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An enhanced fault location method based on voltage sag profiles for distribution networks is presented in this paper. In other previous methods, only a single measurement has been used. The proposed method can be used with any number of measurements in the network, making it more general. A new ranking approach that addresses multiple possibilities of the faulted section is proposed. Different case studies with various numbers of measurements are performed on a large 11-kV network with the main feeder consisting of 42 buses to validate the method. The test results show that there is an improvement in terms of accuracy in detecting the faulted section in the first attempt for each additional measurement. Therefore, by utilizing the average value of each measurement, a better accuracy of fault location can be achieved. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analysis of the lines shielding failure and back flashover performance. • Investigating the impact of each flashover parameter by multivariate analysis. • Simulated fault waveforms exhibit similar pattern with recorded field waveforms. • The average peak voltage difference between the simulated and actual data is 6 %. • Obtained waveforms are useful for designing lightning fault classification system. Lightning overvoltage causes outages of transmission lines (TLs) in tropical countries. Identifying and analyzing the key factors responsible for tripping the lines can improve the performance of the lines. In this work, the flashover patterns due to direct lightning strikes on 275 kV double circuit TLs and towers in Malaysia was evaluated with Electromagnetic Transient Program (EMTP-RV). Three parameters that include lightning current magnitude, power frequency angle and tower footing resistance were analyzed on the line performance during direct lightning strikes. The simulated results found that two key parameters, lightning current at 270 kA and footing resistance at 50 Ω, reveal the highest impact on the insulator flashover. This finding was also verified from multivariate analysis results which is rarely found in the previous works in this field. As a key contribution in this work and in validation to the model, the simulated fault waveform patterns and voltage magnitudes were compared with the actual site data obtained from six different locations in Peninsular Malaysia. The analyzed results show a similar waveform pattern with an overall average voltage magnitude difference of 6.0 % before and after fault. The model is useful to electric utilities for analyzing transient performance of TLs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analysis of NGLA, EGLA, and MCIA performance on mitigating double circuit tripping. • Installing four arresters per tower is the most optimal and universal solution. • All arresters are operating below manufacturers' maximum discharge energy level. • MCIA discharges 54% and 44% less energy than NGLA and EGLA respectively. • The most suitable arrester was selected based on the proposed protocol. Direct lightning strikes on overhead lines and towers causes power system outages. Optimal surge arrester placement is a practical and economical protection technique. From research trends, three types of transmission line arresters are in practice: Non-Gapped Line Arrester (NGLA), Externally Gapped Line Arrester (EGLA) and Multi Chamber Insulator Arrester (MCIA). This study proposed a simplified guide for selecting the most suitable line arrester considering the placement configurations, double circuit outage prevention and energy capabilities. Electromagnetic Transient Program was implemented to analyze back flashover performance of a typical 275 kV double circuit transmission line in Malaysia. Critical flashover parameters considered are lightning current magnitude, tower footing resistance, and power frequency angle. Analyzed results from the three arresters found that installing four arresters, two per circuit, at the lower and upper phases respectively, is the most optimal and universal double outage mitigation technique. Energy comparison reveals that MCIA discharges 54% and 44% less energy than NGLA and EGLA respectively. Also, from 132 kV system results, MCIA discharges 74% and 22% lesser energy respectively. From further validation of the simulation model, NGLA discharged 23.8% more energy than EGLA from experimental results. The proposed guide is applicable to double circuit lines below 275 kV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a network splitting strategy following critical line outages based on N-1 contingency analysis. Network splitting is the best option for certain critical outages when the tendency of severe cascading failures is very high. Network splitting is executed by splitting the power system network into feasible set of islands. Thus, it is essential to identify the optimal splitting solution (in terms of minimal power flow disruption) that satisfies certain constraints. This paper determines the optimal splitting solution for each of the critical line outage using discrete evolutionary programming (DEP) optimization technique assisted by heuristic initialization approach. Heuristic initialization provides the best initial cutsets which will guide the optimization technique to find the optimal splitting solution. Generation-load balance and transmission line overloading analysis are carried out in each island to ensure the steady state stability is achieved. Load shedding scheme is initiated if the power balance criterion is violated in any island to sustain the generation-load balance. The proposed technique is validated on the IEEE 118 bus system. Results show that the proposed approach produces an optimal splitting solution with lower power flow disruption during network splitting execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under-voltage load shedding (UVLS) is an important technique to maintain the voltage stability and frequency of a power system network. UVLS has been applied widely in transmission systems to avoid system blackouts. However, with increasing penetration of distributed generation such as photovoltaic (PV) systems, the application of UVLS becomes important for islanded distribution systems. Under this condition, the network does not have a frequency reference as when it is connected to the grid. In this condition, when the load demand exceeds the PV capacity, UVLS is the only option to stabilize the system by shedding the load based on the changes of the voltage magnitude. In this work, a new UVLS scheme based on voltage stability indices is proposed. Four voltage stability indices are used as indicators for load shedding. Based on the stability indices, the loads that have the highest tendency of voltage collapse shall be the first ones to be shed. The proposed scheme is tested on a practical distribution network energized by a grid, a mini hydro generator, and a PV system. The test results on various scenarios prove that the proposed method is able to restore the system stability. