16th International Middle- East Power Systems Conference -MEPCON'2014

Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, December 23 - 25, 2014

Sequence Components-Based Fault Location Technique for

Distribution Systems Considering Time Varying Loads
F. M. Abo-Shady

M. A. Alaam

Ahmed M. Azmy

Elec. Power and Machines Eng. Depart.,

Faculty of Eng., Tanta University,
Tanta, Egypt
(eng.aboshady@yahoo.com)

Elec. Power and Machines Eng. Depart.,

Faculty of Eng., Tanta University,
Tanta, Egypt
(mhmd.aboelazm@gmail.com)

Elec. Power and Machines Eng. Depart.,

Faculty of Eng., Tanta University,
Tanta, Egypt
(azmy.ahmed@hotmail.com)

Abstract This paper presents a sequence componentsbased analytical technique for fault location in distribution
systems. The technique considers different distribution system
characteristics including non homogeneity in feeder sections, load
distribution along the feeder, laterals are tapped at various nodes
and load variation. The proposed technique depends on sequence
components and uses a power flow analysis based on ladder
technique for compensating the load variation. To evaluate this
technique, it is implemented on 11 kV feeder using ATP/EMTP
package. Single-line-to-ground and three phase faults with
various fault resistance values are simulated. To examine the
technique accuracy with load variation, four loading cases are
included. The results achieved ensure the validity and ability of
the proposed technique to reduce the error in determining fault
location.
Index Terms Fault location, Impedance-based techniques,
Load variation

I. INTRODUCTION
Electric power distribution systems face various
problems caused by lightning, storms, insulation breakdown,
and others [1]. This leads to power interruption and hence,
unacceptable power continuity indices [2]. Therefore, fault
location is essential to reduce the outage time. In contrast to
transmission system, distribution system usually consists of
non homogenous feeder sections, with loads distributed along
the feeder. In addition, laterals are tapped at various nodes,
where the loads are time variant in nature.. For conventional
distribution systems, the measurements are available at the
substation only.
Fault location suffers from many sources of error that
may be divided into two categories. The first is related to
abovementioned distribution system inherent characteristics,
while the second considers the fault itself, i.e. fault type, point
and resistance value. Several impedance-based fault location
techniques have been developed [3]-[10]. However, each
method individually does not totally cover these sources of
error. Time-varying loads are one of sophisticated problems
that decrease the fault location accuracy. Load variation is not

considered in all methods investigated in [4]-[6]. The work

published in [3] mentioned for load variation nature. However,
it did not provide a solution to the problem and tested the
algorithm only at 10% change in loads. Concentrated
equivalent load at the feeder remote end was used in [7].
Measurements at each load point were used for compensating
time varying loads in [8], but it did not provide a practical
solution. The algorithm introduced in [9] depends on
calculating the ratio of measured active power at substation to
the maximum probable load active power. This ratio is then
used for updating the loads impedances. However, the
maximum load variation is bounded to 30% and only two fault
points are studied, which cannot ensure the algorithm validity
for all feeder points. A compensation method based on power
flow analysis was used in [11]. The method depends on
iterative algorithm to match the prefault load impedance and
estimated load impedance [10]. Bounded load change of 20%
was performed in [10] and also the authors presented the error
for each fault resistance value as the total average error instead
of maximum error.
The proposed technique depends on measurements at
main substation and uses the well known sequence component
circuits. In addition, the technique considers all
abovementioned sources of error. An iterative algorithm based
on ladder power flow analysis [11] is used for compensating
time varying loads.
Eleven kV feeder simulated by
ATP/EMTP package [12] is used to evaluate the proposed
technique. The results obtained ensure the validity of this
technique for real implementation in distribution system.
II. PROPOSED FAULT LOCATION METHODOLOGY
The single-line-diagram for a typical radial feeder in a
distribution system is illustrated in Fig. 1. This system is used
to evaluate the proposed technique. To generalize the
investigation, the feeder is assumed to consist of sections with
different cross section areas. Also, the loads may be connected
to the feeder directly or through lateral.

16th International Middle- East Power Systems Conference -MEPCON'2014

Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, December 23 - 25, 2014
0

N-1

XZL1 F (1-X)ZL1

Zs12

Zs11
Is

Main
Substation

ZM2

Zsc1

Loads

Vs

Zk11

Zk12

ZM0

Zk1n

Fig. 1 Single-line-diagram for radial distribution system.

3Rf

Sequence component circuits shown in Fig. 2 are used to

estimate the distance to the fault location. The proposed
technique is presented for both single-line-to-ground (SLG)
and three phase faults.
Zs11 1

Zs12 2

Zth

n+1

Fig. 3 Equivalent circuit for SLG fault.

