Evaluation of Fault-Induced Traveling Waves in a Transmission Line Experimental Test Bench
Fault-induced transients, traveling waves, wavelet transform, transmission line protection, fault detection and location.
Traveling-wave detection methods have been widely studied in recent years due to
the implementation of traveling-wave-based protection and fault location schemes applied to transmission systems since they are faster and more accurate than traditional
schemes employed by power companies. Researchers have been developed travelingwave detection methods by using the most varied digital signal processing techniques.
This work provides a traveling wave-based detection methods analysis with the main
focus on real-time boundary stationary wavelet transform, by using experimental data,
which is extracted from a three-phase transmission line test platform. This research intends to develop a method that utilizes high-sampling frequency to detect the first incident
wavefront, as well as the subsequent ones due to reflections at line terminals and at fault
point. The experimental test bench is composed of a three-phase alternate current source,
a one kilometer long four-wire polypropylene-type flexible copper cable, which enables
the traveling-wave propagation phenomenon, a load resistance, and fault resistance. The
fault switching is realized by pressing a push-button. Currents and voltages are measured
by means of transducers connected to one of the line terminals, the fault point, and an
oscilloscope. Therefore, fault transient signals are acquired, stored, and can be offline
analyzed. Handling this setup, it is possible to control the distance that fault occurs, the
fault type, as well as the fault resistance and the fault incidence angle.