Application of fractal theory in detecting low current faults of power distribution system in coal mines

Single-phase low current grounding faults areoften seen in power distribution system of coal mines.These faults are difficult to reliably identify.We propose a new method of single-phase ground fault protection based upon a discernible matrix of the fractal dimension associated with line currents.The method builds on existing selective protection methods.Faulted feeders are distinguished using differences in the zero-sequence transient current fractal dimension.The current signals were first processed through a fast Fourier transform and then the characteristics of a faulted line were identified using a discernible matrix.The method of calculation is illustrated.The results show that the method involves simple calculations, is easy to do and is highly accurate.It is, therefore, suitable for distribution networks having different neutral grounding modes.

Study of the Fast-Closing Switch Used for Fault Current Limiters in Power System

This paper presents a new type of fault current limiter (FCL) based on fast closing switch, which is composed of a capacitor bank and a reactor in series. The main control component is a fast closing switch connected in parallel with the capacitors, which is driven by the electromagnetic repulsion force. It can response the order within 1 ms. When fault occurs, the switch closes and the capacitors are bypassed, and the fault current is limited by the reactor. Simulation analysis and experiment show that the electromagnetic repulsion force actuator can meet the demand of fast closing switch, it is feasible to develop the FCL with low cost and high reliability.

A Fault Current Limiting Hybrid DC Circuit Breaker

Due to the low impedance characteristic of the high voltage direct current(HVDC)grid,the fault current rises extremely fast after a DC-side fault occurs,and this phenomenon seriously endangers the safety of the HVDC grid.In order to suppress the rising speed of the fault current and reduce the current interruption requirements of the main breaker(MB),a fault current limiting hybrid DC circuit breaker(FCL-HCB)has been proposed in this paper,and it has the capability of bidirectional fault current limiting and fault current interruption.After the occurrence of the overcurrent in the HVDC grid,the current limiting circuit(CLC)of FCL-HCB is put into operation immediately,and whether the protected line is cut off or resumed to normal operation is decided according to the fault detection result.Compared with the traditional hybrid DC circuit breaker(HCB),the required number of semiconductor switches and the peak value of fault current after fault occurs are greatly reduced by adopting the proposed device.Extensive simulations also verify the effectiveness of the proposed FCL-HCB.

A novel fault current limiter topology design based on liquid metal current limiter

The liquid metal current limiter(LMCL)is regarded as a viable solution for reducing the fault current in a power grid.But demonstrating the liquid metal arc plasma self-pinching process of the resistive wall,and reducing the erosion of the LMCL are challenging,not only theoretically,but also practically.In this work,a novel LMCL is designed with a resistive wall that can be connected to the current-limiting circuit inside the cavity.Specifically,a novel fault current limiter(FCL)topology is put forward where the novel LMCL is combined with a fast switch and current-limiting reactor.Further,the liquid metal self-pinch effect is modeled mathematically in three dimensions,and the gas-liquid two-phase dynamic diagrams under different short-circuit currents are obtained by simulation.The simulation results indicate that with the increase of current,the time for the liquid metal-free surface to begin depressing is reduced,and the position of the depression also changes.Different kinds of bubbles formed by the depressions gradually extend,squeeze,and break.With the increase of current,the liquid metal takes less time to break,but breaks still occur at the edge of the channel,forming arc plasma.Finally,relevant experiments are conducted for the novel FCL topology.The arcing process and current transfer process are analyzed in particular.Comparisons of the peak arc voltage,arcing time,current limiting efficiency,and electrode erosion are presented.The results demonstrate that the arc voltage of the novel FCL topology is reduced by more than 4.5times and the arcing time is reduced by more than 12%.The erosions of the liquid metal and electrodes are reduced.Moreover,the current limiting efficiency of the novel FCL topology is improved by 1%–5%.This work lays a foundation for the topology and optimal design of the LMCL.

