2009 Second Asia-Pacific Conference on Computational Intelligence and Industrial Applications
Detecting Low-Voltage Arc Fault Based on Lifting
Multiwavelet
Weiyan Zheng,Weilin Wu
College of Electrical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
phiI4phil@163.com, eewuwl@zju.edu.cn
Abstract-Arc fault is one of the prime reasons causing
electrical fire accidents. It is difficult to detect the arc faults'
features by traditional circuit protections. An algorithm using
lifting multiwavelet transform for arc fault detecting was
presented in this paper. First, experiments were conducted
according to UL1699 standard and data were collected by
LabView. The high frequency band information of arc faults
could be detected by lifting multiwavelet transform, and then arc
feature parameters of the wavelet coefficients were calculated for
arc detecting. The experiments using typical loads showed that
our method performs better for arc fault circuit interrupter when
compared to the traditional wavelet.
Index Terms-Arc fault, Multiwavelet Transform, Mallat
Algorithm, Lifting Scheme
I. INTROD UCTION
The problems of arcing faults are experienced in AC low-
voltage electrical power system because of insulation failure.
These faults can cause physical injury and create fire accidents.
Conventional interrupters detect circuit faults by examining the
voltages and currents , but the wave shapes of arc currents
usually changes too little to drive trip circuit breakers. AFCI
(Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) is a device intended to detect arc
faults by recognizing characteristics unique to arcing and
disconnect uncontrolled arcing that cause fire.
Wavelet has been proven to vary efficient in signal analysis.
On this basis, feature extraction of faults arc signal has been
detailed by using wavelet packet [3J. Multiwavelet is a topic of
active research of the wavelet theory in recent years [4), which
can be seen as vector-valued wavelets that possessing several
properties at the same time. Multiwavelets have been applied in
power system industry [5Jo[6).
The original construction of the multiwavelets basis using
fractal interpolation functions is quite complicated. This paper
provided a simple example for constructing multiwavelet using
lifting scheme to reduce the complexity of our algorithm, and
then, experiments were conducted according to ULl699
standard llOJ and arc signal data were collected by LabView.
Arc feature parameters in high frequency band could be
detected by lifting multiwavelet decomposition. The
experiments with typical loads showed our method performs
reliability and correctly for arc fault protection.
The rest of this paper is organized as follows: in Section II,
we introduce some background theories related to our method.
Then, in Section III, we describe the proposed lifting scheme in
detail. Detection method using multiwavelet is proposed in
Section IV. The experimental results will be shown in Section
978-1-4244-4607-0/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEE E
254
V. Finally, we will conclude with some remarks, together with
the discussion of future direction of our work , in Section VI.
II. REVI EW OF BACKGROUND
A. Experimental Circuit
The relationship between arc voltage and arc current is
known as arc characteristics are highly nonlinear, owing the
very complex arc phenomena. The suitable math mode which
simulates both static and dynamic characteristics of several arc
loads controlled by an electronic circuit can not be built now.
Arc faults detection simulations in circuit simulators, such as
SPICE, Saber or MATLAB , cannot preferment well when they
are used in real circuit, so an arc generator for arc data
collection with different loads is needed for AFCI development.
arc generator
: 1
2Ac20V D
tJ load
AD
Figure I. Arc faults test circuit
The test platform was constructed to initiate series arcs with
various typical low-voltage loads and tested in the laboratory.
The transformer, switch, AD circuit, arc generator, load was
connected in the circuit of figure I. The arc generator consists
of a stationary electrode and a moving electrode, with the
electrodes touching each other, the circuit shall be closed. The
electrodes then shall be separated slowly using the lateral
adjustment until arcing occurs. We had using LabView to
sample the arc current signals at the rate at 20 kHz.
B. Multiwavelet using Mallat Algorithm
In contrast to the scalar wavelet case, in which all basis
functions are generated from translations and dilations of a
single wavelet and scaling function , multiwavelet bases are
constructed from translates and dilations of a vector of wavelets
and scaling functions . According to Mallat algorithm, <D =
(<D 1. <D z ...<Dr?, 'P = ('PI, 'Pz ,... , 'Pr) T , r E N, ,<D is the r-
dimension scaling function , 'P is r-dimension wavelet
function ,where r means the multiplicity of multiwavelets , and
r 2: 2. Multi-scaling function <D and multiwavelet function 'P
satisfy refinement matrix equations [II):
PACIIA 2009
 <1>(1) = LH k<l>(21 - k)
k EZ
(1)
1 t¥(I) = ~ Gk<l>(21 - k)

Where Hk, G, are rxr constant matrixes, classical wavelet

decomposition algorithm is proposed by Mallat, also known as
Mallat algorithm: for multiwavelet the decomposition formula
can be generated as follows [12]:

