A non-contact current traveling wave fault location method for multi-terminal overhead power lines based on adaptive mathematical morphology

In this paper, a fault location method for a transmission network with multiple terminals is suggested. It is based on the use of tunnel magnetoresistive sensors installed at each terminal for the contactless measurement of the magnetic flux density generated by the initial traveling wave signals. The initial current traveling wave arrival time at each terminal is detected using the proposed scheme’s adaptive mathematical morphological function. When a fault occurs in the network, the magnetic flux density sensed by the sensors at each terminal is processed and used to create a fault flux ratio matrix (FFRM) and a fault flux characteristic matrix. A technique for identifying zonal faults, branch faults, and fault points has been developed based on the developed fault flux ratio matrix (FFRM). A thorough examination of several fault situations was carried out using a modeled transmission network based on the PSCAD/EMTDC frequency-dependent model. The analysis covered different types of faults in the network, including the identification of zone faults, branch faults, and fault points. The identification of zonal faults and fault points under varying fault impedance and fault inception angle was also analyzed. The results show that the proposed method is robust and accurate.