ELE3113: POWER SYSTEMS THEORY

UNSYMMETRICAL FAULTS IN POWER NETWORKS

QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
Question 1
a) Discuss the importance of symmetrical components in power analysis.
Help in understanding system faults
They convert a set of unbalanced phasors into set of balanced components.
b) Describe the three categories of symmetrical components as applied
during fault analysis of a power system.
Positive sequence components:
This set consists of the balanced (symmetrical) three-phase currents and three-
phase line-to-neutral voltages supplied by the power system generators.
They are always equal in magnitude and phase displaced by 1200 with the
power system phase sequence of a, b, c,
Illustration:

These are phasors rotating counterclockwise at the system frequency.

To document the angle displacement, it is convenient to use a unit phasor with
an angle displacement of 1200 . This is designated as 𝛼so that;
𝛼 = 1∠1200 = −0.5 + 𝑗0.866
𝛼 2 = 1∠2400 = −0.5 − 𝑗0.866
𝛼 3 = 1∠3600 = 1∠00 = 1.0 + 𝑗0.0
Thus the positive sequence set can be designated as:
𝐼𝑎1 = 𝐼1 𝑉𝑎1 = 𝑉1
𝐼𝑏1 = 𝛼 2 𝐼𝑎1 = 𝛼 2 𝐼1 = 𝐼1 ∠2400 𝑉𝑏1 = 𝛼 2 𝑉𝑎1 = 𝛼 2 𝑉1 = 𝑉1 ∠2400
𝐼𝑐1 = 𝛼𝐼𝑎1 = 𝛼𝐼1 = 𝐼1 ∠1200 𝑉𝑐1 = 𝛼𝑉𝑎1 = 𝛼𝑉1 = 𝑉1 ∠1200
Negative sequence components:
This set is also balanced with three equal magnitude quantities at 1200 apart,
but with the phase rotation reversed i.e., a, c, b.
Illustration:

Negative sequence always exists as a set of current or voltage as defined in the

above illustration and they can never exist alone.
When one current or voltage phasor is known, the other two of the set can be
defined.
𝐼𝑎2 = 𝐼2 𝑉𝑎2 = 𝑉2
𝐼𝑏2 = 𝛼𝐼𝑎2 = 𝛼𝐼2 = 𝐼2 ∠1200 𝑉𝑏2 = 𝛼𝑉𝑎2 = 𝛼𝑉2 = 𝑉2 ∠1200
𝐼𝑐2 = 𝛼 2 𝐼𝑎2 = 𝛼 2 𝐼2 = 𝐼2 ∠2400 𝑉𝑐2 = 𝛼 2 𝑉𝑎2 = 𝛼 2 𝑉2 = 𝑉2 ∠2400
Zero sequence components:
The members of this set of rotating phasors are always equal in magnitude and
always in phase.
Illustration:

𝐼𝑎0 = 𝐼𝑏0 = 𝐼𝑐0 = 𝐼0

𝑉𝑎0 = 𝑉𝑏0 = 𝑉𝑐0 = 𝑉0
 c) Derive the symmetrical component transformation matrix in terms of
unit phase 𝛼.

𝐼𝑎 = 𝐼𝑎0 + 𝐼𝑎+ + 𝐼𝑎−

𝐼𝑏 = 𝐼𝑏0 + 𝐼𝑏+ + 𝐼𝑏−
𝐼𝑐 = 𝐼𝑐0 + 𝐼𝑐+ + 𝐼𝑐−
𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑧𝑒𝑟𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠: 𝐼𝑎0 = 𝐼𝑏0 = 𝐼𝑐0
𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠: 𝐼𝑏+ = 𝛼 2 𝐼𝑎+ , 𝐼𝑐+ = 𝛼𝐼𝑎+
𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑠: 𝐼𝑏− = 𝛼𝐼𝑎− , 𝐼𝑐− = 𝛼 2 𝐼𝑎−
𝐼𝑎 = 𝐼𝑎0 + 𝐼𝑎+ + 𝐼𝑎−
𝐼𝑏 = 𝐼𝑎0 + 𝛼 2 𝐼𝑎+ + 𝛼𝐼𝑎−
𝐼𝑐 = 𝐼𝑎0 + 𝛼𝐼𝑎+ + 𝛼 2 𝐼𝑎−
In matrix formats;

𝐼𝑎 1 1 1 1 1 1 𝐼𝑎0
[𝐼𝑏 ] = 𝐼𝑎0 [1] + 𝐼𝑎+ [𝛼 2 ] + 𝐼𝑎− [ 𝛼 ] = [1 𝛼2 𝛼 ] . [𝐼𝑎+ ]
𝐼𝑏 1 𝛼 𝛼2 1 𝛼 𝛼 2 𝐼𝑎−

