Precise PMU-Based Localization and Classification of Short-Circuit Faults in Power Distribution Systems

Knowing the exact location of a short-circuit fault in a power distribution system (PDS) is essential for rapid restoration of service to customers and has a direct impact on the operational costs and reliability of the system. In this paper a phasor measurement unit (PMU) based method for fault localization and classification is presented. By introducing the concept of a virtual bus, the exact fault location on the line is determined rather than just a bus closest to the fault. Moreover, after determining the fault location, a generic fault model (GFM) is introduced to classify the type of fault by solving a minimization problem, which also provides fault impedances as a result. These can then be further used to determine if the fault occurred on the lateral instead of the main feeder without using additional PMU at the end of that lateral. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified by simulating various fault scenarios in two test systems based on real PDSs using a real-time digital simulator. In addition, a sensitivity analysis of the method is performed for different noise levels in the input parameters to verify its applicability to the real system.