A Precise PMU Based Fault Location Method for

Multi Terminal Transmission Line Using Voltage

and Current Measurement

A. Esmaeilian
1
, M.Mohseninezhad
1
, M. Doostizadeh
1, 2
, M. Khanabadi
1, 2
1*University of Tehran,
2*NegarAndish Consulting Engineers
Tehran, Iran


Abstract-This paper presents a fault location algorithm for single
phase to ground faults on three terminal transmission lines. The
conventional fault location methods, using one-terminal ac
voltage and current are not applicable to the multi-terminal
systems. So, the indication of the faulted section and fault
distance estimation is performed by using three-phase current
and voltage of the terminal at which a fault locator is installed.
The delivered fault-location algorithm consists of three
subroutines designated for three types of fault. A MATLAB-
SIMULINK simulator is used to demonstrate the performance
of the proposed fault locator. The result of simulation verifies
the high accuracy of fault location with various fault resistances
and locations.
Keywords: Distance protection,Three terminal line,Phasor
Measurement Unit (PMU)
I. INTRODUCTION
Transmission line faults have to be located quickly and
accurately in order to repair the faulted section, restore power
delivery, and reduce outage time as soon as possible. When a
fault occurs in a transmission line, an accurate fault locator
makes fast restoration and power system availability possible
[1]. Therefore, the development of a robust and accurate fault
location technique under various normal and fault conditions
is a highly important research area. Many digital algorithms
have been presented to locate faults [2]. Single-end,
impedance-based fault location technique is very attractive
because it is simple and does not require communications [2].
The reactance method works well when the fault does not
involve significant fault resistance and load current [3]. The
accuracy of single-ended fault locators is affected by various
assumptions that are made about the fault resistance, the
source impedance, the remote in-feed current, and the line
model [2]. Digital relays and communication systems provide
the opportunity to perform fault location using data from both
ends in transmission lines. Therefore, the fault location can be
estimated with minimal assumptions and sources of error.
Methods to locate faults on overhead transmission lines can
be classified into two fundamental categories: fundamental
power frequency based techniques, and methods utilizing the
higher frequency components of the fault signals known as
travelling wave or wavelet based algorithms [4].

2- info@negarandish.ir
www.negarandish.ir
Different fault location algorithms for three-terminal lines
have been developed so far. Different input signals are used
for three-terminal fault locators, as for example: complete
currents and voltages from the line terminals [5, 6] or
quantities from impedance relays at the line terminals [7].
Yet another utilization of three-terminal measurements has
been proposed in [2], where exchanging a minimal amount of
information between the line terminals over a protection
channel is considered. Digital measurements at different line
terminals can be performed synchronously if the satellite GPS
(global positioning system) is available. A synchronized
measurement system requires that the measurements taken at
different substations include, in addition to magnitude, the
phase-angle data with respect to an arbitrary but common
reference.
[8] is based on synchronized measurements of currents and
voltages of all three terminals, whereas [9] uses synchronized
three-phase voltages and currents at all terminals. The
algorithm which is applied for this purpose uses the voltage
differentials at terminals while the multi-terminal line is
reduced to a two-terminal line containing the faulted section,
gradually. Then, a reactive power-based method locates the
fault. [10] involves the performance of a similar task using
current differentials at terminals. The complexity of reduction
procedure and also normalized section impedances in system
with different impedances makes more errors emerge. [11]
applies synchronized current inputs of all terminals and also
two different methods for locating the fault. The paper,
however, fails to report results for three-phase and two-phase
to ground faults.
The method proposed in [12] is related to measuring three-
phase current and voltage of all three line terminals, acquired
at the terminal at which the fault locator is installed. Such
specific availability of measurements has been assumed with
the aim of simple supplementing of the fault location function
to current differential relays protecting a three-terminal line.
Three-end unsynchronized measurements of currents and
voltages have been considered in [13].
This paper presents a new algorithm, which utilizes
synchronized measurements of three phase currents and
voltages of all three terminals. The most important advantage
of this proposed method is its high accuracy during different
test conditions. While it is capable of accurately locating
faults independent of fault resistance, source impedance, pre
fault load level and fault inception angle.
978-1-4244-8782-0/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE
For further details about the concepts, this paper is
prepared in four sections. Section II describes an algorithm
introduced for the estimation of fault resistance and location
in three-terminal lines. Also Section III involves the details
for evaluation of the proposed algorithm. Finally, the
conclusion is given in Section IV.
II. FAULT LOCATION ALGORITHM
A. Fault location subroutines
Fig.1-a illustrates a transmission line with three terminals
with their individual fault locator. Different fault locations are
shown in Fig.1-b, 1-c and 1-d. Each relay R, S and Q
calculate the fault distance synchronously, utilizing PMU and
by measuring the voltage and current and receiving data from
other relays. To calculate the fault locator subroutine in below
paragraphs, it is assumed that the fault locates in section ST.
Fig.2 shows the phase sequence equivalent circuit diagrams
for a phase to ground fault with a fault impedance R
f
in an
arbitrary distance k from the relay S.
According to this figure, the voltages sequences presented
to relay S is as below:
I
S
1
= J
1
. Z
S1
1
. I
S
1
+I
]
1
(1)
I
S
2
= J
1
. Z
S1
2
. I
S
2
+ I
]
2
(2)




