Contents:

 Types
 Causes
 Sequence operator
 Sequence components
 Symmetrical Component Transformation
 Sequence Impedances

Kongunadu College of Engineering & Technology Unsymmetrical Fault Analysis Prepared by,
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 Types of Unsymmetrical Faults:
 Line to Ground fault(L-G)
 Line to Line fault(L-L)
 Double line to ground fault(L-L-G)
 Open conductor faults
Causes:
 Lightning, wind damage, trees falling across lines,
vehicles colliding with towers or poles, birds shorting
lines, breaks due to excessive ice loading or snow
loading, salt spary.
 Some other causes are due to breaking of one or two
conductors or the action of fuses and other protective
devices that may not open the three phases
simultaneously.

Kongunadu College of Engineering & Technology Unsymmetrical Fault Analysis Prepared by,
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 Sequence operator ‘a’:
An operator which will turn a phasor through 1200 in three
phase problems. This operator is called as “a” operator.
a=𝑒 𝐽120 𝑎2 =𝑒 𝐽240 =𝑒 −𝐽120
𝑎3 =𝑒 𝐽360 =1
1+a+𝑎2 =0
a=-0.5+j0.866
𝑎2 =-0.5-j0.866
Significance:
On rotating the symmetrical component of one vector by
1200 or multiplies of 1200, we get the symmetrical components of
other vectors.
‘a’ operator can be defined as rotate 1200 in the
anticlockwise direction.
a=1 1200 =-0.5+j0.866

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 Fortesque Theorem:
An unbalanced system of n related phasors can be resolved into n
systems of balanced phasors called the symmetrical components.
Balanced System
The load impedances are the same in all three phases and the
voltages and currents are characterized by complete three phase
symmetry. So, for analysis we can use per-phase basis.
The algebraic sum of the balanced three phase currents is zero at all
times, no current will flow between generator or transformer neutrals
and ground. Ia+ Ib+ IC=0= IN
Unbalanced System
In an unsymmetrically faulted or loaded system, either the phase
currents nor the phase voltages possess three-phase symmetry.
The algebraic sum of the phase currents is equal to the neutral current
flowing in the system.
Ia+ Ib+ IC= IN
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  The potential of the generator neutral Vn will be equal to the
ground potential minus the drop over Zn.
Vn=0-InZn
 The phase to neutral voltage Van= Va + InZn

 Symmetrical components are applied to the unbalanced faults

are analyzed using simple per phase basis. Two functions are
developed for the symmetrical component transformations.
 Transformation from phase quantities into symmetrical
components and transformation from symmetrical components
into phase quantities.
Phase Sequence:
The order in which they pass through a positive maximum.
Consider unbalanced currents Ia, Ib, and Ic which can be resolved into
three symmetrical components positive, negative and Zero
sequence.
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Negative Sequence Components:

Three components of equal magnitude, displaced by 1200

in phase and having the phase sequence acb.

Let Ia- be the reference phasor,

Ia-= Ia-< 0 Ib-= Ia- 1200 = a Ia- Ic-= Ia- 2400

= a2 Ia-

Where Ia-, Ib-, Ic- are the negative sequence

components of Ia, Ib, Ic

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Zero Sequence Components

Three phasors equal in magnitude and with zero phase displacement from
each other.

Ia0 = Ib0= IC0

Where Ia0, Ib0, Ic0 are the negative sequence components of I a, Ib, Ic

4.4 Symmetrical Component Transformation

The three phase unbalanced currents I a, Ib, and Ic can be expressed in terms of
sequence currents as,

Ia= Ia0+ Ia++ Ia- Ib= Ib0+ Ib++ Ib- Ic= Ic0+
Ic++ Ic-

Write interms of phase ‘a’ components.

Ia= Ia0+ Ia++ Ia- Ib= Ia0+ a2Ia++a Ia- Ic= Ia0+ aIa++a2
Ia-

Ia 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝑰𝟎
𝒂
𝑰𝒃 = 𝟏 𝒂𝟐 𝒂 𝑰+
𝒂 𝑰𝒑 = 𝑻 𝑰𝒔
𝑰𝑪 𝟏 𝒂 𝒂𝟐 𝑰−
𝒂

𝐼𝑝 = Phase current 𝐼𝑠 = Sequence current T=symmetrical component

transformation matrix

Symmetrical Components of Currents from Phase Currents.

