BEE 3243 – CHAPTER 7

Fault in Electric Power System

 Module Outline

1. Introduction

2. Symmetrical/ Balanced Faults

3 U
3. Unsymmetrical/
t i l/ Unbalanced
U b l d Faults
F lt

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 2

 Introduction

• Analysis types:
power flow - evaluate normal operating conditions
fault analysis - evaluate abnormal operating conditions
• Fault analysis is also known as short circuit study.
• In normal condition, a power system is operating at
balanced 3-phase AC system.
• Whenever a fault occurred, the bus voltages and
fl
flow off currentt in
i the
th network
t k elements
l t gett affected.
ff t d
• Faults can cause over current at certain point of
power system.
t
BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 3
 Introduction

• Faults occur in power system due to:

insulation failure in the equipments
flashover of lines initiated by lightning
mechanical damage to conductors and towers
accidental faulty operation

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 4

 Introduction

• Fault types:
Symmetrical/ balanced faults (3-phase)
Unsymmetrical/ unbalanced faults
single-line
i l li tto ground d and
dddouble-line
bl li tto ground
d
line-to-line faults
• The relative frequency of occurrence of various
faults in the order of severity are as follows:
balanced 3-phase fault 5%
double line to ground fault 10%
line to line fault 15%
single line to ground fault 70%
BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 5
 Introduction

• When a fault occurs in a power system, bus

voltages reduces and large current flows in the
lines.
• This may cause damage to the equipments.
• The magnitude of the fault currents depends on:
the impedance of the network
the internal impedances of the generators
th resistance
the i t off the
th fault
f lt (arc
( resistance)
i t )

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 6

 Introduction

• Faulty section should be isolated from the rest of

the network immediately.
• This can be achieved by providing relays and circuit
breakers.
• The protective relays sense the occurrence of the
f l and
fault d sendd signals
i l to circuit
i i b breakers
k to open the
h
circuit under faulty condition.
• Proper
P relay
l setting
tti and d relay
l coordination
di ti are
required for effective protection.

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 7

 Introduction

• The main purposes of fault analysis:

specifying ratings for circuit breakers and fuses
protective relay settings
specifying the impedance of transformers and generators
• Network impedances are governed by
generator impedances
transformer connections and impedances
transmission line impedances
Load impedances
grounding connections and resistances

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 8

 Subtransient and transient

• Generator behavior is divided into three periods

sub-transient period,
period lasting for the first few cycles during
which current decrement is very rapid
transient period, covering a relatively longer time during
which current decrement is more moderate

steadyy state p
period

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 9

 Subtransient and transient

X’’d X’d Xd / Xs

Sub transient T
Transient
i t St d state
Steady t t

DC component

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 10

Symmetrical & Asymmetrical fault

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 11

 Subtransient and transient

• Sub-transient reactances, XG = Xd”

determine the interrupting capacity of HV circuit breakers
determine the operation timing of the protective relay
system for high-voltage networks
• Transient reactances, XG = Xd’
determine the interrupting capacity of MV circuit breakers
determine the operation timing of the protective relay
system for medium-voltage networks

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 12

 Subtransient and transient

irms  i 2 ac  i 2 dc

E E
iac max  idc max  2
X '' d X '' d

2 2 E = phase voltage
 E   E 
irms max   2    '' 
 X d X d
''

E
irms max  3 Momentary short circuit current
''
X d

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 13

 Subtransient and transient

• Short circuit current

In theory,
theory it should be multiplied by multiplying factor
of 3
E
irms max  3
X '' d

But in practice, it is recommended to use multiplying

factor of 1.6
16
Multiplying factor depends on the speed of CB.
Slower breaker ((i.e. 8 cycle
y breaker)) = 1.0
5 cycle breaker = 1.1
2 cycle breaker = 1.4
1 cycle breaker = ?

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 14

 Percentage Resistance/Reactance

• Percentage resistance, Rp
• Defined as resistance of that value which has a
resistance drop of Rp percent of normal voltage value
when carrying full load current.
IR
R p  100
V
Where R = resistance in ohm, I = full load current,
V = rated voltage

• Percentage reactance ?

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 15

• Percentage reactance, Xp
• Defined as reactance of that value which has a
reactive drop of Xp percent of the normal voltage
value when carrying full load current.

IX
Xp  100
V

where X = reactance in ohm, I = full load current,

V = rated voltage

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 16

Rearrange the equation will give
X pV
X 
I 100
Multiply & divided by V will give
X p voltage 
2
2
X pV
X  
IV 100 output in VA100

If expressed in KV and KVA

X p kV  X p kV  10
2 2

X  X 
kVA100 kVA

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 17

 Symmetrical Three-phase Fault

• The balanced fault is a phenomenon where the

three phases are short circuited simultaneously.
• Since the network is balanced, it is solve on per
phase basis.
p
• A fault represents a structural network change
equivalent
q to the addition of an impedance
p at the p
place of
the fault
if the fault impedance is zero, the fault is referred to as a
b lt d ffault
bolted lt or solid
lid ffault
lt
• For small networks, it can be solved by the
Thévenin’s
Thévenin s method
method, and for large networks,
networks it is
solved by the Bus Impedance Matrix method.
BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 18
 Symmetrical Three-phase Fault

Three Phase Fault on No Load Generator:

• The current and reactance are defined by the following
equation, provided the altenator was operating at no load
b f
before th occurance off 3-phase
the 3 h ffault:
lt
Eg •Eg = No load voltage
Oa
Steady state current [I ]   of the generator
2 Xd
•Xd = direct axis
synchronous
Ob Eg reactance
Transient current [i ' ]  
2 Xd ' •Xd’=direct
Xd’ di t axisi
transient reactance
Oc Eg •Xd” = direct axis
Subtransient current [i" ]   subtransient reactance
2 Xd "

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 19

 Symmetrical Three-phase Fault

Three Phase Fault on Loaded Generator:

• Illustration of generators fault:

• The current following the fault occurs is IL, the voltage at the fault is
g of the g
Vf and the terminal voltage generator is Vt

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 20

 Symmetrical Three-phase Fault

• When a three-phase
p fault occurs at P,, switch S is closed
and the value of Eg” can be obtained using the following
equation:

Eg "  Vt  jILXd "

• For transient and steady state internal voltage is given
as follow:
Eg '  Vt  jILXd '
Eg  Vt  jILXd

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 21

Example

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 22

BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 23
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BEE 3243 – Electric Power Systems – Module 6 25