When applying traditional phase overcurrent protection, the overcurrent elements must be set higher than the maximum load current. This limits the sensitivity of the phase relays and at the same time results in increased operating times for feeder end faults. Since the levels of the phase fault currents for phase-to-phase faults are lower than the levels for three-phase faults, this will result in further increase of the time required to clear the fault.
Any unbalanced fault condition will produce negative sequence current of some magnitude. Thus, a negative phase sequence overcurrent element can operate for both phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground faults. If a definite time negative sequence overcurrent element is used, it may be set to clear the same phase-to-phase fault in less than 0.3 s. This will bring the duration of the fault within the acceptable operating region of the FRT.
Negative phase sequence overcurrent elements also give greater sensitivity to resistive phase-to-phase faults or high resistance phase-to-phase-to-ground faults, where phase overcurrent elements may not operate at all