Power Transmission Line Faults A.

Stolp 12/9/08, a
Types of faults rev 3/16/10
With Answers
Short circuits, from most common to least comm on
1. Single line to ground SLG
2. Line to line (ground not involved) LL
3. Double line to ground DLG
4. Balanced three lines to ground (Symmetric 3-line fault)
Shorts m ay have zero impedance (called "bolted" or "solid") or non-zero fault impedance, Zf
Open circuits can involve 1, 2, or all 3 lines
Any fault except the balance 3-phase short or 3 open lines is called "unsym metrical" and will result in unbalanced
currents and voltages. Therefore we need a way to deal with unbalanced system s.

Assumptions
1. The system was balanced before the fault, so negative- and zero-sequence voltages and currents were all zero.
2. There is only one fault location at a time. This is the location where the negative- and zero-sequence voltages and
currents interact.
3. Generators (and other large 50 hp + rotating m achines) should be represented by their transient or subtransient
synchronous reactances (X'' ) and a generated emf that would have resulted in the pre-fault voltages and currents
with that special reactance. To begin with that added complexity may be set aside.

Expression of Unbalanced 3-phase voltages and currents

Any three voltages can be expressed as a sum of a positive sequence, a negative sequence, a zero sequence.
Va

V c1
V a0
Vc V b2 V a2
V b0
V a1
V c0
= + +

Vb
V c2
V b1

Any three voltages Positive sequence Negative sequence Zero sequence

(normal sequence) (reverse sequence)
(a-b-c) (a-c-b)
3
Define: a = 1/120o so a2 = 1 /240 o and a =1
Please note a source of
V a = V a1 V a2 V a0 = V a1 V a2 V a0 Va 1 1 1 V a0 confusion The order of the
2 2 sequences is 0,1,2 in the
V b = V b1 V b2 V b0 = a . V a1 a. V a2 V a0 Vb = 1 a a . V a1
m atricies, but 1,2,0 in most
2
2 Vc 1 a a V a2 other sets of equations and
V c = V c1 V c2 V c0 = a. V a1 a . V a2 V a0
in the drawings.
all refered to V a
V a0 1 1 1 Va 1 1 1 Va

V a1 1. 2 . Vb 1. o o . Vb
Invert matrix to find components: = 1 a a = 1 120 240
3 3
2 o o
V a2 1 a a Vc 1 240 120 Vc
Sam e goes for currents.
Transmission Line Faults p1
Transmission Lines Transmission Line Faults p2
Location of
Z left short-circuit fault Z right

Va

Vb
Z
Z load
Vc
E
Ia
Ib
Note:
Fault currents
Ic 3
a =1

o o
Ea0 Ea E a . 240 E a . 120 1 1 1 Ea 1 1 1
Ea
0
1. o o 1. 2 . a2. E 1. o o . E a . 240o
Ea1 = Ea = Ea E a . 360 E a . 360 = 1 a a a = 1 120 240
3 3 3
2 o o
Ea2 0 E a . 120
o
E a . 360
o
E a. 240
o 1 a a a. E a 1 240 120 E a . 120
o

Z left Ia Z right
A per-phase drawing of phase a

Z
Va Z load
Ea

Sequence-components per-phase drawings of phase a

Thévenin equivalents:
I a1
Z left1 Z right1
Z Th1
I a1

Z a1

V a1 Z load1 E Tha V a1
Ea
E a1
I a2 Z Th2
Z left2 Z right2 I a2

Z2
E Tha2
V a2
V a2
Z load2 0
E a2
0
Z Th0
I a0
Z left0 I a0 Z right0

Z0
E Tha0
V a0
Z load0
V a0 0
E a0
0 Transmission Line Faults p2
Symmetrical 3-phase to ground fault Transmission Line Faults p3
Z left Z right
Va

Z Vb
Ia
Z load
Vc Ib
E
Ic

o o
Ia0 Ia I a . 240 I a . 120 1 1 1 Ia 1 1 1
Ia
0
1. o o 1. 2 . a2. I 1. o o . I a . 240o
Ia1 = Ia = Ia I a . 360 I a . 360 = 1 a a a = 1 120 240
3 3 3
2 o o
Ia2 0 I a. 120
o
I a . 360
o
I a . 240
o 1 a a a. I a 1 240 120 o
I a . 120

V a0 1 1 1 Va 1 1 1
0 0
V a1 1. 2 . Vb 1. o o . 0
= 0 = 1 a a = 1 120 240
3 3
0 2 o o 0
V a2 1 a a Vc 1 240 120

