Protection Relays demonstrate the advancement of technology in the distribution system and play a significant role. It caters to the need for smooth functioning of the electricity system. The protection relay maintains the stability of the electricity system by early detection of faults, ensuring that the system works properly.
Protection relays multiple benefits and has become a constant presence in the electricity system of every space. However, to extract the best out of this product, one must know about the intricate details of protection relays and how they can be of great use in sustaining the steady functioning of the electricity system.
Protection relays might seem like a thing of the contemporary world, but they boost a long history. This product is a decade old and has evolved with time to suit the needs. It is a switchgear that records instances where the electric system suffers from faults. It is an automatic tool that, in any case, senses abnormal or unusual conditions in the electric circuit; it isolates those faults from the system and closes its contact with the rest. In simpler terms, it trips the circuit breaker regarding the flaws and functions to deal with such defects.
Protection Relays can be installed within the circuit for better convenience and thus record defaults effectively. It detects such flaws using several components of the electricity layout, such as voltage, current, voltage, and many more. Protection relays check these variables primarily. It measures these variables using their measurement values. If any significant changes are recorded, protection relays automatically operate in such scenarios and note the details of the faults, such as their location and types.
Once the protection relay lists the fault, it starts working to eliminate such defects. It isolates the faulty circuit from the rest. It works automatically and eventually closes down the trip current of the circuit breaker. In this way, the rest of the electric circuit works fine without getting impacted by the defects.
Types of protection relays:
One can look for several protection relays depending on the need and requirement. However, the following are the most common protection relays.
- Electromechanical Relays
Electromechanical relay is one of the old forms of protection relay still in use. It used a physical moving component to connect contact in the outputs of the relay that uses electromagnetic forces to complete the process of the movement of the contacts. Electromagnetic relays are used in fuel pumps and similar industrial instruments where there is deliberate control over the current flow and voltages.
- Distance Relays
Distance Relays measure the difference between the impedance and the current values of fault location and installation location. Such kinds of relays are common in transmission lines.
- Pilot Relays
This relay helps determine if the fault is inside the line or outside. Once selected, the action now depends upon the location of the defect. If the fault is outside, the line is protected, and the circuit is tripped if the fault is inside.
- Overcurrent Relays
Overcurrent Relays have a specific variable value, such as current, and the relays get triggered in case of fluctuation in those measurement values. These relays are most commonly available in the market.
Uses of protection relays:
Several types of protection relays are available in the market one can seek depending on the requirements. Transmission lines prone to faults and defects widely use protection relays as part of their system. Thus it uses distance relays that operate in response to the ratio of measurements of variables such as current and voltages. In this way, it protects the transmission line.
Another relay that protects power system components such as transformers, transmission lines, or general motors is an overcurrent relay. In general, protection relays help eliminate system failure via early detection of faults. It has aspects of switchgear which enable it to start the circuit breaker operation once it determines the fault.
The Oman Electricity Transmission system uses standard grid codes and thus has installed protection relays with suitable values depending upon the location and better coordination. Across the electricity system, several protection relays are used in Oman, such as RE61 and RE63 series, SIPROTEC-4, Protection relay- PCS 931, and many more.
The importance of protection relays in the Oman transmission system is defined. They are equally important at the domestic level too. Thus TLS Oman offers the most reliable protection relay system engineering that can sustain for a more extended period against fluctuations and work effectively with near-perfect measured values of the variables without defects.
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