Transformer Grounding and Winding Configurations
At most medium-voltage industrial facilities, the main incoming transformer that provides the tie to the utility system is generally configured to be a delta primary, wye grounded secondary transformer. The secondary wye winding is generally grounded through a grounding resistor at industrial facilities.
Typically, these resistors reduce ground current to between 50 and 400 A and are dependent on client preference and system-charging currents.
There are three major reasons for the use of a secondary grounding resistor to reduce industrial system ground current:
1) Reducing the ground current reduces damage at the point of fault.
2)Reducing the ground current reduces the fault current level that industrial equipment (transformers, cables, etc.) must carry during line-to-ground fault clearing.
3)Reducing the ground current minimizes the voltage dip on the industrial system for a line-to-ground fault.
The use of a delta-wye transformer introduces a rearrangement of fault current on the primary side of the transformer for secondary faults that affect protection when overcurrent devices such as overcurrent relays or fuses are used.
Figure 3 illustrates how the secondary fault currents are redistributed for various types of faults when viewed from the primary side of the transformer. Fault currents are shown per unit (p.u.).
The use of fuses, which are commonly used by utilities to protect solidly grounded transformers at 10 MVA or smaller, cannot be used to protect many transformers that are grounded through grounding resistors, as shown in Figure 3.
For example, if the secondary ground fault current is limited to 400 A on a 10-MVA 138/13.8- kVA transformer, a bolted secondary ground fault would produce only 23 A [see Figure 3(c)] of fault current on the primary side of the transformer, which is lower than the 42 A of a full load current. Thus, it is not possible to fuse such a transformer because the fuses are not sensitive enough to detect secondary ground faults. These transformers must be protected by relays.