Sequence-components per-phase drawings of phase a Thévenin equivalents:

E Tha
I a1 = Z
Z left1 I a1 Z right1 Th1
Z Th1
I a1
Z a1
Z load1
V a1
V a1 = 0
Ea
E Tha

Z left2 I a2 Z right2 Z Th2

I a2 = 0

Z2
V a2 = 0
V a2 Z load2

Z left0 I a0 Z right0 Z Th0

I a0 = 0

Z0
V a0 = 0
V a0 Z load0

Transmission Line Faults p3

Single line to ground fault Transmission Line Faults p4
Z left Z right
Va

Z Vb
Ia
Z load
Vc Ib
E
Ic
Zf

Ia
3 Va
Ia0 1 1 1 Ia 1 1 1 Ia Ia =
Ia 1. 2 1. o o
Zf
Ia1 = = 1 a a . Ib = 1 120 240 . 0
3 3 3
2 o o
Ia2 1 a a Ic 1 240 120 0
Ia
3
V a = V a1 V a2 V a0

V a0 I EEa 1 1 1 Va 1 1 1 I EIa

V a1 Ib 1. 2 . Vb 1. o o . Ib
NOT NEEDED: = = 1 a a = 1 120 240
3 3
2 o o
V a2 Ic 1 a a Vc 1 240 120 Ic

Sequence-components per-phase drawings of phase a

Thévenin equivalents:
Va
I a1 =
Z left1 I a1 Z right1 3. Z f
Z Th1
Z a1 I a1
Z load1
V a1
Ea V a1
E Tha

Z left2 I a2 Z right2
Z Th2
I a2

Z2
V a2 Z load2 V a2 3. Z f

Z left0 I a0 Z right0
Z Th0
I a0

Z0
V a0 Z load0 V a0

Transmission Line Faults p4

Double line to ground fault Transmission Line Faults p5
Z left Z right
Va

Z Vb
Ia
Z load
Vc Ib
E
Ic

I a = Ia1 Ia2 Ia0 = 0

Ia0 I EEa 1 1 1 Ia 1 1 1 I EIa

Ia1 Ib 1. 2 . Ib 1. o o . Ib
NOT NEEDED: = = 1 a a = 1 120 240
3 3
2 o o
Ia2 Ic 1 a a Ic 1 240 120 Ic

Va

V a0 3 Va
1 1 1 1 1 1 Va
Va 1. 2 1. o o
V a1 = = 1 a a . Vb = 1 120 240 . 0
3 3 3
2 o o
V a2 1 a a Vc 1 240 120 0
Va
3

Sequence-components per-phase drawings of phase a

Thévenin equivalents:

Z Th1
Z Th2 Z Th0
I a1 I a2 I a0

V a1 V a2 V a0
E Tha

Transmission Line Faults p5

Double line fault ( ground not involved) Transmission Line Faults p6

Z left Z right
Va

Z Vb
Ia
Z load
Vc Ib
E
Ic
Zf

Ia0 0 1 1 1 Ia 1 1 1 0
o o
Ia1 = Ib 120 I b. 240 =
1.
1 a a
2 . Ib =
1.
1 120
o
240
o . Ib
3 3
o o 2 o o Ib
Ia2 I b. 240 I b. 120 1 a a Ic 1 240 120

2 2 2
Ia0 = 0 & Ia1 = Ia2 I b = a . Ia1 a. Ia2 Ia0 = a . Ia1 a. Ia1 0 = a a . Ia1

V a0 = 0 from circuit below

2 2
V b = a . V a1 a. V a2 V a0 = a . V a1 a. V a2 0
2 2
V c = a. V a1 a . V a2 V a0 = a. V a1 a . V a2 0

from circuit above: Vb V c = I b. Z f

2 2 2
a . V a1 a. V a2 a. V a1 a . V a2 = a a . Ia1 . Z f
2 2 2
a a . V a1 a a . V a2 = a a . Ia1 . Z f

V a1 V a2 = Ia1 . Z f

V a0 I EEa 1 1 1 Va 1 1 1 I EIa

V a1 Ib 1. 2 . Vb 1. o o . Ib
NOT NEEDED: = = 1 a a = 1 120 240
3 3
2 o o
V a2 Ic 1 a a Vc 1 240 120 Ic

Sequence-components per-phase drawings of phase a

Thévenin equivalents:
Zf

Z Th1 Z Th2 Z Th0

I a1 = 0 I a2 I a0

V a1 = 0 V a2 V a0
E Tha

Transmission Line Faults p6