Sang-Hee Kang

An intelligent and efficient fault location and diagnosis scheme for radial distribution systems

In this paper, an effective fault location algorithm and intelligent fault diagnosis scheme are proposed. The proposed scheme first identifies fault locations using an iterative estimation of load and fault current at each line section. Then an actual location is identified, applying the current pattern matching rules. If necessary, comparison of the interrupted load with the actual load follows and generates the final diagnosis decision. Effect of load uncertainty and fault resistance has been carefully investigated through simulation results that turns out to be very satisfactory.

Power-Sharing Method of Multiple Distributed Generators Considering Control Modes and Configurations of a Microgrid

This paper describes the active power and frequency-control principles of multiple distributed generators (DGs) in a microgrid. Microgrids have two operating modes: 1) a grid-connected mode and 2) an islanded mode. During islanded operation, one DG unit should share output generation power with other units in exact accordance with the load. Two different options for controlling the active power of DGs are introduced and analyzed: 1) unit output-power control (UPC) and 2) feeder flow control (FFC). Taking into account the control mode and the configuration of the DGs, we investigate power-sharing principles among multiple DGs under various system conditions: 1) load variation during grid-connected operation, 2) load variation during islanded operation, and 3) loss of mains (disconnected from the main grid). Based on the analysis, the FFC mode is advantageous to the main grid and the microgrid itself under load variation conditions. However, when the microgrid is islanded, the FFC control mode is limited by the existing droop controller. Therefore, we propose an algorithm to modify the droop constant of the FFC-mode DGs to ensure proper power sharing among DGs. The principles and the proposed algorithm are verified by PSCAD simulation.

An Algorithm for Compensating Secondary Currents of Current Transformers

Current transformer (CT) saturation may cause power system relays to malfunction. The conventional method used to deal with the problem is overdimensioning of the transformer core so that CTs can carry up to 20 times the rated current without exceeding 10% ratio correction. However, this not only reduces the sensitivity of power system relays, but also increases the CT core size. This paper presents a technique of estimating the secondary current corresponding to the CT ratio under CT saturation. The proposed algorithm can improve the sensitivity of relays to low level internal faults, minimize the instability of relays for external faults, and might ultimately assist in reducing the dimension of the required CT core cross-section.

High-impedance fault detection in distribution networks with use of wavelet-based algorithm

A new simple and effective algorithm of arcing fault detection in distribution networks with the application of a wavelet transform technique is presented in this paper. The protection algorithm developed observes the phase displacement between wavelet coefficients calculated for zero-sequence voltage and current signals at a chosen high-level frequency. The final decision in regards to feeder switching off (or alarm issuing) is met either with a deterministic logic scheme or with the use of a neural net trained especially for that purpose. The developed wavelet-based high-impedance fault (HIF) detector has been tested with Electromagnetic Transients Program-Alternative Transients Program (ATP)-generated signals, exhibiting better performance than traditionally used algorithms and methods. The protection method proposed may be used for HIF detection independent of the network neutral-point grounding mode. The scheme proved to be robust against transients generated during normal events such as feeder energizing and de-energizing as well as capacitor bank switching

Fourier Transform-Based Modified Phasor Estimation Method Immune to the Effect of the DC Offsets

This paper proposes a Fourier transform-based modified phasor estimation method to eliminate the adverse influence of the exponentially decaying dc offsets when discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is used to calculate the phasor of the fundamental frequency component in a relaying signal. By subtracting the result of odd-sample-set DFT from the result of even-sample-set DFT, the information of dc offsets can be obtained. Two dc offsets in a secondary relaying signal are treated as one dc offset which is piecewise approximated in one cycle data window. The effect of the dc offsets can be eliminated by the approximated dc offset. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by using computer-simulated signals and Electromagnetic Transients Program-generated signals. The algorithm is also tested on a hardware board with TMS320C32 microprocessor. The evaluation results indicate that the proposed algorithm can estimate the accurate phasor of the fundamental frequency component regardless of not only the primary decaying dc offset but also the secondary decaying dc offset caused by CT circuit itself including its burden.

