DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

Study of Fault Location for Parallel

Transmissions Lines Using One Terminal
Current Traveling Waves
Bian Haihong and Xu Qingshan

Abstract-- This paper discusses the application of fault II. PHASE MODULE TRANSFORMATION OF
location using one terminal traveling wave for parallel PARALLEL LINES
transmission lines. With proper phase module transformation,
parallel lines can be decomposed to the same directional net and
In this paper, discussion is based on the transposed type
the reverse directional net. This paper analyzes the propagation with only zero sequence mutual between the two circuits. The
characteristics of traveling waves in the reverse directional net, Zs
and derivates the refraction coefficient at the fault point for a line impedance matrix Z p is shown in (1)[6], where is the
single phase fault firstly and strictly. In addition, the module Zm
selection is also discussed. Simulation results show that self impedance of one circuit; is the mutual impedance
satisfactory accuracy can be acquired with the proposed method.
Moreover, it is immune to fault types, fault resistances, and the
Z m'
between phases of one circuit; and is the mutual
outside system parameters. impedance between the two circuits.
Index Terms--fault location, parallel transmission lines, Z s Zm Zm Z m' Z m' Z m'
traveling wave, reverse directional net
Z m Zs Zm Z m' Z m' Z m'
I. INTRODUCTION Z Zm Zs Z m' Z m' Z m'
Z p = 'm (1)
O verhead transmission lines are one of the weakest devices
in power systems because they are exposed to the
element. An accurate fault location is significant to
Zm
Z'
Z m'
Z m'
Z m'
Z m'
Zs
Zm
Zm
Zs
Z m
Z m
m'
power restoration and reliability of power supply. For Z m Z m' Z m' Zm Zm Z s
reducing soil occupied and investments, parallel lines have
been widely used in modern power systems. Due to the mutual To eliminate the mutual inductance between the two
inductance between the two circuits, fault location techniques circuits, parallel lines are decomposed into the same
for parallel lines vary a lot from single circuit lines. directional net (represented with suffix T ) and the reverse
Various algorithms are proposed for fault location on directional net (represented with suffix F ). The same
parallel lines. However, most of them are based on the directional components are defined as the sum of the same
fundamental frequency components[1, 2]. Traveling wave phase electrical components between the two lines, while the
methods in [3, 4] are unique in terms of accuracy and high reverse directional components are defined as the difference of
speed. In [5], a two-terminal traveling wave method is the same phase electrical components [7].
presented. Compared with the two-terminal methods, the one- In the same or reverse directional net, transformation is still
terminal methods are more competitive in both accuracy and required to eliminate the mutual inductance between the three
investments. However, the reliability of one-terminal traveling phases. For the symmetrical parallel lines shown in (1), the
wave methods should be enhanced. Reference [6] analyzes the whole process can be unified as decoupling six phase
propagation characteristics of traveling waves at the busbar in electrical components into six independent sequence
the reverse directional net. Based on the work of [6], this
paper deduces the propagation characteristics at the fault point components using phase module transformation matrix S . The
in the reverse directional net, and discusses the application of matrix S adopted in this paper is shown below:
one-terminal traveling wave method for parallel lines.

Bian Haihong is with the School of Electrical Engineering, Southeast

University, Nanjing210096, P.R. China . And she is a teacher of Information
Centre, Hohai University, Nanjing210024, P.R. China.
(bianhaihong@hhu.edu.cn)
Xu Qingshan is with the School of Electrical Engineering, Southeast
University, Nanjing210096, P.R. China(xuqingshan@seu.edu.cn)

978-7-900714-13-8/08/ 2008DRPT 2296

 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

1 1 1 1 1 1 ibf = icf = 0
1 1 2 2 1 1 ' ' '
iaf = ibf = icf = 0 (2)
1 1 1 1 2 2 u = U i R
S= af a af f

1 1 1 1 1 1 iaf ibf icf

Where is the three phase current of circuit I in
1 1 2 2 1 1
i '
af ibf' icf'
1 1 1 1 2 2 the fault branch, and is the three phase current
The line module impedance matrix can be written as: of circuit II (Seen in Fig. 2).

