Modified Algorithm for Fault Detection on AC Electrical Traction Line: An Indian Climate Case Study

Abstract

Almost all the developing countries are electrifying more and more rail routes with high-voltage ac electric power, mostly with 25 kV, 50 Hz, or 60 Hz. However, electrified nonsuburban areas of tracks are prone to the risk of railway systems’ reliability. Deviation of 1 km in the informed fault location from the actual shall consume 40–50 min in excess to clear those faults off. This paper made intensive study at the sampling region in India revealed that the variation happened in the parasite capacitance is primarily responsible for the erratic pinpointing of the persisting earth fault position on the electrified railway system. The experimental studies conducted with the help of table top as well as prototype models of high-voltage ac traction lines for the identification and quantification of those vulnerabilities causing the changes in the parasite capacitance on ac electric traction system and the subsequent remodeling of it are detailed in this paper. Furthermore, this paper suggests the feasible algorithm to mitigate railways’ risk in pinpointing the persisting earth fault on high-voltage ac power traction lines with the dynamically modeled high-voltage ac electric railway traction line. The proposed algorithm has been tested on trial basis after approval from Indian Railways.