2015 20th International Conference on Control Systems and Science

Adaptive distance protection scheme for high

resistance phase to phase faults on double-circuit
transmission line
PhD Student Borscu Ionut Ciprian

Prof.dr.eng.Sergiu Stelian Iliescu

Department of System Engineering

UPB-Faculty of Computer Science
Bucharest, Romania
borascu.ciprian@yahoo.com

Department of System Engineering

UPB- Faculty of Computer Science
Bucharest, Romania
iliescu@shiva.pub.ro
-autonomy: The operation of the smart substation does not
depend upon the control centers and other substations, but they
can communicate with each other to increase the efficiency and
stability of power transmission.

AbstractIn the context of smart grid, is desired a safe and

correct functionality of the relay protection, by rapid fault
isolation and ensure continuous supply of electricity to
consumers. Implementing smarter protection as adaptive
protection is one way of tackling some of the performance issues.
The variable nature of the fault resistance in certain situations
influence the distance protection, even if the distance protection,
through polygon feature, allows sufficient arc reserve. To ensure
proper functionality of the distance protection of double circuit
lines, in the case of two phase faults with high resistance fault,
the paper proposes an impedance correction algorithm, in order
to compensate the influence of the reactance effect. Considering
the measured currents and voltages from the local distance
protection, the deviation vector is calculated and used for
changing the position of the fault impedance in the R-X plane. As
a result, the fast tripping command is initiated for faults with
high resistance in the zone 1 or blocked for faults in the zone 2.

-digitalization: The smart substation provides a unique and

compatible platform for fast and reliable sensing,
measurement, communication, control, protection and
maintenance of all the equipment and apparatus installed in a
variety of substations.
In
the current context of relay protection,
osciloperturbograf record analysis made by protection
engineers in 110 kV double circuit network, have shown that
distance protection still remains the primary protection for
long transmission lines, because it is independent of
communication channels and less sensitive than overcurrent
protection to changes in power system. A digital distance relay
based on the sampled voltage and current, from the relaying
location it measures the apparent impedance and compare it
with a MHO or quadrilateral shape from impedance plane. If
an internal fault is detected, a trip command is initialized to the
circuit breaker [3]. In reality the trip command can be delayed
for close faults, do to the signal transient errors produced
especially by a capacitor voltage transformer or saturating CTs.
The fundamental phasors from the measurement of these
signals, cannot be determined quickly and accurately. Thus, the
precision of the distance protection relay can be deteriorated
[3]. Also, the mutual coupling effects on the zero sequence
components, uncertainty about the line parameters, insufficient
accuracy of the line model, load flow unbalances, power
swings, the source impedance ratio (SIR), the combined effect
of the load current and fault resistance (reactance effect),
represents other sources of errors that can influence the
distance protection decision.

Index Terms adaptive algorithm, error correction, distance

measurement, fault location, smart grid, resistance.

I. INTRODUCTION
Global mobilization, regarding the integration of renewable
power sources in the power system, was done in order to
reduce the conventional production capacities, that produces
large quantities of greenhouse gases [1]. Once connected to the
national power grid, the distributed production units must be
taken into account, when operating regimes are established,
setting protections and beyond.
In the case of smart grids, maintaining the adequate
performance for the relay protection is an essential goal. The
concept of smart substation is no longer a new concept, as it is
based on extending existing systems of protection, control and
monitoring. Compared to conventional substations, smart
substations provide a monitoring, protection, control, effective
and safe, through:

In practice, the accuracy of the distance protection relay is

commonest affected by the fault resistance. The resistance is
not a constant value, instead, is related to various factors such
as resistivity of soil, voltage level, tower footing resistance,
voltage level and environmental conditions [4].
Fault
resistance places the measured impedance, from the tripping
zone out of the protective zone and cause the underreaching.
On the other hand, in some cases with fault resistance the
measured impedance for out-zone faults can be found in the

-self-healing: The smart substation is able to reconfigure

itself dynamically to recover from attacks, natural disasters,
blackouts, or network component failures [2].
-coordination: Adaptation of protection and control
schemes should be achieved under coordination of control
centers to improve the security of the whole power grid.

