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This paper proposes a novel method for fault location in distribution networks using compressive sensing. During fault and prefault voltages are measured by smart meters along the feeders. The voltage sag vector and impedance matrix produce a current vector that is sparse enough with one nonzero element. This element corresponds to the bus at which a fault occurs. Due to the limited number of smart meters installed at primary feeders, our system equation is underdetermined. Therefore, the \ell ^1-norm minimization method is used to calculate the current vector. Primal-dual interior point (PDIP) and the log barrier algorithm (LBA) are utilized to solve the optimization problem with and without measurement noises, respectively. Our proposed method is implemented on a real 13.8-kV, 134-bus distribution network when single-phase, three-phase, double-phase, and double-phase-to-ground short circuits occur. Simulation results show the robustness of the proposed method in noisy environments and satisfactory performance for various faults with different resistances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel time-domain fault location algorithm for parallel transmission lines using two terminal currents. Parallel transmission lines with faults can be decoupled into the common component net and differential component net. Since the differential component net is only composed of the parallel lines and its terminal voltages equal zero, the proposed algorithm is based on the fact that the difference between voltage distributions, calculated from two terminal currents, is the smallest at fault point. To be practical, unsynchronized data and the transient transferring ability of the current transformer are taken into consideration. The algorithm needs a very short data window, and any segment of current data can be used to locate faults. The proposed algorithm is verified successfully using the simulation data generated by the frequency-dependent line model of the Alternative Transients Program and the field recording data provided by traveling-wave fault locators. Locating results show the satisfactory accuracy of the algorithm for various fault types, fault distances, and fault resistances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]