Detection and Location of High Impedance Faults in Multiconductor Overhead Distribution Lines Using Power Line Communication Devices

An effective power system protection scheme has to be able to detect and locate all occurring faults corresponding to low and high impedance values. The latter category poses the greatest challenge for the protection schemes due to the low values of the related fault current. This paper extends previous work by the authors on the subject, aiming to achieve detection and location of high impedance faults (HIFs) in multiconductor overhead distribution networks utilizing power line communication (PLC) devices. Fault detection is proposed to be performed by a PLC device installed at the starting point of the monitored line and by using differences to the values of metrics related to input impedance at frequencies utilized by narrowband systems. Moreover, fault location can be derived by a response to impulse injection procedure utilized by all installed PLC devices along the line. The method is evaluated and validated in various simulation test cases concerning its ability to effectively detect and locate HIFs.