𝐼𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚, 𝐼𝑃 = 𝐴𝐼𝑆

𝐼𝑎 𝐼𝑎0
𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐼𝑝 = [𝐼𝑏 ] (𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠), 𝐼𝑠 = [𝐼𝑎+ ] (𝑠𝑦𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠)
𝐼𝑏 𝐼𝑎−
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
𝑨 = [𝟏 𝜶𝟐 𝜶 ] 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒙.
𝟏 𝜶 𝜶𝟐
Question 2
The relation between voltages and currents in symmetrical components is
given as shown where 𝑍𝑛 the impedance in the neutral.

𝑉0 0 𝑍 0 + 3𝑍𝑛 0 0 𝐼0
1 1
( 𝑉 ) = (𝐸 ) − ( 0 𝑍1 0 ) ∙ (𝐼1 )
𝑉2 0 0 0 𝑍2 𝐼2
Using the above information, draw the respective sequential circuits in the
positive, negative and zero.
Multiplying row by column for the last two dotted matrices,
𝑉 0 = 0 − (𝑍 0 + 3𝑍𝑛 )𝐼 0
𝑉 1 = 𝐸 1 − 𝑍 1 𝐼1
𝑉 2 = −𝑍 2 𝐼 2
Note: 0, 1, and 2 on 𝐼 and 𝑉 are superscripts not powers.
Positive

Negative

Zero

Question 3
A three phase network has an unbalanced per unit fault current and per unit
sequential components of the voltages as shown below.
𝐼𝑎 5∠900 𝑉0 20∠800
(𝐼𝑏 ) = (5∠3400 ) (𝑉 1 ) = ( 100∠00 )
𝐼𝑐 5∠2000 𝑉2 30∠1800
Given that the sequential components of the source voltage is 1.0pu at angle
zero and that the system is solidly earthed.
 i) What does it mean for a system to be solidly earthed
It implies that the impedance between the neutral and ground is zero hence
𝑍𝑛 = 0
ii) Determine the corresponding sequential components of the
impedances in the system.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐴 = [1 𝛼 2 𝛼 ] 𝑤𝑒 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐴−1 = [1 𝛼 𝛼2]
3
1 𝛼 𝛼2 1 𝛼2 𝛼
𝐼𝑆 = 𝐴−1 𝐼𝑃
𝐼0 1 1 1 1 5∠900
[ 𝐼 1 ] = [1 2] . [
𝛼 𝛼 5∠3400 ]
3
𝐼2 1 𝛼2 𝛼 5∠2000
𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡: 𝛼 = 1∠1200 , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝛼 2 = 1∠2400 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑜𝑤 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛;
𝐼0 1 1 1 1 5∠900
[ 𝐼 1 ] = [1 1∠1200 1∠2400] . [
5∠3400 ]
3
𝐼2 1 1∠2400 1∠1200 5∠2000
0 0
𝐼0 1 5∠900 + 5∠3400 + 5∠2000
[𝐼1 ] = [5∠90 + 5∠460 + 5∠4400 ]
3
𝐼2 5∠900 + 5∠5800 + 5∠3200
𝐼0 0.527∠90
1
[𝐼 ] = [ 4.949∠90 ] 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑦𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡.
𝐼2 0.476∠ − 90
𝑉0 0 𝑍0 0 0 𝐼0
1 1
𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 (𝑉 ) = (𝐸 ) − ( 0 𝑍1 0 ) ∙ (𝐼1 ) 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑍𝑛 = 0
𝑉2 0 0 0 𝑍2 𝐼2
20∠800 0 𝑍0 0 0 0.527∠90
0
( 100∠0 ) = (1) − ( 0 𝑍1 0 ) ∙ ( 4.949∠90 )
30∠1800 0 0 0 𝑍2 0.476∠ − 90
𝑀𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑜𝑤 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠;
20∠800 = 0 − 𝑍 0 (0.527∠90)
𝑍 0 = 37.95∠1700 = −𝟑𝟕. 𝟑𝟕 + 𝒋𝟔. 𝟓𝟗
100∠00 = 1 − 𝑍1 (4.949∠90)
𝑍1 = 20∠900 = 𝒋𝟐𝟎
30∠1800 = 0 − 𝑍 2 (0.476∠ − 90)
𝑍 2 = 63.025∠900 = 𝒋𝟔𝟑. 𝟎𝟐𝟓
Compiled by David
Cc. Team Tent Discussion Group