Hybrid Operation of Fault Current Limiter and Thyristor Controlled Braking Resistor

The effectiveness of a combination of fault current limiter and thyristor controlled braking resistor on power system stability enhancement and damping turbine shaft torsional oscillations has been studied. If both devices operate at the same bus, the stabilization control scheme can be carried out continuously and with flexibility. As a result, the fault currents are limited, and the generator disturbances and the turbine shaft torsional oscillations are converged quickly. In this paper, the effectiveness of the combination of both devices has been demonstrated by considering 3LG （three-lines-to-ground） fault in a two-machine infinite bus system. Also, temperature rise effect of both devices with various resistance values and weights has been demonstrated. Simulation results indicate a significant power system stability enhancement and damping turbine shaft torsional oscillations as well as with allowable temperature rise.

Application of Atomic Sparse Decomposition to Feature Extraction of the Fault Signal in Small Current Grounding System

Applying the atomic sparse decomposition in the distribution network with harmonics and small current grounding to decompose the transient zero sequence current that appears after the single phase to ground fault occurred. Based on dictionary of Gabor atoms and matching pursuit algorithm, the method extracts the atomic components iteratively from the feature signals and translated them to damped sinusoidal components. Then we can obtain the parametrical and analytical representation of atomic components. The termination condition of decomposing iteration is determined by the threshold of the initial residual energy with the purpose of extract the features more effectively. Accordingly, the proposed method can extract the starting and ending moment of disturbances precisely as well as their magnitudes, frequencies and other features. The numerical examples demonstrate its effectiveness.

Placement optimization of Multi-Type fault current limiters based on genetic algorithm

The fault current limiter(FCL)is an effective measure for improving system stability and suppressing short-circuit fault current.Because of space and economic costs,the optimum placement of FCLs is vital in industrial applications.In this study,two objectives with the same dimensional measurement unit,namely,the total capital investment cost of FCLs and circuit breaker loss related to short-circuit currents,are considered.The circuit breaker loss model is developed based on the attenuation rule of the circuit breaker service life.The circuit breaker loss is used to quantify the current-limiting effect to avoid the problem of weight selection in a multi-objective problem.The IEEE 10-generator 39-bus system in New England is used to evaluate the performance of the proposed genetic algorithm(GA)method.Comparative and sensitivity analyses are performed.The results of the optimized plan are validated through simulations,indicating the significant potential of the GA for such optimization.

Current Limiting Characteristic Analysis of Magnetic-controlled Switcher Type Fault Current Limiter

A novel magnetic-controlled switcher type fault current limiter (FCL) based on the topology of the saturated iron core high temperature superconducting FCL is proposed. The magnetic field distribution of the FCL iron core is analyzed by FEA software ANSYS. The current limiting characteristic is investigated by both 3-D field-circuit coupled simulation and Matlab. The experiments on the 220 V/50 A test model show that the FCL can limit the fault current swiftly and effectively,and the FCL has the advantages of simple and reliable structure, flexible control strategy. The simulation and experimental results prove that the theoretical expectation and current limiting performance is satisfactory for practical use.

Mitigation of Distributed Generation Impact on Protective Devices in a Distribution Network by Superconducting Fault Current Limiter

Protection of radial distribution networks is widely based on coordinated inverse time overcurrent relays (OCRs) ensuring both effectiveness and selectivity. However, the integration of distributed generation (DG) into an existing distribution network not only inevitably increases fault current levels to levels that may exceed the OCR ratings, but it may also disturb the original overcurrent relay coordination adversely effecting protection selectivity. To analyze the potentially adverse impact of DG on distribution system protective devices with respect to circuit breaker ratings and OCR coordination fault current studies are carried out for common reference test system under the influence of additional DG. The possible advantages of Superconducting Fault Current Limiter (SFCL) as a means to limit the adverse effect of DG on distribution system protection and their effectiveness will be demonstrated. Furthermore, minimum SFCL impedances required to avoid miss-operation of the primary and back-up OCRs are determined. The theoretical analysis will be validated using the IEEE 13-bus distribution test system is used. Both theoretical and simulation results indicate that the proposed application of SFCL is a viable option to effectively mitigate the DG impact on protective devices, thus enhancing the reliability of distribution network interfaced with DG.