978-1-4799-1780-8/15 $31.00 2015 IEEE

DOI 10.1109/CSCS.2015.72

972

tripping zone and leads to distance relay overreaching.

Statistically, the phase to phase shortcircuits have a probability
of occurrence of 8% after the phase to earth shortcircuits,
which represent 85% of the faults from 110 kV network [5].
In order to minimize the impedance estimation error
generated by a phase to phase shortcircuit faults, with high
fault resistance on a 110 kV double circuit transmission line
and ensure the reliability and selectivity, the paper proposes a
digital distance relaying algorithm using only one terminal data
[6-15].
The calculations were made without taking into account the
mutual coupling in the positive and negative sequence system,
because the influence is relatively weak and can be neglected
for normal protection considerations. Measurement results
conducted within networks of 110 kV, show that the mutual
coupling is below 5% of the related self impedance for
untransposed lines and lower than 3 percent for transposed
lines [16]. This means that for three phase shortcircuits, phase
to phase shortcircuits and during load conditions the lines are
independent.

a)

II. PHASE TO PHASE FAULTS

For phase to phase shortcircuits negative sequence provides
the necessary transition, with the unfaulted phase sequence
currents in opposition to provide zero or low current.
Depending on the phases affected by the shortcircuit, the
negative sequence current is in a different position to provide
the transition [17]. For a S-T fault, phase R is essentially
normal and positive sequence and negative sequence voltages
of the uncollapsed phase R voltage are basically in phase.
Also, the positive sequence and negative sequence currents of
phase R, are in opposition. In case of a S-T fault (Fig.1.), the
voltage and current equations at the fault point are:

b)
Fig.1. a) voltage at relay location during S-T fault.b) isolated S-T
shortcircuit.

For a S-T fault with fault resistance (Fig. 2.) on one circuit
of a double circuit transmission line that is fed from two
sources, the voltage at the protection location is determined as
follows:
U St U Ss = Z L1 ( I St I Ss ) + R f I f
(2)
Considering the apparent current and the expression of the
voltage from (2), the apparent impedance can be expressed as:
U app U St U Ss
(3)
Z app =
=
I app
I St I Ss

Ir = 0
I s = It

(1)

U s = Ut
For R f = 0

where,
I r = current in phase R.
I s = current in phase S.
I t = current in phase T.
U s = phase to earth voltage of phase S.
U t = phase to earth voltage of phase T.
R f = fault resistance.

Fig.2. Voltages and currents at relay location.

973

III. IMPEDANCE IMPROVEMENT ALGORITHM

A. Development of a new algorithm

The impedance error caused by the reactance effect uses the

angle of an impedance deviation vector generated by two
points on the impedance plane (Fig.3). The two points
represent the actual fault point and the apparent impedance
measured.

b)
Fig.4. a), b) Correction of impedance.

Resistive component and the reactive component of the

actual line impedance to a fault are obtained as:
RL1 =

a)

X'
X app X '
Rapp

(5)

X
X'
X L1 =
R X X app X '

R
Rapp
where,
Rapp = apparent resistance []
X app = apparent reactance []
X = transmission line resistance []

b)

R = transmission line reactance []

Fig.3. a), b) Apparent impedance deviation.

RL1 = actual positive sequence resistance to a fault []

In order to minimize the impedance estimation error, it

must be determine the reactance X L1 and the resistance RL1 of
the actual line impedance to a fault. The actual line impedance
represents the intersection between the Z app X ' line and

X L1 = actual positive sequence reactance to a fault []

From (2) and (3) it can be deduce the expression of the
apparent impedance for phase to phase shortcircuits as:

O Z line, as is shown in Fig.4. The point X ' can be

determined from the apparent impedance, Z app , and the

Z app = Z L1 + R f

argument of the deviation vector as follows:

X ' = X app Rapp tan

If
I St I Ss

= Z L1 + R f

If
I St I Ss

e j (6)

In order to identify the argument , the fault current at a

fault point should be pre-determined. Using the positive
sequence current distribution factor, it can be estimated the
unknown current I f . CDF f 1 represents the ratio of the positive

(4)

sequence current at the local end of the faulted circuit to the

positive sequence fault current at the fault point.
CDF f 1 =

where,
a)