Z m = S 1 Z p S M N
F
= diag[Z s + 2Z m + 3Z m' ,
Z s + 2 Z m 3Z m' ,
M N M N
Z s Zm , Z s Z m , + iaf |0| iaf' |0|

Z s Zm , Z s Z m ] Rf
+ iaf
Ua
Z s + 2Z m + 3Z m'
Where is the to-earth zero module; non-fault components network fault components network
'
Z s + 2 Z m 3Z m
Fig. 2 Network decomposition when fault occurs
is the line-to-line zero module; and
Z s Z m is the aerial module. With phase module transformation matrix S , equation (2)
can be transformed to:
The voltage of the two circuits at the busbar is equal, so the
iT 0 f = iT f = iT f = iF 0 f = iF f = iF f (3)
voltage in the reverse directional net at busbar M and N are
both zero. Its fault network is given in Fig. 1. 1
For any module component k , there is ik |0| = ikf
M N 2
Z F 0, , Z F 0, ,
k = T 0, T , T , F 0, F , F ik |0|
Where , and is the
fault generated initial current promulgating to two terminals of
transmission lines.
So, we can get:
iT 0|0| = iT |0| = iT |0| = iF 0|0| = iF |0| = iF |0|
Fig. 1 Reverse directional net of parallel lines
(4)
The relationships between the initial current and voltage
The reverse directional net can be described as short circuit traveling waves are shown below:
uk = Z k ik
at busbar M N ,and it is independent with the system (5)
operation conditions outside the parallel lines, making it be the Combining (4) with (5), the following equations can be
perfect network for fault location. The analysis below is gained.
associated with the reverse directional net without special uT |0| = uT |0| = u F |0| = uF |0|
explanation. (6)
B. The Propagation Characteristics of the Voltage Traveling
III. ANALYSIS OF TRAVELING WAVES OF PARALLEL Waves at the Busbar
LINES [8]
When the fault generated traveling waves come to the
A. Fault Generated Traveling Waves busbar, refraction and reflection will occur. Because of the
various propagation characteristics in the same and reverse
The current and voltage at every point can be directional net, the equality relationships in equation (6) would
decomposed into fault components and non-fault components not exist in the busbar reflection voltage traveling waves.
after fault occurs. According to the superimposed theory, the In the reverse directional net, it is equal to short circuit at
fault components can be calculated by the equivalent electrical
source at the fault point. the busbar, so the voltage reflection coefficient F .
= 1
Assume the equivalent voltage of the fault additional In the same directional net, the reflection at the busbar is
U not only related to the faulted line, but also related to the
network is a when a IA-G fault occurs, then in the fault facilities connected to the busbar. The aerial voltage traveling
branch we can get: waves reflection coefficients at the busbar satisfy
1 < T 1 .