Fig.1. Transmission line with three terminals and Different fault locations.
Fig.2. Phase sequence equivalent circuit diagrams for a phase to ground fault.
I
S
0
= J
1
. Z
S1
0
. I
S
0
+ I
]
0
(3)
Where:
I
]
1
, I
]
2
,I
]
0
: Positive, negative and zero sequence voltage of
fault point.
J
1
: Per unit distance from fault point to relay S
Z
S1
1
,Z
S1
2
, Z
S1
0
: Positive, negative and zero sequence impedance
of the section ST
Regarding the equality of the positive and negative
sequence impedances and by using the equations (4) and (5)
the phase voltage will be obtained from (6):
I
S-q
= I
S
1
+I
S
2
+ I
S
0
(4)
I
]
= I
]
1
+I
]
2
+ I
]
0
(5)
I
S-q
= J
1
. Z
S1
1
. I
S-q
+ k. I
S
0
. (Z
S1
0
-Z
S1
1
) + I
]
(6)
Where:
I
S-q
: Phase voltage measured at bus S, =a,b,c
I
S-q
: Phase current measured at bus S, =a,b,c
J
1
is defined as the per unit value of the fault distance to
the relay S. Thus, from the equation (6) J
1
is as below:

J
1
=
(v
S-q
-v
]
)
z
ST
1
.I
S-q
+(z
ST
0
-z
ST
1
).I
S
0
(7)
So the distance in km from relay S to fault point is:
I
S
=
[I
S-q
-I

.I
SI
Z
SI
1
.I
S-q
+[Z
SI
u
-Z
SI
1
.I
S
u
(8)
Where:
I
S1
: Total length of Section ST
Similarly, the phase voltage, met by the relay R is:
I
R-q
= Z
R1
1
. I
R-q
+(Z
R1
0
- Z
R1
1
). I
R
0
+ (1 - J
1
). Z
S1
1
. (I
R-q
+
I
-q
) + (1 - J
1
). (Z
S1
0
- Z
S1
1
). (I
R
0
+ I

0
) + I
]
(9)
Which (1 - J
1
) represents the per unit distance between fault
to T point, so the distance in km is obtained by equation (9):
I
R
= I
R1
+ _
I
R-
-_I

+Z
RI
1
.I
R-
+_Z
RI
u
-Z
RI
1
].I
R
u
_
Z
SI
1
.[I
R-
+I
-
+_Z
SI
u
-Z
SI
1
]._I
R
u
+I

u
]
_ . I
S1
(10)
Where:
I
R-q
: Phase voltage measured at bus R, =a,b,c
I
R-q
: Phase current measured at bus R, =a,b,c
Z
R1
1
, Z
R1
0
: Positive and zero sequence impedance of the
section RT
I
R1
: Total length of Section RT
The relay Q estimates the distance in the same way, as
equation (10):
I

= I
1
+ _
I
-
-_I

+Z
I
1
.I
-
+_Z
I
u
-Z
I
1
].I

u
_
Z
SI
1
.[I
R-
+I
-
+_Z
SI
u
-Z
SI
1
]._I
R
u
+I

u
]
_ . I
S1
(11)
Where:
I
-q
: Phase voltage measured at bus Q, =a,b,c
I
-q
: Phase current measured at bus Q, =a,b,c
Z
1
1
, Z
1
0
: Positive and zero sequence impedance of the
section QT
I
1
: Total length of Section QT
I
]
that is used to calculate the fault distance in equations (8),
(10) and (11), obtained as below:
I
]
= S. R
]
. I
1
0
(12)
Where I
1
0
is:
I
1
0
= I
R
0
+ I
S
0
+I

0
(13)
So, the R
f
seen by the relay S equals to:
R
]
=
I
S
-J
1
.|Z
SI
1
.I
S
+I
S
u
._Z
SI
u
-Z
SI
1
_]
S.I
I
u
(14)
As we can see in equations (8), (9) and (10), the calculated
distance to fault is a function of fault point voltage which
computed from equation (13). On the other hand, this
equation also is a function of distance to fault. Dependence of
these equations to each other can be solving simply by
recessive calculation, finally this procedure yields to precise
results.
The above equations calculated distance to fault when
located on section ST. Fault location equations when fault
happen on two other sections are the same as equations
related to section ST. So, due to the limited space, we ignored
to report these equations.
B. Selection of valid subroutine
The proposed algorithm as described in previous sub
section consists of three subroutines. In each case only one of
the subroutines is valid and related to the faulty section. The
procedure has been developed for selecting the valid
subroutine is straightforward and doesnt need any more
calculation than which performed in equations (7) and (10).
Regarding to these two equations:
When u < J
1
< 1 and u
2
, u
3
> 1: Fault occurred in
section ST.
When u < J
2
< 1 and u
1
, u
3
> 1: Fault occurred in
section RT.
When u < J
3
< 1 and u
1
, u
2
> 1: Fault occurred in
section QT.
In the case of J
1
= J
2
= J
3
= 1, the fault is occurred in
tapped point.
III. SIMULATION RESULT
This section describes the results acquired by the proposed
algorithm and its performance when is subjected to different
tests.
A. MATLAB_SIMULINK model
The modeled 400kV test network includes the line
sectionsST: 150 km, RT: 150 km, QT: 50 km, having the
positive (negative) and zero-sequence impedances:
Z
1
= Z
2
= u.u72 +]u.416 , Z
0
= u.S46 + ]1.u66

