Single-phased Fault Location on Transmission Lines Using Unsynchronized Voltages

The increased accuracy into the fault’s detection and location makes it easier for maintenance, this being the reason to develop new possibilities for a precise estimation of the fault location. In the field literature, many methods for fault location using voltages and currents measurements at one or both terminals of power grids’ lines are presented. The double-end synchronized data algorithms are very precise, but the current transformers can limit the accuracy of these estimations. The paper presents an algorithm to estimate the location of the single-phased faults which uses only voltage measurements at both terminals of the transmission lines by eliminating the error due to current transformers and without introducing the restriction of perfect data synchronization. In such conditions, the algorithm can be used with the actual equipment of the most power grids, the installation of phasor measurement units with GPS system synchronized timer not being compulsory. Only the positive sequence of line parameters and sources are used, thus, eliminating the incertitude in zero sequence parameter estimation. The algorithm is tested using the results of EMTP-ATP simulations, after the validation of the ATP models on the basis of registered results in a real power grid.