Differential Protection for Special Industrial Transformers

Power transformer differential protection has been used for decades on standard three-phase power transformers. However, special industrial transformers, such as 24-pulse converter transformers, could not typically be protected easily with the standard power transformer differential relays. The main reason is the nonstandard phase angle shift of 24-pulse converter transformers. Such 24-pulse converter transformers are often used in industrial and railway applications. This paper will show that it is possible to provide differential protection for such special transformers by using standard numerical transformer differential protection relays and external interposing current transformers (CTs). However, the external interposing CTs can be designed in a standardized way. This approach will significantly simplify the application of differential protection for special industrial transformers.