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A MATLAB Approach for Fault Location on Power System Transmission Line

Using Traveling Wave Method

Article · January 2019

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 © SEP 2019 | IRE Journals | Volume 3 Issue 3 | ISSN: 2456-8880

A MATLAB Approach for Fault Location on Power

System Transmission Line Using Traveling Wave Method
V. C. OGBOH1, E. A. EZEAKUDO2, E. A. ANAZIA3
1,2,3
Department of Electrical of Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. Anambra State Nigeria

Abstract - Traveling waves is generated on power system II. METHODOLOGY

transmission line due to the constant propagation of
electrical voltage and current in both directions of the line. A. Transmission line Equation
Faults on power system transmission line was detected and
located using a fault distance location system modeled The general transmission line equation called
using MATLAB 2016. The model was simulated with the Telegraph equation was formulated by Oliver
transmission line parameters. Also phase A – G fault was Heaviside between 1850 and 1925. The equation was
simulated. The result show that, the phase A – G fault used for the first time to investigate the disturbance on
occurred at a distance point of 40km with a fault current of
the telegraph wires [1][2].
0.48pu (figure 9) and 0.085pu (figure 10) corresponding
with the fault distance and higher than the fault current of
Assuming the line segment of dx with parameters of
the line when the fault has not occurred.
line resistance (R), conductance (G), inductance (L)
and capacitance (C), all in per unit length, the line
Indexed Terms: MATLAB / Simulink, Travelling wave, constants for the segments becomes Rdx, Gdx, Ldx
transmission line and Cdx. The electric flux φ and magnetic flux ∅
created by the electromagnetic wave on the line which
I. INTRODUCTION causes instantaneous voltage u(x, t) and current i(x, t)
are given as;
Considering the components of an electrical power
system which are generation, transmission and dφ (t) = u(x, t)Cdx 1
distribution units, there is need for growth in the
d∅ (t) = i(x, t)Ldx 2
capacity of each units. This is because, the demand of
electric power is also growing very faster every day. The voltage drop in the positive direction of distance
dx from x can be obtained as;
This growth has resulted to the building of very
complex power system networks which in normal u(x, t) − u(x + dx, t) = −du(x, t) 3
condition operates under steady states. But due to
certain natural, artificial, temporal and permanent ∂u(x,t) ∂
= dx = (R + L ) i(x, t) 4
∂x ∂t
disturbances which occurs in the power system causes
severe or less-severe damages to the network. These Eliminating dx, we have
disturbances are regarded as faults which can be
categorized as balanced and unbalanced faults. ∂u(x,t) ∂i(x,t)
= −L − Ri(x, t) 5
∂x ∂t

Whenever these faults occur on the network, they

The current flowing through the conductor and
always result to inflow of large amount of current and
charging the capacitor C can be obtained using;
reduction in voltage of the power system network
component. The large of current is cable of causing i(x, t) − i(x + dx, t) = −di(x, t) 6
severe or permanent damage to the network
equipment. These currents can be interrupted ∂i(x,t)
= dx 7
∂x
promptly, minimized controllably or eliminated
completely by using sophisticated protection ∂
= (G + C ) u(x, t)dx 8
equipment. ∂t

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∂i(x,t) ∂i(x,t)
= −C − Gu(x, t) 9
∂x ∂x

These negative signs in the equation above are caused

due decrease in amplitude of current and voltage
waves which propagates in the positive x – direction
and later increase x[1].