Compensation of the distortion in the secondary current caused by saturation and remanence in a CT

Current-transformer (CT) saturation may cause the maloperation of a protection relay. This is particularly onerous when the remanent flux in the core of the CT adds to the flux change caused by the fault. The CT is forced into deep saturation and the waveshape of the secondary current is severely distorted. An algorithm for compensating the distortion in the secondary current caused by saturation and remanence in a CT is described in this paper. A second-difference function detects when the CT first starts to saturate. At this instant, the negative value of the second-difference function corresponds to the magnetizing current which, in conjunction with the magnetization curve, is used to estimate the core flux. This is then used as an initial value to calculate how the flux changes during the fault. The magnetizing current is estimated by inserting the estimated core flux into the magnetization curve and added to the secondary current; the result, the compensated secondary current, is equal to the secondary referred primary current. Various test results indicate that the proposed algorithm can accurately compensate a severely distorted secondary current and is not affected by remanence. The paper concludes by describing the hardware implementation of the algorithm on a prototype compensation unit based on a digital signal processor.

A CT saturation detection algorithm

This paper proposes an algorithm for detecting current transformer (CT) saturation by analyzing a secondary current. The current has points of inflection where saturation begins and ends. Then, discontinuity in the first difference of the current arises at the next instants of points of inflection, where the second and third differences of the current may have large values enough to detect saturation. In this paper, the third difference is used because it is more effective than the second difference in terms of saturation detection. However, an anti-aliasing low-pass filter softens the current and, thus, reduces the values of the third difference at those instants. This paper includes the effect of a low-pass filter on the proposed algorithm. The sampling rate of 64 samples/cycle (s/c) is studied by varying a remanent flux and the cutoff frequency of the filter. The test results clearly indicate that the proposed algorithm successfully detects the interval of saturation even with a remanent flux and the softening effect. However, special attention should be paid to the decision of the threshold value when a cutoff frequency is much lower than half the sampling frequency. This paper concludes by implementing the algorithm into a TMS320C6701 digital signal processor and the results are satisfactory.

Phasor Estimation in the Presence of DC Offset and CT Saturation

A hybrid algorithm for phasor estimation is proposed that is immune to DC offset and current transformer (CT) saturation problems. The algorithm utilizes partial sum (PS)-based and multistage least-squares (MLS)-based methods before and after CT saturation is detected, respectively. The MLS-based method is initiated when the third difference of the secondary current detects the start point of the first saturation period. The determination of each saturation period is based on the sum of the secondary current from the start point of the first saturation period. A least-squares (LS) technique estimates the DC offset parameters from the single-cycle difference of the secondary current in the unsaturated periods. Removal of DC offset from the secondary current yields the sinusoidal waveform portion. Finally, the LS technique is used once again to estimate the phasor from the sinusoidal waveform portion. The performance of the algorithm was evaluated for a-g faults on a 345-kV 100-km overhead transmission line. The electromagnetic transient program was used to generate fault current signals for different fault angles and remanent fluxes. The performance evaluation shows that the proposed algorithm accurately estimates the phasor of a current signal regardless of DC offset and CT saturation. The paper concludes by describing the hardware implementation of the algorithm on a prototype unit based on a digital signal processor.

A Fault Location Algorithm Based on Circuit Analysis for Untransposed Parallel Transmission Lines

This paper proposes a fault-location algorithm for ultra-high-voltage untransposed parallel transmission lines that only use the voltages and currents at the local end. The proposed algorithm uses the voltage equation for the faulted phase of the faulted line. The equation contains the fault distance, fault resistance, and fault current. To obtain the fault current, Kirchhoffs voltage law is applied on the loops of three phases consisting of the faulted line and the adjacent parallel line. The fault current can be represented in terms of the fault distance. Inserting the fault current into the voltage equation results in an equation that contains only two parameters (i.e., the fault distance and fault resistance). The fault distance is estimated by solving the equation. Test results indicated that the algorithm accurately estimates the fault distance regardless of the fault resistance and mutual coupling effects.

An accurate fault location algorithm for double-circuit transmission systems

This paper describes an accurate fault location algorithm based on sequence current distribution meters for a double-circuit transmission system. The proposed method uses the voltage and current collected at only the local end of a single-circuit. This method is virtually independent of the fault resistance and the mutual coupling effect caused by the zero-sequence current of the adjacent parallel circuit and insensitive to the variation of source impedance. The fault distance is determined by solving the forth-order KVL (Kirchhoffs voltage law) based distance equation. The zero-sequence current of adjacent circuit is estimated by using a zero-sequence current distribution factor and the zero-sequence current of the self-circuit. Thousands of fault simulations by EMTP have proved the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.