Which type of relay provides protection against overcurrent conditions?

The time overcurrent relay is specifically designed to provide protection against overcurrent conditions. This type of relay monitors the current flowing through a circuit and activates when the current exceeds a predetermined threshold for a specified amount of time. This time delay allows for temporary overcurrent conditions, such as those caused by inrush currents at the start of motors, to pass without tripping the relay, thereby preventing unnecessary disruption to the system. If the overcurrent remains above the set point for too long, the relay will issue a trip signal to disconnect the circuit, thus protecting equipment from potential damage caused by sustained overcurrent conditions.

In contrast, other types of relays listed have different primary functions. Distance relays mainly protect against faults based on impedance measurement, power factor relays are used to manage power factor corrections, and AC reclosing relays are focused on enabling automatic reclosing of circuit breakers after a fault has cleared. Therefore, the time overcurrent relay is the most suitable and effective choice for detecting and acting upon overcurrent situations.