Distribution Feeder Faulted Area Estimation Using Device State Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric distribution systems face challenges in accurately estimating faulted areas due to the nature of distribution feeders with multiple potential fault locations, leading to inefficiencies in fault location and service restoration.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing both offline and online data to estimate faulted areas by assessing protective device conditions and network connectivity, employing a state machine to perform upstream and downstream evaluations, and merging results to predict faulted areas without relying on recorded waveforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional fault location methods using voltage and current waveforms are employed, then fault location can be estimated, but multiple potential fault locations are identified leading to reduced measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The distribution feeder is segmented into multiple zones based on protective device boundaries. By evaluating protective device conditions (open/close states) and network connectivity data, the faulted area is segmented into specific zones rather than identifying multiple potential points along the entire feeder. This segmentation approach narrows down the fault location to a precise zone while maintaining system manageability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary analysis layer that processes protective device conditions and network connectivity data between the raw measurements and final fault location determination. This intermediary layer filters out false positives and narrows down multiple potential fault locations to a single precise faulted area, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive online data from multiple sources is collected to improve fault estimation accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but communication system requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes existing protective devices and network connectivity infrastructure for multiple purposes: normal operation monitoring, fault detection, and faulted area estimation. By making these existing components multi-functional, the patent improves measurement precision without adding dedicated communication infrastructure, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing network connectivity data and protective device status information that are already being collected for operational purposes. Rather than adding separate data collection systems, the patent makes the existing data collection infrastructure serve the additional function of faulted area estimation, improving accuracy without increasing communication system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for estimating faulted area in an electric distribution system. The system includes a database storing input data, a fault detection module to estimate, based on the input data, if a new faulted area estimation process is required, a condition estimation module to estimate condition of metered protective devices, un-metered protective devices, and metered devices (PMDs), an upstream to downstream module to assess condition of each metered protective device, un-metered protective device, and metered device (PMD), starting from a feeder circuit breaker towards feeder downstream, to estimate a tripped protective device and a last metered device upstream of a fault, and a downstream to upstream module configured to assess outaged electric loads or elements towards network upstream to find the common interrupting protective device.