J2k~ J-I kC/ 21- k) s, =[~ ~I]g{~ ~1]g3 =[~ ~I]go[~ ~I]
j
C j _l =
(2)
Dj _ 1 = J2 L G / 21- k)
kC
In contrast to the lifting scheme for scalar wavelet case, the
input vector for multiwavelet should be divided into two sub-
k =--oo
sets (even sequence), (odd sequence):X(z)=X,(z)+z-'X,(z),
Where Cj_I=(Clj_1 C2j-1•• • Crj_I)T is the approximation
C(z) and D(z) are the multiwavelet coefficient matrix, so the
coefficients matrix, Dj_l= (D lj_1 D2j _I... Drj_I)T is the detail
multiwavelet transform can be expressed as follows:
coefficients matrix. With multi-resolution analysis structure
wavelet transform coefficients with single mother wavelet
function can be computed by using pyramid algorithms, such as C(Z) ] = p T z [X,(Z) ] (6)
[ D(z) ( ) z-'Xo(z)
Mallat algorithm, which convolves input signal vectors and
one-dimension filter. Similarly, multiwavelet transforms Then, similarly to the scalar case, multiwavelet also can be
convolves input matrix and filter matrix. built from the polyphase matrix by a finite combination of
III. LI FTING SCHEME FOR M ULTIWAVELET
prime lifting steps and dual lifting steps:

In most applications, wavelet coefficients are computed by

using Mallat algorithm, which using fast convolution algorithm P.,w(Z)=[~ T2~Z)][Sk~Z) ~][~ Wk;Z)]...
restricted by Fourier algorithm. Sweldens [13] propose a new (7)
construction algorithm for wavelet: the lifting scheme, which is
[S,(z)
I 0][1
I 0
WJZ)][7;(Z) 0]
1 0 1
a faster and more efficient method than the classical Mallat
algorithm, and computational complexity of lifting wavelet, is a
half of the convolution algorithm. The lifting scheme also has Where Sk(z),W k(z)(n=I ,2,3... k) are of finite polynomials,
been found to be a flexible method for constructing scalar Tm(z)(m=1,2) are unimodular. According to [8][9] we get the
wavelets with desirable properties. Here it is extend to the lifting scheme for SA4, the factorization is given by:
construction of multiwavelets. It is shown that any set of
compactly supported biorthogonal multi wavelets can be
Pn,w(z)= [ 0
I az][ I 0][1
I fJ+yz -l I 0
OZ2. :
I
obtained form the lazy matrix filters with a finite number of
(8)
lifting steps. A typical lifting scheme for multiwavelet SA4( r=2)
had been proposed here, more theory and details for lifting I 0][1
[B+TZ-' I 0
W+CTZ-'][K
I o
0]
11K
multiwavelet can be found in [8] [9].
First, the z-transforms of the multi-filter Hand 0 are Where the coefficients are computed as:
Laurent polynomials, (z = e'w,w E [0,27Z"»), we got polyphase a = -0.32227589 0 = 2.13181671
matrix P(z) ofH,O is defined by ,8 = - 1.11712361 T = 0.63642827
r = - 0.30014226 OJ = - 0.46908348
h, (Z) ho(Z)]
P(z) = (4) 8 = - 0.01880835 a > 0.14003924
[ g,(z) go(z)
A. = 0.11764809 K = 1.36216672
The polyphase components are
Finally, lifting multi wavelet for signal processing is
h, (Z) = LhzkZ-k,ho(z) = Lhzk+lZ-k displayed in figure 2.

l
k k
(5) pre-processing split prime lifting&duall ifting output

g,(z) = Lg2kZ-k,h,(z ) = Lg2k+lZ-k C (even

k k
~ 1. 0 ) x K
Cl.l
1

The multi wavelet SA4 filter matrices hk, gk(k=O,I,2,3) are

E.(Z)
x 1/K I i

C"I
given in [14], where a=7.87298: i () ®r(n)
( n
,
JJ ii
[~'l
I?.J,Z) x 1/K
1~1 1

Figure 2. Lifting multiwavelet for signal processing

255
 IV. DETCTINGARCFAULTS V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Paper [6] disclosed one of the most important points or A. Feature Extraction Using Multiwavelet
characteristics about arc signals: short time high frequency
In low-voltage ac systems, arc fault with several typical
disturbances which just occur in a narrow high frequency band
are found in both voltage and current traces. The standard loads have obvious characteristics such as reduced current
wavelet decomposition make the low frequencies information amplitude, shoulders, amplitude variations, change in of rise of
grouped into narrow sub-band, while the high frequencies current. A typical arc current from compressor was showed in
information is grouped into wider sub-band, but we need figure4 , which can be easily be extracted by scalar wavelet or
smaller sub-band at higher frequencies band for arc detection, multiwavelet decomposition.
so the not-standard wavelet decomposition was proposed in this Norm al I Arci ne
paper, only high frequency components were iteratively 30 I-----,-----,----L-,----.------,-----.-----,---~
20 change-in rate of
decomposed by multiwavelet transform, each of the wavelet I I I I I I

1::I AJWvV:v~ttli\rww~1t •.
n - - - - 1- - - - - 1- - - -re1h.Jcedcur rent - - - I" - - - - ~- rise of'current
components covered a specific frequency band which contains
arc feature parameters.

