CT SIZING FOR PRIMARY PROTECTION RELAY
CT SIZING FOR PRIMARY PROTECTION RELAY
(OP)
Lets assume that we have a 10,000 kVA 138 kV to 12.47 kV transformer with a primary FLA of 41.8 A.
The short-circuit available at the secondary side of the transformer is 5.76 kA which referred to the primary side is 520 A.
Assuming this CT feeds a typical electromechanical 50/51 relay (CO 8) about 100 feet away from the CT, would you choose a 50/5 CT for this primary relay?
Would you consider a C400 accuracy class for this application?
Are there any commercially available CT products (50/5 C400 or C800) readily available and of a reasonable size to install in an average sized equipment?
Thanks.
The short-circuit available at the secondary side of the transformer is 5.76 kA which referred to the primary side is 520 A.
Assuming this CT feeds a typical electromechanical 50/51 relay (CO 8) about 100 feet away from the CT, would you choose a 50/5 CT for this primary relay?
Would you consider a C400 accuracy class for this application?
Are there any commercially available CT products (50/5 C400 or C800) readily available and of a reasonable size to install in an average sized equipment?
Thanks.






RE: CT SIZING FOR PRIMARY PROTECTION RELAY
RE: CT SIZING FOR PRIMARY PROTECTION RELAY
At 15 kV, C200 is the commonly available protection class for free-standing CTs. It is possible to get a 50:5A with a C400 rating, but it would be a good deal more expensive, larger, by special order. You would have to confirm for yourself, but with only 200 feet round-trip of leads, I'm guessing a C200 would work fine.
As for physical size, if you go with a free-standing CT, where would you put it? Easiest would be an outdoor CT mounted next/near to the transformer.
RE: CT SIZING FOR PRIMARY PROTECTION RELAY
With such a low ratio CT you need to check if the CT will saturate on a primary fault.
RE: CT SIZING FOR PRIMARY PROTECTION RELAY
Our protection group usually specs much higher ratio CT's on the high side of all of our similarly sized substation transformers, but I am not quite sure why. Perhaps they future proof for upgrades to transformer differential protection. Perhaps it has to do with possible slow operation of overcurrent relays and high transient voltages in the case of severe saturation as described in these papers:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&a...
https://www.wecc.biz/library/Documentation%20Categ...
RE: CT SIZING FOR PRIMARY PROTECTION RELAY