−𝟏
𝑰𝒔 = 𝑻 𝑰𝒑

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Symmetrical components of currents,

𝑰𝟎
𝒂 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 −𝟏 Ia
+
𝑰𝒂 = 𝟏 𝒂𝟐 𝒂 𝑰𝒃
𝑰−
𝒂 𝟏 𝒂 𝒂𝟐 𝑰𝑪

𝑇 = 3(a-a2)

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
1
𝑇 −1 = 𝟏 𝒂 𝒂𝟐
3
𝟏 𝒂𝟐 𝒂
∴ The symmetrical components of currents are,

𝑰𝟎
𝒂 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 Ia
1
𝑰+
𝒂 = 𝟏 𝒂 𝒂𝟐 𝑰𝒃
3
𝑰−
𝒂 𝟏 𝒂𝟐 𝒂 𝑰𝑪

𝟏
𝑰𝟎
𝒂 =𝟑 Ia + Ib + Ic

𝟏
Ia+=𝟑 Ia + aIb + a2 Ic

𝟏
𝑰−
𝒂 = 𝟑
Ia + a2 Ib + aIc

The zero sequence currents is equal to one third of the sum of the phase currents, in 3-ph
with ungrounded neutral,

Ia + Ib + Ic = 0 𝑰𝟎
𝒂 = 0 i.e., the zero sequence current does
not exist.

Kongunadu College of Engineering & Technology Unsymmetrical Fault Analysis Prepared by,
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 Unbalanced phase voltages interms of Symmetrical Component voltages,

Va= Va0+Va++ Va- Vb= Vb0+Vb++Vb- Vc= Vc0+Vc++

Vc-

Write interms of phase ‘a’ components.

Va= Va0+ Va++ Va- Vb= Va0+ a2Va++a Va- Vc= Va0+
aVa +a Va-
+ 2

Va 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝑽𝟎
𝒂
𝑽𝒃 = 𝟏 𝒂𝟐 𝒂 𝑽+
𝒂 𝑽𝒑 = 𝑻 𝑽𝒔
𝑽𝑪 𝟏 𝒂 𝒂𝟐 𝑽−
𝒂

Symmetrical Component voltages interms of phase voltages

−𝟏
𝑽𝒔 = 𝑻 𝑽𝑰𝒑

𝑽𝟎
𝒂 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 Va
1
𝑽+
𝒂 = 𝟏 𝒂 𝒂𝟐 𝑽𝒃
3
𝑽−
𝒂 𝟏 𝒂𝟐 𝒂 𝑽𝑪

Apparent power interms of symmetrical Components or Power Invariance

𝑻 ∗
Apparent power S3φ = 𝑽𝑷 𝑰𝑷

By using symmetrical component transformation,

𝑻 ∗
= 𝑻𝑽𝒔 𝑻𝑰𝒔

S3φ = 𝑽𝑻 𝑻 ∗ ∗
𝑺 𝑻 𝑻 𝑰𝑺

𝑻𝑻 𝑻∗ = T𝑻𝟖 =3

∴ S3φ = 3 𝑽𝑻 ∗
𝑺 𝑰𝑺 = 3𝑽𝟎 𝟎∗ + +∗ − −∗
𝒂 𝑰𝒂 + 3𝑽𝒂 𝑰𝒂 3𝑽𝒂 𝑰𝒂

Kongunadu College of Engineering & Technology Unsymmetrical Fault Analysis Prepared by,
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 Sequence Impedance:
Sequence impedances are the impedances offered by the devices or components for the
like sequence component of the current.
1.Positive sequence impedance 2. Negative sequence impedance
3. Zero sequence impedance.
Positive sequence impedance (Z+)
The impedance offered to the flow of positive sequence currents is known as Positive
sequence impedance.
Negative sequence impedance (Z-)
The impedance offered to the flow of negative sequence currents is known as Negative
sequence impedance.
Zero sequence impedance(Z0)
The impedance offered to the flow of zero sequence currents is known as zero sequence
impedance.
Sequence Impedances of Star Connected Load Grounded Through an Impedance Zn
Line-to-Ground Voltages
The line to ground voltages Va, Vb and VC are:
Va=ZSIa + ZnIn Vb=ZSIb + ZnIn Vc=ZSIc + ZnIn
For balanced circuits,
Ia+ Ib+ IC=IN
Va=ZSIa + ZnIn

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 References:
1. Hadi Saadat, ‘Power System Analysis’, Tata McGraw Hill Education Pvt. Ltd.,
New Delhi, 21st reprint, 2010.
2. Kundur P., ‘Power System Stability and Control, Tata McGraw Hill Education
Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 10th reprint, 2010.
3. Pai M A, ‘Computer Techniques in Power System Analysis’, Tata Mc Graw-Hill
Publishing
Company Ltd., New Delhi, Second Edition, 2007.
4. J. Duncan Glover, Mulukutla S. Sarma, Thomas J. Overbye, ‘ Power System
Analysis & Design’, Cengage Learning, Fifth Edition, 2012.
5. Olle. I. Elgerd, ‘Electric Energy Systems Theory – An Introduction’, Tata McGraw
Hill Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi, Second Edition, 2012.
6. C.A.Gross, “Power System Analysis,” Wiley India, 2011.
7. M.Jeraldin Ahila “Power System Analysis”, Lakshmi Publications, Chennai,
Eleventh Edition 2017.
8. Other Web Resources

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