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Hence, the reflection aerial voltage can be described as Combining equation (9) and equation (10), the refraction
following: u
uF = uF = uF |0| = u F |0| voltage kf can be calculated. Only the module refraction
voltage in the reverse directional net is given below:
uT = uT = T uT |0| = T uT |0| 1
(7) uF f = *
u uF uT and uT 12 R f + 4ZT + ZT 0 + Z F 0
Where F is the reflection aerial
voltage at the busbar. [ ZT uT ZT uT ZT uT 0 +
C. The Propagation Characteristics of the Voltage Traveling (12 R f + 3ZT + ZT 0 + Z F 0 )uF
Waves at the Fault Point
Z T u F ZT u F 0 ]
For a IA-G fault on parallel lines, the current and voltage (11)
in the fault branch satisfy: Since the velocities of the two zero module components are
both less than the aerial module components, the aerial
ibf = icf = 0 module components would arrive at the fault point in the first
' ' ' place. So equation (11) can be written as:
iaf = ibf = icf = 0
u =i R 1
af af f
uF f = *
(8) 12 R f + 4 ZT + ZT 0 + Z F 0
The module relationships can be calculated as:
[ ZT uT ZT uT ZT uF +
iT 0 f = iT f = iT f = iF 0 f
(12 R f + 3ZT + ZT 0 + Z F 0 )uF ]
1 (12)
= iF f = iF f = iaf Referring to equation (6),(7), we have
6
u F = u F
uT 0 f + uT f + uT f +
uT = uT = T u F
uF 0 f + uF f + u F f = 6iT 0 f R f
(9) 12 R f + 2(1 + T ) ZT + ZT 0 + Z F 0
According to the Peterson Principle, the traveling wave uF f = u F
equation at the fault point in the module domain can be listed 12 R f + 4 ZT + ZT 0 + Z F 0
Then,
as following: So, the module voltage refraction coefficient in the
Zk F Zk reverse directional net is:
ukf 12 R f + 2(1 + T ) ZT + ZT 0 + Z F 0
2uk u =
ikf 12 R f + 4ZT + ZT 0 + Z F 0
Rf (13)
It is not only related with the aerial module surge
impedance and fault resistance, but also related with the two
Fig .3 The schematic diagram of Peterson Principle zero module surge impedances and the voltage reflection
coefficient at the busbar in the same directional net.
2uT 0 = 2uT 0 f + ZT 0 iT 0 f =1
When T equals 1 , we have u . That is, in the
2u = 2u + ZT iT f module reverse directional net, voltage would not reflect at the
T T f
fault point, and transfer to the other end completely.
2uT = 2uT f + ZT iT f
(10) When
T equals 1 , we have
2u F 0 = 2u F 0 f + Z F 0 iF 0 f
12 R f + ZT 0 + Z F 0
2u F = 2uF f + Z F iF f u =
12 R f + 4 ZT + ZT 0 + Z F 0
2uF = 2uF f + Z F iF f . If the fault resistance is
R f = 100
Where
uk is the incidence traveling wave; ukf is the assumed to be , with the simulation data in this
ikf
paper, u would be 0.67.
refraction voltage wave; and is the current wave
transmitted to the fault branch. And for the aerial surge
In fact, T is always bigger than -1, thus
u would be
impedance, they are equal to each other, namely much big than 0.67.
Z T = ZT = Z F = Z F u
. Let represent the voltage reflection coefficient, then
u = u 1 .
So we can conclude that at the fault point in the reverse

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directional net, the reflection coefficient is very small, while
the refraction coefficient is very large. For
is positive and u is negative.
For other types of fault, the refraction coefficient can also
be calculated. Since the reflection difference between the same
and reverse directional net at the busbar still exists, the
conclusion above is still correct.
The analysis above is about the voltage traveling waves.
For current traveling waves, the refraction coefficient equals
to the voltage refraction coefficient, and the reflection
coefficient has the same value with the voltage reflection
coefficient, while their polarities are opposite.
D. The Proposed Traveling Wave Method Using One
Terminal Current
When the fault generated initial current
busbar M , full reflection happens. Thus the first current
2iF |0|
traveling wave detected at busbar M
iF |0|
whose polarity is the same as
busbar M via the fault point would be i F |0| , where i is
the current reflection coefficient at the fault point.
Analogously, the fault point reflecting current detected at
2 i iF |0|
busbar M would be . Due to the positive polarity of
i , the current reflection from the fault point has the same
polarity as the fault generated initial current. The initial
current propagating to the other busbar
terms of this conclusion, one-terminal fault location method
should be implemented by the initial current and the current
the polarities, u reflecting from the remote opposite end. The equation seeking
for the fault distance is shown as follows:
1
x = l (t2 t1 )
2 (14)
Where l is the length of the line; is the velocity of the
traveling wave;
t1 is the arrival time of the initial current; and
t2 is the arrival time of the remote opposite end reflecting
current.
Seeing from polarity, the initial current has the opposite
polarity with the remote opposite end reflecting current, while
it has the same polarity with the fault point reflecting current.
This conclusion is help for the identification of the reflecting
iF |0| current from the remote opposite busbar.
arrives at
IV. MODULE SLECTION
As described above, the reverse directional net is the
would be ,
perfect network for fault location. For its three modules ( 0
. The current reflected to
and ), the 0 module is the line-to-line zero module
i component, whose characteristics have not been reported yet.
So the aerial module component ( or ) is selected as the
fault location component.
Generally, for the specified phase module transformation
matrix S , module selection should consider the fault types[9].
That is, for various fault types, an appropriate module should
be selected. Taking the IC fault for example, the module
i '
F |0|
is only related with A and B phases, so there is no traveling
wave component existing in the module. In this instance,
has the same

