UNSYMETRICAL POWER FAULTS

OBJECTIVES:

 To Simulate and analyse the effect of fault location on the fault current and bus voltages.
 To Simulate and analyse the effect of type of fault on the fault current and bus voltages
 To Simulate and analyse the effect of transformer winding connection on the fault current and
bus voltages.

Theory

A fault is any abnormal condition in a power system. The steady state operating mode of a power
system is balanced 3-phase AC. When the insulation of the system fails at one or more points or a
conducting object comes into contact with a live point, a short circuit or a fault occurs.

Some of the causes of power system faults include;

 Lightning
 Heavy winds
 Trees falling across lines
 Vehicles colliding with towers or poles
 Birds shorting lines
 Aircraft colliding with lines ·
 Vandalism
 Small animals entering switchgear
 Line breaks due to excessive loading

Any set of unbalanced 3-phase voltages (or current) can be transformed into 3 balanced sets.

1. A positive sequence set of three symmetrical voltages (i.e. all numerically equal and all displaced
from each other by 120) having the same phase sequence abc as the original set and denoted by
Va1,Vb1,Vc1 as shown below.
2.A negative sequence set of three symmetrical voltages having the phase sequence opposite to that of
the original set and denoted by Va2, Vb2, Vc2 as shown below.

3.A zero sequence set of three voltages, all equal in magnitude and in phase with each other and
denoted by Va0, Vb0, Vc0 as shown below

An unsymmetrical fault is a fault that affects one or two phases of a three-phase system. Unsymmetrical

faults are analyzed by use of symmetrical components. When an unsymmetrical fault occurs in an
otherwise balanced system, the sequence networks are interconnected only at the fault location.
As such the computation of fault currents is greatly simplified by the use of sequence networks.

Types of Unsymmetrical faults are:

 Single Line–to–Ground (L-G) Fault

The single line-to-ground fault on a transmission line happens when one conductor
accidentally falls to the ground or comes in contact with the neutral conductor.
Causes of single to line ground can be high-speed wind, falling off a tree or lightning.

If a single line to ground fault occurs on phase-a as shown below

The boundary conditions are Va,Ib,Ic=0
The fault current If=Ia

3 Ea
If¿ Ia=3 Ia 1=
z 0+ z 1+ z 2
The sequence network are given by
Va0= -Ia0Z0
Va1=Ea-Ia1Z1
Va2= -Ia2Z2
The equivalent circuit of generator during a single-line to ground fault is as shown below
  Line–to–Line (L-L) Fault

Line to line fault happens when two phases of the three phase line accidentally connected each other.
An unsymmetrical fault is a fault that affects one or two phases of a three-phase system. Unsymmetrical

faults are analyzed by use of symmetrical components. When an unsymmetrical fault occurs in an
otherwise balanced system, the sequence networks are interconnected only at the fault location.
As such the computation of fault currents is greatly simplified by the use of sequence networks.

Ea
Ia 1=
z 1+ z 2

The fault current

If=Ib= -Ic

Va1=Va2

Va0=0

The equivalent circuit of generator during Line-Line fault with fault impedance is as shown below
  Double Line–to–Ground (L-L-G)Fault and
 Occurs between two phases along with the earth at the same time. In double line to ground there is
symmetry with respect to the principal phase a.

Va,Vb,Ia=0

The fault current

If=Ib+Ic

The equivalent circuit of generator during double line to ground fault is as shown below.