∂L(x,t)
Z=R+ 10
∂t

∂C(x,t)
Y=G+ 11 Figure 1: Single phase transmission line model
∂t

However, substituting equations 10 and 11 into the B. The Lossless Line

above equations 5 and 8 respectively and take the
Considering the propagation of traveling waves of
derivatives with respect to x, we will obtain that,
voltage and current on a single – phase transmission
∂2 i(x,t) ∂u(x,t) line, the series resistance R and the parallel
= −Y = YZi(x, t) 12
∂x2 ∂t conductance, G are zero while the inductance and
capacitance are constants. Therefore, the transmission
= γ2 i(x, t) 13
line equations becomes;
∂2 u(x,t) ∂i(x,t)
= −Z = YZu(x, t) 14 ∂u
= −L
∂i
18
∂x2 ∂t
∂x ∂t

= γ2 u(x, t) 15 ∂i ∂u
= −C 19
∂x ∂t
Thus, figure 1 shows the representation of the above
transmission line traveling wave parameters. More so, the traveling wave propagation is steady state
and not damping, therefore;
Giving that
u = Z0 i 20
γ = √ZY α + jβ 16
And equations 18 and 19 becomes;
Where γ is called a complex quantity known as
∂i ∂i
propagation constant. Z0 = −L 21
∂x ∂t

Also, α is called the attenuation constant which ∂i

= Z0 C
∂i
22
∂x ∂t
influences the amplitude of the traveling wave.
Dividing equation 21 by 22, we have that,
β is called the phase constant which influences the
phase shift of the traveling wave[2]. L
Z0 = √ 23
C
Characteristic impedance of the line can be obtained
using; Z0 is called the characteristic impedance of the lossless
line.
∂
R+L
∂t
Z= √ ∂ 17 This impedance helps the current and voltage wave to
G+C
∂t
travel through the line without changing their wave
shapes [2][3].

Thus, the traveling wave equation of lossless line is

given by;

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 © SEP 2019 | IRE Journals | Volume 3 Issue 3 | ISSN: 2456-8880

∂2 u
= LCu 24
∂x2

From the above equation of lossless line, we can obtain

the traveling wave propagation speed v from the
voltage and current equations given below;
x x
u(x, t) = A1 (t)ev + A2 (t)e−v 25
x x
1
i(x, t) = − (A1 (t)ev + A2 (t)e−v ) 26
Z0

1
v= 27
√LC

Equation 27 is called traveling wave propagation

speed or velocity for forward (ef and if ) and reversed
(er and ir ) waves. Where e and i are voltage and
current waves on the line [2] [3]. Figure3: Matlab/Simulink Model of 132KV
Onitsha – Awka – Enugu Transmission Line/
Travelling Wave Fault Location Distance

Figure 3 is the 132KV, 96Km power system

transmission line of Onitsha – Awka – Enugu modeled
with Matlab/Simulink 2016.

Figure 2: Travelling voltage and current wave ends

Where Ka and Kb are reflection coefficients which can

be determined using the characteristic impedance
ratios at the termination points.

τa and τb represents the traveling wave time from the

fault point to the termination points of the waves. They
can be obtained using the length l of the line and the
distance x.

The distance of the fault point can be located or

obtained using;
Figure 4: Matlab/Simulink Distance fault
l−c (τa − τb )
x= 28 location computing system
2

C = 299.79m/secs and is called the wave propagation Va1, Vb1, Vc1, Ia1, Ib1, and Ic1 are the voltage and current
speed of three phases of the transmission line which are used
as inputs signals of the Distance Fault Location
System of figure 4.

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When fault occurs on the transmission line, the voltage wave fault location distance equation shown on
of faulted line suddenly reduces to a low value and the section 3 as equation…
current on that line will largely increase. This sudden
change produces a high frequency electromagnetic
impulse called traveling wave (TW) [2] [3].

These traveling waves propagates away from the point

of fault in both directions at the speed almost equal to
the speed of light. The fault point can be located by
picking the fault current and voltage signals filter them
or use them without filtering as inputs of the traveling
wave mathematical Matlab/Simulink model built for
the location of fault on the Onitsha – Awka – Enugu
transmission line [2] [3] [4] [5].

The transmission line modeled with Matlab/Simulink Figure 5: No fault Voltage waveform
2016 representing Onitsha – Awka – Enugu
transmission line is shown on figure 3. This
transmission line is modeled using the line parameters.

Also, the traveling wave fault locating system was

modeled using the same Matlab/Simulink 2016 and is
shown on figure 4.