A fault identification based on the parameter variation of apparent current

A new fault identification method, which is called the apparent current method, based on the parameter variation of apparent current is proposed after the analysis of the limitations of the fault interpretation method for the wide field electromagnetic data in the non-seismic exploration for oil and gas exploration. This method takes the study of the wide field electromagnetic theory and the mechanism of the fault generation, this method takes the wide field electromagnetic data as the research object, and establishes the connection between the geoelectric section and the virtual equivalent circuit, and then uses the virtual equivalent circuit as the carrier, and applies the theoretical equation of the apparent current, and combines the geological background of the study area to achieve scientific inference for location of fault in wide field electromagnetic exploration data. Theoretical model tests and the application of practical data proved that the location of underground fault can be accurately deduced by the trend of apparent current in underground space, reducing the multiple interpretations of electromagnetic data interpretation. At the same time, it also verified the correctness of the theory of apparent current and the feasibility of the method of apparent current.

Testing and Analysis of Induction Motor Electrical Faults Using Current Signature Analysis

The proposed method deals with the emerging technique called as Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) to diagnosis the stator faults of Induction Motors. The performance of the proposed method deals with the emerging technique called as Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) and the Zero-Sequence Voltage Component (ZSVC) to diagnose the stator faults of Induction Motors. The unalleviated study of the robustness of the industrial appliances is obligatory to verdict the fault of the machines at precipitate stages and thwart the machine from brutal damage. For all kinds of industry, a machine failure escorts to a diminution in production and cost increases. The Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) is referred as the most predominant way to diagnose the faults of electrical machines. Since the detailed analysis of the current spectrum, the method will portray the typical fault state. This paper aims to present dissimilar stator faults which are classified under electrical faults using MCSA and the comparison of simulation and hardware results. The magnitude of these fault harmonics analyzes in detail by means of Finite-Element Method (FEM). The anticipated method can effectively perceive the trivial changes too during the operation of the motor and it shows in the results.

Appropriate Placement of Fault Current Limiting Reactors in Different HV Substation Arrangements

Short circuit currents of power systems are growing with an increasing rate, due to the fast development of generation and transmission systems. Current Limiting Reactor is one of the effective short circuit current limiting devices. This technique is known to be more practical than other available approaches. In this paper, proper application of CLR to HV substations is proposed, based on a comprehensive short circuit analysis of 4 well-known substation bus bar arrangements. Eventually, appropriate place and number of CLRs is recommended for each bus bar arrangement.

Fault current Characterization Based on Fuzzy Algorithm for DOCR Application

Penetration of distribution generation (DG) into power system might disturb the existing fault diagnosis system. The detection of fault, fault classification, and random changes of direction of fault current cannot always be monitored and determined via on-line by conventional fault diagnosis system due to DG penetration. In this paper, a fault current characterization which based on fuzzy logic algorithm (FLA) is proposed. Fault detection, fault classification, and fault current direction are extracted after processing the measurement result of three-phase line current. The ability of fault current characterization based on FLA is reflected in directional overcurrent relay (DOCR) model. The proposed DOCR model has been validated in microgrid test system simulation in Matlab environment. The simulation result showed accurate result for different fault location and type. The proposed DOCR model can operate as common protection device (PD) unit as well as unit to improve the effectiveness of existing fault diagnosis system when DG is present.

Research on a Fast-Closing Switch Based Fault Current Limiter with Series Compensation

A new type of fault current limiter (FCL) with series compensation based fast-closing switch is proposed. It is composed of a capacitor bank and a reactor in series. The main control component is a fast-closing switch connected in parallel with the capacitors, which is driven by the electromagnetic repulsion force. When fault occurs, the switch closes and bypasses the capacitors, and the fault is limited by the reactor then. Simulated analysis and experiments show that it is feasible to develop the FCL with low cost and high reliability. The effectiveness of transient stability for power system is evaluated by digital simulation.

