A new travelling-wave based scheme for fault detection on overhead power distribution feeders

The authors present the results of investigations into a new fault location technique for overhead power distribution systems. The scheme is based on detecting fault-induced high-frequency components on distribution lines. This should enable the detection of discharges from the low-level breakdown of insulators, which cannot be detected by conventional methods. The location of a fault is determined by appropriate signal processing of the generated signals on the line. Simulation results are used to illustrate the basic features of the performance of the new scheme on a simple radial 11 kV feeder system