Adly A. Girgis

A digital recursive measurement scheme for online tracking of power system harmonics

An optimal measurement scheme for tracking the harmonics in power system voltage and current waveforms is presented. The scheme does not require an integer number of samples in an integer number of cycles. It is not limited to stationary signals, but it can track harmonics with time-varying amplitudes. A review is first presented of the common frequency domain techniques for harmonics measurement. The frequency domain techniques are based on the discrete Fourier transform and the fast Fourier transform. Examples of pitfalls in the common techniques are given. The authors then introduce the concepts of the new scheme. This scheme is based on Kalman filtering theory for the optimal estimation of the parameters of time-varying harmonics. The scheme was tested on simulated and actual recorded data sets. It is concluded that the Kalman filtering algorithm is more accurate than the other techniques. >

Effect of distributed generation on protective device coordination in distribution system

Protection of a power system is an extremely important aspect as the duality and scheme of protection decides system reliability, controllability and stability. This paper concentrates on the protection of a distribution system in the light of developments in distributed generation (DG). The conventional distribution system is radial in nature, characterized by a single source feeding a network of down-stream feeders. The protection system has traditionally been designed assuming the system to be radial. After connecting DG, part of the system may no longer be radial, which means the coordination might not hold. The effect of DG on coordination will depend on size, type and placement of DG. This paper explores the effect of DG on protective device coordination such as fuse-fuse, fuse-recloser and relay-relay. In each case, depending on size and placement of DG, there are some margins in which the coordination may hold and certain cases, where no margin is available. These conditions are identified for each case through coordination graphs.

A new fault location technique for two- and three-terminal lines

A method for the computation of fault location in two- and three-terminal high voltage lines is presented. It is based on digital computation of the three-phase current and voltage 60/50 Hz phasors at the line terminals. The method is independent of fault type and insensitive to source impedance variation or fault resistance. Furthermore, it considers the synchronization errors in sampling the current and voltage waveforms at the different line terminals. The method can be used online following the operation of digital relays or offline using data transferred to a central processor from digital transient recording apparatus. The authors start with a two-terminal line to explain the principles and then present the technique for a three-terminal line. The technique was first tested using data obtained from a steady-state fault analysis program to evaluate the convergence, observability, and uniqueness of the solution. The technique was then tested using EMPT-generated transient data. The test results show the high accuracy of the technique. >

Automated fault location and diagnosis on electric power distribution feeders

This paper presents new techniques for locating and diagnosing faults on electric power distribution feeders. The proposed fault location and diagnosis scheme is capable of accurately identifying the location of a fault upon its occurrence, based on the integration of information available from disturbance recording devices with knowledge contained in a distribution feeder database. The developed fault location and diagnosis system can also be applied to the investigation of temporary faults that may not result in a blown fuse. The proposed fault location algorithm is based on the steady-state analysis of the faulted distribution network. To deal with the uncertainties inherent in the system modeling and the phasor estimation, the fault location algorithm has been adapted to estimate fault regions based on probabilistic modeling and analysis. Since the distribution feeder is a radial network, multiple possibilities of fault locations could be computed with measurements available only at the substation. To identify the actual fault location, a fault diagnosis algorithm has been developed to prune down and rank the possible fault locations by integrating the available pieces of evidence. Testing of the developed fault location and diagnosis system using field data has demonstrated its potential for practical use.

A fault location technique for rural distribution feeders

The fault location scheme presented attempts to account for the multi-phase laterals, the unbalanced conditions, and the unsymmetrical nature of distribution feeders by continually updating voltage and current vectors at set locations within the system. The updated voltage and current vectors are the estimates of the 60 Hz phasor quantities obtained using a recursive optimal estimation algorithm. The distance to the fault is then estimated using a method based on the apparent impedance approach and the updated voltage and current vectors. Another consideration is the ability to determine the fault location on a lateral. A simulation of an actual rural distribution feeder using the electromagnetic transients program (EMTP) is used to illustrate the concepts of the approach and to show the accuracy and speed of this fault location technique, even on a temporary fault that lasts only for a few cycles.<<ETX>>

Adaptive estimation of power system frequency deviation and its rate of change for calculating sudden power system overloads

