FAULT DISTANCE LOCATOR

Abstract: For locating the distance of a fault on a power supply line from a substation in an electricity reticulation system, primar­ ily conversion means, (PR) are used, adapted to provide DC signals whose magnitudes are proportional to the AC values of current and voltage related to the fault and computing (D) means adapted to compute a quotient of those DC signals. The computing means also is adapted to apply an earth fault compensation factor and a line angle correction factor to the DC quotient and to thus provide a measure of the distance to the fault. A sample-and-hold means (S-H) is included, adapted to relay a value of the quotient to provide a measure of dis­ tance to fault only after a predetermined time during which transient effects may subside to some extent. An analogue to digital convertor (A-D) relays the signal to a printer (P) to provide a record of fault history. This locator is thus adapted to solve the problem of excessive technical complexity of certain existing apparatuses and so provide a less costly device which can be installed in larger numbers in a reticula­ tion system for more comprehensive monitoring.

Description: FAULT DISTEi CE LOCATOR This invention lies in the field of apparatus for locating the distance of a fault on a power supply line, for example from a substation, in the context, for example, of electricity power reticulation systems. The basic principle of fault distance location comprises measurement of the voltage and current magnitudes, obtaining a quotient of the voltage over the current to give impedance and with a known impedance-per-unit-distance of a transmission line the distance to the fault from a measuring position -can in principle be computed. The practical application of this simple principle in power transmission lines is subject to difficulties arising, for example, due to phase angle effects, earth fault impedance.eff9cts in the case of earth faults and transient effects. Certain fault locators known to applicant are designed to attempt to detect, measure and compensate for these effects; these become very complex and as a result their main limi tation is that they are very costly. An example is a Schlumberger type DCDS 1000 fault locator, and a Schlumberger circuit can be seen described in U.K. Patent 1 415 695. Costliness is e serious disadvantage because it dictates restricted application of the devices and so limited usefulness in a reticulation system. In other fault distance locaters the device inherently is able to provide a record only of the most recent fault (i.e. no memory), the record of previous faults to which the device responded being over-ridden by the latest fault information, so that the device is of limited usefulness when installed in unmanned substations, For example, in the case of overhead power transmission lines one or more of the phases of a given line can be subject to numerous faults over a period of time and accordingly information as to fault history can be a valuable aid in diagnosing the cause of the fault. U.K. Patent 1 355 089, granted to Siemens Akt., describes analogue conversion of AC current and voltage signals derived from the protected lines to proportional DC voltages, However, these,DC voltages are then immediately converted to frequencies by voltage-frequency converters after which the quotient is obtained digitally and further complex computations made to derive a measure of fault distance, A line fault distance locator in accordance with this invention,having conversion means adapted to provide DC signals whose magnitudes are proportional to AC values of current and voltage related to the fault and computing means, is characterised in that the computing means is adapted to compute a quotient of the DO signals by dividing the DC signal proportional to the voltage related to the fault by the DC signal proportional to the current related to the fault, to apply an earth fault com pensetion factor,a line angle correction factor and an earth fault compensation factor in the case of an earth fault, and to provide a measure of the distance to the fault from a measuring position. This technique has inherent in it e considerable simplification as compared with the devices of art, allowing cost reduction by, for example, a decimal order of magnitude. In pursuing a cost reduction a new approach has been evolved as compared with the techniques of art in that the quotient is derived with DC (or analogue) values and the compensation and correction factors are applied on the basis of theoretical values, derivable,for example,calculations of line psrameters. Moreover computing the quotient with DC values lends itself to applying the correction and compensation factors to a DC quotient value. Thus preferably the computing means is adapted to apply the earth fault compensation factor and the line angle correction factor in DC form to a DC quotient of the DC signals. Preferably the computing means further comprises a sample-and-hold means adapted to relay a value of the quotient to provide a measure of the distance to the fault only after a predetermined time interval from inception of the fault. Again this sample-and-hold means can advantageously and does preferably operate on the DC values of the quotient to which the correction and compensation factors have been applied. A further preferred feature of this invention is that there is incorporated means adapted to detect the level of fault current and activate the fault distance locator upon a threshold fault level being exceeded. This has the advantage that where, as is usually the case, the fault distance locator is adapted for line fault distance location on a three phase system, (in which case the means adapted to detect the level of fault current comprises three fault level detectors, one for each phase, the outputs of the three detectors being paras Ileled to a single conversion means adapted to provide DC signals whose magnitudes are proportional to AC values of current in the lines),only one such conversion means is required instead of three. Thus one can provide a single set of processing components from the divider component to the final printout for all three phases, thereby economising in apparatus. Preferably the computing means is adapted to convert the quotient of the DC signals to a binary digital form, so as to provide the measure of distance