University of Derby

Faculty of Arts, Design and Technology

School of Engineering and Technology

Electrical Power Applications

Module Code: 6EJ503

Dr. Mahmoud Shafik BEng MSc PhD MIET MASME

Reader in Mechatronics Engineering Principal Technology Investigator Emails: M.Shafik@derby.ac.uk & Office: MS208: Ext. No. 3170

http://www.derby.ac.uk/staff/mahmoud-shafik/

Lectures_17-18: Faults in Electrical Power Systems

Introduction What is Fault?
Short & Open Circuit Fault

Symmetrical Faults
Protective Equipment: Circuit Breakers & Fuse & Selection Process

Un-Symmetrical Faults
Faults Types
Line to Ground Fault Line to Line Fault Double Line to Ground Fault

Summary and Discussions

Introduction- Short Circuit Fault

What is Fault?
In an electric power system, a fault is any abnormal flow of electric current. A short circuit is a fault in which current flow bypasses the normal load, due to systems overvoltage Overvoltage
Lighting & switching failure & mechanical causes & contamination

Short-circuit currents may be several orders of magnitude than normal operating currents and if allowed to persist, may cause thermal damage to equipments

Introduction - Open Circuit Fault

An open circuit fault occurs if a circuit is interrupted by some failure. In three-phase systems, a fault may involve one or more phases and ground, or may occur only between phases. In a "ground fault" or "earth fault", current flows into the earth. Faults currents may be several orders of magnitude than normal operating currents and if allowed to persist, may cause thermal damage to equipments It is therefore necessary to remove the faulted sections of a power system from service as soon as possible.

EHV / LV Protective Equipment

Standard EHV protective equipment is designed to clear faults within 3 cycles (50 ms at 60 Hz). Low voltage protective equipment operate more slowly, it takes 5 to 20 cycles. In power systems, protective devices detect fault conditions and operate Circuit breakers and other devices to limit the loss of service due to a failure. A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical Switch designed to protect an electrical circuits from damage caused by overload or short circuit. Circuit breakers basic function is to detect a fault condition and, by interrupting continuity, to immediately discontinue electrical flow.

Types of Circuit Breakers

Many different classifications of circuit breakers can be made, based on their features such as voltage class, construction type, interrupting type, and structural features. 1. Low voltage circuit breakers
Low voltage (less than 1000 VAC) types are common in domestic, commercial and industrial applications.

Magnetic circuit breaker Thermal magnetic circuit breaker

2. Medium-voltage circuit breakers 3. High-voltage circuit breakers

Protective Equipment
Two factors are of utmost importance for the selection of circuit breakers. These are: 1. The maximum instantaneous current that a breaker must withstand and 2. The total current when the breaker contacts part

400 kV SF6 live tank circuit breakers

EHV Protective Equipment

This circuit breaker uses both SF6 and air as insulating gases; such devices are sometimes called "hybrid switchgear"

EHV Protective Equipment

115 kV bulk oil circuit breaker

LV Protective Equipment

An air circuit breaker for low voltage (less than 1000 volts) power distribution switchgear

A 2 pole miniature circuit breaker

LV Protective Equipment
1. Actuator lever 2. Actuator mechanism - forces the contacts together or apart. 3. Contacts - Allow current when touching and break the current when moved apart. 4. Terminals 5. Bimetallic strip. 6. Calibration screw - allows the manufacturer to precisely adjust the trip current of the device after assembly. 7. Solenoid Photo of inside of a circuit 8. Arc divider/extinguisher breaker

EHV / LV Protective Equipment

Standard EHV protective equipment is designed to clear faults within 3 cycles (50 ms at 60 Hz). Low voltage protective equipment operate more slowly, it takes 5 to 20 cycles.

A typical circuit breaker operating time is given in the Figure above

Un-Symmetrical Faults
System Representation:
The three phase power system is represented by its sequence networks. The zero, positive, and negative-sequence networks of system components, generators, motors, transformers and transmission lines. The power system is balanced before the fault occurs such that of the three sequence networks only the positive sequence network is active. Also as the fault occurs, the sequence networks are connected only through the fault location. The fault current is negligible such that the pre-fault positive sequence voltages are same at all nodes and at the fault location. All the network resistances and line charging capacitances are negligible. All loads are passive except the rotating loads which are represented by synchronous machines.

Un-Symmetrical Faults
The sequence circuits and the sequence networks developed will now be used for finding out fault current during unsymmetrical faults. Three Types of Faults:
Line to Ground (LG) Fault Line to Line (LL) Fault Double Line to Ground (DLG) Fault

Un-Symmetrical Faults
System Representation:

General Three-Phase Bus

Un-Symmetrical Faults

General Sequence Networks

Thvenin's equivalents as viewed from fault terminals

Sequence networks at a general three-phase bus in a balance system

Un-Symmetrical Faults
Line to Ground Fault:

Un-Symmetrical Faults
Line to Line Fault:

Un-Symmetrical Faults
Double Line to Ground Fault:

Summary & Discussions

Introduction What is Fault?
Short & Open Circuit Fault

Symmetrical Faults
Protective Equipment: Circuit Breakers & Fuse & Selection Process

Un-Symmetrical Faults
Faults Types
Line to Ground Fault Line to Line Fault Double Line to Ground Fault

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