Zs1N N

Zsc1

L
E

Zk11

Zk12

Zk1N

(a)
Zs21 1

Zs22 2

Zk21

Zk22

Zk2N

ZP1

ZL1

(b)
Zs01

Zsc0

Zk01

Zs02

Zs0N

Zk02

Zk0N

(1)

u
L

Zs2N N

where
Zu1
:
Zsc2

Equivalent impedance as seen from node (n+1)

up to feeder end
Equivalent impedance as seen from node (n) up
to substation
Positive sequence impedance of the faulted
feeder section
Per unit faulted part of the fault section

Similarly, ZM0 is calculated using (1) after replacing all

negative sequence values with the corresponding zero
sequence. Voltages and currents measured at substation are
used to calculate the voltage at node (n) and current flowing
from node (n) to the fault using (2)-(4):

(c)

where
s
s

L
s
s

s
s

:
:

:
:

Source positive, negative and zero

sequence impedances.
Positive, negative and zero
sequence impedances of the ith
section.
Positive, negative and zero
sequence impedances of loads at
node (i).
Equivalent Thevenin voltage.
Number of main feeder nodes.

A. SLG Fault
For a SLG fault with a fault resistance of Rf occurred at
point F, all positive, negative and zero sequence circuits are
included. The system beyond the fault section in the positive
sequence circuit is represented by Thevenin equivalent
impedance Zth. Also, negative and zero sequence circuits are
reduced to the equivalent impedances ZM2 and ZM0
respectively as illustrated in Fig. 3. ZM2 is calculated using (1)

(2)

Fig. 2 Sequence component circuits for distribution system.

(3)

(4)

where
Vk
Ik

:
:

Positive sequence voltage at node (k)

Positive sequence current from node (k) to
node (k+1)
IL(k+1)
: Load current at node (k+1)
Zs1(k+1) : Positive sequence impedance of feeder section
between (k) and (k+1)
YL(k+1) : Load admittance connected to node (k+1)
For k=0, V0=Vs and I0=Is
Therefore the equivalent circuit is reduced to the circuit
illustrated in Fig. 4.
XZL1 F (1-X)ZL1
In
Vn

ZM2

Iy

ZM0

Zth

3Rf
n

n+1

Fig. 4 Equivalent circuit for SLG fault.

16th International Middle- East Power Systems Conference -MEPCON'2014

Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, December 23 - 25, 2014
By analyzing this circuit, the following equations are obtained.
L

(5)

Start

fs = 1

(6)

Rearranging (5) and (6), the expression in (7) can be obtained:

(7)

Shift voltage and current for (fs-1) times using (2)-(4)

where
L

fs = fs+1

Use (8)-(11) to calculate per unit fault distance

L
No

(8)

Yes
m = fs

Calculate fault distance using (12)

Under the condition that the fault resistance is a real value,

thus:

End
Fig. 5 Flowchart for proposed technique procedure

(9)
(10)
where, Ai, Bi and Ci are the imaginary parts of terms A, B and
C respectively.
The value of fault distance (X) measured from node (n)
is calculated by solving (10) as stated in (11).

III. TIME VARYING LOADS COMPENSATION

(11)

Finally, the total fault distance measured from the main

substation can be calculated using (12).
ut

st

B. Three Phase Fault

For a three phase fault with a fault resistance of Rf, only
positive sequence circuit is used. The same analysis as carried
out for SLG fault is used with three phase fault. The resultant
equations for fault location are the same as those for SLG fault
cases with setting the terms corresponding to ZM2 and ZM0 to
zero.

(12)

where
Dj
: Length of jth feeder section
m
: Actual fault section number
The following flow chart illustrates the procedure for
fault distance calculation in case of SLG faults. In this chart
s r rs to t
ssu
uts to
st
tu
fault section.

Impedance-based fault location techniques are dependent

on the system loading during the fault period. Also, loads in
distribution system are time varying and hence, it is necessary
to match load variation. An iterative method based on ladder
power flow analysis is used to compensate for time varying
loads. The method performs the same update for all loads
because it is impossible to determine the actual variation for
each load depending on measurement at substation only. The
method depends on iterative algorithm to match the prefault
load as measured at substation using (13) and estimated load
resulted from power flow using (14).
M

(13)

(14)
where
ZPFM

ZPFE

Measured prefault load impedance at

substation
Estimated prefault load impedance at
substation resultant from load flow

16th International Middle- East Power Systems Conference -MEPCON'2014

Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, December 23 - 25, 2014

100
kVA

300

63
kVA

160
kVA

400
kVA

620

160
kVA

510

1640
kVA

500 300
kVA kVA

740

Start
160
kVA

1100

63 160
kVA kVA

240

Fault
Locator

The following flowchart illustrates the iterative

procedure followed for compensating load variation.