974

I S1 m B f 1 + C f 1
=
I f1
Af 1

(7)

A f 1 = Z L1 ( Z X 1 + ZY 1 ) + ZT 1 ( Z X 1 + ZY 1 + Z L1 )
B f 1 = Z L1 ( Z X 1 + ZY 1 + ZT 1 )
C f 1 = Z L1 ( Z X 1 + ZY 1 + ZT 1 ) + ZT 1 ZY 1
Taking into account (7) and the load current I Stf I Ssf at
the local end of the faulted circuit, I f can be expressed as
I f = I ft I fs = I f 1 + I f 2 a 2 I f 1 aI f 2
If =
If =

I S1
I
I
I
+ S 2 a 2 S1 + a S 2
CDF f 1 CDF f 2
CDF f 1
CDF f 2
I Stf I Ssf

(8)

CDF f 1

However, the argument can be written as

I Stf I Ssf

= Arg
I
I

St Ss CDF f 1
1
I Stf I Ssf
= Arg

+ Arg

I St I Ss
CDF f 1
If
= Arg
I St I Ss

(9)

where,
I St = I StL + I Stf
I Ss = I SsL + I Ssf
I StL = T phase load current at the local end of faulted
circuit [A]
I SsL = S phase load current at the local end of faulted
circuit [A]

Fig.5. Algorithm flow chart for phase to phase shortcircuits.

I Stf = T phase fault current at the local end of faulted

IV. CASE STUDY

circuit [A]

In order to argue the functionality of the proposed

algorithm, double phase shortcircuits on one circuit of a 110
kV double circuit overhead line, were simulated in Mathcad.
The test cases, are presented in Table I, considering that
trigger conditions are up to 80% of the total line length.
The electrical parameters of the sources and lines are shown
in Table II.
The results of the double phase faults, without correction of
the apparent impedance, are presented in the Table III in the
case of the faults that occur at 3, 5, 10.2 and 12 km, with and
without fault resistance. Some results are showing that the
relay does not operate (underreach).

I Ssf = S phase fault current at the local end of faulted

circuit [A]

B. Digital distance protection algorithm

The algorithm flow chart for phase to phase shortcircuits
presented in Fig. 5, show that the fault distance, necessary for
calculating the current distribution factor, is obtained from the
apparent impedance. The apparent fault location can be
obtained by dividing the apparent reactance X app by total line

TABLE I. TEST CASES

reactance [6-15]. This apparent fault location is then used in

calculating the current distribution factor.

Type of shortcircuit

Phase to phase fault

No correction

A trip decision is made if the estimated line impedance is

accurate. Since estimated line impedance value has an error, a
new apparent impedance is estimated with the fault distance at
the previous step. With this new apparent impedance the actual
line impedance to a fault is estimated again.

Fault distance [km]

Fault resistance []

975

-3 (zone 5)
+5 (zone 1)
+10.2 (zone 1)
+12 (zone 2)
0
40

Correction

-3 (zone 5)
+5 (zone 1)
+10.2 (zone 1)
+12 (zone 2)
0
40

TABLE II. PARAMETERS OF THE SOURCES AND LINES

Parameters

Source []
Line 1 (2) [/km]

TABLE III. TRIP DECISION RESULTS (NO CORRECTION)

Positive sequence impedance []

SX

0.745+j1.348

SY

0.312+j2.66

Fault location
[km]

Fault resistance
[]

-3 (zone 5)

0.157+j0.393

+5

(zone 1)

+10.2 (zone 1)