in this form, preferably after the correction and compensation factors are applied and the sample-and-hold function has been exercised on the DC values. A preferred characteristic of the fault distance locator is furthermore a memory element capable of retaining a record of all faults over a period of time and this can for example be incorporated in print-out record of the faults which is moreover preferably co-ordinated with a date and time record, so that the fault history is automatically recorded. In this way the incidence, location, date and time of fault over a period can be recorded by the device and inspected for example at periodic or ad hoc visits to unmanned stations. This invention will be more fully described by.way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: figure 1 is a schematic illustration showing the placing of the fault distance locator in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, in the context of an overhead 3 phase AC power transmission line, Figure 2 is an X -- R diagram, and Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of the fault distance locator in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention. The power distribution system which is suggested in figure 1 consists of a three-phase overhead transmission line 1 of for example, 160 kilometres in length operating at 275 kilovolts and carrying under normal conditions 2000 amp load per phase. The fault distance locator 2 is placed in the sub-station A, drawing its signals from the existing current transformers CT and voltage transformers VT on each of the three phases. A fault F is indicated. The locator draws its power from a 220 volt or 110 volt DC battery 5 which already exists in the sub-station to supply other devices. The fault distance locator shown in Figure 3, receives its input signals from the voltage transformers and current transformers on the power lines and not shown here. At the preliminary stage the voltage transformers VR, VW and VB and current transformers IR, IW, IS and IN transform the AC signal in each case to a low level AC signal. At the first stage, including also limiters ZD, the level detectors LD, which are preferably transistorised devices (although they could be electro-Lechanical devices), are set to close the circuit at 6, 7 or 8 both on the voltage transformer side VT and the current transformer side CT as soon as a predetermined threshold is exceeded, which threshold is set to correspond to a fault condition. The AC current signals are then supplied to the second stage which is the RMS to DC converters or precision rectifiers PR1 and PR2 which serve as conversion means to provide signals whose magnitudes are proportional to the AC values of the signals from the voltage and current transformers respectively. (In the case of the AC signal from current transformer CT 8 summing amp. SA is interposed to add neutral and phase currents. In the third stage the DC signals from the precision rectifiers PR1 and PR2, (being the DC signals proportional respectively to fault voltage and fault current), are fed to the divider D to provide the DO value of the impedance Z of the fault circuit. At this third stage the earth fault compensation factor Ko and the line angle factor ¯ are applied to the signal in the divider D. The factors can be applied by potentiometrically biassing the divider output. The corrected impedance signal from the third stage is passed to the fourth stage, the sample-and-hold circuitry S-H to provide a signal suitable for processing by the analogue to digital convertor A-D. The convertor provides a binary coded decimal output to a printer P. The A-D convertor receives an input from a clock C as to provide 8 suitable time base for the conversion. Sequence control circuits SCC, which are started by the level detectors, control the sample and hold circuit and the printer initiation. DC power supply to the circuitry is indicated at 9, The voltage transformer in this example provides an output to the locator of 110/63,5 volts, but the locator is adapted to be adjusted so as to accept varying secondary voltage transformer outputs, for example between 63,5 and 220 volts. The device is also adaptable for use with 50 or 60 HZ operation. Substantial insulation and interference protection for the device, having regard to the very hostile environment of its application, will be required. The device is preferably furthermore constructed in a modular fashion using a slide-in card construction in a rack. A small skeleton printer assembly for the print-out will be employed, for example as has been used in desk type calculators. A variable gain can be provided for the divider circuit to compensate for AC input errors in the AC transformation. The accuracy of the various units, for example the sample and hold, analogue to digital convertor, is to be of the order of 10 times or greater than the final required accuracy of the device as a whole. The in-built pick-up time of the level detectors will be used to give the necessary delay at the start of the fault so that fault conditions are measured after transient conditions have predominantly subsided. In the typical example of application, the protective relay 10 will have an operating pick-up time of about 40 milli-seconds and will actuate the circuit breaker 11 with a breaker tripping time of approximately 60 milli-seconds providing approximately 100 milli-seconds for the fault distance locator to measure the fault circuit cheracteristics from which the fault distance will be computed. The sample and hold component of the device will hold these characteristics for approximately 250 milli-seconds so as to facilitate processing by the subsequent component A-D and printer. The device should, however, be able to operate with even a shorter available time such as a total of 60 milli-seconds. To achieve this, the device could De speeded up by employment of such relays as reed relays for a high speed version. Naturally the trsns- formers must meet the necessary specifications regarding saturation, transient response, accuracy and insulation. Having regard to the fact that, as in this example the automatic reclose time or turn-about time of the breaker 1L tigure 1),can seldom be faster than 350 milli-seconds, and will in many applications often be set at a period of approximately three seconds, the total time required for the distance locator to