Continuous-Wavelet Transform for Fault Location in Distribution Power Networks: Definition of Mother Wavelets Inferred from Fault Originated Transients

Abstract

Abstract – The paper illustrates a procedure, based on the continuous-wavelet transform, for the analysis of volt-age transients due to line faults and discusses its applica-tion to fault location in power distribution networks. The analysis carried out allows us to infer that correlation does exist between some characteristic frequencies of the trans-formed signal and specific paths in the network covered by the traveling waves originated by the fault. This correla-tion provides useful information for the location of the faulted section in a MV distribution network starting from the recorded voltage transients at one or more busses. The presented approach can find a useful application in the realization of a distributed measurement and fault locating system. A brief description of the basic concepts of such a system and a first estimation of the relevant uncertainty are also provided in the paper.