The results of the distance protection proposed algorithm,

are presented in Table IV. Therefore, the decision to initiate
breaker is improved.
Table V and VI show the resistance and the reactance
estimated by the algorithm. Errors are presented in Fig. 6.
Despite the large fault resistance of 40 the errors are up 5%,
which means that the impedance correction algorithm makes
the distance protection to be immune to the reactance effect.
Shortcircuit studies with respect to different system and fault
conditions show that the proposed protection scheme is able to
give fast and correct response under the situation where a high
fault resistance exists and this causes the nonadaptiv distance
element fail to detect the fault.
The proposed method is suitable for micro - processor based
distance protection thanks to the capability of available
computers. The design of the microprocessorbased
technology allows easy adaption. Todays algorithms are able
to make reach unconstrained decisions using 0.25 and 0.5
cycles of data. These reach unconstrained functions include
directional elements, fault identification logic, starting
elements and disturbance detectors, overreaching distance
functions, and so on. The numerical relays optimize all three
elements: internal architectures to limit latencies inherent in
digital implementation, protection algorithm to respond
correctly using shorter data windows, and processing power to
enable more sophisticated algorithms [18]. Therefore, modern
microprocessor based relays are not limited by their
construction when it comes to the operating principles. Laws
of physics and the imagination of the designers are the only
limiting factors.
In the modern substation protection, local signals are
easier to access than remote signals since it does not require
the communication equipment to link the relay to relays and/or
other devices on the remote terminals. A relay using local
signals could be operated more independently than using
system information from substation central computer systems,
as failure of substation computer system would not have huge
impact on all connected relays. Therefore, according to the
adaptive technique provided in this paper the speed, reliability
and selectivity of the distance protection are improved.

+12 (zone 2)

Distance
algorithm

No Trip

40
0
40
0
40
0
40

No Trip
Trip
No Trip
Trip
No Trip
No Trip
No Trip

TABLE IV. TRIP DECISION RESULTS (WITH CORRECTION)

Fault location
[km]

Fault resistance
[]

-3 (zone 5)
+5

(zone 1)

+10.2 (zone 1)
+12 (zone 2)

Distance
algorithm

No Trip

40
0
40
0
40
0
40

No Trip
Trip
Trip
Trip
Trip
No Trip
No Trip

TABLE V. RESISTANCE ESTIMATION

Fault location
[km]

-3 (zone 5)
+5 (zone 1)
+10.2 (zone 1)

Fault
resistance
[]
0
40
0
40
0

Actual
value
[]

Distance
algorithm

-0.473

-0.473
-0.821
0.789
0.826
1.609

0.789
1.609

40
+12 (zone 2)

0
40

1.615
1.893

1.893
1.898

TABLE VI. REACTANCE ESTIMATION

Fault
[km]

location

-3 (zone 5)

Fault
resistance
[]

Actual
value
[]

Distance
algorithm

-1.181

+5 (zone 1)

0
40
0

1.968

-1.181
-2.048
1.968

+10.2 (zone 1)

40
0

4.014

2.060
4.014

4.723

4.723

40
+12 (zone 2)

0
40

976

4.027
4.734

underreach of the distance protection can be prevented.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was co-funded by the European Social Fund
through the Operational Programme Human Resources
Development
2007-2013
(Contract
number
POSDRU/159/1.5/S/132395).
VI. REFERENCES
[1]

Fig. 6. Impedance estimation error.

V. CONCLUSIONS

[2]

For a phase to phase shortcircuit on one circuit of a double

circuit transmission line the resistance coverage of both MHO
and quadrilateral elements does not remain constant and will
vary with SIR, line impedance, with the distance to the fault
and line loading. Assuming that the fault resistance is a
random and an unknown value there is a very low probability
to create a characteristic that would provide proper operation
on the relay in any fault condition/system condition. Phase to
phase faults on one circuit of a double circuit transmission line
with high fault resistance influence the fault-loop impedance.
According to the pre-fault current direction the reactance part
of the R f may be positive or negative. The total fault loop -

[3]
[4]

[5]
[6]

[7]

impedance becomes either decreased or increased, and may

fall in the tripping zone for some external faults or out of the
zone for some faults requiring fast tripping. Under these
conditions, an accurate digital distance protection algorithm
immune to the reactance effect is approached in the paper.
In the technique, the deviation angle is calculated and
used for changing the position of the distance characteristic on
R-X plane. Using the ratio of the positive sequence current at
the local end of the faulted circuit to the positive sequence
fault current at the fault point it can be estimated the unknown
current I f .

