying m onthe mean valve of er (a)Curve of TDS=3 is the tase curve (@)Curve of TDS=6 the base carve TDS=3 and TDS=6. The calculated error at zero linear portions is accomplished by considering that the curves are {ime multiples of their TDS values. The mean value of the absolute error is calculated over 497 values per curve, i. 4964 total number of test points. From Fig. 2 it is obvious that reducing m from 19 to 4 increases percentage of error from 0.9625% to 1.117% for base curve of TDS=3; and from 1.053% to 1.196% for base curve of TDS=6. How- fever, the number of the polynomial coefficients have been reduced in both cases from 140 to 35 only. In both cases, the ‘number of the siraight portions look to be more convenient ‘with m equals to 4. Also, Fig. 2 shows that the maximum value of the mean error is at m equals to zero. This implied that considering the standard fT curves time multiples [4], ‘may deviate the resultant computed family of curves substan- tially from the standard one. ‘This algorithm is slightly modified again to get the mini- ‘mum suitable degree of the polynomial. This modificationcan bbe summarized on the following steps. 4190 (1) Select the value m with the pre-calculated convenient value and identify its associated current values. (Q) Start with n equal to a relatively high value, say 8. @) Reduce the number n consecutively and calculate the Fig. 3 shows the effect of varying the polynomial degree from 1 to 8 on the mean value ofthe absolute error consider- ing the same base curves. From Figs. 3a and b, it can be observed that reducing n from 8 to 1 increases the percentage Of the error from 1.05% to 3.84% and from 1.086% to 3.46% for the same base curves, respectively. On the other hand, the number of the polynomials coefficients have been reduced from 45 values to 10 values. Moreover, Fig. 3 shows that increasing the degree ofthe polynomial does not mean a reduction of the error all the time, e.g. percentage of error at ‘equals to 3is lower than the error at n equals to 4; and this ‘occurs also in the case of n equals to 6 compared with n equals to 7. The number n for both cases looks more con- venient with n equals to 6. Fig, 3. Bet of varying non the mean valve of error. {ayCurve of TDS=3 ste base curveTable I contains the values ofthe twelve sets of parameters corresponding to the twelve curves, Two sets of model parameters seem to form the most convenient values. These fare set 4 and set 7, The parameters of set 7 is selected, because it has the lowest value of the maximum absolute error ‘ealeulated over 5964 values and the mean value of its absolute ‘error is close to that of set 4. D. Table Length ‘The data length ofthe table corresponding to the base curve is one of the important parameters during the implementation stage of these standard curves in the microprocessors. Also, the data table should be stored inside the processor RAM equi-spaced and its length should be multiples of two. This facilitates the job of the programmer and reduces the storage memory size as the corresponding current values will be implicitly defined. Moreover, it reduces the on-line calcula- tion time for the processor. That is because, the fault current vvalue equivalent to a number stored in the processor, will directly offset the jump in the look-up table. This requires only shifting the iumber and initializing a stack pointer Furthermore, no division operation is required for the linear interpolation process when the current value does not match a specific value in the look-up table. That is because, the table values can be decided on the current difference before storing them and chen division will be manipulated by ‘multiplication Fig. 4 shows the effect of reducing the data length of the look-up table on the mean value of the absolute error. This error is also computed over 5964 values. The linear interpola- tion is used in the simulation for the time values correspor ‘ding tothe in-between values ofthe current. Fig. 4 shows the relatively flat error value from 512 to 128 length of table data, Therefore, the suitable data length is selected as 128 which corresponds to a fault current values started from zero up to 40 times the tap value current. Consequently, the table values corresponding.to the current magnitudes lower than the Tas vic up value Ga) ate filled with eros or do nt eae. So, ‘he actual used Tength of data in the look-up table for the standard {1 curves of the overcurrent relay COI is 124 value. The model parameters for this extremely inverse characteristics are: Part 1 A table of 124 value length ofthe tripping times corre- sponding to tT curve of TDS equals to 6. Part2 A 35 relating coefficients corresponding to 5 poly- nomial equations of the six degree are computed at current values of 1.25, 2, 10, 20, and 40. Table TT contains the values of the coefficients obtained from he curve fitting ig. 4 et of varying length of data in hobo the mean vale of Ses OF VALUES FOR THE PROPOSED MODEL AT DIFFERENT BASE CURVES SetNunber [TDS vale of he | Number of incar portions and ter termin- ] Mean value of te absolue | Maximum absolue eer base ve fig curreat value cx ©) ‘Seth 12 3.a1T=125,2, 10,20, 40 1.9670% isa Sea) 1 Sart=t25,2,3, 16,40 23361 138 se) 2 Sa I=125,8, 12,23, 40 12668 15.60% s@) 3 25,2, 10,23, 40 Luss 103% seit) 4 121s 6) 5 Sa1H125,5, 10,20, 40 Tas, 20) 6 Sat 1=125.2. 