Methodology for automated testing of transmission line fault locator algorithms

This paper presents a novel methodology for automated testing of fault locator algorithms and testing their output sensitivity. The proposed methodology is based on Quasi Monte Carlo technique implemented in SIMLAB. The proposed methodology interfaces among SIMLAB, MATLAB and EMTP/ATP programs. A case study with a number of simulated fault locations along a transmission line is presented in the paper. For each fault location we were varying parameters of fault resistance and pre-fault power flow on the line. In order to measure sensitivity of fault locator output to fault resistance and power flow, a large number of cases with varying fault resistance and power flow were generated using Sobol sampling technique. Two types of fault locator algorithms, Reactance algorithm and Takagi algorithm, are tested. Results obtained and presented in this paper indicate performance of each algorithm.