Fig. 7 Distribution system used for testing the proposed technique

Read VPFM
and IPFM

TABLE I. ELECTRICAL PARAMETERS OF TEST FEEDER LINES

Area (mm2)
240
150
70
35

Calculate ZPFM

Set voltage at far node = VPFM

Calculate load current at last node

Sweep upstream to calculate VPFE
and IPFE
Multiply load impedances by
(1+ )
Calculate ZPFE
u t

| |

360
kVA

120

Main
Substation

980

500
200
kVA
kVA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11
12 13 14
2800
720 160 560 870 560 2150 500 520 530 300 340 420 530
2402
2402
mm
mm

(15)

300
kVA

100
kVA

1200

figure. The parameters of distribution lines are estimated by

rso s qu t o
[ 1]. Positive and zero sequence
impedances for different cross section areas are summarized in
Table I.
220
35 mm2

Measured prefault voltage and

current at substation
VPFE and IPFE
: Estimated prefault voltage and
current at substation resultant from
load flow
Then, a load variation factor is calculated using
(15) and compared with a predefined tolerance () to check
the convergence. The tolerance value depends on the load
impedance and problem nature and it has been chosen
according to experience of authors.

400

1200
35 mm2

VPFM and IPFM

Sweep downstream using VPFM

and IPFM to calculate voltage at far
node

Zero sequence (/km)

0.2799 + j1.6250
0.3581 + j1.6396
0.7016 + j1.7342
1.1956 + j1.7467

Four different loading cases, referred to as RLV10,

RLV30, RLV50 and URLV, are simulated to illustrate the
effect of load variation on the proposed technique. RLV10
means that there is a random load variation bounded by 10%.
Similarly for RLV30 and RLV50 the variation is bounded by
30% and 50% respectively. URLV means that there is
unbounded random load variation.
The percentage error of estimated fault distance is
calculated using (16).
rror

No
where
Dest
Dact

Yes

Positive sequence (/km)

0.1347 + j0.2789
0.2129 + j0.2935
0.5564 + j0.3881
1.0504 + j0.4006

:
:

st

ot

(16)

Estimated fault distance

Actual fault distance

End

V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Fig. 6 Flowchart for time varying loads compensation

IV. CASE STUDY

To validate the proposed technique, a real distribution
system is used. The system is a 27 node, 11 kV distribution
feeder, which is an actual feeder in El-Gharbia electricity
sector- Tanta city. The single line diagram of the distribution
system is illustrated in Fig. 7. All main feeder sections and
laterals have cross section area of 150 mm2 and 70 mm2 ACSR
respectively. Cross section area of feeder sections and laterals
that differ from these values is illustrated in Fig. 7, with lengths
indicated in meters. The loading of the investigated system,
which is simulated using ATP program to perform short circuit
of different types in different locations, is also indicated in the

This section evaluates the proposed technique under fault

resistance v r t o up to 5 . Results for resistance values
of 0, 10 and 50 are presented, while the other simulated
values provided similar results. Effects of fault type and time
varying loads effects are analyzed in the following two
subsections.
A. Fault Type Effect
The proposed technique is evaluated for both SLG and
three phase faults. Various values for fault resistance are used
and the system is operating at full load. Curves describing the
percentage error of estimated distance for SLG fault and three
phase fault are shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 respectively.

16th International Middle- East Power Systems Conference -MEPCON'2014

Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, December 23 - 25, 2014
Rf=10

RLV10
RLV50

Rf=50

0.12

0.6

0.1

0.4

0.08

0.2
% Error

% Error

Rf=0

0.06
0.04

RLV30
URLV

0
-0.2
-0.4

0.02

-0.6

0
0

2000

4000

6000

-0.8

8000 10000

Actual Fault Distance (m)

6000

8000 10000

Fig. 11 Percentage error for different loading cases for Rf

RLV10
RLV50

Rf=50

0.01

0.005

% Error

% Error

Rf=10

4000

Actual Fault Distance (m)

Fig. 8 Percentage error of estimated distance for SLG fault

Rf=0

2000

-0.005
-0.01

RLV30
URLV

1
0
-1
-2

-0.015
0

2000

4000

6000

-3

8000 10000

Actual Fault Distance (m)

2000

4000

6000

8000 10000

Actual Fault Distance (m)

Fig. 9 Percentage error of estimated distance for three phase fault

Fig. 12 Percentage error for different loading cases for Rf 5

B. Effect of Time Varying Loads

The proposed technique is tested at four different loading
sets referred to as RLV10, RLV30 RLV50 and URLV. Three
phase faults are simulated for different fault resistance values.
Results for fault resistance values of 0, 10 and 50 are shown
in Fig. 10, Fig. 11 and Fig.12 respectively.