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locating the faulty section of a high-impedance fault (HIF) is quite challenging for the underground distribution network of a power system. The complexity of the distribution network, such as branches, nonhomogenous lines, and HIF, contributes to the difficulties in locating the faulty section. In this paper, the shortest distance (SD) technique and a database approach have been proposed to determine the faulty section. A multiresolution analysis based on discrete wavelet transforms is chosen to extract the unique features from voltage signals during the HIF event. The output coefficients from the decomposition process is stored in a database and used as the input data for the SD algorithm. The first, second, and third level of detailed coefficients of the post-disturbance voltage signal were utilized for the identification of the faulty section using the proposed method. A ranking analysis was created to provide a number of possibilities of faulty section. In this paper, a 38-node underground distribution network system in a national grid in Malaysia was modeled using the PSCAD software. The proposed method was able to successfully determine the faulty section. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a unified power-flow controller (UPFC) to suppress subsynchronous resonance occurred in a hybrid power-generation system connected to an infinite bus through a series-capacitor compensated line. The hybrid power-generation system contains a steam-turbine generator (STG) and an offshore wind farm (OWF) based on doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG). The d–q axis equivalent-circuit model under three-phase balanced loading conditions is derived to establish the complete system model including the STG set, the DFIG-based OWF, the series-capacitor compensated line, the UPFC, etc. A damping controller of the proposed UPFC is designed by using pole-assignment approach based on modal control theory to effectively damp out unstable STG modes of the studied system. Both small-signal stability and transient simulation results of the studied system are systematically performed. The simulation results show that the proposed UPFC joined with the designed damping controller can effectively suppress unstable STG modes of the studied power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Several surge arrester configurations on a 132 kV double circuit transmission line were modelled. • The energy discharged by lightning strokes during back flashover phenomena was investigated. • The most effective protection design were determined based on the actual tripping pattern. • Double circuit line tripping can be completely eliminated by installing arresters at each phase. • The chosen arrester configuration provides sufficient protection to transmission lines. Abstract Surge arrester has been proven to be the most effective application to provide optimum lightning protection for the transmission line. Thus, many works on optimizing lightning protection for transmission line have been conducted since the past. However, works on minimizing double circuit outages and surge arrester physical properties during transient overvoltages are less likely to be found. Therefore, in this work, several surge arrester configurations installed on a 132 kV double circuit transmission line were modelled using EMTP-RV to investigate their capability to withstand current and energy discharged by lightning strokes during back flashover phenomena. These configurations were then compared to determine the most effective protection design based on the actual tripping pattern recorded by the lightning detection system (LDS) in Malaysia. The selection was made by considering arresters' discharge energy due to variation in tower footing resistance, current magnitude, power frequency voltage, lightning tail time and front time, number of towers and span length. It was found that double circuit transmission line tripping can be completely eliminated by installing surge arresters at each phase conductor of one circuit. The selected arresters configuration provides sufficient lightning protection to the transmission line and complies with the discharge energy capability requirement specified by the utility company in Malaysia, of 5.1 kJ/kV for maximum continuous operating voltage (MCOV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) is proposed to overcome the problems of the existing unified power flow controllers (UPFCs) and to provide the dynamic power flow control through transmission lines. Although many studies have been focusing on developing UPFC control strategies for power flow control through simulation, there is a lack of experimental validation of different UPFC controller and its performance in real-time operation. In order to investigate the performance of the proposed FLC based UPFC, a laboratory prototype has been developed using two 6-pulse converters. The six-bus power system network model is chosen as test system. The shunt and series controller for both PI and FLC-based UPFC prototype are designed in MATLAB/Simulink using Speedgoat performance real-time target machine. The UPFC prototype is tested on six-bus power system network model to verify its capability. The results revealed that the UPFC prototype had successfully controlled the power flow dynamically in transmission line with enhanced accuracy. In addition, other power system parameters have been improved significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]