Novel wavefront detection and fault location method based on Hilbert-Huang transform for long HVDC transmission lines

Abstract

For the newly constructed ± 1 100 kV HVDC system with 3 324 km transmission lines in China, fast and accurate fault location is vitally important for its stable operation. This paper proposes a novel method based on Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) for detecting wavefronts and locating faults occurring on the HVDC transmission lines. False instantaneous frequency maximum points may reduce the accuracy and reliability of wavefront detection. The novel criterion, named the product of amplitude and frequency (PAF), has significant advantages and robustness in characterizing the singularity of the signal and precisely capturing the arrival time of wavefronts. A realistic model of the Changji-Guquan ± 1 100 kV transmission system is constructed using PSCAD/EMTDC to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The simulation results give the maximum location error of 0.843 km in given cases of different fault distance, fault impedance, sampling frequency, and other parameters. Noise conditions and the dynamic arc model are also considered in this paper. The comparison against other methods demonstrates the superior performance of the proposed method in terms of accuracy and robustness. The proposed method has broad application prospects and guiding significance for practical projects.