-20 1 1 ..J --l- J... .;,;I~o~l,!e£:, : _

I I I variable amplitude I I
I I -30 =-_-----:;:-';:-:_-----::'-:-_---:-":-:-_---::'-:-----:_---'---_ _i.-_-----'_ _---.J
\ I I Current Transformer 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4
,~ time (s)
I
I
I
Figure 4. Arc current trace from compressor

Waveshapes of resistive loads with arcing in series have

distinctively different from normal current waveshapes, but
differences may not be visible for arc detection, limited by the
precision of sampling circuit and background noise, scalar
wavelet cannot perform well in this situation. FigureS showed
Figure 3. Multiwavelet decomposition method for arc detection
lamps working current trace when an arc was generated in
The input vector is decomposed by multiwavelet SA4 into series. The normal current was in the first 2 cycles and the
low frequency coefficients matrix C=[C1,hC2,d , high frequency arcing current was in the last 2 cycles. And then we
coefficients matrix D=[D1,hD2,d, the same process was applied decomposed current signal by scalar wavelet and multiwavelet.
recursively to high frequency coefficients D into Normal Arcin
CD=[CD1,2,CDd, DD=[DD 1,2,DDd. Define [CD1,2,CDd,
[DD 1,2,DD 2,2] as wj(i=1,2,3,4), get the maximum of
multiwavelet coefficients Wj[max] and the average value of
multiwavelet coefficients wj[mean] as the arc feature
parameters for detection method. Figure3 illustrates an
arrangement of AFCI with our method:
I Sampling arc current using a moving windows, whose
length is I basic cycle(O.02s), decomposed current signal in the -2

first sampling window as the normal reference signal into the

-3
reference multiwavelet coefficients wj[ref], then update
reference arc feature parameters: wj[maxref] and wj[meanref]. 0 .1 0 .2 0 .3 0 .4 0 .5 0 .6 0 .7 0 .8
time(s)
2 Using the signal in the current sample window to get the
Figure 5. Current trace from resistive loads
multiwavelet coefficients w, by multiwavelet decomposition. If
current arc feature parameters: Wj[max] and Wj[mean] meet 1 MUllj~avelet Wa~~,,--l~~~-,

follow conditions, we define current sample window as the arc

window:
~ 0"",I,,'''''''' """,;~~~L,\'Ji~"(",r1~~I~l-
-10 0,01 0,02 0,03 0,04 0,05 0,06 0,07 0,08 -5;----;;::--;;-:;;--;;;;----;;7;----7;:;--:-0;-:7---7
50

I . Let p=lwj[max] - Wj[meanWlwj[maxrefj-w.]meanref]

and p > 111 ~_:E~~J,<~'",~:·-r-~Wr.J ~ : ,·~~~~¥ll!,~~+'~~r
II. Let q=lwj[max]/wj[maxref]1and q > 112
Here 11 I, 112 are adjustable threshold for arc faults, the value
,::'~~: , ~ , ~'
of 11 1, 112 will change for different loads.
3 If arc window continually occurred in M basic cycles and ! E<ry:;:~' , ~J
M > 113, here 113 is arc faults recognition threshold, we defined OO~ 10mOmO~ 40 MO~ 60~O ,OO
time(s)
000 10000roO~O~OMO ,~O ,OO
time (s)
an arc fault exists in electrical power system, immediately
Figure 6. Detail coefficients from multiwavelet and scalar wavelet
made tripping circuit to trip the main relay.

256
 We decomposed the arc current signal into the high scalar wavelet db4 missed in 5 test samples, and 9/7 missed 6.
frequency bands using multiwavelet SA4: wi(i=1,2,3,4). The
same process was applied recursively using scalar wavelets: VI. CONCLUSIONS
db4 and 9/7 get scalar wavelet high frequency coefficients: d., Since there was not suitable math mode which simulates
d2 ; d., d., Figure6 showed the coefficients form multiwavelet both static and dynamic characteristics of arc loads for testing
and scalar wavelet. Then arc feature parameters of the wavelet and verifying arc detection algorithm, a real arc testing
coefficients could be calculated separately. The parameters p, platform was built according to UL 1699 standard; experiments
q were arc decision criteria (threshold 111 = 5, 112 = 3) which were conducted to initiate series arcs with various typical low-
were mentioned in section IV. voltage loads and tested in the laboratory.
Table I listed the value ofp, q for both multiwavelet SA4 Limited by computational complexity, there were not
and scalar wavelet db4, 9/7. The experiment results showed many industry applications using multiwavelets. In this paper,
that all the multiwavelet arc parameters can be used for arc it was extend lifting scheme for constructing multiwavelets to
detection, but the scalar wavelet cannot extract arc reduce the complexity of detection algorithm. Arc feature
characteristics from the current trace except d2. parameters in high frequency multiwavelets coefficients were
used for our method.
TABLE I. FEA TURE PARAMETERS FROM MUL TIW AVELET &w AVELET The experiment results showed our method performs
reliability and correctly with all typical test samples and the
Coefficients
number
SA4 db4 9/7 tripping circuit could protect low voltage electrical power
systems from arc faults.
~
p=7.4032
wl/dl
q=3.3330
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