Study Case: General Solution for Symmetrical Faults

The power system shown operates under steady-state

conditions with Eg1=1 0 p.u. and Eg2=0.9 30 p.u. when a

solid three-phase fault occurs at node 2.
Obtain the transient short-circuit currents in lines, generators and
transformers.
Evaluate the transient node voltages V1 f, V2 f and V3 f during the
fault (transient period).

TRANSFORMER-1
Y-Y
Zt=0.01+j0.15 p.u.

Transmission line 1-2

Z=0.03+j0.4p.u.

TRANSFORMER-2
Y-Y
Zt=0.01+j0.20 p.u.

Fault
GENERATOR-1
Xd=85%
Xd'=25%
Xd"=10%
ra=1%

Transmission line 1-3

Z=0.05+j0.5 p.u.

GENERATOR-2
Xd=120%
Xd'=40%
Xd"=20%
Transmission line 2-3
ra=2%
Z=0.05+j0.5 p.u.

3
LOAD
R=10 p.u.

Salvador Acevedo

Step 1. Pre-Fault Solution

Impedance diagram (all values in p.u.)
i12
z12

iG1

+
+
E1
-

z13

z23

+
V3
-

V1
-

zgt2

i23

i13

zgt1

zgt1=zg1+zt1=0.02+j1
z12=0.03+j0.4
z13=z23=0.05+j0.5
zgt2=zg2+zt2=0.03+j1.4
zLoad=10
E1=1

iG2

+
V2

zLoad
-

+
E2
-

E2=0.9 30

Admittance diagram (all values in p.u.)

y12

ygt2

y23

ygt1

y13

I2

I1

ygt1=0.02-j0.9996
y12=0.187-j2.486
y13=y23=0.198-j1.980
ygt2=0.0153-j0.714
yload=0.1
I1=0.02-j0.9996
I2=0.333-j0.549

To solve it, we use nodal analysis.

Y11 Y12

Y21 Y22
Y31 Y32
0.405 j5466
.

-0.187 + j2.486
-0.198 + j1.980

Y13 V1 J1

Y23 V2 = J2
Y33 V3 J3

- 0.198+ j1.980 V1 0.02 j09996

.

0.399 - j5.180
- 0.198+ j1.980 V2 = 0333
. j0549
.
V3

-0.198 + j1.980
0496
.
j3960
.
0
V1 0929
. 7.1

. 10.2
V2 = 0916
V3 0920
. 7.2

-0.187 + j2.486

Salvador Acevedo

Pre-Fault Currents
Line Currents:
Line 1-2
I12=y12 (V1-V2)
I12 =(0.187-j2.486)(0.929 7.1- 0.916 10.2)
I12 = 0.129 151.9 p.u.
Line 1-3
I13=y13 (V1-V3)
I13 =(0.198-j1.980)(0.929 7.1- 0.920 7.2)
I13 = 0.019 87.4 p.u.
Line 2-3
I23=y23 (V2-V3)
I23 =(0.198-j1.980)(0.916 10.2- 0.920 7.2)
I23 = 0.096 18.9 p.u.
Generator Currents:
Generator 1
IG1= I12 + I13 = 0.129 151.9 + 0.019 87.4
IG1= 0.138 144.6
Generator 2
IG2= -I12 + I23 = -0.129 151.9 + 0.096 18.9
IG2= 0.224 24.2
Salvador Acevedo

Power Balance (Pre-Fault)

To verify the solution, a real Power Balance is now
calculated (as an exercise):
Generated Power
Generator 1 + Transformer 1:
SG1=V1 IG1*= (0.929 7.1 )(0.138 144.6 )
SG1= -0.113 + j 0.061
PG1= - 0.113
(where the minus sign means this generator
absorbs P=0.113 p.u. and therefore is acting
as a motor)
QG1=0.061
Generator 2 + Transformer 2:
SG2=V2 IG2*= (0.916 10.2)(0.224 24.2 )
SG2=0.1986 - 0.0495i
PG2= 0.1986
QG2= - 0.0495 (this generator absorbs Q = 0.0495 p.u. and
still generates P = 0.1987 p.u., therefore this
machine acts as a generator)

Salvador Acevedo

Power Balance (continued)

Absorbed Power
Load:
PLoad=(V3)2/Rload=(0.920) 2*0.1=0.0846 p.u.
Real Power dissipated in lines:
line 1-2: P=I12 2 * Rline12=(0.129) 2(0.03)=0.0005
line 1-3: P=I13 2 * Rline13=(0.019) 2(0.05)=0.00002
line 2-3: P=I23 2 * Rline23=(0.096) 2(0.05)=0.00046

The power balance is:

Pgenerated=Pabsorbed
PG2=PLoad+Pline12+Pline13+Pline23+Pabsorbed-G1
0.1986=0.0846+0.0005+0.00002+0.0004+0.113=0.1986

Note: Nodal analysis has been used to find the operating

conditions of the system before the fault. In practice, a
Load-flow solution would have been used instead.

