Novel Approach for the Monitoring of Single Phase-to-Ground Fault Associated with Power Arc

Abstract

This paper presents a general theoretical overview of a novel approach for the monitoring of the single phase-to-ground fault associated with power arc. Although several existing fault protection methods have been employed in order to resolve the power arcing faults associated with the single phase-to-ground faults, still ongoing research is trying to develop efficient methods that could help to suppress completely these dangerous power arcs from the systems. The operation of the protective relays and fuse systems is quite often questionable during recurrent failures in detecting the electric arcs as expected, especially during these arcs earlier events of formation. The most relevant reason causing these traditional faults protective switchgears seldom failures, limitations and drawbacks include essentially the varying amounts of resistance associated with these previously mentioned power arcs. Subsequently, the electric arcs related impedance and that of the power system tend to limit the arcing fault currents and voltages quantities at very low rates. Hence preventing the existing fault protective devices and switchgears to detect these arcs hazards, as long as the arcing fault related currents and voltages quantities are kept for a relatively long period of time below the nominal setting values of both the relays and the fuses systems. Subsequently, the entire power distribution system experiences the devastating effects of theses dangerous parasitic electric arcs hazards. However, in order to overcome the limitations, the disadvantages and the drawbacks of the above mentioned conventional fault protective devices, this paper divorces completely with the traditional practices in order to propose a radio measurement method.