Detection and Location of Open Conductor Faults for Power Distribution Networks Using a Contingency Analysis Approach

This paper presents a method for the detection and location of open conductor faults (OCFs) in power distribution networks using contingency analysis (CA) based on unsymmetrical power flow calculations. The proposed method is designed for use in distribution management systems and broadly comprises two stages. The first stage is CA in study mode. This study presents a CA technique for detecting events different from those of the transmission network to evaluate network security. Accordingly, OCFs that can occur in the target network are analyzed using the unsymmetrical power flow method regarding the sections of the feeder remote terminal units (FRTUs), and the results are organized as a dataset for OCF CA (DOCA). The DOCA for the distribution lines (D/L) where topology changes have occurred is partially changed, and a detailed fault analysis is performed. The second stage is OCF detection and location in a real-time operating mode. This study proposes a method that compares the mean square error between real-time FRTU measurements and DOCA. The reliability of the proposed method is verified using MATLAB/Simulink to conduct various case studies on the IEEE 33 bus and 118 bus standard test models. The advantages of the proposed method can be summarized as follows: First, by comparing the distance between the entire set of measurements and DOCA, the proposed method achieves a considerably higher detection rate than those achieved by existing methods that use a single measurement element. Second, when calculating the distance between the two sets, the proposed method uses weights based on the magnitude variation of the comparison elements, which results in almost no false positives, making it robust to realistic conditions such as measurement sensor errors and communication delays. Third, fast responses during operations are also possible because detection and location are performed simultaneously.