34 Products and technology

CPC 100 + CP CU1

Precise line impedance measurements

in environments with interference
Correct setting of line protection
with CPC 100 + CP CU1

Precise line parameters are required for distance protection relays,

fault locators and power system calculations. When performing
mathematical determination of line impedances, multiple simplifi-
cation steps are taken which do not apply in practice. As such,
the precision of the line parameters calculated in this way are
not precise and can often prove to be inadequate.
The CPC 100+CP CU1 measuring system enables measure-
ment of line impedances with a level of precision that
goes far beyond any calculations. This allows the distance
protection and fault locators to be set up precisely. CPC 100 + CP CU1:
Portable measuring system for
precise recording of line impedance

By Rainer Luxenburger and Wernich de Villiers

Precise impedance determination required
Setting up distance protection equipment properly requires
knowledge of the correct line impedance values. Line-to-line
impedances can often be calculated with acceptable accuracy.
Line-to-ground impedances, on the other hand, are influenced by
physical characteristics present such as metal pipes or neighbor-
ing cables in the ground and cannot be mathematically calculated
sufficiently accurately. This is because these calculations are based
on perfectly straight cable conduits and homogenous ground
with constant conductivity conditions which are rarely found in
the real world. The impedance of a line-to-ground loop is there-
fore calculated extremely inaccurately.
Problems with protective devices
A protective device shuts down the system if a short circuit occurs
in the section it is assigned to monitor. However, if a protective
device cannot be set up correctly, it may also react improperly to
faults outside the protected section. This can cause lines to be
shut down unnecessarily, which in turn can lead to power cuts
for the end customer.
Imprecisely adjusted fault locators also give inaccurate readings
of the distance to the respective fault. In these instances, repair
crews cannot be sent to precise locations, and this increases
both the time required to carry out the maintenance work and
the associated costs. On the other hand, if the line impedance is
measured correctly, distance protection and fault locators can be
accurately adjusted. It is important to note that the difference be-
tween the measured values and the calculated values can be quite
considerable here. For example, the calculated parameters of a
protective relay which disconnected the wrong line section from
the power system after a fault occurred were tested by actual
measurement, which can be seen in the shown table on the next
page. The measurement with the OMICRON CPC 100+CPCU1
system highlighted deviations of 48% between the imprecise,
mathematically determined values and the zero-sequence imped-
ance values actually measured.

OMICRON Magazine | Volume2 Issue2 2011


Significant deviations:
Comparison between the imprecise, mathematically Resistance of the zero-sequence system
determined values and the zero-sequence impedance
values actually measured with the OMICRON system. Reactance of the zero-sequence system
Electronic generators allow measurement
In the past, the influence of mains frequency interference in
determining line parameters used to make measurements very
time-consuming and costly. This was because they could only
be performed using an extremely high measurement current
to reduce the impact of the interference that can occur due to
surrounding systems. Extremely high power outputs are required
for this. The diesel generators used to generate sufficient power
weigh several tons, which makes setting up the test apparatus
much more complex and costly. Today, modern electronic genera-
tors allow the use of testing signals with frequencies different to
that of the mains frequency. Testing devices which can process
these signals in a frequency-selective way then provide precise
results. This in turn allows tests to be performed with very low
currents, which means that the current sources (generators) can
be made significantly lighter and therefore portable. Overvoltage
protection in the devices themselves also guarantees optimum
safety during testing and protects operating staff from hazardous
overvoltages.
Products and technology 35
Mathematically Measured
determined value value Difference
3.57 2.41 48%
14.2 9.58 48%
CPC 100 from OMICRON as the ideal solution
A total of seven measurements can be performed to accurately
determine the impedances of a system. These consist of three
for line-to-line loops, three for line-to-ground loops and one for
all three lines connected in parallel to ground. The measurement
results can then be used to gain reliable data for adjusting protec-
tive relays and fault locators. With the CPC 100 and the CP CU1,
these measurements provide precise values, as frequency-selective
measurement eliminates any connected interference. The time
and costs required to actually perform the measurements are also
radically reduced, since portable electronic generators can be
used in place of the devices weighing several tons. The OMICRON
testing device offers a signal generator, power amplifier, mea-
surement technology, and a PC in a single unit. The coupling
unit CPCU1 and its grounding box CP GB1 also secure optimum
protection throughout the measurement process.
You can find further information in the Customer Area on the
OMICRON website at: www.omicron.at
OMICRON Magazine | Volume2 Issue2 2011