SEL-387 Current Differential and Overcurrent Relay
Versatile Solution for
Power Apparatus Protection
Major Features and Benefits
The SEL-387 Relay offers restrained and unrestrained differential protection for two to four terminals.
Second-, fourth-, and fifth-harmonic elements, augmented by the dc element, provide security during trans
former energization and overexcitation conditions in a user-defined choice of either harmonic restraint or har
monic blocking. Overcurrent elements provide backup protection that contributes to relay versatility.
Oscillographic event reports, Sequential Events Recorder (SER), circuit breaker contact wear monitor, and
substation battery voltage monitor are all standard features. Four communications ports, local display panel,
and extensive automation features are also standard. Expanded I/O is available as an option. A restricted
earth-fault feature provides sensitive protection against earth faults for wye-connected transformers.
➤ Protection. Protect transformers, buses, generators, reactors, and other apparatus with a combination
of differential and overcurrent protection. Set the differential element with either a single- or dual
slope percentage differential restraint characteristic for increased security during through-fault condi
tions. Select the optional thermal modeling element for key information about transformer overload
capability.
➤ Metering. Interrogate the relay for instantaneous measurements of phase and demand current. The
recorded peak demand, including the date and time of occurrence, is provided.
➤ Monitoring. Schedule breaker maintenance when the breaker monitor indicates. Notify personnel
of substation battery voltage problems. Use the through-fault event monitor in the SEL-387-5 and
SEL-387-6 for information on system through faults and the resulting, cumulative I2t wear on trans
former banks. Monitor critical operating temperatures through use of the SEL-2600A RTD module.
➤ Automation. Take advantage of automation features that include 16 elements for each of
the following: local control and local indication with front-panel LCD and pushbuttons, remote con
trol, and latch control. Use the serial communications ports for efficient transmission of such key infor
mation as metering data, protection elements and contact I/O status, SER reports, breaker contact wear
monitor, relay summary event reports, and time synchronization. Select optional DNP3 Level 2 Slave
protocol with virtual terminal support for SCADA system interface capability.
➤ Relay and Logic Settings Software. ACSELERATOR QuickSet® SEL-5030 Software reduces engi
neering costs for relay settings and logic programming. The built-in HMI provides phasor diagrams
that help support commissioning and troubleshooting. The SEL-387-5 and SEL-387-6 are supported
by the QuickSet.
Protection Features
The SEL-387 contains a variety of protective elements
and control logic to protect two-, three-, or four- winding
power transformers, reactors, generators, and other appa
ratus. It includes current differential elements with per
centage restraint and harmonic blocking elements,
sensitive restricted earth-fault (REF) elements, and over
current elements. Use advanced SELOGIC® control equa
tions to tailor the relay to your particular application.
The relay has six independent setting groups. Use this
flexibility to configure the relay automatically for
virtually any operating condition including, for example,
loading and source changes.
Current Differential Elements
The SEL-387 has three differential elements. These ele
ments use operate and restraint quantities calculated
from the two-, three-, or four-winding input currents. The
differential elements are set with either single- or dual
slope percentage differential characteristics. Figure 2
illustrates a dual-slope setting. Slope 1 handles differen
tial currents resulting from CT errors and tap-changing.
Slope 2 prevents undesired relay operation resulting from
CT saturation for heavy external faults.
SEL-387-5 and SEL-387-6 relays guard against
harmonic conditions resulting from system and
transformer events that can cause relay misoperation.
Use the fifth-harmonic element to prevent relay
misoperation during allowable overexcitation conditions.
Even-harmonic elements (second and fourth harmonic)
guard against inrush currents during transformer
energization. The dc element, which measures dc offset,
adds to this security. The even-harmonic element offers
the choice between harmonic blocking and harmonic
restraint. In the blocking mode, you select either
blocking on an individual phase basis or on a common
basis, as per application and philosophy. Set second-,
fourth-, and fifth-harmonic thresholds independently,
and enable dc blocking and harmonic restraint features
independently.
All SEL-387 relays provide an additional fifth-harmonic
current alarm function that employs a separate threshold
and an adjustable timer to warn of overexcitation. This
may be useful for transformer applications in or near
generating stations.
In addition, a set of unrestrained differential current
elements simply compares the differential operating
current quantity to a setting value, typically about 10