CHAPTER THREE

SHORT CIRCUIT ANALYSIS

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 Symmetrical Three Phase Fault Analysis
A three phase fault is a condition where either (a) all three phases of
the system are short circuited to each other, or (b) all three phase of
the system are earthed.

(a)Balanced three phase fault (b)Balanced three phase fault to earth

This is in general a balanced condition, and we need to only know the

positive-sequence network to analyse faults.

Calculation of Fault Current Using Impedance Diagram

Calculation of Fault Current Using Z-bus Matrix
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Example: Consider the power system of Figure below in which a synchronous
generator supplies a synchronous motor. The motor is operating at rated voltage and
rated MVA while drawing a load current at a power factor of 0.9 (lagging) when a three
phase symmetrical short circuit occurs at its terminals. Calculate the fault current that
flow from both the generator and the motor.

Solution: We shall choose a base of 50 MVA, 20 kV in the circuit of the generator.

Then the motor synchronous reactance is given by

per unit

Also the base impedance in the circuit of the transmission line is

Ω
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Therefore the impedance of the transmission line is

per unit

The impedance diagram for the circuit is shown in Figure in which the switch S
indicates the fault.

The motor draws a load current at rated voltage and rated MVA with 0.9 lagging
power factor. Therefore

Then the subtransient voltages of the motor and the generator are

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Hence the subtransient fault currents fed by the motor and the generator are

per unit

per unit

and the total current flowing to the fault is

per unit

Note that the base current in the circuit of the motor is

Therefore while the load current was 1603.8 A, the fault current is 7124.7 A.

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Example: Four identical alternators, each rated 11 kV, 25 MVA, and
each having a sub-transient reactance of 16% on its rating, are
connected in parallel to a common busbar. Find the 3-phase fault level
at the outgoing feeder from the common busbar.

Solution: Base kV 11
Base MVA 25
X'pu 0.16
pu fault MVA from one alternator =1/X'pu
pu fault MVA from one alternator 6.25pu(MVA)
Fault MVA 156.25
156.25MVA
number of
alternators 4
Total fault MVA 625MVA

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 FAULT-CURRENT LIMITERS (FCL)
Fault-current limiters using high temperature
superconductors offer a solution to controlling fault-current levels
on utility distribution and transmission networks. These fault-
current limiters, unlike reactors or high-impedance transformers,
will limit fault currents without adding impedance to the circuit
during normal operation. Development of superconducting fault-
current limiters is being pursued by several utilities and electrical
manufacturers around the world.

Superconductors, materials that have no resistance to the

flow of electricity, are one of the last great frontiers of
scientific discovery.

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Prepared by: Ismael K. Saeed
 Fault control with a fault-current limiter

In Figure, a large, low-impedance transformer is used to feed a bus.

Normally, the FCL does not affect the circuit. In the event of a fault, the
limiter develops an impedance of 0.2 per unit (Z = 20%), and the fault
current ISC is reduced to 7,400 A. Without the limiter, the fault current
would be 37,000 A.
1 1
𝐼𝑓 = = 20𝑝𝑢 𝐼𝑓 = = 4𝑝𝑢
0.05 0.05 + 0.2
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𝐼𝑓 = 20 ∗ 1850 = 37000𝐴 𝐼𝑓 = 4 ∗ 1850 = 7400𝐴
Example: Calculate the fault level for a 3-phase symmetrical short-circuit on
an 11 kV feeder in the following system

j1 p.u

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Solution: Grid infeed base V = 132 kV , S = 100 MVA

pu equivalent circuit

Reduce the circuit by combining two parallel branches and converting delta into star
as follows:

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Further reduction gives

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• Any unbalanced three phase system of currents,
voltages or other sinusoidal quantities can be resolved
in to three balanced of phasors which are known as
symmetrical components of the original unbalanced
system. This three balanced systems constitutes three
sequence networks which are solved separately on
single phase basis.

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Physically, in a three phase winding a positive sequence set of
currents produces a normal rotating field, a negative sequence set
produces a field with the opposite rotation, and the zero sequence
set produces a field that oscillates but does not rotate between
phase windings.

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 Unbalanced system Positive Seq.component

c0 c1
c a1 a1
a2
c2 b1
a0
Zero Seq.components
c1 a
a0 b0
b c0
Negative Seq.components
b0 b2
c2
b2
b1 a2

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 Unbalanced System
a Zero Seq. Components
b
a
b
c
c
3a0

Positive Seq. Components Negative Seq. Components

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Symmetrical components of generator

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component networks of generator
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Symmetrical components of transformer (zero)

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Unbalanced Faults

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 3𝐸
𝐼𝑓 =
𝑍1 + 𝑍2 + 𝑍𝑜` Prepared by: Ismael K. Saeed
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𝐼𝑓 = 3 𝐼𝑎𝑜 Prepared by: Ismael K. Saeed
 3𝐸 𝑍2
𝐼𝑓 = − ∗
𝑍1 + (𝑍2 //𝑍𝑜` ) 𝑍2 + 𝑍𝑜`

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 −𝑗 3 𝐸
𝐼𝑓 =
𝑍1 + 𝑍2 + 𝑍𝑓
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 𝐸
1- 3- Fault or 3--G fault 𝐼𝑓 =
𝑍1 + 𝑍𝑓

2- L-to-L Fault −𝑗 3 𝐸
𝐼𝑓 =
𝑍1 + 𝑍2 + 𝑍𝑓

3- L-to-G Fault 3𝐸
𝐼𝑓 =
𝑍1 + 𝑍2 + 𝑍𝑜`

4- L-to-L-to-G Fault 3𝐸 𝑍2
𝐼𝑓 = − ∗
𝑍1 + (𝑍2 //𝑍𝑜` ) 𝑍2 + 𝑍𝑜`
𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒁`𝒐 = 𝒁𝟎 Prepared
+ 𝟑 by: 𝒁𝒏Ismael
+K.𝟑Saeed
𝒁𝒇
Solution
The Positive sequence network is drawn similar to the single line diagram with the
generator and the synchronous motor being replaced by their internal emf and
impedance.

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The negative sequence network is drawn as in figure

and the zero sequence network is drawn as in figure

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Example: A 50MVA , 11kV , three-phase synchronous
generator was subjected to different types of faults: Line-to-
ground fault 4200A ; Line-to-Line fault 2600A ; three-phase fault
2000A . The generator neutral is solidly grounded. Find the per
unit value of three sequence reactances of the generator.

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