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Owing to the installation of autotransformers at regular intervals along the line, distance protection relays cannot be used with the aim of locating ground faults in 2 × 25 kV railway power supply systems. The reason is that the ratio between impedance and distance to the fault point is not linear in these electrification systems, unlike in 1 × 25 kV power systems. Therefore, the location of ground faults represents a complicated task in 2 × 25 kV railway power supply systems. Various methods have been used to localize the ground fault position in 2 × 25 kV systems. The method described here allows the location of a ground fault to be economically found in an accurate way in real time, using the modules of the circulating currents in different autotransformers when the ground fault occurs. This method first needs to know the subsection and the conductor (catenary or feeder) with the defect, then localizes the ground fault's position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel auto-reclosing blocking method for combined overhead-cable lines in power distribution networks that are solidly or impedance grounded, with distribution transformers in a delta connection in their high-voltage sides. The main contribution of this new technique is that it can detect whether a ground fault has been produced at the overhead line side or at the cable line side, thus improving the performance of the auto-reclosing functionality. This localization technique is based on the measurements and analysis of the argument differences between the load currents in the active conductors of the cable and the currents in the shields at the cable end where the transformers in delta connection are installed, including a wavelet analysis. This technique has been verified through computer simulations and experimental laboratory tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The location of ground faults in railway electric lines in 2 × 5 kV railway power supply systems is a difficult task. In both 1 × 25 kV and transmission power systems it is common practice to use distance protection relays to clear ground faults and localize their positions. However, in the particular case of this 2 × 25 kV system, due to the widespread use of autotransformers, the relation between the distance and the impedance seen by the distance protection relays is not linear and therefore the location is not accurate enough. This paper presents a simple and economical method to identify the subsection between autotransformers and the conductor (catenary or feeder) where the ground fault is happening. This method is based on the comparison of the angle between the current and the voltage of the positive terminal in each autotransformer. Consequently, after the identification of the subsection and the conductor with the ground defect, only the subsection where the ground fault is present will be quickly removed from service, with the minimum effect on rail traffic. This method has been validated through computer simulations and laboratory tests with positive results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground faults in electrical power systems represent more than 90% of total faults. Their detection, location, and elimination are essential and must be carried out in a precise way to allow multiterminal high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable networks to operate in stable conditions by removing only the faulty cable from service. This paper presents a new differential protection method based on the measurement of currents at both ends of the shields of power cables. This new method is cheaper and easier to set in operation compared to other protection methods that measure currents circulating in the active conductors. The values of such intensities and their polarities were evaluated to know which cable had a ground fault in a multiterminal HVDC cable network. The method was successfully validated by computer simulations, and experimental results were successfully obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]