UNSYMMETRICAL FAULT ANALYSIS Redwanul Mahbub Talukder

FAULT ANALYSIS
A fault in a power system refers to an abnormal condition where the normal flow of
electric current is interrupted due to various reasons such as equipment failures,
short circuits, insulation breakdowns, and external factors.

Fault analysis is critical for maintaining a reliable and secure electrical supply and
optimize system performance

Fault analysis can be of two types depending upon the impedances in each phase
i. Balanced / Symmetrical Faults
ii. Unbalanced / Unsymmetrical Faults
SYMMETERICAL AND UNSYMMETRICAL NETWORK

Symmeterical Network Unsymmetrical Network

UNSYMMETRICAL FAULT TYPES
i. L-G( Line to Ground) Fault :
Phase conductor contacts the ground and results in phase to ground short circuit
Ii. L-L( Line to Line) Fault :
Two phases come into contact and results in phase to phase short circuit
Iii. L-L-G( Line to Line to Ground) Fault :
One phase touches another phase and the ground
UNSYMMETRICAL FAULT ANALYSIS
In 1918 Charles Legeyt Fortescue demonstrated that any set of N
unbalanced phasors could be expressed as the sum of N symmetrical sets of
balanced phasors

The unsymmetrical quantities are transformed into symmetrical components-

positive, negative and zero sequence.
UNSYMMETRICAL FAULT ANALYSIS

Unsymmetrical phasors Unsymmetrical Network

in time domain
POSITIVE SEQUENCE COMPONENT
Positive sequence components represent the normal operating conditions of a
balanced power system, where all phases have identical characteristics.

All three voltages (A, B, and C phases) are equal in magnitude and have a 120-
degree phase separation from one another .
NEGATIVE SEQUENCE COMPONENT
Negative sequence voltages typically arise from asymmetrical faults, unbalanced
loads, or other disturbances.

All three voltages (A, B, and C phases) are equal in magnitude and have a 120-
degree phase separation from one another in a direction opposite to that of positive
Sequence.
ZERO SEQUENCE COMPONENT
Zero sequence voltage refers to a set of voltages that are equal in magnitude and in
phase with each other.

All three voltages (A, B, and C phases) are equal in magnitude and have no phase
separation from one another
UNSYMMETRICAL NETWORK WITH
SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS

VR= VR1 + VR2 + VR3

VB= VB1 + VB2 + VB3
VY= VY1 + VY2 + VY3
OPERATOR a
The operator a is one, which when multiplied to a vector rotates the vector
through 120° in the anticlockwise direction.

a = 1∠120° = -0.5+j 0.866

a2 = 1∠240° = -0.5-j 0.866
a3 = 1∠360° = 1
1+ a + a2 = 0
VOLTAGE IN SYMMETRICAL COMPONENT
VR= VR1 + VR2 + VR3
VB= VB1 + VB2 + VB3
VY= VY1 + VY2 + VY3

VR= VR1 + VR2 + VR3

VB= a VR1 + a2 VR2 + VR3
VY= a2 VR1 + a VR2 + VR3
SYMMETRICAL COMPONENT VALUES
1
Positive sequence voltage, VR1 = (VR +a VB+ a2Vy)
3
1
Negative sequence voltage, VR2 = (VR + a2 VB+ a VY)
3
1
Zero sequence voltage, VR3 = (VR + VB+ VY)
3

1
Positive sequence current, IR1 = (IR +a IB+ a2Iy)
3
1
Negative sequence current, IR2 = (IR + a2 IB+ a IY)
3
1
Zero sequence current, IR3 = (IR + IB+ IY)
3
MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM
The current in a 3 phase unbalanced system are:
IR = (12+ j6) A , IB = (12- j12)A, IY = (-15+ j10) A
The phase sequence is RYB. Calculate the zero, negative and positive components of current.