The equivalent sources:
Z
S
= u.18u2 + ]2.S2S4 , Z
R
= u.2S27 + ]S.2S77
Z

= u.4uS + ]S.642S
were also included.
Existence of the pre-fault load flow in the modeled network
is determined by the assumed phase shift of side R source
(that is -1S

) and side Q source (that is -Su

), with respect
to the equivalent source behind bus S (u

).
B. Evaluation of the Fault-Location Algorithm
Fig.5 shows the fault location estimated by the relay S for a
single phase to ground fault located at 60km distant from the
relay S, with 20 fault resistance. The fault occurred at
t=1.5sec and after less than 100ms, the result was recorded.

Fig.5. Fault distance estimated by relay S, when single phase fault to ground
happened at 60km distant from relay S.
2 2 . 5 3 3 . 5 4
6 0. 00 2
60 . 0 02 2
60 . 0 02 4
60 . 0 02 6
60 . 0 02 8
6 0. 00 3
60 . 0 03 2
60 . 0 03 4
Tim e (s ec )
F
a
u
l
t

d
i
s
t
a
n
c
e

(
k
m
)
According to this figure, we can see the effect of recessive
calculation at the first 0.5sec.
For more examination, single phase to ground faults with
different resistances and locations were applied to the
proposed algorithm. In Table I, the fault distance varied from
0.1km to 150km from relay S, while the fault resistance
remained constant at 10. The fault distances which were
measured by other relays are added to tables.
TABLE I
SINGLE PHASE FAULT DISTANCE ESTIMATION WITH FIXED RF
Fault distance
from S (km)
Single phase fault in section S-T
Relay R Relay S Relay Q Rf ()
0.1 299.9111 0.1001 199.9088 10.0001
1 299.0116 1.0001 199.0092 10.0001
10 290.0130 10.0000 190.0103 10.0003
25 275.0120 25.0005 175.0094 10.0000
50 250.0092 50.0010 150.0070 10.0000
100 200.0043 100.0022 100.0029 10.0000
140 160.0017 140.0037 60.0011 10.0001
150 150.0013 150.0041 50.0009 10.0002
In Table II, the fault resistance varied from 0.1 to 500,
while the fault distance remained constant at 75km from relay
S. In these cases, the error calculated by equation from IEEE
PC37.114:
%Error =
(EstimotcJ Foult Iocotion-Actuol Iocotion)1uu
Actuol Iocotion

are also added.
The results show that the error in most cases is less than
0.01%, while the worst case occurred when phase to phase
fault included with 500 resistance. But in this case also, the
error is less than 1%.
IV. CONCLUSION
A new fault location algorithm for three terminal
transmission lines is presented in this paper. The proposed
technique utilizes PMUs on three ends of the transmission
lines. Basic principles and detail formulation are also
illustrated. The advantages claimed for these algorithms are:
(i) Algorithms do not contain simplifying assumptions and
lead to an accurate fault location estimate.
(ii) No limits are set for the magnitude of fault resistance
and overall accuracy is limited only by the accuracy of digital
impedance relays and PMUs.
(iii) Applicable to apply to other basic shunt fault types.
The results of simulation verify the high accuracy of fault
location with various conditions including different fault
resistances, fault locations and fault inception angle.
TABLE II
SINGLE PHASE FAULT WITH VARIABLE FAULT RESISTANCE
Fault real
Rf ()
Measured
Rf ()
Relay R Relay S Relay Q
Fault
distance(km)
Error (%)
Fault
distance(km)
Error (%)
Fault
distance(km)
Error (%)
0.1 0.1001 225.0046 0.0020 75.0001 0.0001 125.0027 0.0022
1 1.0001 225.0048 0.0021 75.0002 0.0003 125.0029 0.0023
5 5.0001 225.0056 0.0025 75.0008 0.0011 125.0037 0.0030
10 10.0000 225.0065 0.0029 75.0015 0.0020 125.0047 0.0038
50 49.9994 225.0140 0.0062 75.0075 0.0100 125.0127 0.0102
100 99.9988 225.0233 0.0104 75.0150 0.0200 125.0227 0.0182
200 199.9974 225.0420 0.0187 75.0229 0.0305 125.0428 0.0342
500 499.9934 225.0980 0.0436 75.0747 0.0996 125.1029 0.0823
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