Describe the purpose and operating principles of a distance relay used for protection of distribution feeders.

A distance relay is a type of protective relay used to protect transmission lines and distribution feeders from faults. Unlike overcurrent relays that respond to the magnitude of the current, distance relays respond to the impedance between the relay location and the fault location. The purpose of a distance relay is to provide fast and selective protection, meaning it should quickly clear faults within its protected zone while remaining stable for faults outside the zone. The operating principle is based on measuring the voltage and current at the relay location and calculating the impedance. The impedance is then compared to a pre-set impedance value, known as the reach setting. If the calculated impedance is less than the reach setting, the relay trips, indicating a fault within the protected zone. Distance relays typically have multiple zones of protection, each with a different reach setting. Zone 1 provides instantaneous protection for faults close to the relay. Zone 2 provides time-delayed protection for faults further down the line. Zone 3 provides backup protection for faults outside the Zone 2 reach. The time delay allows downstream relays to clear the fault first, ensuring coordination. Distance relays are less affected by source impedance variations and load conditions compared to overcurrent relays. They also provide better selectivity and can be used to protect long transmission lines where the fault current may be relatively low.