[8]

[9]

[10]
[11]
[12]

The distance relay tripping decision is significantly

improved for clearance of the close and high impedance
faults. Compared to the conventional nonadaptive decision
logic, the algorithm provides higher security for phase to
phase faults occurring at the transmission line boundary.
The research results show that using only local signals, the
protection trips correctly the circuit breaker, even in the
presence of high fault resistance up to 40 ohm. The errors
generated are up to 5%, especially for phase to phase
shortcircuits occurring near the local relay. Basically, the
distance protection that uses a correction algorithm, is not
affected by the reactance effect.
This article emphasizes that by implementing a correction
algorithm in a modern micro-processor relay, the coordination,
reliability and selectivity of the power system protection can
be improved. Also, the phenomena of overreach and

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]
[18]

977

Nicoleta Arghira, Doina Ilisiu, Ioana Fagarasan, Sergiu Stelian Iliescu,

Aspects Regarding Integration of wind power plants into the power
system, Proceedings of the 9th WSEAS International Conference on
POWER SYSTEMS, pp. 127-131, 2009.
Felicia Lazar, Gregory Huon, Flexible grids protection schemes in
ELIA vision: from traditional to intelligent ones, Power and Energy
Society General Meeting , San Diego, CA , pp. 1-9, 2012.
G. Ziegler, Numerical Distance Protection, 3rd ed., Munich And
Erlangen, Germany, 2008, pp.21-24.
Q. H.Wu, Z.Lu, T.Y.Ji, Protective Relaying of Power Systems Using
Mathematical Morphology, UK, The University of Liverpool, 2008,
pp.78-87.
Y.G.Paithankar, S.R. Bhide, Fundamentals of Power System Protection,
New Delhi, India, 2003, pp.5-8.
Yong-Jin Ahn, Sang-Hee Kang, Seung-Jae Lee, Yong-Cheol Kang, An
Adaptive Distance Relaying Algorithm Immune to Reactance Effect for
Double-Circuit Transmission Line, Power Engineering Society
Summer Meeting, vol.1, pp. 599-604, 2001.
Yong-Jin Ahn, Sang-Hee Kang, Myong-Song Choi, An Accurate Fault
Location Algorithm for Double-Circuit Transmission Systems, IEEE
PES SM, vol.3, pp. 1344-1349, 2000.
W.D. Breingan, M.M. Chen, T. F. Gallen, The Laboratory Investigation
of a Digital System for the Protection of Transmission Lines, IEEE
Trans, on PAS, vol. PAS-98 , pp. 350-357, Mar./Apr. 1979.
Zhang Zhizhe, Chen Deshu, An Adaptive Approach in Digital
Distance Protection, IEEE Trans, on Power Delivery, vol. 6, pp. 135142, Jan. 1991.
A. Wiszniewski, Ph. D., D. Sc., Acurate fault impedance locating
algorithm, IEE Proceedings C, vol. 130 , pp. 311-314, Nov. 1983.
IEEE Tutorial Course, Advancements in Microprocessor Based
Protection and Communication, IEEE, pp. 63-65, 1997.
R. K. Aggarwal, D. V. Cury, A.T. Johns, A. Kalam, A Practical
Approach to Accurate Fault Location on Extra High Vltage Teed
Feeders, IEEE Trans. on Power Delivery, vol. 8, pp. 874-883,
Jul.1993.
A. T. Johns, S. Jamali, Accurate Fault Location Techniques for Power
Transmission Lines, IEEE Proceedings, vol. 137, pp. 395-402,
Nov.1990.
Sang-Hee Kang, Jong-Keun Park, Nam-Ho Kim, A New Digital
Distance Relaying Based on the Fast Haar Transformation Using a Half
cycle Offset Free Signals, Trans. of the IEE of Japan, vol. 114, pp.
601-608, Jun.1994.
Yong-Jin Ahn., Myeon-Song Choi, Sang-Hee Kang, Seung-Jae Lee,
An accurate fault location algorithm for double-circuit transmission
system, IEEE PES SM. , vol. 3, pp. 1344-1349, Jul. 2000.
Working Group 04 of Study Committee 34 (Protection), Application
Guide on Transmission Network Configurations, CIGRE, 21 rue
dArtois, Paris, 1991, pp. 14-22.
J.Lewis Blackburn, Symmetrical Components for Power System
Engineering, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1993, pp.214-218.
Bogdan Kasztenny and Normann Fisher -SEL, Advanced Protection,
Automation, and Control Functions, Pullman -USA, 2010, pp.1-10.