College of Engineering, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi

Arabia
Electrical Power Lab. (EE344), 2014-15, Term 2

Experiment # 6
Analysis of Power System Faults
Objectives

To analyze the power system during a fault.

To investigate the effect of : (1) the type of a fault; (2) the location of a fault

Background
General
Fault analysis forms an important part of power system analysis. The analysis aims to determine the
bus voltages, and line currents during various types of system faults. Faults on power systems are
divided into three-phase balanced faults and unbalanced faults. Different types of unbalanced
faults are single line-to-ground fault, line-to-line fault, double line-to-ground fault (Fig. 1). The
information obtained from fault analysis are used to determine the rating of the protective
switchgears (i.e. breakers). Also, fault analysis are used to select and set the protective relays and
their coordination.
L- G

3 - phase

L-L

L L- G

Fig. 1 Power System Fault Types

The magnitude of the fault currents depends on the internal impedance of the generators plus the
impedance of the intervening circuit. For the purpose of fault studies, the generator behavior can be
divided into three periods: the subtransient period (2 cycles- Xd), the transient period (30 cyclesXd), and finally the steady state period (Xd).

College of Engineering, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi

Arabia
Electrical Power Lab. (EE344), 2014-15, Term 2

Various method has been devised for the solution of power systems during faults. Thevenins
method and the bus impedance method have been used for a long time. The bus impedance method
is the systematic and the most applicable method. Symmetrical components theory is used to
transform the three-phase unbalanced system into three balanced systems (sequences): the positive
system (sequence), the negative system (sequence) and the zero system (sequence). The positive
system is a three-phase system with a phase shift of 120 degrees, the negative system is a threephase system with a phase shift of 240 degrees and the zero system is a three-phase system with a
phase shift of 0 degrees. Therefore, a power system during the unbalanced fault is transformed into
three balanced systems, each one is composed of the equivalent impedances of each element in the
power system. For example, the positive system is composed of the positive equivalent of each
element in the system.
Interconnection of System Sequences
Also, the three sequence systems are interconnected together to interpret each type of fault, Fig. 2.
In L-G fault, the three sequence systems are connected in series to represent the fault. For the case
of L-L fault, the positive and negative systems are connected in parallel. While for the L-L-G fault,
the three sequence systems are connected in parallel to cope with the physical fault type.
L-G

F
+ve system

LL-G

F
+ve system
N

F
+ve System
N

3-phase

F
-ve system

F
-ve System

F
Zero
system

L-L

Fig. 2 Power System Sequence Interconnections

Earthing and Transformer Connection

F
+ve system
N

F
- ve system
N

F
Zero
system
N

College of Engineering, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi

Arabia
Electrical Power Lab. (EE344), 2014-15, Term 2

The neutral earthing impedance used for generators and for transformers as well affect their
equivalents in the zero system. In addition, the connection of the transformer windings themselves
affects the transformers zero equivalents. Delta and star with or without earthing are the only
connections of the transformer windings. In conclusion, the transformer and earthing connections
affect the fault currents flowing in the system elements.
Power System Sequence Equivalents
Each element in the power system has its sequence equivalent. The generator has a positive sequence
equivalent consists of an emf (E) in series with its +ve impedance (Z1). It has a ve sequence impedance
equivalent (Z2). The zero sequence equivalent of the generator is an impedance (Z0) in series with 3 time
the earthing impedance (3* Zn). The transmission line has its sequence equivalents as: Z1 = Z2, Z0 =
(2.5-3) Z1. The transformer has equal sequence impedance equivalents as : Z 1 = Z2 = Z0, where the zero
equivalent depends on the type of transformer connection.
Solution Method
The most common and systematic method for solving the power system during all fault types is the
bus impedance method.

Experimental Procedure
1- Effect of Fault location
1- Consider the power system shown in Fig. 3. All system data are given on Table A (p.u).
2- The power system +ve sequence equivalent is shown in Fig. 4.
3- Also, the zero sequence equivalent for the power system is shown in Fig. 5, considering a
generator earthe impedance of j0.25/3 p.u.
4- Run the power system fault analysis program for the given system, using the Matlab software,
for a three-phase fault at bus 3 and with a fault impedance of j0.1 p.u.
5- Record the faulted bus voltages and the fault currents in Table 1.
6- Repeat for the other fault locations (bus 2 & bus 1) and record your results in Table 1.
2- Effect of Fault Type
1- Run the power system fault analysis program for the given system, using the Matlab software,
for a three-phase fault at bus 3 and with a fault impedance of j0.1 p.u. (step #4 in part #1).
2- Record the faulted bus voltages and the fault currents in Table 2.
3- Repeat for other fault types and record your results in Table 2.

College of Engineering, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi

Arabia
Electrical Power Lab. (EE344), 2014-15, Term 2

Fig. 3 Power System Under Study

Fig. 4 Equivalent Positive System

Fig. 5 Equivalent Zero System

College of Engineering, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi

Arabia
Electrical Power Lab. (EE344), 2014-15, Term 2

Table A: Power System p.u Data (base MVA=100)

Item

kV Rating

System reactances
X1

X2

X0

G1

20

0.15

0.15

0.05

G2

20

0.15

0.15

0.05

T1

20 / 220

0.10

0.10

0.10

T2

20 /220

0.10

0.10

0.10

L 1-2

220

0.125

0.125

0.30

L 1-3

220

0.15

0.15

0.35

L 2-3

220

0.25

0.25

0.7125

Observation Tables
Table 1: Effect of Fault Location: Symmetrical fault at different bus
Fault
Faulted Bus Voltages
Location Va
Vb
Vc
Bus #1

Ia

Ic

Severity
Rank

Ic

Severity
Rank

Fault Currents
Ib

Bus #2
Bus #3

Table 2: Effect of Fault Type at bus # 1

Fault
Type
L-L-L
L-L-G
L-L
L-G

Faulted Bus Voltages

Va
Vb
Vc

Ia

Fault Currents
Ib

College of Engineering, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi

Arabia
Electrical Power Lab. (EE344), 2014-15, Term 2

Check list
1- Comment on the fault location and its effect on the fault currents
2- Discuss the effect of fault type on the bus faulted voltages and fault currents.
3- Identify the serious fault type on the power system.
4- Attach the MATLAB solution for the given system.