A novel Kalman filtering-based technique is presented for estimating power system frequency deviation and its average rate of change during emergency operating conditions that may require load shedding. This method obtains the optimal estimate of the power system frequency deviation from noisy voltage samples and the best estimate of the mean system frequency deviation and its rate of change while accounting for low-frequency synchronizing oscillations which occur during large disturbances. The proposed technique is a two-stage algorithm which uses an adaptive extended Kalman filter in series with an adaptive linear Kalman filter. The extended Kalman filter calculates the frequency deviation, magnitude, and phase angle of the voltage phasor, which may change during the time period covered by the estimation window. Both the measurement noise variance and the system noise covariance associated with the voltage samples are calculated online. The instantaneous frequency deviation is used as the input to a linear Kalman filter, which models the frequency deviation as a random walk plus a random ramp process. The estimated average rate of frequency decay is represented by the slope of the random ramp. Results for both single and multiple measurements are reported. >

A new time domain voltage source model for an arc furnace using EMTP

This paper presents a new time domain controlled voltage source (CVS) model for an arc furnace using the Electro Magnetic Transients Program (EMTP). The developed model is based on a piecewise linear approximation of the V-I characteristic of the arc furnace load. In addition to this, the novelty of this simulation technique lies in the fact that the active power consumed by the load is also considered in the proposed load model, thus making the proposed load model dependent on the operating conditions of the load. Dynamic variation of the arc is incorporated through sinusoidal and band limited white noise variation of the arc resistance in the V-I characteristic of the arc furnace load. Depending on the variation of the arc resistance, the developed load model accurately represents both static (deterministic) and dynamic (random) arc characteristics. While static arc models are useful for harmonic studies, dynamic models are useful for power quality studies and in particular, the study of voltage flicker. The results are compared with actual voltage measurements taken from a local utility to prove the validity of the proposed load model.

Identification and tracking of harmonic sources in a power system using a Kalman filter

In this paper, two problems have been addressed on harmonic sources identification: the optimal locations of a limited number of harmonic meters and the optimal dynamic estimates of harmonic source locations and their injections in unbalanced three-phase power systems. Kalman filtering is used to solve these problems. System error covariance analysis by the Kalman filter associated with a harmonic injection estimate determines the optimal arrangement of limited harmonic meters. Based on the optimally-arranged harmonic metering locations, the Kalman filter then yields the optimal dynamic estimates of harmonic injections with a few noisy harmonic measurements. The method is dynamic and has the capability of identifying, analyzing and tracking each harmonic injection at all buses in unbalanced three-phase power systems. Actual recorded harmonic measurements and simulated data in a power distribution system are provided to prove the efficiency of this approach.

Microprocessor-based reclosing to coordinate fuse and recloser in a system with high penetration of distributed generation

Coordination between reclosing devices (recloser) and fuse has been traditionally done in radial power distribution systems. With increasing penetration of distributed generation, the system loses its radial nature and this coordination may not hold. This paper identifies this problem using illustrative coordination graphs. An actual system is then analyzed to find out new performance requirements from the recloser to be able to coordinate with the fuse in the new system configuration. It is shown that traditional reclosers are unable to meet these requirements. It is further shown that microprocessor-based reclosers are fully competent to meet all requirements. As an example, one such actual recloser is used to successfully coordinate with a fuse under worst possible fault conditions. A method to choose recloser curves to achieve coordination is also stated. Finally, the system is simulated on PSCAD/EMTDC/sup (R)/ software and it is proved that the recloser curves chosen in the analysis holds perfectly well in operation.

Analysis of high-impedance fault generated signals using a Kalman filtering approach

High-impedance faults are accompanied by variations in the 60 Hz and harmonic components. An approach that accounts for the time-varying nature of the fundamental and harmonic components is developed. This approach is based on Kalman-filtering theory to obtain the best estimation of the time variations of the fundamental and harmonic components. Four actual recorded data sets for staged arcing fault on different types of soil are investigated by the proposed Kalman-filtering technique. The time variations of fundamental and low-order harmonic components significantly contribute to high-impedance fault detection using the features presented. >