10,20, 40 Lio Set) 7 Laws, $210) 5 Sac 1=128, 4 12, 20,40 12908 S00) 2 Satfm128. 3, 12,23, 0 19s seu) St 1=1.25, 2, 10, 20,40 12558, Seu) Sat 1=125, 2, 10,20, 40 131s 1180IIL. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROPOSED MODEL Ao tb, mbt 6 ri Pa A comparative study between the proposed model and the ‘existing models can be considered a good measure of effec- tiveness. But, it is not possible to include all the existing where, b, ‘models in this study. So, the existing model in reference [8] is selected to be compared with the proposed model in this é paper using the same standard ¢-I curves of the overcurrent tf pee relay COIL. The previous model of reference [8] has been 7 calculated for 124 equi-spaced current values starting from the pick-up value for computational purposes. Table III contains the comparative results. Fig. 5 shows the modelled and the standard curves of the of the overcurrent relay COLL using the proposed model and the previous model in reference [8]. It is obvious from Table HI that the (otal stored numbers is only 164 for the proposed method against 868 values for the previous method in reference [8]. It is o be noted that there is no difference between the results of the simulated t-1 ‘curves by each method. by are the polynomial coefficients at TV. MobEt. FoR COMPUTER APPLICATIONS t ‘The proposed model is quite suitable for use in personal ‘computer [9]. The form of the proposed model for the com- puter applications will include one equation of the t-1 base curve in addition to the polynomial coefficients, Three forms of polynomial equation are used to fit the t-1 curve which corresponds the curve of TDS equals to 6. The three forms recommended in IEEE references [1,7] for the representation of the overcurrent relay characteristics are given as, wt @ rutipte of tap value carceet (1) 4+ standard vals === sng previous metodin reference 8). Using he proposed med tabge “ ® Oey ey ig. 5 Sundar and comput (curves, Tams THE COEFFICIENTS OF THE POLYNOMIAL EQUATIONS oi eat | epuot ext? ei? ea eqa® ca 12s [4a 2381 6s 2.488 4.365 3.661 -tLsi2 2 1 2409 “5407 1.600 2m 1.605 438 0 ous 2335 eon 22m 09 208 9.469 Ey 188 2385 2208 2657 127 2s 98 o 2.370 05 a 8 10.73 1015 2092 Tae COMPARISON BETWEEN THE PROPOSED MODEL AND THE PREVIOUS MODEL OF REFERENCE [8] Mosel ope | Mean vale of | Number of | Number of sed | Length of | Toul sored | Max. absohte | Number of valid tte aboiae eror | polyomial | current valves | data in he | numbers | erormeasued | curves cat's wee foc time ves Presented model | __125% 35 5 124 16 7.915% Tate Model ot ete) | 1.0855 8 68 10215 Infinite 01‘A computer program is developed to calculate the most suitable form among the three recommended equations and its associated order in the least square error sense. The results show that the best fit occurs with eight terms for the three forms. The mean value of the absolute errors are 1.8341 %, 1.6487%, and 1.8317%, respectively. So, equation (4) i selected in representing the base curve. Fig. 6 shows the base curve using the selected equation and the actual tI values. ‘There exists excellent agreement between the simulated and standard values ofthe base curve. The computed values of the coefficients of this equation are given in Table LV. wt nd rutipte of tap ave current 4+ sanded values ‘Sule values Fig. 6, Standard and fted (1 ba curve. ‘VALUES oF THE COEFFICIENTS OF THE BEST Fir OF THE "BASE CURVE ny 2186 be en Y. ConcLusions ‘The paper presents a novel model for simulating the standard curves of the overcurrent relays. Two forms of the ‘model have been developed to fulfill their programming in the microprocessors and computers. The proposed model wilizes ‘one curve, in either a table or polynomial equation form, and ‘a number of coefficients. A computer programs using the Matlab software are developed to determine the more con- venient values of the model parameters. The extremely inverse characteristics of the overcurrent relay COLI are selected to test the proposed model effectiveness. The results show that storing one curve in 124 values in addition to 40 coefficients are quite sufficient to implement these standard characteristics using microprocessors with an overall mean, error of 1.25%. Moreover, replacing the table by eight terms fof a polynomial equation is also suitable for personnel computer implementations with an overall mean error of 1.866% VI. REFERENCES 1] IEEE committe Report,"Computerrepeesetaton of overcurrent relay thracerisies", EE Transom Power Delivery, Vos, No.3, pp 1659- 1667. July 1985, 12} G. Benmouyal,"Design of digital mulicurve tine overcurrem eeay". IEEE Trans. om Power Delivery, Va 5, Nos, pp 17251731, Nov. 1990 [51 1.Singh, MS. Sachdev, RJ. Fleming. and A'E. Kraus. 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