Fault Location Finding

Fault Location Finding

Introduction
This module allows the detection of faults in electrical networks. In particular one
phase to ground faults in resonance earthed MV networks will be detected. The
relevant data must be entered in the dialog of distance protection relay. These are
essentially for faults in normal networks the measured reactance in Ohm and in
resonance earthed networks the measured distance related to the total ring length
or the total ring reactance. The module shows the reach of each zone of a
distance protection relay.

Theory

Fault location finding for short circuits

The fault location will be found with the help of the measured reactance in Ohm.
The value for the reactance must be entered in the distance protection relay. The
program will make at each network node a short circuit and will calculate the
reactance of the positive sequence seen by the relay. The fault location or the
faulted element (e.g. line) can be detected by comparing the measured and
calculated reactances. The program detects also all nodes, which are in a certain
range of tolerance. The fault location finding for short circuit is independent of the
network structure and voltage level.

1-phase to ground fault location finding in resonance earthed

networks
The 1-phase to ground fault location finding in resonance earthed networks
assumes the following network structure:

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Fault Location Finding

B
A

Fig. 22.1 Network structure for 1-phase to ground fault in resonance earthed
networks

The MV network will be operated radially, but is built as a ring. Faults can only be
located in closed rings that mean that the faulted ring must be closed. The relay
location indicates the closed (faulted) ring (see relay B in fig. 22.1). The program
will detect the closed ring automatically, if the relay will be located behind the
HV/MV transformer (see relay A). If there are several closed rings an error
message will be displayed. After the detection of the closed ring
- the total length of the ring in km or
- the positive sequence reactance of total ring in Ohm or
- the zero sequence reactance of total ring in Ohm
will be calculated. The fault location can be found with the entered distance in %
(see distance protection relay) of the total ring length or ring reactance. When
entering a tolerance all nodes are displayed, which are in the range of tolerance.

Display of zones
All nodes, which are within the reach of a certain distance protection zone, will be
displayed.

Calculation parameters
The calculation parameters are entered in a dialog box. These are:
Fault location
finding for

16-2

The user can enter the type of fault location finding:

- Short circuit
- 1-phase to ground fault in resonance earthed network

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Fault Location Finding

Distance
protection relay

Display of zones

All active relays will be considered for fault location finding.

During the determination of closed rings overlaps can occur.
In this case the program will stop.

Results
The results are listed after having selected the menu option Analysis Fault
Location Finding Show Results. The faulted element will be displayed in the
Window Analysis. The faulted element will be displayed at the single line
diagram by double clicking on the message of the window Analysis.
The following results can appear:

Short circuit

The fault is located at the line (L3) between K2 and K3 or line (L33) between K2
and K21 in the above example. Giving a tolerance the nodes K1, K4 and K22 and
the lines K1-K2, K21-K22 and K3-K4 will also be in the faulted area.
ID

DPRelay

From
Node

Element Faulted
Element

Fault
distance

Nodes in
Zone 1

Nodes in XPrim Forward Tolerance

Tolerance
direction

%
158 DS-1

20kV

L1

NEPLAN User's Guide V5

Ohm

L3

40

K2

K1

L33

25

K3

K4

5.5

%
Yes

10

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Fault Location Finding

1-phase to ground fault location finding in resonance earthed

networks

The fault is located at the line (L3) between K2 and K3 or in all from node K2
starting branches (line K2-K21 and line K21-K22). Giving a tolerance the nodes
K1 and K4 and the lines K1-K2 and K3-K4 will also be in the faulted area.
ID

DPRelay

From
Node

Element Faulted
Element

Fault
Nodes in Nodes in Distance Forward Tolerance
distance Zone 1 Tolerance
direction
%

158 DS-1

20kV

L1

L3

40

%
K2

K1

K3

K4

55

%
Yes

10

K21
K22

Display zones
The following list will be displayed:
ID

DPRelay

From
Node

Element Nodes in Nodes in

Zone 1 Zone 2

Nodes in
Zone 3

Nodes in
Zone 4

Nodes in
end time

158 DS-1

20kV

L1

K3

K4

K5

K1

K2

The abbreviations are:

ID

ID of active distance protection relay.

DP-Relay

Name of active distance protection relay.

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Fault Location Finding

From node

Relay location (node).

Element

Relay location (element).

Faulted Element

Element, on which the fault has been located.

Fault distance

Gives the distance in % of fault location in respect of the

From node of faulted element.

Nodes in Zone 1

The fault was located on all elements between these nodes.

Nodes in
Tolerance

All nodes within the faulted area defined by the range of

tolerance.

Nodes in Zone 1

All nodes within the reach of zone 1.

Nodes in Zone 2

All nodes within the reach of zone 2.

Nodes in Zone 3

All nodes within the reach of zone 3.

Nodes in Zone 4

All nodes within the reach of zone 4.

Nodes in end time All nodes within the reach of end time zone.
Distance

Shows the entered distance in %.

XPrim

Shows the entered reactance in Ohm.

Forward direction Shows the entered direction of measurement.

Tolerance

Shows the entered tolerance in %.

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