A three phase fault detection algorithm for radial distribution networks

Distribution networks, unlike in transmission system, may not be provided with protective devices or circuit breakers in each branch of the feeder. For any fault in the feeder, a large part of the feeder, may be isolated depending on the circuit breaker installation. For the purpose of speedy repair work and maintenance, it is important to find the exact fault location and type of fault. This paper presents an algorithmic approach for finding the location and type of fault based on the three phase measurements obtained for state estimation. Results of the simulated fault conditions on practical distribution systems are presented.