Wide area traveling wave based power grid fault network location method

Abstract

Traditional fault traveling wave location schemes, which are based on the fault information of only one line, have lower sensitivity and reliability, especially when one or more traveling wave fault location devices (TWFLD) break down, startup fails or an incorrect arrival time of the initial traveling wave is recorded, this will result in the failure of the fault location. Based on the analysis of the propagation characteristics of the fault traveling wave in power grid, a novel power grid fault traveling wave network location method is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the topology of a power grid is analyzed, and the installation principle of TWFLD is presented. Secondly, when the fault occurs on one transmission line, the fault traveling waves travel from the fault point to the whole power grid, and the values of the arrival time of the initial traveling wave is recorded in the substations where the TWFLD are installed. Then the values of the arrival time are analyzed with the information fusion and the fault point is located by using the power grid fault traveling wave network location method. Compared to the existing fault traveling wave location schemes those are based on the fault information of only one line, all correct time information of the whole power grid has been used to calculate the fault distance in this method. Therefore, this method can achieve reliable fault location even when one or more TWFLD break down, startup fails or an incorrect arrival time of the initial traveling wave is recorded. The simulation results match the theoretical analysis well and show that the proposed location method provides not only high accuracy and reliability, but also good economy. These characteristics are beneficial to further enhancement of the practicability of the traveling wave location.