Thus, when the traveling wave fault location system is

simulated it shows the location of the fault (fault
distance) on the line from the sending end with respect
to the time of arrival of the traveling wave in the two
ends of the transmission line [2] [3] [4] [5].

Figure 6: No fault Current Waveform

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The above Onitsha – Awka – Enugu transmission line

parameters were used to model and simulate the
Matlab/Simulink 2016 modeled transmission line.
Below are the simulation results.

Figures 5 and 6 are the voltage and current waveform

obtained when the modeled transmission line is at no
fault condition. Figure 7 is output waveform of the
distance location Matlab/Simulink block diagram built
using travelling wave fault location distance equation
shown on section 3 as equation…

Also, figures 8 and 9 are the voltage and current

waveform obtained when the modeled transmission Figure 7: No fault Location Distance on 132KV
line is on phase A – G fault condition. Figure 10 is 96Km Onitsha – Awka – Enugu Transmission Line
output waveform of the distance location
Matlab/Simulink block diagram built using travelling

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Table 1: Per Unit No fault phase voltage and current

values

S/No Phase Voltage Current( Location

(Pu) Pu) Distance
(Km)
1 A 1.18 0.06 -
2 B 1.18 0.06 -
3 C 1.18 0.06 -

Table 2: Per Unit Phase A – G fault voltage and current

values

Figure 8: 132KV 96Km Onitsha – Awka – Enugu S/No Phase Voltage Current( Location
Transmission Line Phase A – G fault (Pu) Pu) Distance
Voltage Waveform. [6] (Km)
1 A 0.18 0.48 40
2 B 0.48 0.17 -
3 C 1.48 0.15 -

Table 1 is a representation of distance location, voltage

and current values obtained at No fault and faulty
conditions of the said transmission line respectively.

From table 1, the phase values of three phases are the

same meaning that there is no fault on the line as seen
on figures 3 and 4. While on table 2, the phase values
of three phases are the different which means that there
is fault on the line as seen on figures 6 and 7. Also, on
Figure 9: 132KV 96Km Onitsha – Awka – Enugu
the same table 2, the distance location of fault point at
Transmission Line Phase A – G fault
40Km was shown and the phase A current is higher
Current Waveform. [6]
than other phase currents. This corresponds to the
40Km phase A – G fault distance located on the
transmission line and shown on figure 9 and 10.

IV. CONCLUSSION

This paper has been able to illustrate one of the ways

fault occurred on the transmission line can be detected
and located using a fault locating distance system
modeled using MATLAB 2016 (Figure 4).

REFERENCES

[1] Harjinder S. S. ’’High Speed Digital

Figure 10: Fault Location Distance on the 132KV Protection of EHV Transmission Line using
96Km Onitsha – Awka – Enugu Transmission line Traveling Wave’’. Electrical Engineering
Department, University of Saskatchewan,

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 © SEP 2019 | IRE Journals | Volume 3 Issue 3 | ISSN: 2456-8880

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada. April,

2004.
[2] Abdelsalem M. E. ‘’Power Transmission
Line Fault Location Based on Current
Traveling Wave’’. Department of Electrical
Engineering, Helsinki University of
Technology, 2008.
[3] Baseer M. A., (2013), ‘Travelling waves for
finding the fault location in transmission
lines’, Journal Electrical and Electronic
Engineering, 2013; 1(1): 1-19, published
online April 2, 2013.
[4] Lopes F. V., Fernandes D., Neves W. L. A.,
(2011), ‘Fault Location on Transmission
Lines Based on Travelling Waves’,
International Conference on Power Systems
Transients (IPST2011) in Delft, the
Netherlands June 14-17, 2011
[5] Harjinder S. S., Deshpande S. A., Grishma
S. S., (2011), ‘Transmission Line Protection
based on traveling Waves’, WSEAS
Transactions on Circuits and Systems, Issue
12, Volume 10, December 2011, ISSN:
1109-2734

IRE 1701610 ICONIC RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING JOURNALS 46

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