• The function of protective relaying is to cause the prompt removal from service of an element of a power system when it suffers a short circuit or when it starts to operate in any abnormal manner that might cause damage or otherwise interfere with the effective operation of the. • The function of protective relaying is to cause the prompt removal from service of an element of a power system when it suffers a short circuit or when it starts to operate in any abnormal manner that might cause damage or otherwise interfere with the effective operation of the. Selectivity is a mandatory requirement for all protection, but the importance of it depends on the application. For example, unselective protection operation during a medium voltage network fault will cause an outage for an unnecessarily large number of consumers. While this is bad, It's not a. Protective relays and devices have been developed over 100 years ago to provide “last line” of defense for the electrical systems. They are intended to quickly identify a fault and isolate it so the balance of the system continue to run under normal conditions. Types of Protective Relays: Protective relays are categorized by their mechanism (electromagnetic, static, mechanical) and function. In electrical engineering, a protective relay is a relay device designed to trip a circuit breaker when a fault is detected. Its main purpose is to safeguard electrical equipment like transformers, generators, and transmission lines from damage due to. A protection relay is a crucial component of electrical systems that safeguard infrastructure, employees, and equipment from electric problems and malfunctions.