Directional relays without voltage sensors for distribution networks

• Published in: IET generation, transmission & distribution transmission & distribution, 2014-12, Vol.8 (12), p.2074-2082
• Main Authors: Le, Trung Dung, Petit, Marc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Classifiers; Computer simulation; current measurements; directional relays; distributed generation; distributed power generation; electric current measurement; Electric power; Engineering Sciences; fault direction; Fault location; Faults; high‐impedance faults; line‐to‐ground faults; line‐to‐line faults; measurement errors; network reconfiguration; Networks; power distribution faults; power distribution protection; Radial distribution; radial distribution networks; relay protection; support vector machine classifier; support vector machines; Voltage; voltage sensors
• ISSN: 1751-8687; 1751-8695; 1751-8695
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-gtd.2014.0308

In this study, algorithms for directional relays using only current measurements are presented. Developed for radial distribution networks, these algorithms will determine fault direction based on ratios between variations of sequence currents during and before faults: ΔI2/ΔI0 ratio for line-to-ground faults and the ΔI2/ΔI1 ratio for line-to-line faults. The ratios are used as input of a support vector machine classifier, which was trained beforehand thanks to simulation tools. The classifier classifies ratios into two categories, according to the fault location: upstream or downstream towards the relay. Test results from simulations show good performances of the algorithms in most cases, with the presence of different distributed generation technologies. Moreover, impact of certain factors on algorithms, such as measurement errors, high-impedance faults or network reconfiguration, is studied. Finally, the implementation of algorithms is also discussed.