print out its results could con veniently be set at not more than 800 milli-seconds. The analogue to digital convertor can also be adapted to incorporate a function whereby the signal given and which is printed out by the printer is directly in true distance in kilometres. Thus, for example, in the case of figure 1, the 160 kilometre line may have s typical impedance of approximately 0,31 ohms per kilometre giving a total of 50 ohm impedance for the line. Referring to the representation in figure 2 of resistance against reactive impedance, the line impedance can be represented by the line A-E indicating the length of the line to suitable scales thus, if for example, the fault impedance duly corrected is 25 ohms, this can easily be calibrated to give a direct read-out of 500 of the total line distance of 160 kilometres, namely 80 kilometres. Figure 2 also gives an indication graphically of the line angle ¯ which relates to the line impedance A-)3. A typical earth fault occurring at position F which when appropriately corrected by the earth fault compensation factor Ko for that particular line (which was fed into the device at the divider stage) will give the true distance d of the fault location on the total line length A-B. A low DC burden on the battery power supply, especially when the device is not in operation, is highly desirable. The first stage current transformers will be constructed so as to give linear outputs up to 10 or 50A, the secondary will be variable so as to give e voltage proportional to the maximum expected fault current. The voltage transformers will be variable in the same ratio so as to keep the impedence value constant. In the second stage the level detector can be provided by basic transistor level triggering and a three range switch of high, medium and low at for example 1 amp, 3 amps and 5 amps; the relay contact output would lead to the divider and monitor circuits and could also control the measuring time of the unit by having a drop off time of say 50 milli-seconds. The third stage will extract the DC value from the VT and CT circuit in the case of the current vie a humming circuit to add phase and neutral current. In the fourth stage the voltage over amperage divider can be given a gain of from 1 to 10. The earth fault compensation factor Ko can be made variable from 0,33 to 1,3 and the line angle compensation factor ¯ can be made variable from 0,6 to 0,98 by simply having the DC level of the divider potenticmetrically controlled. It is important to note that by virtue of the basic features of this circuit no AC compensation is required. In the fourth stage ,the sample and hold component, one may use a commercially available integrated circuit sample specification as follows Acquisition time 1 ms to within 0,1% of its final value. Accuracy 0,1% Discharge rate 1 mV/Sec In the fifth & age,the analogue to digital convertorone could use a 21 or 31/2 digit binary coded decimal chip; Accuracy - 0,1% of L.S.B. Conversion time t 5 mS. In the sixth stageothe internal clock, free-running with gated output could be a typical TTL crystal clock whose binary output feeds the printer on command. In the seventh stage the printer unit could be a skeleton printer frame fed from the analogue to digital convertor and from the clock with an 0,5 second delayed start command and normal TTL logic input. The power supply unit 9 must be provided with the necessary insulation and isolation requirements. The embodiment shown in figure 3 is for earth fault distance location. An embodiment of the invention can be adapted for locating phase to phase faults. An application of an earth fault compensation factor is not needed for phase to phase faults.

Claims: CI.AIMS 1. A line fault distance locator having conversion means adapted to provide DC signals whose magnitudes are proportional to AC values of current and voltage related to the fault and computing means, characterised in that the computing means is adapted to compute a quotient of the DC signals by dividing the DO signal proportional to the voltage related to the fault by the DC signal proportional to the current related to the fault, to apply to the quotient at least a line angle correction factor and to provide a measure of the distance to the fault from a measuring position. 2. A line fault distance locator as claimed in claim 1, for earth fault distance location, in which the computing means is adapted to also apply an earth fault compensation factor to the quotient. 3. A line fault distance locator as claimed in claim 2, in which the computing means is adapted to apply the earth fault compensation factor and the line angle correction factor in DC form to a DC quotient of the DC signals. 4. A line fault distance locator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the computing means further comprises a sample-and-hold means adapted to relay a value of the quotient to provide 8 measure of the distance to the fault only after a predetermined time interval from inception of the fault. 5. A line fault distance locator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which is incorporated means adapted to detect the level of fault current and activate the fault distance locator upon a threshold fault level being exceeded. 6. A line fault distance locator as claimed in claim 5, which is adapted for line fault distance location on a three phase system, in which the means adapted to detect the level of fault current comprises three fault level detectors, one for each phase, the outputs of the three detectors being paralleled to a single conversion means adapted to provide DO signals whose magnitudes are proportional to AC values of current in the lines. 7. A line fault distance locator as. claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the computing means further comprises analogue to digital convertor means which is adapted to convert the. quotient of the DC signals to a binary digital form, so as to provide the measure of distance in this form. 8, A line fault distance locator as claimed in claim 6, which comprises a printer to which the binary digital signal is provided together with a time signal, adapted to retain 8 fault history being faults coordinated with dates and times.

Inventors: PURTON, ALAN LYLE, VAN NIEKERK, JOHANNES ZACHARIAS
Applicants: ELECTRICAL PROTECTION CO LTD
Application year: 1979
Main classification: G01R31
IPC codes: G01R31