magnitude but opposite polarity with F |0| . Let i represent

i '
the module should be selected.
the current refraction coefficient at the fault point, then the There are total 120 fault types on parallel lines, making it
i'iF' |0| a tremendous task to analyze every fault type. On the other
current propagating to busbar M would be . So the hand, even if the analysis has been accomplished, an extra
current reflecting from busbar N and obtained at busbar M fault phase selection is required before the location.
In this paper, we compare the first current traveling
2 'i '
wavefronts of and
i F |0|
would be , and its polarity is opposite to that of the module and choose the larger one to
fault initial current. be the fault location component.
i iF |0|
V. SIMULATION TESTS
iF |0| iiF |0|
i 'F |0| The simulation model is shown in Fig .5. The parameters
i ' '
M = 1 i F |0|
iF |0| i 'F |0| N = 1
of parallel lines come from [10]. The module surge impedance
and traveling wave velocity are listed below:
Z = 266 ZT 0 = 585 Z F 0 = 410
M N
F
= 2.762 *105 km / s .
Fig .4 The schematic diagram of traveling waves l1 l2 , their module surge impedances
For single line
According to the above analysis, the current reflection Z = 259 .
are both l
coefficient at the fault point
i is very small, while the

refraction coefficient
i
'
is very large correspondingly. In
ER ZR R
l1 = 80 km
M
l = 200km N
l2 = 80km
S
ZS ES

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 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

Fig .5 The parallel transmission-line model

remote opposite busbar N . The accurate time of
1 is
In the following simulations, all the figures are aerial tM 1 = 2.491ms , while that of t = 2.961ms .
2 is M 2
module current in the reverse directional net where busbar M Combining equation (14), the fault distance can be obtained as
obtained.
L f = 135.09km
A. Single Line Fault .
For those symmetrical faults such as IAIIA , there are no
R = 100
Consider a IA-G fault with fault resistance f reverse directional net components, and the proposed method
occurs at 65km from the detecting busbar M , the
becomes invalid. However, the fault resistances of each phase
are always different, so the symmetrical faults are rarely
module current is shown in Fig .6 (a) , while its module
encountered in practical situations.
maximum of the Wavelet Transformer scale 2 is shown in Fig
Other fault types with various fault resistances and system
.6 (b).
operating conditions have been tested. The results indicate that
In Fig .6 (b), 1 represents the fault generated initial the accuracy and reliability of the proposed method are
wavefront; 2 represents the wave surge reflecting from the insensitive to all of these circumstances.
fault point; and
5 is the wavefront reflecting from the remote
opposite busbar N . We can see that,
1 and
5 are far bigger VI. CONCLUSIONS
tM 1 = 2.237ms , while the With mutual inductance between the two lines as well as
than
2 .The accurate time of
1 is with various line-to-line fault types are two outstanding
accurate time of
5 is
tM 2 = 3.215ms .Combining equation features of parallel lines. Both of them present big task for the
fault location algorithms. With the phase module
L f = 64.94km transformation, parallel lines can be decoupled into the same
(14), the fault distance can be obtained as .
150 directional net and the reverse directional net. The reverse
directional net is independent of the outside system
Module Current (A)

100

50
parameters.
0
The current reflection coefficient at the busbar equals to 1,
while that at the fault point is very small. So in the one-
terminal traveling wave algorithm, the first wavefront and the
-50
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
t (s) -3
x 10
(a)
wavefront reflecting from the remote opposite end should be
Module Maximum of WT Scale 2

150

100 adopted. The have close numerical value, and various polarity.
50 The influence of wavefront reflecting from the fault point can
0
be eliminated with a proper threshold.
-50
Simulations of both singe line fault and line-to-line fault are
-100
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
t (s) -3
x 10
4
tested. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm is
(b)
accurate, reliable and practical.
Fig .6 The current and its module maximum of a single line fault