Enhancement of Transient Stability of the Nigeria 330 kV Transmission Network Using Fault Current Limiter

The dynamic responses of generators when subjected to disturbances in an interconnected power system have become a major challenge to power utility companies due to increasing stress on the power network. Since the occurrence of a disturbance or fault cannot be completely avoided, hence, when it occurs, control measures need to be put in place to limit the fault current, which invariably limit the level of the disturbances. This paper explores the use of Superconductor Fault Current Limiter (SFCL) to improve the transient stability of the Nigeria 330 kV Transmission Network. During a large disturbance, the rotor angle of the generator is enhanced by connecting a Fault Current Limiter (FCL) which reduces the fault current and hence, increases transient stability of the power network. In this study, the most affected generator was taken into consideration in locating the SFCL. The result obtained reveals that the Swing Curve of the generator without FCL increases monotonically which indicates instability, while the Swing Curve of the System with FCL reaches steady state.

Fault Identification of Power Grid Based on Wide-Area Differential Current and K-Means Clustering

A new method of fault domain identification is proposed based on K-means clustering analysis theories using the wide-area information of power grid. In the method, the node Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) associated domain is defined, and the relationship of positive sequence current fault component for the association domain boundaries is sought, then the conception of positive sequence fault component differential current for node IED association domains is introduced. The information of the positive sequence fault component differential current gathered by node IEDs is selected as the object of K-means clustering. The node IEDs of fault associated domains can be classified into one category, and the node IEDs of non-fault associated domains are classified into another category. With the fault area minimum principle, the group of node IEDs about fault associated domains can be obtained. The overlap of fault associated domains for different nodes is the fault area. A large number of simulations show that the algorithm proposed can identify fault domains with high accuracy and no influence by the operating mode of the system and topological changes.

Fault Current Limiters and Impacts on the System Protection Behavior

A deregulated power market is making short-circuit currents likely to exceed the thermal or mechanical permissible limits of switchgear. Consequently fault current limiters （FCL） become more necessary in power systems. The use of FCLs has an impact on the protection schemes and functions in power systems. Thus, before FCLs can be applied in the network, the impacts on existing protection system must be understood. Depending on the current limiting technique used, today＇s protection concepts may have to be adapted or revised to ensure proper network protection selectivity. A relationship between fault current limiters and protection schemes should be established by taking into account both protection and network specific issues, such as the impact of different FCL technologies, existing and new protection concepts, selectivity and innovative network. This paper is presenting a frame work for accomplishing this task.

Research on Parameter Collaborative Configuration of DC Circuit Breaker and DC Fault Current Limiter

Fault current suppression is the key technology to ensure the safe operation of the DC power distribution system. In order to realize the parameter collabora-tive configuration of the DC circuit breaker and the DC current limiter and improve the fault current suppression capability, the fault current suppression mechanism of the DC power distribution system is revealed based on the circuit model. Then, based on the mathematical model of the DC breaker, the characteristic parameters of DC breaking are extracted, and then the influence of different characteristic parameters on the breaking characteristics of fault current is studied. Finally, the mathematical model of the collaborative process between DC circuit breaker and DC current limiter is established. The charac-teristic parameters of fault current collaborative suppression are extracted. The coupling effects of different characteristic parameters on the fault current col-laborative suppression are studied. The principle of collaborative configuration of DC circuit breaker and DC current limiter is proposed, and the collaborative suppression ability of DC circuit breaker and DC current limiter to fault current is fully exploited to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the DC power distribution system.

Directional Overcurrent Relays Coordination Restoration by Reducing Minimum Fault Current Limiter Impedance

FCL （fault current limiter） is used to solve relays miscoordination problem arises from DG （distributed generation） installation. In most published researches, different optimization methods are developed to obtain optimal relay settings to achieve coordination in case of not installing DG, then depending on the achieved optimal obtained relay settings, FCL impedance is deduced to ensure relays coordination restoration in case of installing DG. Based on original optimal relay settings, obtained FCL impedance is not the minimum one required to achieve relay coordination. The contribution of this paper is the generation of multi sets of original relay settings that increase the possibility of finding FCL impedance of minimum value which is lower than the calculated value based on original optimal relay settings. The proposed method achieves better economic target by reducing FCL impedance. The proposed approach is implemented and tested on IEEE-39 bus test system.