Research on multi-terminal traveling wave fault location method in complicated networks based on cloud computing platform

Abstract Cloud computing technology is used in traveling wave fault location, which establishes a new technology platform for multi-terminal traveling wave fault location in complicated power systems. In this paper, multi-terminal traveling wave fault location network is developed, and massive data storage, management, and algorithm realization are implemented in the cloud computing platform. Based on network topology structure, the section connecting points for any lines and corresponding detection placement in the loop are determined first. The loop is divided into different sections, in which the shortest transmission path for any of the fault points is directly and uniquely obtained. In order to minimize the number of traveling wave acquisition unit (TWU), multi-objective optimal configuration model for TWU is then set up based on network full observability. Finally, according to the TWU distribution, fault section can be located by using temporal correlation, and the final fault location point can be precisely calculated by fusing all the times recorded in TWU. PSCAD/EMTDC simulation results show that the proposed method can quickly, accurately, and reliably locate the fault point under limited TWU with optimal placement.