FAULTS ANALYSIS IN ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS USING SMART FEEDER METERS

Abstract

This study presents a fault location identification scheme by utilizing smart feeder meters (SFMs) equipped with voltage sag monitoring capabilities. The core concept involves analyzing voltage measurements from meters installed at various points within an electrical distribution network to accurately determinate the faults positions. The method establishes a relationship between the voltage deviations observed at each meter and the corresponding fault currents, which are calculated using the bus impedance matrix for different potential fault points. To enhance estimation accuracy, system loads are modeled as constant impedances and incorporated into impedance matrix. The effectiveness of the suggested approach is validated on a real-world electrical network. Results from sensitivity analyses confirm the robustness of the method, demonstrating reliable performance under varying fault resistance values, meter placements, and the number of smart meters deployed.