Salvador Acevedo

Step 2. Fault at Bus 2 (Thvenin Contribution)

To simulate a Fault at Bus 2, we will add the pre-fault
response to the Thvenin Contribution.
We use a source equal to the pre-fault voltage at point 2 and
set all the original sources to zero.
To solve this network for the transient period, we require the
use of transient values for the machines impedances.
The machine impedances for the transient period are:
zg1=0.01 + j 0.25,
zg2=0.03 + j0.4
Including transformers:
zgt1=(0.01+0.01)+j(0.25+0.15)=0.02 + j 0.40
zgt2=(0.02+0.01)+j(0.40+0.20)=0.03 + j 0.60
The matrix [Y BUS] and its inverse [ZBUS] become:

Y BUS

0.509 j 6.960

= - 0.187 + j2.486
- 0.198 + j1.980

Z BUS = Y BUS

- 0.187 + j2.486
0.468 - j6.129
- 0.198 + j1.980

- 0.198 + j1.980

- 0.198 + j1.980
0.496 j 3.960

0.020 + j 0.275 0.014 + j0.186 0.023 + j0.229

= 0.014 + j0.186 0.024 + j0.319 0.025 + j0.251

0.023 + j0.229 0.025 + j0.251 0.061 + j 0.487

Salvador Acevedo

Thvenin Contribution (step 2)

Fault current and changes in voltages are now obtained in
in the following way:
V 1

V 2 =
V 3

V 1
0

Vf = Z BUS If
V 3
0

V 1 Z11

Vf

= Z21
V 3 Z31

Z12
Z 22
Z 32

Z13 0

Z23 If
Z33 0

from where:
V 1 = Z11 0 + ( Z12 If ) + Z13 0 = Z12 If
V 2 = Vf = Z12 0 + ( Z22 If ) + Z23 0 = Z22 If
V 3 = Z 31 0 + ( Z32 If ) + Z33 0 = Z32 If
* Note that only elements from column ' P' are needed.
From the second equation:
If =

Vf
Vf
Vf
=
=
Z22 Z 22 Z Thev

where Z 22 = ZThev is the Thevenin impedance for a fault at node 2.

Salvador Acevedo

Thvenin Contribution (step 2)

Fault current and changes in voltages are now calculated.
The Thvenin Impedance for a fault at bus 2 is:
Z22 = ZThev = 0.024 + j0.319
Using the pre - fault voltage at node 2:
Vf = V2 = 0.916 10.2
we find the fault current:
Vf 0.916 10.2 0.916 10.2
I' f =
=
=
= 2.862 754
.
Z22 0.024 + j0.319 0.320 85.6
The voltage changes at the other nodes are found from:
V1 = Z12 (-I'f ) = (0.014 + j0.186)(2.862 75.4+180 )
V2 = Z22 (-I'f ) = (0.024 + j0.319)(2.862 754
. +180 )
V3 = Z32 (-I'f ) = (0.025 + j0.251)(2.862 754
. +180 )
V1 = Z12 (-I'f ) = 0533
. 169.7
V2 = Z22 (-I'f ) = 0.916 169.8 = Vf
V3 = Z32 (-I'f ) = 0.723 1712
.

Salvador Acevedo

Step 3. Fault Conditions

2
I12f '
1

Ig2f '

I32f '

If '=2.86275.4
3

Adding results from steps 1 and 2, we obtain the faulted voltages

at each node:
V1f = V10 + V1 = 0.929 7.1+0.533 -169.7 = 0.398 2.7
V2f = V20 + V2 = 0.91610.2+0.916 - 169.8 = 0
V3f = V30 + V3 = 0.920 7.2 +0.723 -171.2 = 0.1991.3
The current contributions from the lines during the fault are:
I'12f = y12 ( V1f V2f ) = (0187
.
j 2.486)(0.398 2.70) = 0.992 82.9
I'32f = y32 (V3f V2f ) = (0.198 j1.980)(0.3982.70) = 0.395 83.0
The generator contribution is found by Kirchhoff Currents Law
at the faulted node:
I'g2f = I'f I'12f I'32f = 1.497 68.5
All quantities have been calculated in per unit.
Results are for phase a.
Salvador Acevedo