A series arc fault location algorithm based on an impedance method for a domestic AC system

Abstract

 This article describes a fault location method developed within our laboratory. The method is based on the electric line physical parameters to estimate a serial arc fault distance in an experimental short transmission line. Using recorded data at two ends of the transmission line, the method estimates currents in many hypothetic fault points of the line, looking for a current difference minimization. The test bench used for our purpose is composed of a 49 m transmission line used in domestic networks (220V-50Hz) and a 47 ohms power resistor load. Across the line, an arc fault (carbonized path) can be inserted at many different points (40 points of insertion are available).

Series arc fault location algorithm based on impedance parameters and fault map trace generation

“…On this basis, inspirited by this second method, the authors of this paper developed two original algorithms to locate AC series-arc faults. The first based on an approach model of a home electrical line [37] and the second uses impedance parameters of the line and a neural network [38]. Nevertheless, the accuracy of these methods is strongly influenced by both an adequate frequency band selection or the dynamic variations of different series-arc faults (random and stochastic impedance behavior) which cause significant degradation in their performances.…”