# US 10,871,513 B2 · Differential protection method in an electrical power supply system and protective apparatus for carrying out a differential protection method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,513 B2 - Document ID: US10871513B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/646,780 - Filed: 2012-11-26 - Published: 2015-10-15 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-26 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Frank Mieske - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871513B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/088: {Aspects of digital computing} - G01R 19/10: Measuring sum, difference or ratio - G01R 31/40: Testing power supplies (testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10) - H02H 3/283: {and taking into account saturation of current transformers} - H02H 7/045: Differential protection of transformers - H02H 7/0455: {taking into account saturation of current transformers} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) ## Abstract A differential protection method for generating a fault signal. Current measurement values are acquired at different measuring points of a component. Differential current values and stabilizing values are formed using the current measurement values, and the fault signal is generated when a tripping range test indicates that a measured value pair formed from one of the differential current values and a respective associated stabilizing value lies in a predetermined tripping range. Differential current values are estimated from successive differential current values and associated stabilizing values and associated estimated stabilizing values are formed. A value of an expected future trend of the differential current values and of the stabilizing current values is estimated. A tripping range test finds the position of a measured value pair formed from an estimated differential current value and the respective associated estimated stabilizing value. An electrical protective device has a corresponding evaluation unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A differential protection method for generating a fault signal and for protecting an electrical component in an electrical system, the method comprising: measuring respective current measurement values at two or more different measurement locations of the component with current transformers at the measurement locations of the component; forming differential current values and stabilization values from the current measurement values; estimating, from successive differential current values and associated stabilization values, estimated differential current values and associated estimated stabilization values, and estimating therefrom at least one value of an expected future profile of the differential current values and the associated stabilization values; forming a respective estimated differential current value in each case from a present differential current value and a differential current value directly preceding the present differential current value, and forming a respective estimated stabilization value in each case from a present stabilization value and a stabilization value directly preceding the present stabilization value; conducting a tripping range test by evaluating a position of a measurement value pair formed from an estimated differential current value and a respectively associated estimated stabilization value; and if the tripping range test indicates that a measurement value pair formed from one of the estimated differential current values and the respectively associated estimated stabilization value lies in a predefined tripping range, generating the fault signal to cause switching devices for limiting the component to open and to disconnect the component from the electrical system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the respective estimated current values indicate an amplitude of the expected future profile of the differential current values and an amplitude of the expected future profile of the stabilization values. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, which comprises in each case calculating a first estimated value portion formed by an integrating element and calculating a second estimated value portion formed by a differentiating element; and forming the respective estimated differential current value and the respective estimated stabilization value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which comprises blocking an output of the fault signal if a predefined number of successive measurement value pairs lie in a predefined stabilization range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises comparing the estimated differential current values with a differential current threshold value and also generating the fault signal if a predefined number of successive estimated differential current values exceed the differential current threshold value. ### Claim 6 A differential protection method for generating a fault signal and for protecting a component of an electrical system, the method comprising: measuring respective current measurement values at two or more different measurement locations of the component with current transformers at the measurement locations of the component; forming differential current values and stabilization values from the current measurement values; estimating, from successive differential current values and associated stabilization values, estimated differential current values and associated estimated stabilization values, and estimating therefrom at least one value of an expected future profile of the differential current values and the associated stabilization values; forming a respective estimated differential current value in each case from a present differential current value and a differential current value directly preceding the present differential current value, and forming a respective estimated stabilization value in each case from a present stabilization value and the stabilization value directly preceding the present stabilization value; conducting a tripping range test by evaluating a position of a measurement value pair formed from an estimated differential current value and a respectively associated estimated stabilization value; and if the tripping range test indicates that a measurement value pair formed from one of the estimated differential current values and the respectively associated estimated stabilization value lies in a predefined tripping range, generating the fault signal to cause switching devices for limiting the component to open and to disconnect the component from the electrical system; and comparing the estimated differential current values with a differential current threshold value and also generating the fault signal if a predefined number of successive estimated differential current values exceed the differential current threshold value to cause the switching devices for limiting the component to open and to disconnect the component from the electrical system. ### Claim 7 An electrical protective apparatus for forming a fault signal and for protecting an electrical component, the apparatus comprising: connections for direct or indirect connection of at least two current transformers disposed at mutually different measurement locations of the electrical component; an evaluation device connected to receive current signals from said current transformers through said connections, said evaluation device configured to convert said current signals into current measurement values; said evaluation device being configured to form differential current values and stabilization values from the current measurement values, and said evaluation device being configured to: estimate, from successive differential current values and associated stabilization values, estimated differential current values and associated estimated stabilization values, and to estimate therefrom at least one value of an expected future profile of the differential current values and the associated stabilization values; form a respective estimated differential current value in each case from a present differential current value and a differential current value directly preceding the present differential current value, and to form in each case a respective estimated stabilization value from the present stabilization value and the stabilization value directly preceding the present stabilization value; conduct a tripping range test by evaluating a position of a measurement value pair formed from an estimated differential current value and a respectively associated estimated stabilization value; and if the tripping range test indicates that a measurement value pair formed from one of the estimated differential current values and the respectively associated estimated stabilization value lies in a predefined tripping range, to generate the fault signal to cause switching devices for limiting the electrical component to open and to disconnect the electrical component. ### Claim 8 A differential protection method for generating a fault signal and for protecting an electrical component in an electrical system, the method comprising: measuring respective current measurement values at two or more different measurement locations of the component with current transformers at the measurement locations of the component; forming differential current values and stabilization values from the current measurement values; estimating, from successive differential current values and associated stabilization values, estimated differential current values and associated estimated stabilization values, and estimating therefrom at least one value of an expected future profile of the differential current values and the associated stabilization values; forming a respective estimated differential current value in each case from a present differential current value and a differential current value directly preceding the present differential current value, and forming a respective estimated stabilization value in each case from a present stabilization value and a stabilization value directly preceding the present stabilization value; conducting a tripping range test by evaluating a position of a measurement value pair formed from an estimated differential current value and a respectively associated estimated stabilization value; if the tripping range test indicates that a measurement value pair formed from one of the estimated differential current values and the respectively associated estimated stabilization value lies in a predefined tripping range, generating the fault signal to cause switching devices for limiting the component to open and to disconnect the component from the electrical system; and if a predefined number of successive measurement value pairs lie in a predefined stabilization range, blocking an output of the fault signal.