The general analysis for these figures indicates that the

percentage error obtained at full load is very small for both
fault types for different fault resistance values. The maximum
absolute error is about 0.1%. On the other hand, random load
variation cases also provide accepted error, whose maximum
absolute value does not exceed 2.6%. This demonstrates that
the proposed technique is promising and helps to improve the
accuracy of fault location for distribution system.

RLV10
RLV50

0.15

RLV30
URLV

VI. CONCLUSION

0.1
% Error

0.05
0
-0.05
-0.1
-0.15
-0.2
0

2000

4000

6000

8000 10000

Actual Fault Distance (m)

Fig. 10 Percentage error for different loading cases for Rf

Fault locator with improved accuracy is an effective tool

to reduce the outage time and cost. This paper proposed and
discussed an impedance-based fault location technique that
uses only local measurements at main substation and depends
on sequence components. Non homogeneous feeder sections,
fault type, fault resistance, load distribution along the feeder
and time varying loads were considered. As a result of a
r
ys s o t
t o s p r ormance, it was observed
that the maximum absolute error at full load case is about
0.1%. Also, the algorithm presented for compensating time
varying loads provides accepted error with a maximum
absolute value of about 2.6%. This ensures the validity and
accuracy of the technique.

16th International Middle- East Power Systems Conference -MEPCON'2014

Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, December 23 - 25, 2014
REFERENCES
M. M. S
J. zy ows
. oso ows u t o t o o
pow r twor s. Lo o U.K.: Spr
r-Verlag London, 2009.
[2] L. Philipson, W. H. L
U rst
tr ut t s
r u t o s.
Press. 2nd Edition. 2005.
[3] K.
r
. . N u
w p
-based fault location
t o or r
str but o syst s In Proc. Power Energy Syst.
Gen. Meeting, pp. 19, 2010.
[4] K.
r
. . N u G r z
p
-based fault
o t o or str but o syst s
r s to s o
ow r
Delivery, vol. 27, no. 1, Jan. 2012
[5] M. M. S
. rovoost
. oso ows u t o t o
t o
or M
b
twor : ro . o 7 th Int. Conf. on Developments
in Power System Protection-DPSP, IEE CP476, pp. 323-326, 2001.
[6] M. M. S
. oso ows
J. zy ows
w ut o to
or t
or str but o
twor
ro . o 8 th Int. Conf. on
Developments in Power System Protection-DPSP, IEE CP500, pp.
168-171, 2004
[7] G. Mor s J. Mor
. r s ut o to
t o b s o
the determination of the minimum fault reactance for uncertainty
o
u b
pow r str but o syst s r s ss o
and Distribution Conference and Exposition: Latin America,
IEEE/PES, 2010
[8] M. S. o S. J. L S. . L
. S. L
.

r t
three-phase circuit analysis-based fault location for line-to-line
ut
r s t o o ow r
v ry vo .
pp. 5 -2547,
Oct. 2007.
[9]
. L o G eralized fault location methods for overhead electric
str but o syst s
r s t o o ow r
v ry vo . 6
pp. 53-64, Jan. 2011.
[10] R. H. Salim, M. Resener, A. D. Filomena, K. R. Caino de Oliveira,
. S. r t s xt
u t location formulation for power
str but o syst s
r s t o o ow r
v ry vo .
24,pp. 508-516, Apr. 2009.
[11] W. . K rst
str but o syst
o
ys s o
Ratn, London, 2nd edition, CRC press, 2007.
[12] Alternative Transient Program: ATP/EMTP, Bonneville Power
Administration, 2002. [Online]. Available: http://www.emtp.org/.
[1]

Fathy Mohamed Abo-Shady was born in

El-Gharbia, Egypt. He received the B.Sc
degree in electrical engineering from the
Tanta University, Egypt in 2010. He is
pursuing the M.Sc. degree in electrical
engineering at the Tanta University. His
research topics are directed to the digital
relaying, protection applications and power
system analysis.

Mohamed A. Alaam was born in ElGharbia, Egypt. He received the B.Sc.,

M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical
engineering from the Tanta University,
Egypt in 1997, 2003 and 2008, respectively.
He is associated professor in department of
Electrical Power and Machines EngineeringTanta University. His research topics are
directed to the power system analysis,
intelligent techniques, dynamic simulation,
digital relaying, and power system
protection applications.

Ahmed M. Azmy was born in El-Menoufya,

Egypt. He received the B.Sc. and M.Sc.
degrees in electrical engineering from the
El-Menoufya University, Egypt in 1991 and
1996, respectively. He received the Ph.D.
degrees in electrical engineering from the
university Duisburg-Essen, Germany in
2005. He is the head of department of
Electrical Power and Machines EngineeringTanta University, director of the automated
library project in Tanta University- director
of the quality assurance unit and executive
director of the continuous improvement and
qualification for accreditation program. His
research topics are directed to the intelligent
techniques, dynamic simulation, smart grids,
distributed generating units and renewable
energy resources.