B. Line-to-line Fault VII. REFERENCES

Consider a IAIIAC fault occurs at 135km from the [1] Q.ZHANG, Y.ZHANG, W.SONG, Y.YU. Transmission Line Fault
Location for Phase-to-earth Fault Using One-terminal Data. IEE Proc.-
detecting busbar M , the module current is shown in Fig Gener. Transm. Distrib., 1999, 146(2):121-124.
[2] Johns, A.T., Jamali, S. Accurate Fault Location Technique for Power
.7 (a) , while its module maximum of the Wavelet Transmission Lines. IEE Proceedings C, 1990, 137(6): 395 -402.
Transformer scale 2 is shown in Fig .7 (b). [3] P. F. Gale, P. A. Crossley, B. Y. Xu. Fault Location Based on
0

-20
Travelling Waves. Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference
Module Current (A)

-40 on Developments in Power System Protection, 1993, 54-59.

-60
[4] XU Qing-shan, L.L.Lai, CHEN Jin-gen, Tang Guo-qing. Novel and
-100
-80
Comprehensive Countermeasures for Single Terminal Fault Location
-120
of Transmission Lines . Automation of Electric Power Systems, 2006,
-140
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
30(15): 21-25.
t (s) [5] QIN Jian, HUANG Zhen, QIU Yu-feng, Wei Xiao-fan. Wavelet
-3
(a) x 10

Transform Based Double Terminal Method of Travelling Wave Fault

Module Maximum of WT Scale 2

100

50
Location in Double-circuit Parallel Transmission Line . Automation of
0
2
Electric Power Systems, 2004, 28(5):51-55.
-50
1 [6] SONG Guo-bing, SUONAN Jia-le, XU Qing-qiang, Chen Ping, Ge Yao-
zhong. Traveling Wave Characteristics of Circumfluence Component
of Double-circuit Lines on the Same Pole . Relay, 2004, 32(3):1-5.
-100

-150
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 [7] SONG Guo-bing, SUONAN Jia-le, XU Qing-qiang, Chen Ping, Ge Yao-
(b) t (s) x 10
-3

zhong. Parallel Transmission Lines Fault Location Algorithm Based on

Fig .7 The current and its module maximum of a line-to-line fault Differential Component. IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, 2005,
20(4):2396-2406.
In Fig .7 (b),
1 represents the fault generated initial [8] SHI Shen-xing, DONG Xing-Zhou, ZHOU Shuang-xi. Analysis of
wavefront; and
2 must be the wavefront reflecting from the Single-phase-to-ground Fault Generated Traveling Waves. Automation
of Electric Power Systems, 2005, 29(23):29-32, 53.

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[9] SUONAN Jia-le, WANG Shu-gang, ZHANG Chao. New Fault Phase
Selection for Double-circuit Lines Protective Relaying Based on
Differential Fault Current Components. Automation of Electric Power
Systems, 2004, 28(15):47-52.
[10] SONG Guo-bing, SUONAN Jia-le, XU Qing-qiang, Zhang Jian-kang.
A Novel Time-domain Algorithm for Location Fault on Parallel
Transmission Lines by Circulating Circuit. Proceedings of the CSEE,
2004, 24(3):24-29.

VIII. BIOGRAPHIES

Bian Haihong was born in Jiang su province, China,

on February 16, 1979. She got bachelor and master
degree from Hohai University, China, in 2001 and
2004, respectively. Then she was employeed by the
Information Center, Hohai University. Now she is
studying for doctor degree in School of Electrical
Engineering, Southeast University. Her research
interests include operation and control of power
system, computer engineering and application, and
etc.

Xu Qingshan was born in Jiang su province, China,

on May 25, 1979. He got bachelor, master and
doctor degree from Southeast University, Hohai
University and Southeast University, China, in 2000,
2003, and 2006, respectively. From 2006 he is
working in the School of Electrical Engineering,
Southeast University. Now he is cooperating with
Aichi Institute of Technology in Japan upon
renewable energy researches. His research interests
include renewable energy, fault location, operation
and control of power system and etc.

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